More Than Tired: Reclaiming Maternal Energy

By Sheena Low

I’ve been thinking about maternal health recently, but it’s hard to feel healthy when you are negotiating with a toddler at 2am and your brain feels like a browser with 50 tabs open, most of which have frozen. So I turned to Penny Booth of Niraamaya clinic in Bangkok, an expert in maternal health with over 30 years of experience. She is a qualified gynecologist who integrates natural therapies like homeopathy and acupuncture into her practice. These are the insights that stayed with me for finding my way back to energy beyond a temporary caffeine fix.

The seven-year fatigue

Many mothers are told that after the six-week checkup, they are "good to go". That is a common misconception. Postnatal depletion is a syndrome that can last up to seven years after giving birth. This syndrome involves a chronic drain on your nutritional, emotional, and physical stores.

During pregnancy and breastfeeding, your body literalizes the phrase "giving of yourself". You are transferring essential minerals and energy to create a new person. If these stores are not replaced, your body enters a state of survival. When your brain energy tanks, you are experiencing a state of depletion that goes deeper than a "mom brain" moment.

High cortisol, your stress hormone, is likely to become your new baseline because you are sleep-deprived and hyper-vigilant. This state of high alert is a biological imbalance where your nervous system forgets how to stand down. 

Stop the perfectionist spiral. If you are waking up exhausted or having intense sugar cravings, your body is asking for a nutrient reset. First, prioritize sleep; it is a medical necessity not a luxury. Second, focus on eating high-density foods that replace what has been lost. Third, move; exercise helps physically and mentally.

The hormone jigsaw

Women’s health is often treated like a single light switch. If you are tired, a doctor might check one marker and tell you everything is normal. In reality, your health is a jigsaw puzzle. The three main pieces for mothers are the thyroid, the adrenal glands (cortisol), and the ovaries (estrogen and progesterone).

These three systems are inextricably linked. If your adrenals are pumping out cortisol because you are stressed, your body perceives a threat. To save energy, it slows down your thyroid. This explains why you might experience thinning hair, cold hands, and weight gain even if your diet has not changed. Similarly, progesterone is your calming hormone, and production of progesterone drops when you’re stressed, which leads to snappy irritability and intense PMS. 

So if you feel off, get your thyroid checked out, and don’t settle for a basic TSH test. Instead, demand a full panel that includes Free T3, Free T4 and thyroid antibodies. Penny explains that many mothers in Bangkok are walking around with subclinical thyroid issues or "Hashimoto’s" that go undiagnosed because the testing was not deep enough. You should also check your iron and B12 levels as these are the essential fuel your thyroid needs to function.

The warmth method

We often think of healthy eating as cold salads and green juices. But for a mother’s body—especially one recovering from birth or dealing with heavy cycles—cold is the enemy.

In traditional and natural therapies, a "cold uterus" leads to stagnation. When the body is cold, blood flow slows down. This manifests as painful, dark periods and intense cramping. It is essentially stagnated blood. Cold dairy products also increase dampness in the body, which can interfere with everything from digestion to fertility.

Swap the iced latte for ginger or turmeric tea. Focus on warm foods like stews, soups, and cooked vegetables. If you suffer from heavy or painful periods, Penny suggests using a castor oil pack on your lower abdomen at night. It helps keep the area pliable and improves circulation to the reproductive organs.

Your essential supplement list

Do not waste money on a wall of random vitamins. If you want to move from "exhausted" to "capable" you need a targeted approach.

Magnesium Glycinate: This is the ultimate off-switch. It is involved in over 300 biochemical reactions, including metabolism and thyroid function. It tells your nervous system it is okay to relax.

Omega-3 fish oils: Your brain is mostly fat. During pregnancy, the baby borrows your DHA for their own brain development. High-quality fish oils help fix the fog and stabilize your mood.

B-complex: These are the spark plugs for your nervous system. They help your body handle the fight-or-flight mode that kicks in when the house is in chaos.

Glutathione: Penny uses this to help open the four hormonal pathways in your liver, allowing your body to effectively clear out old hormones and toxins.

Adaptogens: Herbs like Ashwagandha or Rhodiola help your body adjust to stress. They help level out your cortisol so you do not crash at 3 pm.

Quality matters. Look for supplements with high bioavailability. If you are taking a handful of pills but do not feel different, your body may not be absorbing them, so check your gut health with a doctor. If your digestion is a mess, you will not absorb even the best vitamins.

Parenting from the inside out

We spend so much time worrying about our children’s milestones that we forget they are energetic sponges. Children are incredibly intuitive. They feel our energy as much as our words.

If your cortisol is high and you are faking being okay, your child picks up on that instability. This often leads to unexplained tantrums or clinginess. Their difficult behavior is often an attempt to find safety in your energy.

The most practical thing you can do for your child is to prioritize your own emotional health. Setting healthy boundaries is a gift to your child. Dealing with your own stress is the best foundation for parenting.

The wisdom of the elder

There is a beautiful perspective from certain cultures that views the end of the reproductive years as an entry into being an elder. During her training in the Northern Territory of Australia, Penny met an Indigenous Elder who shared a different view of menopause.

The Elder explained that menopause is not a medical condition. It is the time when a woman becomes world-wise. As our hormonal cycles change, our focus often shifts from nurturing others to honing wisdom. Doctors frequently jump to antidepressants for perimenopausal symptoms, but often, the body is just asking for a lifestyle change. It is a time when a woman stops leaking energy to everyone else and begins to hold it for herself.

Whether you are in the "three-year mess" of early motherhood or moving toward perimenopause, see these changes as a transition. You are evolving. Listen to the signals your body is sending. If you are tired, rest. If you are angry, look at what boundaries are being crossed.

We need to be well, emotionally and physically, to be able to show up for our families. So let’s prioritize our health.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional regarding your specific health needs and diagnosis before starting a supplement or treatment plan.

About the Author

Sheena is a mother to four-year-old, August, runs Super Fly Honey, a brand that makes technical activewear for pole dancers around the world, and dreams about writing children’s books. After three years with a lot of yoga, deep friendships, purposeful retreats and IFS therapy, she realizes that becoming a mother is actually a superpower.