TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- Why should I pay attention to my diet after giving birth?
- Eating a varied, balanced, and warm diet: is this the key to success?
- Postpartum nutrition and breastfeeding: what needs to change?
Postpartum is now fully recognized by women as the fourth trimester of pregnancy. Physical and mental exhaustion, the mourning of an often idealized birth, lack of sleep, hormonal changes, discovering life with a baby or adapting to an additional child, and the return to work in the background… Nothing is easy, everything is demanding. Between fatigue, post-birth taboos, and emotional upheavals, now is the time to take care of yourself! Did you know? Postpartum nutrition alone allows you to reclaim your full power : energy, health, and good mood—nutrition affects every area!
Why should I pay attention to my diet after giving birth?
Giving birth is an intense challenge for your body. If you give birth vaginally, the physical effort is harsh and prolonged. If your baby is born by cesarean section, you undergo major surgery. In both cases, the emotional shock is significant. In both cases, you draw heavily from your reserves.
During your pregnancy, you took care to eat well to provide your child with all the essential vitamins and nutrients for their growth. Now you need to focus on your nutrition to give your own body the same attention.
Perhaps deficient, undoubtedly overwhelmed, and certainly wanting to be pampered, eating well will do wonders for your body, heart, and mind.
Eating a varied, balanced, and warm diet: is this the key to success?
From a physiological perspective, eating warm foods makes digestion easier. Many cultures also associate warmth with the postpartum period for its comforting and restorative benefits. So, even if you give birth in midsummer, cook, have someone cook for you, or order delicious stews, soups and broths, casseroles, and dahls made with vegetables, tender meats, and legumes that will do you good.
Just like your pregnancy meals, your postpartum diet should be as varied and balanced as possible. To stock up on essential vitamins and micronutrients and regain energy, remember to eat:
- Proteins for restoring good muscle tone,
- Carbohydrates for a healthy energy level,
- some healthy fats and Omega-3 (including DHA or docosahexaenoic acid) to help revitalize tissues,
- some iron, calcium, vitamins A, B, C, and D, as well as zinc to help your body function properly,
- Fiber for better digestion and to promote satiety.
Plan ahead with frozen meals to reheat
Because once you’re home with your baby in your arms, you probably won’t have the time or energy to spend 30 minutes cooking, try to plan your meals ahead of time—especially in anticipation of the end of your partner’s paternity leave.
Do you have a large freezer? Midway through your pregnancy, make some space and regularly use what’s in it. You can then restock it with the meals you love, enriched with probiotics and carefully chosen spices to gently wake up your body: turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, or black pepper. Go for it! They are also conveniently anti-inflammatory. Once your postpartum period arrives, all you have to do is thaw and reheat your meals.
Also consider broth or bone broth, which can be kept in jars or vacuum-sealed containers or even frozen in suitable freezer bags. Rich in minerals and collagen, it’s a great ally for postpartum recovery. And that’s extra time you can spend cuddling your baby.
Opt for snacks and superfoods
Between meals, you might want a snack. To avoid giving in to sugary treats, chips, or soda, choose an organic snack. Already prepared, it satisfies your hunger pangs and can even occasionally replace a meal you don’t have time to eat or to cook.
Going for a family walk? Rollerblading with the stroller? Just slip a prenatal & postnatal cereal bar rich in DHA, or a cube of raw cacao rich in magnesium, into your pocket! Either one will give you the little energy boost you need whenever you feel it is necessary.
Among superfoods, you can also include goji berries, blueberries and blackcurrants, kale and sprouted seeds, and don't forget seaweed such as spirulina and chlorella
Avoid excess and give your body a real break
For best results, skip inflammatory, stimulatory, or hard-to-digest foods—but don’t forget that postpartum food should still be enjoyable and satisfying.
So, sodas as well as refined sugars in them are best avoided, along with processed and industrial foods and red or fatty meats. Coffee and black tea can be replaced with herbal teas, while alcohol remains prohibited, especially if you are breastfeeding. Lastly, raw foods and foods that are cold or damp (dairy, cheese, cold drinks, etc.) may be limited during the first weeks of the postpartum period, also known as the “golden month.”
The golden month spans the forty days following childbirth and symbolizes a period of transition. It’s a sensitive moment of fatigue and upheaval, where everyone takes care of the new mother, she becomes aware of her new status, the mother-child bond is formed, and the body gradually recovers from giving life. The watchword is rest. Rest is crucial for you, your baby, and your breastfeeding journey, if you want to pursue it.
Postpartum nutrition and breastfeeding: what needs to change?
In most cases, what’s good for you during the postpartum period is also good for your breastfed baby. Simple, right?
However, keep in mind that for some babies, dairy proteins trigger an intolerance which can result in reflux (GERD) or intense colic. You can also reduce your fish consumption and opt for smaller varieties. While rich in Omega-3 and DHA, fish also contains mercury that can pass into your milk. Add to your watchlist sage, parsley, sorrel, and mint as these can slow lactation, and that’s really all you need to know.
One last thing to keep in mind: hydration. During the postpartum period, whether you’re breastfeeding or not, drinking water and fresh fruit juices is essential for tissue repair, hydration, and good digestion.
