Trying to conceive again? Why Postpartum Depletion Might Be Holding You Back
You conceived your first baby easily, maybe even without trying. But now you're longing for another child… and it’s just not happening.
If this feels familiar, you’re not alone.
Secondary infertility affects around 1 in 8 couples. It’s defined as the inability to fall pregnant again after previously carrying a pregnancy to term. Yet it often remains overlooked, overshadowed by assumptions that having one child guarantees ease with subsequent pregnancies.
A critical but frequently ignored piece of the puzzle is postpartum depletion: a chronic, physiological & emotional exhaustion following pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding.
What Is Postpartum Depletion?
Postpartum depletion is a long-term state of physical, emotional, and nutritional exhaustion that can persist for months, or even years after giving birth.
And no, it’s not just sleep deprivation.
It’s a deep physiological drain on the minerals, hormones, and energy reserves your body needs not only to function, but to feel whole, well, and ready to conceive again.
Common symptoms include:
Persistent fatigue (even if your baby sleeps through the night)
Hair loss, dry skin, brittle nails
Brain fog and memory lapses
Mood swings, anxiety, or emotional overwhelm
Irregular cycles or worsened PMS
Low libido or a sense of disconnect from your body
A significant contributor is iron deficiency, which affects 40–60% of pregnant and postpartum women globally. It’s been linked to prolonged fatigue, poor concentration, depressive symptoms, and even disrupted maternal–infant bonding. Without proper nutritional support, postnatal depletion can quietly linger for years.
How Postpartum Depletion Leads to Secondary Infertility
Your body isn’t broken, it’s protective. If it senses depletion, it may delay or suppress fertility until physiological reserves are adequate.
Common depletions that impact infertility include:
Mineral deficiencies (iron, zinc, copper) that impair ovulation, egg quality, and uterine lining development
Chronic stress elevating cortisol, which decreases progesterone and shortens luteal phase length
Thyroid dysfunction, with up to 23% of new moms experiencing postpartum thyroiditis, often affecting cycle regularity
Gut issues leading to inflammation and poor nutrient absorption
Blood sugar instability, disrupting hormone balance and insulin function
Evidence is strong that short interpregnancy intervals (where nutrient stores haven’t replenished) increase risks for both nutrient deficiency and pregnancy complications
The Emotional Toll And the Weight of Birth Trauma
Secondary infertility isn’t just a physical challenge, it’s often an invisible emotional storm.
You may feel:
Guilty for wanting more when you already have a child
Alone in your grief, especially when friends or family don’t understand
Frustrated by casual advice like “just relax” or “at least you have one”
Anxious every time your period arrives instead of a positive test
And for many women, there’s a deeper, unspoken layer: birth trauma.
Whether your previous birth involved emergency intervention, lack of control, medical mistreatment, or postpartum complications, these experiences can leave emotional imprints that affect not only mental health, but reproductive health, too.
Studies show that birth trauma can increase the risk of hormonal dysregulation, chronic stress, and fear-based avoidance of conception, all of which impact fertility. Elevated cortisol from unresolved trauma can interfere with ovulation, shorten luteal phases, and suppress libido or intimacy creating both physiological and emotional blocks to conception.
Healing the body and mind must go hand in hand.
Your emotional wellbeing is just as vital as your physical health on this journey.
You deserve support that sees all of you not just your lab results or reproductive timeline.
How I Can Help
As a Clinical Nutritionist, Certified Fertility Specialist, and Eating Psychology Coach, I take a whole-person approach to secondary infertility and postpartum depletion.
This means I don’t just look at your lab results or your diet, I explore the emotional, behavioural, and biological patterns that may be holding your body back from healing and conceiving.
Here’s how we work together:
Functional testing to uncover root causes (HTMA, DUTCH, GI-MAP, thyroid, nutrient panels)
Personalised nutrition plans to restore key nutrients and regulate hormones
Targeted supplement protocols based on your body’s unique needs
Eating Psychology support to rebuild trust with your body, reduce food guilt, and shift unhelpful patterns around nourishment
Emotional resilience & nervous system support, especially after birth trauma or burnout
This is not a one-size-fits-all plan. It's deep, personalised care that meets you where you are physically, emotionally, and hormonally.
Your Body Knows What It Needs
You gave everything for your first child. Now it’s time to nourish yourself, so your body can feel safe and ready to create again.
📞 Book a free 10-minute discovery call
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💻 Online & in-person support available
References
Haider, B. A., & Bhutta, Z. A. (2017). Multiple-micronutrient supplementation for women during pregnancy. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (4). https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004905.pub5
Jing, Y., Li, D., Xu, T., et al. (2021). Vitamin D and IVF outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, 19(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12958-021-00728-4
Lomagno, K. A., Hu, F., Riddell, L. J., et al. (2014). Increasing iron and zinc in the diet improves mood and reduces depression symptoms in young women: A pilot study. Nutrients, 6(11), 5117–5132. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu6115117
O’Connor, D. L., Blake, J., Bell, R., et al. (2018). Canadian consensus on female nutrition: Adolescence, reproduction, menopause, and beyond. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada, 40(5), 549–583.e1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jogc.2017.09.022
Shin, Y. H., Shin, H. J., & Lee, J. H. (2019). A comparison of nutrient intakes and depression scores between postpartum women and the general female population in Korea. Nutrition Research and Practice, 13(3), 223–230. https://doi.org/10.4162/nrp.2019.13.3.223
Simpson, M., Thompson, J. M. D., & Mitchell, E. A. (2015). Postpartum thyroid dysfunction and autoimmunity in New Zealand women. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 100(4), E652–E657. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2014-3432
World Health Organization. (2023). Infertility. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/infertility
Yim, I. S., Tanner Stapleton, L. R., Guardino, C. M., et al. (2015). Biological and psychosocial predictors of postpartum depression: Systematic review and call for integration. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 11, 99–137. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-101414-020426