The Probiotic Piece of the Puzzle (whether you’re pregnant, a new mom or an experienced mom of 5)
No matter what stage of motherhood you’re in – trying to conceive, currently pregnant, a new mom, or a master mom of five – good gut health can make life easier. Yep, you heard it right...and it's TRUE!!
Your microbiome – the trillions of bacteria (good and bad) that live in your gut – has the power to transform every phase of mom-ing from stressful and sleepless to calm and revitalized (really!). And that’s not all…
Getting your microbiome into tiptop shape can also:
- Increase fertility
- Reduce your risk of gestational diabetes
- Strengthen your baby’s microbiome
- Alleviate postpartum depression
- Get your body clock back on track
- Increase restorative sleep
- Supercharge your nutritional status
- Put an end to troubling GI issues (like constipation and bloating)
- Calm your stress reactions
- Boost your mood
- Improve your immune system (kids are giant germ magnets)
Sounds like a fairytale… but it’s all true. Because your gut bacteria impact every one of those aspects of being a mother. And a stronger microbiome makes everything easier.
Quick Answer: Gut health can support women through every stage of motherhood, from trying to conceive to raising a houseful of kids. The microbiome, the trillions of bacteria in the gut, influences mood, sleep, energy, digestion, stress response, and immune function, because the gut produces most of the body's feel-good neurotransmitters and houses about 80% of the immune system. When the microbiome falls out of balance, those systems can suffer. Spore-based probiotics are studied for their ability to survive digestion, reach the gut alive, and help rebalance the microbiome so beneficial bacteria gain the edge. A well-balanced gut can help moms feel calmer, sleep better, and stay more resilient day to day.
How Does Gut Health Relate to Fertility?
Gut balance plays a larger role in reproductive health than many people expect. When the microbiome is out of balance, harmful bacteria can produce inflammation and toxins that may interfere with hormone balance, ovulation, and the body's reproductive environment.
FERTILITY: The microbiome fertility bump
If you’ve been having a hard time getting pregnant, you’re not alone. More than six million women in the U.S. share that struggle. See the stats here.
And while fertility is a complex issue, your gut plays a bigger role in the process than you might expect. When your microbiome is out of balance (a condition called dysbiosis), bad bacteria outnumber beneficial bacteria, and that can make it much harder to conceive.
Pathogenic bacteria and yeast strains can make your body less welcoming for a fertilized egg. They can also be hostile to sperm, blocking conception all together.
On top of that, bad bacteria produce LPS toxins, which are just as bad as they sound. These harmful compounds can do all sorts of damage, especially if they escape into your bloodstream – a condition called toxic streaming. That’s a common problem created by dysbiosis. And toxic streaming sets off an “overkill” immune response that can get in the way of fertility.
Toxic streaming also causes inflammation throughout your whole body. Inflammation can interfere with your cycle, hormone balance, ovulation, and overall reproductive health.
But rebalancing your microbiome with high-quality spore probiotics can improve those issues. A healthy gut prevents toxic streaming, reduces inflammation, and supports procreative hormone levels… and that can help make your baby dreams come true.
How Does the Microbiome Change During Pregnancy?
The microbiome naturally shifts a great deal during pregnancy, especially in the third trimester, becoming less diverse and favoring bacteria that help nourish mom and baby. Keeping that pregnancy microbiome in balance supports a healthier pregnancy.
PREGNANCY: Healthy microbiome, healthier pregnancy
Your microbiome naturally changes dramatically during pregnancy, especially in the third trimester. In fact, in the last few months before birth, your microbiome will look more it belongs to someone with diabetes.
That’s ok, it’s supposed to do just that. Suddenly, your microbiome will become much less diverse – normally a sign of problems, but beneficial here. Your gut will start favoring bacteria that increase blood sugar and body fat to keep you and your baby properly nourished. Your microbiome will also see decreases in pro-inflammatory bacteria and increases in anti-inflammatory bacteria. Read more on that here.
But some things can throw that special pregnancy microbiome out of balance, such as:
- Gestational diabetes
- Antibiotics
- Gastrointestinal (GI) diseases, like leaky gut
- Unhealthy diet
When that happens, it may disrupt your healthy pregnancy. That could lead to pre-term labor, an unhealthy microbiome for the baby, and infections (for either or both of you) right after birth.
Supplementing with probiotics can help you maintain a healthy microbiome during your pregnancy… and help get your baby off to their healthiest start.
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How Can Probiotics Support a New Mom's Mood and Sleep?
The gut produces most of the body's mood-related neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine, so a balanced microbiome can help support a steadier mood and better sleep during the demanding newborn months.
NEW MOM: Probiotics beat the postpartum blues
Sleep deprivation… diaper changes… spit up…
Being a new mom is about a lot more than joy and love. We all have to deal with the crying (the babies and ourselves), sleepless nights, and new worries. It’s hard to find time to eat right and take care of ourselves.
