What happens when you have your last baby in your late 30s or early 40s and your hormones never seem to “go back to normal”?

Pregnancy, postpartum, breastfeeding, and perimenopause are often treated like completely separate stages. But for women having babies later in life, those transitions can overlap in ways that make it difficult to understand what is actually happening.

In this episode, we look at the dramatic hormonal changes that happen during pregnancy and after delivery, what breastfeeding does to estrogen and ovarian function, and why a woman who has a baby at 39 may not be returning to the same reproductive stage she was in before pregnancy.

In this episode, we break down:

• Why having a baby later in life can bring the postpartum and perimenopause transitions closer together
• Just how dramatically estrogen and progesterone rise during pregnancy and fall after delivery
• How breastfeeding can keep estrogen levels low and affect the return of ovulation
• Why ovarian aging continues during pregnancy and breastfeeding
• The symptoms that can overlap between postpartum hormone changes and perimenopause
• What may point more toward perimenopause once breastfeeding has decreased or ended
• Why perimenopause is primarily a clinical diagnosis and cannot be ruled in or out by one FSH or estradiol test
• How a history of PMS, PMDD, or postpartum depression may relate to sensitivity to reproductive hormone changes

We also clear up an important misconception: having a baby at 39 does not cause perimenopause or suddenly age the ovaries. Pregnancy may simply hide the reproductive changes that are already happening as a woman gets older.

Instead of asking, “Why haven’t my hormones recovered from having the baby?” we need to ask a bigger question: What changed, and where is this woman in her reproductive stage now?

Because sometimes, postpartum doesn’t mean you’re stuck in the postpartum stage.

Sometimes, postpartum becomes perimenopause.

Share this episode with a woman who had a baby in her late 30s or early 40s and has wondered why she still doesn’t feel like herself.

Postpartum Hormones | Perimenopause | Hormone Changes After Pregnancy | Breastfeeding And Hormones | Perimenopause Symptoms | Women’s Hormonal Health | Reproductive Aging | Women’s Health

#HumpDayHormones #Perimenopause #Postpartum #PostpartumHormones #HormoneHealth #WomensHealth #Breastfeeding #PerimenopauseSymptoms #WomensHormones

What happens when you have your last baby in your late 30s or early 40s and your hormones never seem to “go back to normal”? Pregnancy, postpartum, breastfeeding, and perimenopause are often treated like completely separate stages. But for women having babies later in life, those transitions can overlap in ways that make it difficult to understand what is actually happening. In this episode, we look at the dramatic hormonal changes that happen during pregnancy and after delivery, what breastfeeding does to estrogen and ovarian function, and why a woman who has a baby at 39 may not be returning to the same reproductive stage she was in before pregnancy. In this episode, we break down: • Why having a baby later in life can bring the postpartum and perimenopause transitions closer together • Just how dramatically estrogen and progesterone rise during pregnancy and fall after delivery • How breastfeeding can keep estrogen levels low and affect the return of ovulation • Why ovarian aging continues during pregnancy and breastfeeding • The symptoms that can overlap between postpartum hormone changes and perimenopause • What may point more toward perimenopause once breastfeeding has decreased or ended • Why perimenopause is primarily a clinical diagnosis and cannot be ruled in or out by one FSH or estradiol test • How a history of PMS, PMDD, or postpartum depression may relate to sensitivity to reproductive hormone changes We also clear up an important misconception: having a baby at 39 does not cause perimenopause or suddenly age the ovaries. Pregnancy may simply hide the reproductive changes that are already happening as a woman gets older. Instead of asking, “Why haven’t my hormones recovered from having the baby?” we need to ask a bigger question: What changed, and where is this woman in her reproductive stage now? Because sometimes, postpartum doesn’t mean you’re stuck in the postpartum stage. Sometimes, postpartum becomes perimenopause. Share this episode with a woman who had a baby in her late 30s or early 40s and has wondered why she still doesn’t feel like herself. Postpartum Hormones | Perimenopause | Hormone Changes After Pregnancy | Breastfeeding And Hormones | Perimenopause Symptoms | Women’s Hormonal Health | Reproductive Aging | Women’s Health #HumpDayHormones #Perimenopause #Postpartum #PostpartumHormones #HormoneHealth #WomensHealth #Breastfeeding #PerimenopauseSymptoms #WomensHormones

When Postpartum Becomes Perimenopause

Pregnancy creates one of the biggest hormonal shifts the human body experiences. Estrogen and progesterone rise dramatically during pregnancy, then drop rapidly after delivery when the placenta is gone.

So what happens when the brain has to adapt to that sudden change?

