What Your Baby’s First Year is Telling You About Your Health
As a new mother, you spend so much time watching your baby—tracking every cry, every rash, every digestive issue. But what if those symptoms aren’t just about your baby? What if they’re reflecting what’s going on in your body?
Many postpartum women struggle with underlying health imbalances, including gut dysbiosis, histamine intolerance, Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO), Small Intestinal Fungal Overgrowth (SIFO), and oestrogen dominance—all of which can impact their baby’s well-being, especially if they’re breastfeeding. Understanding this connection can empower you to support not only your baby’s health but your own healing journey as well.
The Mother-Baby Health Connection
Your baby’s health is deeply intertwined with yours, especially in the postpartum period. The nutrients, hormones, and even bacteria you pass to your baby—through pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding—shape their immune system and digestion.
If you’re experiencing unresolved gut issues, inflammation, or hormone imbalances, they may show up in your baby as:
✅ Colic and excessive fussiness
✅ Eczema, cradle cap, or rashes
✅ Reflux or frequent spit-up
✅ Gas, bloating, or constipation
✅ Sleep disturbances
✅ Sensitivity to foods through breastmilk
While it’s easy to focus solely on treating these symptoms in your baby, the root cause often lies in your own postpartum health.
What Your Baby’s Symptoms May Reveal About You
Histamine Intolerance: The Overactive Immune Response
Histamine intolerance occurs when your body struggles to break down histamine properly, leading to inflammation, allergies, and food sensitivities. Postpartum, this can be triggered by hormonal shifts, gut imbalances, and stress.
How it shows up in babies:
🔹 Skin issues
eczema,
rashes,
cradle cap
🔹 Reflux or excessive spit-up
🔹Congestion or allergy-like symptoms
🔹 Sleep disturbances and restlessness
Difficulty falling and staying asleep,
Restless movement and frequent waking or
Red, flushed cheeks before bedtime)
What it means for you:
🔸 Postpartum histamine intolerance can indicate gut dysbiosis, low DAO enzyme levels, unopposed oestrogen/ high oestrogen or unresolved inflammation from pregnancy.
🔸 Histamine intolerance often leads to nutrient malabsorption, particularly of B vitamins, magnesium, and zinc, which are crucial for postpartum recovery.
Gut Dysbiosis: Imbalanced Gut Bacteria
Your gut microbiome plays a key role in digestion, immunity, and even hormone regulation. If pregnancy, birth, or antibiotics disrupted your gut bacteria, it can lead to dysbiosis—an imbalance between good and bad bacteria.
How it shows up in babies:
🔹 Colic and excessive gas
Intense, prolonged crying (often 3+ hours a day, 3+ times a week, lasting for weeks).
Crying peaks in the evening ("witching hour").
Pulling legs to the tummy, arching the back, clenching fists.
Difficulty being soothed despite feeding or changing.
🔹 Diaper rash and skin irritations
Yeast-related rash: Bright red rash with raised edges, often accompanied by small red dots. Indicates fungal overgrowth (linked to maternal SIFO).
Irritation rash: Mild redness, often worsened by stool acidity. Can signal gut imbalance and digestive irritation.
Allergic rash: Red, dry, and itchy patches (often on the diaper area and body) that may be linked to histamine intolerance.
🔹 Irregular stools
constipation,
diarrhea,
or mucus in stool
Irregular colours:
Green stools: Can indicate fast digestion, foremilk-hindmilk imbalance, or gut dysbiosis.
Mucousy stools: Suggests inflammation or food sensitivities. Often linked to histamine intolerance.
Foamy stools: May be linked to gut imbalance or feeding issues.
Pale, clay-colored stools: Can indicate poor bile flow (affecting fat digestion).
Dark, tarry stools: If persistent beyond newborn meconium, could indicate bleeding or iron issues.
What it means for you:
🔸 You may have bloating, digestive issues, or frequent infections—signs that your gut needs support. It also affects nutrient absorption, making postpartum recovery harder.
SIBO & SIFO: Bacterial & Fungal Overgrowth in the Gut
Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth (SIBO) and Small Intestinal Fungal Overgrowth (SIFO) occur when there’s excessive bacteria or yeast in the small intestine, leading to digestive distress and nutrient malabsorption.
How it shows up in babies:
🔹 Reflux and discomfort after feeds
🔹 Gas, bloating, or stomach pain
Excessive gas, frequent burping, or straining.
Tight, swollen belly after feeding.
Fussing or crying shortly after eating.
Difficulty passing stools or irregular bowel movements.
🔹 Poor weight gain or feeding difficulties
Baby struggles to latch or unlatches frequently.
Short feeding sessions with frequent crying.
Excessive spit-up or discomfort after feeding.
Arching back, pulling legs to tummy, or stiffening body while feeding.
What it means for you:
🔸 If you struggle with bloating, sugar cravings, or gut discomfort, SIBO or SIFO could be at play.