And most of us also end up with some level of baby blues, including full-on postpartum depression.
Believe it or not, taking spore probiotics can help – especially with the blues.
Why? Because your microbiome has a huge, direct impact on your mental health. That’s because your gut makes most of the feel-good brain chemicals (known as neurotransmitters) that help lift your mood. Those key neurotransmitters include:
- Serotonin
- Dopamine
- GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)
- Norepinephrine
When your microbiome is unbalanced, your body can’t produce those naturally anti-depressant compounds. That can take a terrible toll on your mood, and increase your risk of postpartum depression. It can also make it much harder to sleep at a time when you desperately need sleep.
By resetting your gut with spore probiotics, you can make sure your body has all the beneficial bacteria it needs to support your mental health…and let you get some much-needed sleep.
(Check out what this Well + Good article has to say on the topic, including this quote: Shawn M. Talbott, PhD, a nutritional biochemist in Salt Lake City, Utah, also points out that the hormonal changes associated with pregnancy and childbirth can affect the gut-brain axis and vice-versa. “Gut flora changes quite a lot from pre-pregnancy, to mid-term, to delivery,” he says. “The vast majority of the mother’s serotonin and dopamine is made in the gut, so disrupted microbiome balance can influence her mood dramatically.”)
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How Does a Healthy Gut Help Moms Manage Stress?
Beneficial gut bacteria help regulate cortisol, the stress hormone, so a balanced microbiome can make it easier to handle the everyday stress of parenting. A strong gut also supports immune function against the germs kids bring home.
MOMMY MODE: A Healthy Microbiome & the Mellow Mom
From “terrible twos” tantrums to homework-itis to teen driving lessons, even the happiest mom’s life is chock full of stress.
No matter how much we love our kids, parenting is stressful. And stress can take a terrible toll on your gut.
You know how worry makes you sick to your stomach? Or how your toddler’s mid-mall meltdown hits you in the gut? That’s how stress works. It slows down blood flow to your digestive system to make it easier for you to run away from a wild boar – only we’re not being chased by wild animals any more, and our stress doesn’t disappear after we find a safe hiding spot.
Ongoing stress – and what parent doesn’t have that?! – can harm the probiotics (beneficial bacteria)in your gut and let the “bad guys” take over. And since the probiotics are responsible for managing cortisol, the stress hormone, an unbalanced microbiome makes it harder for you to manage stress.
But a healthy, well-balanced microbiome can help your body manage that stress better, so it doesn’t get out of hand. The trick: Nourish your gut with a steady supply of high-quality spore probiotics to keep stress hormones under control.
In addition to the stress factor, kids are natural germ magnets… and germs are the one thing that always gets shared. Since your gut plays an out-sized role in your immune system, keeping your microbiome in fighting shape can help make sure you don’t get every cold your kids bring home.
What Other Benefits Do Spore Probiotics Offer Moms?
Beyond mood and stress, spore probiotics can support energy, digestion, nutrient production, healthy weight, sleep, and mental sharpness, all of which help moms feel their best at every stage.
How else can spore probiotics make mom-ing easier for you?
- Helps your body break down food and convert it into energy
- Produce essential B vitamins for an added energy boost
- Help you reach and stay at a healthy weight
- Produce neurotransmitters that boost mood and support healthy sleep cycles
- Sharpen your memory and brain power (which really helps with algebra homework)
With a healthy microbiome in your corner, mom-ing will be more manageable and enjoyable. Just Thrive supplies the spore probiotics you need to reboot your gut and balance your microbiome… and help you get the most out of motherhood at every stage.
Frequently Asked Questions About Probiotics and Motherhood
Can gut health affect fertility?
Gut balance can influence reproductive health. When the microbiome is out of balance, harmful bacteria may produce inflammation and toxins that can interfere with hormone balance and ovulation. Supporting a balanced microbiome may help create a healthier environment for conception.
How does the microbiome change during pregnancy?
The microbiome naturally becomes less diverse during pregnancy, especially in the third trimester, favoring bacteria that help nourish mom and baby. This shift is normal, and keeping the gut in balance supports a healthier pregnancy.
Can probiotics help with postpartum mood?
The gut produces most of the body's mood-related neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine. A balanced microbiome can help support a steadier mood and better sleep during the newborn months. Talk with your healthcare provider about postpartum mental health.
How does gut health affect stress?
Beneficial gut bacteria help regulate cortisol, the stress hormone. A well-balanced microbiome can make it easier to manage everyday stress, while ongoing stress can in turn disrupt the gut.
What kind of probiotic is best for moms?
Spore-based Bacillus probiotics are studied for their ability to survive stomach acid and reach the gut alive, where they help rebalance the microbiome. Pregnant or nursing moms should check with their healthcare provider before starting any supplement.
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