These White Chocolate Protein Blondies are perfect for your Postpartum Recovery. 

What is Serotonin and how does it affect postnatal depletion?

Serotonin, often referred to as the "happy" neurotransmitter, is responsible for regulating mood and anxiety. Low levels of serotonin can impact how you cope with the stressors and mental load of motherhood, resulting in mood changes. Now, postnatal depletion and postnatal are not the same thing. You can experience the exhaustion and sometimes low mood associated with postnatal depletion, however you don't necessarily fit the diagnostic criteria for postnatal depression. 

Postnatal depression (PND) is a serious mood disorder impacting the wellbeing of mums. It requires supportive and collaborative care which can include medication to increase your serotonin levels, counselling and even in-patient hospital stays at mother and baby mental health units. 

Although some of the signs and symptoms of postnatal depletion are similar to PND, they are not the same. If you feel like your mood is getting worse, your experiencing more bad days than good or having negative thoughts about yourself or newborn- please reach out to your health care provider or a postnatal depression support service like PANDA. 

How does Dopamine impact postnatal depletion?

Dopamine is known as the "motivation" neurotransmitter, playing a key role in motivation and energy. In postnatal depletion, mums often feel lack of motivation due to extreme exhaustion or the mental load of motherhood. Incorporating little rewards into your day can help to support your dopamine levels. Your "little reward" for getting the kids to school on time could be a hot coffee in the park, or perhaps listening to an audio book on the way home from school drop off. Other types of self care including hot showers, gentle stretching, yoga/pilates, facials, lighting a candle, journalling, listening to music and sitting in the sun are all perfect rewards to give your brain that dopamine hit.

The food you eat also helps to regulate your dopamine levels, firstly by providing amino acids like l-tyrosine need to make dopamine but also providing that reward sensation when you eat a food you love like chocolate. This high protein white chocolate blondie is the perfect combination of that sweet treat reward combined with the collagen protein and l-tyrosine included in our Mothers Boost Postnatal Protein Powder.