Oestrogen Dominance
After birth, your body undergoes major hormonal shifts, but if oestrogen levels stay high while progesterone remains low, it can lead to estrogen dominance.
How it shows up in babies:
🔹 Hormonal skin reactions (baby acne, redness, or oiliness)
🔹 Increased fussiness after feeding (oestrogen-rich breastmilk can affect their comfort)
🔹 Congestion or excessive mucus production
What it means for you:
🔸 Symptoms like mood swings, heavy, painful or irregular periods, weight gain, or breast tenderness, fluid retention and puffiness, Headaches, fatigue, and poor detoxification may indicate excess estrogen that needs to be cleared from your body.
🔸 Poor detoxification can show up as caffeine, alcohol, or fragrance sensitivity; headaches, nausea, or dizziness after exposure to chemicals; slow digestion or irregular bowel movements (yes, your gastric health is apart of your bodies detoxification pathways); You wake up between 1-3 AM (liver detox phase).
🔸 Oestrogen dominance can also contribute to histamine intolerance, worsening postpartum symptoms.
Steps for Healing You and Your Baby
Heal Your Gut
✔️ Add gut-healing foods like bone broth, fermented foods (if tolerated and symptoms are not histamine relatged), and fiber-rich vegetables
✔️ Take a high-quality probiotic to restore beneficial gut bacteria, if necessary
✔️ Support digestion with digestive enzymes or bitters before meals
Lower Histamine Levels
✔️ Avoid high-histamine foods like aged cheese, processed meats, and fermented foods
✔️ Increase DAO enzyme production by eating vitamin B6-rich foods (avocados, bananas, sunflower seeds or with Curative Botanica’s Belly Bliss Supplement)
✔️ Support detoxification with quercetin, vitamin C, and magnesium or with Curative Botanica’s Belly Bliss Supplement.
Balance Oestrogen & Detox the Liver
✔️ Eat cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts) to support estrogen metabolism
✔️ Avoid endocrine disruptors like plastic, synthetic fragrances, and conventional dairy
✔️ Support liver detoxification with milk thistle, turmeric, and dandelion root tea. Take care not to detox too much as waste products can enter the breast milk.
Manage Stress & Support Hormones
✔️ Prioritize restorative sleep (easier said than done, but even small improvements help!)
✔️ Practice deep breathing, mindfulness, or gentle movement
✔️ Get postpartum support—you don’t have to do this alone!
Jump on the Belly Bliss Relief Bandwagon
Belly Bliss was formulated based on real pregnancy postpartum struggles, providing targeted support for:
✔️ Gut issues – Bloating, irregular stools, reflux, and food sensitivities.
✔️ Histamine intolerance – Sleep disturbances, itching, fluid retention, and skin issues.
✔️ Hormone imbalances – Fatigue, mood swings, and poor estrogen detox.
✔️ Blood sugar dysregulation – Energy crashes, cravings, and weight struggles.
✔️ Nutrient depletion – Affecting recovery, milk supply, and mental clarity.
Key Ingredients & How They Work
1. Gut Health & Digestive Support
🌿 Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum (PHGG) – A gentle prebiotic fiber that supports gut bacteria, improves digestion, and reduces bloating without irritating the gut.
🌿 Betaine HCL – Supports stomach acid production, helping to break down food properly and reduce bloating and reflux.
🌿 Pea Protein – Easily digestible, supports muscle repair, energy levels, and tissue healing postpartum.
2. Hormone Balance & Oestrogen Detox
🌿 Calcium, Magnesium, & Potassium – Work together to support hormone regulation, nerve function, and fluid balance, helping with mood swings, fatigue, and postpartum muscle recovery.
🌿 Pomegranate Hull & Lemon Balm – Help the body process excess oestrogen, supporting hormone balance and reducing PMS-like symptoms, fluid retention, and mood instability.
🌿 Pyridoxal 5-Phosphate (Active B6) & Zinc – Crucial for hormone metabolism, neurotransmitter production, and mood stability, especially in the postpartum period.
3. Histamine & Nervous System Support
🌿 Chamomile & Lemon Balm – Natural calming herbs that support the nervous system, improve sleep, and ease restlessness caused by histamine imbalances.
🌿 Glycine – A key amino acid that helps regulate histamine, support relaxation, and promote deep sleep.
🌿 Magnesium & Chromium – Support blood sugar balance and nervous system regulation, reducing anxiety, energy crashes, and sugar cravings.
4. Nutrient Replenishment & Recovery
🌿 Raspberry Powder & Beetroot Powder – Rich in antioxidants to support circulation, detoxification, and energy production postpartum.
🌿 Sodium & Citric Acid – Help electrolyte balance, hydration, and adrenal function, especially for mums experiencing fatigue, dizziness, or low energy.
🌿 Silica & Pea Starch – Support tissue repair and gut lining health, aiding recovery after birth.
