Why it can be harder to fall pregnant the second time round? Let’s learn about the importance of nourishing the body after birth.

In Chinese Medicine there are a few key components required for fertility that can get very depleted, after giving birth and all that comes along with taking care of a new baby. The main two of these components are the Blood and Kidney Jing.

Kidney JING – Our primal vital substance or life essence. It is given to us at birth and spent throughout our lives. Although a ‘Kidney Jing weakness’ can be congenital it is most typically depleted through poor health, excessive stress, ‘burning the candle at both ends’ and excess sex, drugs or partying. When we conceive we give some of our Jing to our offspring, following that the stress and lack of sleep caused by raising a baby can further contribute to Jing depletion. As Jing is our Life essence it needs to be strong enough to create another life and bring it in to this world.

Ways to restore Jing

• Reishi, Cordyceps and Turkey Tail Mushroom Extract
• Chinese herbs (prescribed by your acupuncturist)
• Support your adrenals with supplements, healthy eating, gentle exercise and adequate rest (don’t use stimulants/coffee to get through the day).

Self-Care tips for nourishing both Blood and Jing

• Get enough sleep – Yes this can be hard when you have a young child/baby! It is important to try some sleep methods/strategies and stick at it, but at the end of the day, do whatever works for you and your family to get some rest- leading on to the next point…
• Ask for Help! Lots of new mums put the weight of the world on their shoulders and feel like they must do it all, and if they are not ‘capable super mums’ they have failed. You could also be feeling that if you don’t do it, no one else will. This is often a pressure and concept that is self-inflicted. It’s important to take a step back and ask those around to give you a hand. It’s ok if they don’t do things exactly how you would, it’s more important for your health to take some of the burden off of your shoulders then it is to always be in control.
• Eat well! Feeling like you don’t have time to eat properly can be a vicious cycle – you don’t have the energy to eat properly because you haven’t been eating properly. Both Jing and Blood are supported by good nutrition and gut health. Cutting up fruit and veg to snack on through out the day, chucking a bunch of veg in the slow cooker for a curry or soup can be a few quick easy ways to boost your energy and nourish your body. Order a nutritious food delivery service online to make things easier, especially in those weeks post-birth.
• A weekly Acupuncture session can be a great way to get some ‘you time’, recharge the batteries and improve your health. Acupuncture not only stimulates the nervous system to help regulate and improve bodily functions. It also releases a lot of endorphins and encourages your body into a ‘rest and digest’ state to heal and restore.

 If you are currently pregnant and pre-empting your post birth health one of the easiest ways to restore your blood and vitality is to Eat your Placenta.

• We put a lot of blood and energy into making the placenta which can be one of the reasons we get so tired during pregnancy – it’s important to put that spent energy and blood back into the body. It is said to improve energy, regulate hormones and assist with milk production. It’s also relevant to note that almost all mammals in the animal kingdom eat their placenta
• You can organize someone to pick up your placenta from the hospital, dry it and put it into capsules for easy consumption.
• This needs to be organized in advance and you will need to bring an esky to the hospital to keep it cool until it is picked up.

I hope these tips are a helpful place for you to start rebuilding your Blood and Jing, to get you back on the path to nourished health and great fertility! 

Until next time,

Dr Bree

About the Author:
Dr Bree has always been driven to discover the intricacies of the mind, body and our ability to heal and self-regulate. This is what originally lead her to becoming a natural health practitioner, and to this day drives her to continually learn new methods and techniques. She is passionate about using a holistic approach, including diet and lifestyle to address the cause as well the symptoms and works with her patients to aim for long term sustainable results. You can read more about Dr Bree here.

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