Why Migraines After Birth Can Make Postpartum Recovery Even Harder

Postpartum recovery already asks a lot from the body and migraine can make that transition even harder.

In this episode of Migraine Heroes Podcast, host Diane Ducarme explores why migraines can return after childbirth, what may be driving them, and how to better support the body during postpartum recovery.

You’ll learn:

💡 Why migraine can return after childbirth, even after improving during pregnancy

💡 Which postpartum headache changes should not automatically be treated as your “usual migraine”

💡 How Traditional Chinese Medicine looks at postpartum migraine through recovery, depletion, and rebuilding the body’s resources

This episode is about understanding postpartum migraine in the context of recovery, not just stopping the pain, but supporting the body as it rebuilds.

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References:

• Course of Migraine During Pregnancy and Postpartum: A Prospective Study (Sances et al., 2003): This study tracks migraine improvement during pregnancy and recurrence postpartum. Read more here.
• The Complex Relationship Between Estrogen and Migraines: A Scoping Review (Reddy et al., 2021): This review examines estrogen fluctuations and the estrogen-withdrawal hypothesis in migraine. Read more here.
• Hormonal Influences in Migraine — Interactions of Oestrogen, Oxytocin and CGRP (Krause et al., 2021): This review explores how reproductive hormones and CGRP interact in migraine. Read more here.
• Migraine and Sleep Disorders: A Systematic Review (Tiseo et al., 2020): This review examines the bidirectional relationship between migraine and sleep disorders. Read more here.
• Interventions for Migraine and Sleep: A Systematic Review Exploring Their Bidirectional Association (Sforza et al., 2026): This review evaluates treatments targeting migraine, sleep, or both. Read more here.
• Exclusive Breastfeeding Protects Against Postpartum Migraine Recurrence Attacks? (Serva et al., 2012): This study links exclusive breastfeeding with lower early postpartum migraine recurrence. Read more here.
• Management of Primary Headaches During Pregnancy, Postpartum, and Breastfeeding: A Systematic Review (Saldanha et al., 2021): This review evaluates headache treatments during pregnancy, postpartum, and breastfeeding. Read more here.
• Acute Headache in Pregnant and Post-Partum Patients: A Clinical Review (Greige et al., 2023): This review discusses primary headaches and dangerous secondary causes during pregnancy and postpartum. Read more here.
• Headaches in Pregnancy and Postpartum: ACOG Clinical Practice Guideline No. 3 (ACOG, 2022): This guideline covers evaluation and treatment of headaches during pregnancy and postpartum. Read more here.
• Beyond Postdural Puncture Headache: Headache and the Puerperium (Bavaro et al., 2026): This review covers the differential diagnosis and management of postpartum headache. Read more here.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and isn't a substitute for medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider for health-related concerns.