In this episode, we take a closer look at postpartum depression and the connection between progesterone, allopregnanolone, GABA, and the brain. We also talk about why postpartum depression is not simply a matter of having “low hormones” and why some women may be more sensitive to reproductive hormone changes than others.

In this episode, we break down:

• How postpartum depression differs from the baby blues and postpartum psychosis
• What happens to estrogen, progesterone, and allopregnanolone after delivery
• How the GABA A receptor may be involved in the brain’s response to hormonal changes
• Why postpartum depression probably has multiple biological and environmental contributors
• Why simply giving progesterone is not as straightforward as it might seem
• What brexanolone and zuranolone do differently from traditional antidepressants
• Why bipolar screening is important before starting medication for postpartum depression or anxiety
• What future research could tell us about identifying women who are particularly sensitive to reproductive hormone withdrawal

Postpartum depression is real, common, treatable, and not a sign that a woman is weak or that she doesn’t love her baby.

The more we understand the biology behind postpartum depression, the more we can move away from asking whether a woman is depressed or whether her hormones are responsible and start asking how hormones, neurosteroids, neurotransmitters, genetics, sleep, stress, and other factors interact in a particular woman.

That shift could lead to much more targeted treatment for postpartum mental health.

Share this episode with a new mom or anyone who wants to better understand the biology behind postpartum depression.

Postpartum Depression | Postpartum Hormones | Progesterone | Allopregnanolone | GABA A Receptors | Postpartum Mental Health | Women’s Health | Hormone Health

#HumpDayHormones #PostpartumDepression #PostpartumMentalHealth #PostpartumHormones #Progesterone #WomensHealth #HormoneHealth #MaternalMentalHealth

Pregnancy creates one of the biggest hormonal shifts the human body experiences. Estrogen and progesterone rise dramatically during pregnancy, then drop rapidly after delivery when the placenta is gone. So what happens when the brain has to adapt to that sudden change? In this episode, we take a closer look at postpartum depression and the connection between progesterone, allopregnanolone, GABA, and the brain. We also talk about why postpartum depression is not simply a matter of having “low hormones” and why some women may be more sensitive to reproductive hormone changes than others. In this episode, we break down: • How postpartum depression differs from the baby blues and postpartum psychosis • What happens to estrogen, progesterone, and allopregnanolone after delivery • How the GABA A receptor may be involved in the brain’s response to hormonal changes • Why postpartum depression probably has multiple biological and environmental contributors • Why simply giving progesterone is not as straightforward as it might seem • What brexanolone and zuranolone do differently from traditional antidepressants • Why bipolar screening is important before starting medication for postpartum depression or anxiety • What future research could tell us about identifying women who are particularly sensitive to reproductive hormone withdrawal Postpartum depression is real, common, treatable, and not a sign that a woman is weak or that she doesn’t love her baby. The more we understand the biology behind postpartum depression, the more we can move away from asking whether a woman is depressed or whether her hormones are responsible and start asking how hormones, neurosteroids, neurotransmitters, genetics, sleep, stress, and other factors interact in a particular woman. That shift could lead to much more targeted treatment for postpartum mental health. Share this episode with a new mom or anyone who wants to better understand the biology behind postpartum depression. Postpartum Depression | Postpartum Hormones | Progesterone | Allopregnanolone | GABA A Receptors | Postpartum Mental Health | Women’s Health | Hormone Health #HumpDayHormones #PostpartumDepression #PostpartumMentalHealth #PostpartumHormones #Progesterone #WomensHealth #HormoneHealth #MaternalMentalHealth

The Postpartum Hormone Crash: What Progesterone, Allopregnanolone & GABA Have to Do With Postpartum Depression

Did you know that women make testosterone?? In this episode, we discuss the role of testosterone in women.

Episode 6: Testosterone

Listen in as we discuss all things puberty and periods with our very special guest Ella Jennings!

Episode 5: Puberty

Learn all about progesterone and how it can be helpful in PMS, PMDD, PCOS, perimenopause, and menopause.

Episode 4: Progesterone

In this episode, we explain what estradiol is, how it's made,  why it's important, and what the benefits of it are!

In this episode, we explain what estradiol is, how it's made, why it's important, and what the benefits of it are!

Episode 3: Estradiol

What is menopause? What is perimenopause? We explain all the what's, why's, how's, and when's surrounding menopause and perimenopause!

Episode 2: What is Menopause?

Our very first podcast episode! This is an introduction to the podcast and to Dr. Jill Jennings and Kortney Spann, APRN.

Episode 1: Intro

This is a podcast about all things hormones! Dr. Jill Jennings and Kortney Spann, APRN are so excited to share their knowledge and expertise about menopause, perimenopause, and hormone imbalances.

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