Beli Prenatals are HSA/FSA eligible!

The Surprising Connection Between Gut Health and Fertility, Postpartum Depression, and Colic

Conventional wisdom used to have it that the postpartum period was a joyous, magical time for all mothers—maybe with a dash of sleep deprivation and spit-up thrown in.

Fortunately, experts have finally become wise to the fact that many new moms experience some form of the “baby blues,” i.e. feelings of sadness, anxiety, and mood swings, soon after giving birth. And anywhere between 11 and 20 percent struggle with postpartum depression (PPD), which can develop any time during the first year after welcoming a baby—and can last and last.

Yet so many women still don’t get the care they need for many reasons, not least of which is that when simply getting out of bed feels impossible, scheduling an appointment with a mental health pro can seem insurmountable. Thankfully, science is continuing to explore ways to help moms manage symptoms associated with PPD, and even reduce their risk of developing it in the first place.

One place they’re looking? The gut.

The gut microbiome is about as buzzy as it gets these days—and it deserves all the attention. The trillions of bacteria produced in your intestines have a direct relationship with not only digestive health, but overall physical health and mental health, too.

The gut-brain axis is the two-way street.

That’s because the gut-brain axis is the two-way street. Communication takes place via the nervous and immune systems, with signals being passed back and forth between the belly and brain. When one is imbalanced, the other likely is too, says Ellie Cobb, PhD, a holistic psychologist based in New York City. So getting gut health in order before baby arrives is a good thing.

“Adopting an anti-inflammatory diet before and during pregnancy can even help reduce the chances of postpartum depression,” Dr. Cobb says. It’s important to note that, while one small Canadian study pointed to a potential link between diet and the prevention of postpartum depression, the connection is largely lacking in scientific support and more research needs to be done to draw definitive conclusions.

“The vast majority of the mother’s serotonin and dopamine is made in the gut.” – Shawn Talbott, PhD, nutritional biochemist

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.”


Dr. Talbott generally tells patients to consider a probiotic during pregnancy and after (bonus: Certain strains may help with colic!), to eat as close to the Mediterranean diet as possible (loading up on antioxidant-rich polyphenols and flavonoids), and to get tons of fiber.

“Eating more fiber is the single most important approach for improving microbiome diversity,” Dr. Talbott says. “But adding prebiotic fiber supplements can augment those benefits and target the growth of ‘good’ bacteria.”

Of course, PPD is a super complex issue and gut health is only one possible piece of the puzzle. The most important thing is for women who are struggling to reach out to a mental health professional ASAP.  Because mom-ing is hard, and there’s zero shame in getting help.

Additional Resources

You may know all the ways collagen benefits you before, during and after pregnancy, but there are a handful of little best practices that can actually make or break the experience. In the interest of ensuring that you’re really reaping the benefits, we’re highlighting three mistakes you’re (probably) making with prenatal collagen.

Read More

PCOS is one of the most common causes of infertility in women, but it doesn’t mean you can’t get pregnant. Supplementing with ingredients proven to support women with PCOS can help increase your chances, and so can speaking with your doctor and dietician.

Read More

Pregnancy is a time to get really particular about what you’re ingesting. From the cleanest prenatal vitamin you can find to ten months of minimal caffeine and zero sushi, you’re taking precautions. And rightfully so! So what does that mean for your favorite collagen supplement? Can you take collagen while you’re pregnant? You certainly can—with caveats.

Read More

Learning that you’re about to become a mother is truly life-changing news, and it's always helpful to have an immediate next step or two. Start checking things off this little list, and you’ll be well on your way to a healthy and minimally stressful pregnancy.

Read More

The role of a prenatal vitamin is to support the healthy growth and development of growing babies, and minimizing the risk of birth defects is front and center. But can your prenatal vitamins really reduce the risk of birth defects? Absolutely!

Read More

Think about good nutrition, and protein is generally front and center. It’s the macronutrient behind so many essential processes and functions in the body, from building and repairing muscle and bone to whipping up hormones and enzymes. And the importance of protein only increases during and after pregnancy. Here's why.

Read More

Beli for Women has all the current nutrient recommendations for prenatal vitamins, including choline, vitamin D, folate, magnesium, and iodine. All the right ingredients, in all the right amounts. But it does beg the question, how exactly does Beli fit everything into just three capsules?

Read More

The second you start looking into fertility testing, the acronyms are everywhere. Chief among them is AMH, or anti-müllerian hormone. Here’s what to understand about your AMH level and what it means for your chances of becoming pregnant.

Read More

Research shows that the overall health of both biological parents during the preconception window plays a huge role in everything from conception to pregnancy health to the lifetime health of their baby. Luckily, there are simple steps you can both take to improve your health together.

Read More

It’s resolution-making time, and a lot of folks have babies on the brain. We got you! We double checked with the experts for the best ways to support and promote fertility for the very best chances of a healthy conception, pregnancy, and bouncing baby.

Read More

Morning sickness – if you know, you know. It’s one of the least glamorous aspects of pregnancy, and it makes getting through your day (or, you know, getting upright to actually start your day) so much harder. Read on for four surprisingly effective tips to combat morning sickness – and know we’re sending virtual hugs and sympathy, mama!

Read More

While everyone loves shopping for a new baby – those teensy shoes! – you may feel a little mystified about how to gift all the pregnant people in your life. Good news! We asked a bunch of them what they’d love most this holiday season. So without further ado, we present our holiday gift round-up for your very favorite pregnant people. Trust us, she’ll love it.

Read More

Special thanks to Becca, a fertility dietitian at Little Life Nutrition, for today's post! Becca is passionate about helping moms and dads-to-be uncover the root cause of fertility challenges, using nutrition, lifestyle, and functional lab testing to optimize her clients' chance of getting pregnant — a true "no-stone-left-unturned" approach. Here, she shares five ways to boost fertility naturally.

Read More

In the early days of your pregnancy, it’s fair to want to keep your thrilling news to yourself. But what happens over the holiday season, when you’re probably spending endless hours with your loud, loving, all-up-in-your-business family? We polled our Beli community for the hands-down best way to mask a pregnancy – morning sickness symptoms and all – if you’re dreading the next few weeks with the fam, because this is one surprise that no one should spoil.

Read More

You may know all the ways collagen benefits you before, during and after pregnancy, but there are a handful of little best practices that can actually make or break the experience. In the interest of ensuring that you’re really reaping the benefits, we’re highlighting three mistakes you’re (probably) making with prenatal collagen.

Read More

There’s an essential connection between our minds and our bodies, and when we neglect one, it inevitably catches up with us through the other. For women becoming mothers especially, the body-mind connection is worth paying close attention to. Here's how prenatal vitamins can help.

Read More

Dr. Taylor Wallace calls choline the “under-consumed and under-appreciated essential nutrient.” He’s right–in spite of its importance, choline is worryingly absent in so many mainstream prenatal vitamin formulas. We sat down with Dr. Wallace for a rundown on choline and why it’s so critical for pregnant and nursing moms, plus how to be sure you and your baby are getting enough.

Read More
li