Many women still believe: “Once the postpartum confinement period (ở cữ) is over, 6 months to 1 year after giving birth, my body has recovered.” In reality, quite a few women who gave birth 3-5 years ago, now past 30 and starting to think about another pregnancy… only then realize that their body still feels “drained” and is not as strong as it used to be.
From a medical point of view, this is a stage when the body’s “reserves” (blood, hormones, micronutrients, the digestive system, the nervous system…) have not truly recovered from pregnancy, giving birth and caring for a young child.
If you are at this stage, pay attention to the 5 groups of signs below:
Always tired and drained, even without overdoing it
- You wake up still tired, by late afternoon you just want to lie down, and it is hard to keep up exercise or stay focused at work.
- A few flights of stairs leave you out of breath and needing to stop for a rest.
This may be a “signal” that:
- Your baseline energy, and your qi and blood, have not truly recovered from the last birth.
- Your nervous and hormonal systems are still in a state of “prolonged overload” from caring for a young child and not getting enough sleep.
Starting a new pregnancy while your health is “running on thin reserves” makes it very easy for the body to become exhausted over the next 9 months.
Ongoing hair loss and weak nails: not just a cosmetic problem
Hair loss after giving birth is normal. But if 3-5 years later you still have:
- A lot of hair falling out, thinning hair, and fine, weak strands.
- Nails that break, chip or peel easily, or have ridges.
This shows that:
- The nourishment reaching your skin, hair and nails is not yet plentiful.
- Your hormones and circulation are not yet in balance.
In traditional medicine, hair is “the surplus of blood” (发为血之余 / 髮為血之餘, fà wéi xuè zhī yú). Ongoing hair loss often shows that the body has not recovered from the blood and strength lost during childbirth and breastfeeding.
Often cold, with cold hands and feet and easy chills
- A short time in an air-conditioned room is enough to make you shiver and reach for another layer.
- Your hands and feet always feel colder than other people’s.
That may be a sign that:
- Your basal metabolism has “dropped”.
- Circulation to your hands and feet is poor.
- Your body is short of certain minerals and vitamins.
If you become pregnant in this state, you are more likely to feel tired, have back pain, feel cold in the belly and have weaker digestion.
Poor appetite, easy bloating, loose stools with undigested food
- Food doesn’t taste good, and you often skip meals because you “don’t feel like eating”.
- You easily feel bloated, belch, or feel heavy in the stomach after eating.
- Your stools are loose or contain undigested food, and it feels as if however much you eat, “none of it goes in”.
The digestive system is the “root” from which the body makes qi, blood and body fluids to nourish both mother and baby. When digestion is weak:
- The body finds it hard to build up nutritional reserves.
- Preparation for the next pregnancy suffers.
In traditional medicine, the Spleen and Stomach are “the root of postnatal life” (后天之本 / 後天之本, hòu tiān zhī běn), the source of the qi and blood we make after we are born. When the Spleen and Stomach are weak, it is very hard to build up enough strength for the next pregnancy.
Changes in your cycle: period pain, light periods, dark blood
A few years after giving birth, many women start to notice:
- More period pain than before, either dull and nagging or severe.
- Lighter periods, or periods that drag on, with blood clots.
Your period is a “mirror” that reflects the health of your uterus and ovaries and the balance of your hormones.
From the point of view of traditional medicine, this may be linked to:
- Blood deficiency (血虚 / 血虛, xuè xū: not enough blood),
- Qi stagnation and blood stasis (气滞血瘀 / 氣滯血瘀, qì zhì xuè yū: blood that does not circulate well),
- An imbalance between the organ systems and qi and blood.
Left unattended for a long time, this can easily affect your ability to conceive and the quality of the uterine lining.
If you are getting ready for another pregnancy…
These signs do not mean you have a serious illness. They are simply a reminder that your body needs:
- Proper rest and recovery.
- An overall assessment: qi and blood, hormones, digestion, sleep and mood.
- A pre-pregnancy health care plan that is right for you.
If you recognize yourself in these signs, especially if 3-5 years after giving birth your body still has not “bounced back to how it was”, talk openly with your doctor about your plans for the next pregnancy, so you can be guided through a recovery plan that suits you.
A woman’s body after giving birth is like a garden that has just been through a big harvest. Before a new life is sown, that garden deserves to be nourished: the soil tended, watered, and given proper rest. Only then can mother and baby set out on a new journey with a steadier, warmer foundation of health. 🌱💚
You can reach us through:
- Phone: 0345.22.33.19 (Zalo; reception speaks Vietnamese)
- Facebook page: Tam Duc Clinic
- Website: https://www.dongytamduc.com/
- Address: 117/23A Nguyen Huu Canh, Thanh My Tay Ward, Ho Chi Minh City
