Postpartum Recovery Guide
5 Tests Your OB Isn't Running
Your labs came back “normal” — but you still feel exhausted, anxious, or just not yourself. Here's why: standard panels miss a lot.
Below are the 5 tests Annabelle recommends to every postpartum mom before writing off how they feel. Print this, screenshot it, or share it with your provider.
Full Thyroid Panel
Ask for: TSH, Free T3, Free T4, Reverse T3
TSH alone misses low T3 — the active thyroid hormone that drives energy, mood, and metabolism. Postpartum thyroiditis affects up to 10% of new moms and is routinely missed. Your labs can look “normal” while your T3 is in the basement.
Ferritin + Iron Saturation
Ask for: Ferritin, Serum Iron, TIBC, Iron Saturation %
Ferritin below 50 ng/mL causes fatigue, brain fog, and hair loss — even when hemoglobin is "normal." Birth depletes iron stores dramatically and they rarely recover on their own. Most providers only check hemoglobin.
Vitamin D
Ask for: 25-OH Vitamin D
Low Vitamin D is directly linked to postpartum depression and anxiety. Optimal is 60–80 ng/mL — not the 30 most labs call "sufficient." The gap between "not deficient" and "optimal" is where most postpartum moms live.
B12 + Folate
Ask for: Vitamin B12, Methylmalonic Acid (MMA), Folate
B12 is critical for nervous system function and mood regulation. Breastfeeding depletes it. If you have MTHFR variants, standard folate doesn't convert properly — and most providers never check.
Cortisol + Inflammation
Ask for: AM Cortisol, hs-CRP
Chronic sleep deprivation and stress dysregulate your cortisol curve. Elevated hs-CRP (inflammation) is a root cause of mood disorders that standard panels never test. These two markers tell you whether your stress physiology is the driver.
If your provider won't run these, or if your results come back “normal” and you still feel off — that's exactly what Annabelle does. She reads labs against optimal ranges for postpartum women, not just population averages. If the numbers look fine on paper but your body says otherwise, there's a reason.
Annabelle Carney, PA-C
Postpartum Recovery Specialist · Bloom & Balance Psychiatry
Integrative women's psychiatry — mind, body & hormones
Free · 30 minutes · Virtual · No commitment