Collagen During Pregnancy - One Mum’s Experience with Edible Health

Mums the world over are known for their selflessness. They consistently prioritise their children's and families' needs above their own. We love our mums, but we believe they deserve the same level of care that they give to others. This nurturing extends to self-care, which is especially important for expectant and new mothers, as their wellbeing directly impacts their newborn's health.

This reality hit close to home for our Edible Health team member, Jessika, when she became pregnant with her first child. Though planning for a natural birth, she wisely continued including Edible Health collagen powder products in her routine, understanding that her body would need quality protein throughout the journey.

Little did she know that things wouldn’t go to plan (how many mums are nodding their heads as they read this?), and she would become incredibly grateful for her continued daily dose of collagen during pregnancy. 

We caught up with Jessika to find out more.

Collagen After a C-Section - Jessika’s Story

Jessika, Tell Us About Your Pregnancy and Labour

I was pregnant with my first child. Before falling pregnant, I had been taking Edible Health Bovine Collagen daily in my coffee. I take collagen powder for general wellbeing. However, when I became pregnant, my motivation changed. I was taking it specifically to support my skin cell renewal and to avoid getting stretch marks.

Did You Speak to Your Paediatrician About Taking Collagen While Pregnant?

No. I have worked at Edible Health for years and have been exposed to so much reading material and so many positive anecdotes from real-life mothers that I did not think this was necessary. I was confident in my knowledge about collagen and pregnancy. That said, I encourage other expectant mothers to get the best advice from their paediatrician.

Did You Have a Natural or C-Section Birth?

I was keen to have a natural birth because, for some inexplicable reason, I thought a C-section would somehow not be as positive an experience. In the end, there was no choice. I was in labour for over 24 hours when the paediatrician announced emergency surgery was the only option. 

How Did Your Body Handle the C-Section?

In terms of the actual operation itself, I was really surprised. Once the decision to go into surgery was made, my experience changed completely. It went from a quite horrific, endured labour to a very smooth and incredible experience. It was nothing like the big, bad scenario that I’d built up in my head. 

But after the surgery itself, things took a dramatic turn for the worse. The pain was almost unbearable, and it lasted for a week. Walking to the mailbox was excruciating and would leave me in tears. The bruising created a pain I’d never experienced before. It was the most bizarre sensation. If you touched my belly, I actually couldn’t feel your hand on my skin, but I could feel the pain that reverberated deep within me just from that contact. It was brutal. It’s hard to explain, and I’m grateful my memory has dulled.

However, after that shocking week, my body seemed to bounce back. Within two and a half weeks, I was feeling so good that I walked my son in his pusher to our first postpartum paediatric appointment. I told my doctor that I wanted to drive. He looked at me and said, “Well, you’ve pushed your baby here with no problems at all, so I think you’re fine to get behind the wheel.” I firmly believe that taking the collagen peptides postpartum played a key role in my recovery. 

Did You Continue Taking Collagen After Surgery?

Yes, I am glad I continued taking the collagen powder… And the coffee!

What Benefits of Collagen Postpartum Did You Experience?

My personal experience has convinced me that collagen has several benefits. 

I already mentioned that I think it played a role in reducing my surgery recovery time. Depending on the surgery, a typical recovery can take from four to six weeks, apparently.  

Not only did I regain mobility quickly, I didn’t feel like I was catching up from some kind of deficit. On the contrary, I felt as if I’d bounced back as the old me. 

A C-section, of course, cuts deep into the body and through muscle, so I wanted to give my whole core the best chance to heal, inside and out. I’m convinced I achieved this by maintaining my collagen routine. 

My husband had a fortnight of paternity leave. Once he returned to work, I knew those yummy, nutritious lunches would not continue. I was breastfeeding, so my daily Bovine Collagen was a quick and easy way to maintain protein levels and take in several essential nutrients. Protein is particularly important for breastfeeding women, as we burn through huge amounts of calories and energy. I also wanted to ensure my breast milk had all the necessary amino acids for our baby’s health.

I believed collagen would also help repair torn tissue, minimise surgical wounds, and reduce the chance of scarring. My scars have healed incredibly well, and I have no stretch marks at all. I’ve heard that some women can be collagen-deficient, which could make recovering from tears and wounds more arduous. 

What Is the Best Postpartum Collagen?

The best for me is Bovine collagen powder, but everyone is different. 

Edible Health also has Marine Collagen supplements in powder format and Type II Marine Collagen capsules. These are unflavoured, and you can even cook with the powders. 

How Are You and Your Bubba Now?

The whole family is terrific, thank you for asking. We have a beautiful, beaming, healthy baby boy who is growing up fast.