4 Ways CBD Makes Life Easier for New Moms

New moms don’t need anyone to tell them how challenging a job it can be to have somebody depend on you 24 hours a day, seven days a week. But when all of their attention is on their new-born child, mothers sometimes find it difficult and struggle to find to time, to take care of themselves.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is the star alternative health supplement right now, and some new moms are finding the non-psychotropic cannabis molecule beneficial with an array of issues, including postnatal depression. However, CBD can instigate a myriad of physical and emotional health improvements thanks to the modulatory effect it has on the body’s endocannabinoid system (ECS).

The ECS is made up of cannabinoid receptors and fatty neurotransmitters called endocannabinoids. The body creates these neurotransmitters endogenously, but the ECS also functions with cannabinoids, one of the sets of compounds found in cannabis plants. Although it comes from cannabis, CBD does not bring about a “high” – the consciousness-altering effects of cannabis come from delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

Promotes rejuvenating sleep

There’s not a lot that can be done if you’re awoken by a screaming child at 3 in the morning, but if you are feeling fatigued, make the most of the sleep you can get by taking some CBD before hitting the pillow. Fatigue cannot be ignored, as it will grind away until it begins to affect your physical capabilities and state of mind. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults between the age of 18 and 60 get a minimum of seven hours of sleep per night.

CBD promotes relaxation in the body, but also helps give the mind a break by dissolving anxiety and stress – there’s nothing worse when you’re trying to sleep than overanalysing situations or being consumed with worrisome thoughts. Furthermore, research has shown that chronic sleep deprivation causes an accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques between neurons in the brain, which accelerates neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

CBD doesn’t just increase the amount of time you sleep for but improves the quality of sleep by adjusting the sleep-wake cycle, so that the body spends longer in deep sleep where body tissue and muscles can heal and regenerate.

Reduces anxiety

The damaging mental effects of postpartum depression are well-documented, but many new moms are also experiencing postpartum anxiety, which can be just as emotionally paralyzing. The physical side effects include tightening in the chest and throat, reduced appetite, shallow breathing and an increased heart rate. Rumination, obsession, racing thoughts and worrying are examples of mental side effects of postpartum anxiety.

The anxiety-reducing effects of CBD for generalized and social anxiety can also be applied to postpartum anxiety. This is because while we think of anxiety as an emotional condition, it also causes physical changes in the brain, which can be managed by stimulating gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), an inhibitory neurotransmitter. CBD is an allosteric agonist of the GABA-A receptor, and stimulation of this ionotropic receptor helps to link it with GABA neurotransmitters and relieve anxiety.

While various CBD products can manage anxious symptoms, to stop panic attacks, a method with good speed of delivery is paramount. Ideal forms of CBD include CBD tincture oils and CBD vape oil and e-liquid.

Slim down with CBD

Getting back into shape after having a baby can be tricky, and many women have tried all kinds of diets and exercise plans over the years to lose the weight. Admittedly, there’s no magic pill but CBD has some interesting appetite-regulating and anti-addiction effects that can help keep your desire to eat under control, and your hands away from the cookie jar.

CBD appears to be a potent antagonist of the CB1 receptor, and since appetite is controlled through these neurological pathways, it could be possible to shed some weight through this mechanism. Interestingly, this is the complete opposite effect to psychoactive THC, which stimulates appetite. However, another psychoactive cannabinoid called tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV) has also displayed appetite-suppressant effects in studies.

In fact, non-psychoactive cannabis medicine should continue to get better as we learn more about the effects of lesser-studied cannabinoids. Indeed, full-spectrum CBD oil looks to have gotten a jump on CBD-isolate products, with the potential synergy that comes from a whole-plant extract converting many. These products are still legal, however, as the hemp plants used to manufacture them are almost THC-free.

Helps with relaxation

This isn’t a medicinal benefit per se, but it’s important for new moms to relax properly when given the chance, as those opportunities may be few and far between! However, while drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes may provide some short-relief, the harmful effects far outweigh the benefits. In states where recreational cannabis is legal, the temptation of getting high with psychoactive weed which contains THC may be strong – but being under the influence of a mind-altering substance which affects cognition and memory is hardly prudent either.

On the other hand, CBD can deliver some exquisite relaxation, without causing negative side effects, besides maybe some sleepiness. In contrast to alcohol, CBD is a stimulant and antidepressant. You could sit down, watch a movie and tuck into some CBD gummy bears – while CBD doesn’t give you the giggles like THC, the mood-enhancing effects should make laughter more likely. But most importantly, consuming CBD is a sensible way of switching off when you do get a few hours away from the stresses, anxieties and everyday pressures of motherhood.

Final thoughts

Pregnancy throws up a different set of challenges, and while the jury is still out on whether it’s completely safe to use CBD while carrying a child (there’s no evidence to say it isn’t, just none that conclusively says it is).

CBD is a developing alternative, plant-derived treatment, and its list of uses is growing every year. For new moms, the thought of using cannabis-based medicine may initially be intimidating, but the non-psychoactive and non-intoxicating nature of CBD makes it safe to try. However, if you do have some questions, consult a doctor before trying.