PP and diet

[SaffFree]

Hi everyone, I hope you are all well. Was anyone vegan/veggie when they had PP? I was pretty much plant based for about 5 years before getting pregnant. Occasional indulging in animal product, and I have struggled with conflicting feelings around veganism and causing no harm to other beings. Especially becoming a mother and sympathising with animal females and mothers pain.

I was really healthy first pregnancy, no problems and monitored my Vit D, Iron, B12 etc myself through Thriva. 2nd pregnancy is when I got PP last year. It was also healthy, no major problems, but close to the end of the pregnancy, I had to have 6 x B12 injections and intravenous iron. I know a lot of women have this even eating animal product because pregnancy is so demanding on your nutrient stores.

I thought popped into me head to ask on here about how diet can contribute to PP, and see if anyone has knowledge or shared experience. I think there is very little evidence on it and still a lack of research into how B12 levels can contribute to PP, amongst other things like Iron and Ferritin levels. I did a bit of digging and unsurprisingly, the like between psychiatric symptoms and low B12 seems to only be documented in men! Low iron and B12 is however strongly correlated with Postpartum Depression. I feel like PP is currently on of those maternal mental health disorders that has been neglected.

My midwife agreed with me when I said Iron and B12 stores are tested too late in pregnancy when a problem has already developed. There’s not enough knowledge and advice given to mothers about monitoring various health markers through pregnancy, and how those can affect your health holistically. Mental health is definitely touched on to lightly, but that seems to slowly be shifting. It just needs to shift early on in the pregnancy journey IMO.

When I went into the psych ward, I ate whatever. Then at the MBU, the Olanzopine just made me ravenous 😂 I sacrificed my morals for survival which was totally the right thing to do! I remember listening to Laura Dockrill talking about having to just eat whatever even thought she was veggie. I think she described it hilariously, being like a caged animal!

Thanks to anyone who reads this and/or replies. Grateful to have this space on my journey to understanding why I had PP 🙏

[SammySeal]

Hi SaffFree

Yes, I have been a vegetarian since early childhood, and was when I had my PP episode 15yrs ago. I've no idea if there's any research into diet and PP but it'd be so interesting to know. It seems possible that nutrition could be a contributing factor, although I was very careful both pregnancies to ensure proper nutrition, and one pregnancy I got PP and one I didn't, so who knows. Maybe APP will be able to confirm whether any studies have been done into this.

All the best and have a nice weekend.

Sammy x

[SaffFree Volunteer in reply to SammySeal]

Hi SammySeal thank you for your reply. Same for me too! First pregnancy no PP, 2nd I got PP x

[Climber-mum]

I became vegan at 10 weeks into my first pregnancy, which resulted in PP. I was lucky that the psych hospital I was sent to had vegan options on the menu when I was admitted. My iron was quite depleted when I was unwell, so I went on the iron tablets, which seems to have helped managing it. I stayed vegan since and thought the second birth and pregnancy, giving special attention to my iron levels. No pp the second time.

[SaffFree Volunteer in reply to Climber-mum]

Thanks Climber-mum that’s interesting to hear your experience. I think it is depleted nutrient levels that can contribute. I had been Vegan for 5 years before my first pregnancy, and 8 years in my 2nd, so my stores were running very low. I wish I had done my own tests the 2nd time in hindsight as things like vitamin D, Folate, Iron/Ferritin, B12 all contribute to hormonal balance and brain function. I hope more research is done into doing testing earlier on for nutrient levels and more education around how diet affects pregnancy, birth and postpartum to avoid maternal mental health conditions.