ARTICLE SUMMARY :
- Why pay attention to my diet after childbirth?
- Eating a varied, balanced and hot diet: the key to success?
- Post-partum nutrition and breastfeeding: what can be changed?
The postpartum period is now fully considered by women as the fourth trimester of pregnancy. Physical and mental exhaustion, mourning the sometimes idealized birth, sleep deprivation, hormonal variations, discovering life with a baby or adapting to an additional child and returning 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 that? post-partum nutrition alone can help you regain your full powers : energy, health and a good mood - it's a win-win situation!
Why pay attention to my diet after childbirth?
Giving birth is an intense ordeal for the body. If you give birth by vaginal delivery, the physical effort is violent and time-consuming. If your baby is born by Caesarean section, you undergo major surgery. In both cases, the emotional shock is profound. In both cases, you draw heavily on your reserves.
During your pregnancy, you took care to eat well to provide your child with all the vitamins and nutrients essential for growth. Now you need to take the same care with your diet as you do with your body.
Maybe you're deficient, maybe you're overwhelmed, but in any case, you're eager to be pampered. Eating well will do your body, your heart and your mind a world of good.
Eating a varied, balanced and hot diet: the key to success?
From a physiological point of view, eating hot helps digestion. In fact, many cultures associate warmth with the post-partum period for its comforting and restorative powers. So, even if you're giving birth in the middle of summer, cook, have cooked or have delivered some good stews, soups and broths, stews and dahls based on vegetables, tender meats and legumes that will do you good.
Just like your pregnancy meals, your post-partum diet should be as varied and balanced as possible. To fill up on essential vitamins and micronutrients and regain your energy, you'll want to eat :
- proteins to restore muscle tone,
- carbohydrates for good energy levels,
- good fats and omega-3s (including DHA or docosahexaenoic acid) to revitalize tissues,
- iron, calcium, vitamins A, B, C and D, and zinc for healthy body functions,
- fiber for better digestion and satiety.
Plan ahead with reheatable frozen meals
Because once you're back home with baby in your arms, you probably won't have the time or inclination to spend 30 minutes in the kitchen, so plan your meals as far ahead as possible, especially in view of the end of your partner's paternity leave.
Do you have a large freezer? Halfway through your pregnancy, make room and eat what's in it regularly. Then fill it withyour favorite dishes, enhanced with probiotics and carefully selected spices to gently awaken your body: turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom or black pepper... Don't hesitate! They also have the good taste of being anti-inflammatory. Once you're post-partum, all you have to do is defrost and reheat your meals.
Don't forget bone brothwhich can be stored in jars or vacuum-packed jars, but can also be kept in the freezer, well tied up in suitable bags. Rich inminerals and collagen, it's the perfect ally for your post-delivery recovery. And you'll have more time to cuddle your baby!
Go for snacks and superfoods
Between meals, you may feel like snacking. To avoid giving in to the siren song of sugar, potato chips or soda, there's nothing like the organic snack. Ready-to-eat, they satisfy the munchies and even occasionally replace the meal you don't have time to eat or cook.
Going for a family outing? Are you a roller stroller fan? Slip in a cereal bar pre & post natal cereal bar or a cocoa cube raw rich in magnesium, in your pocket! Either will give you the energy boost you need whenever you feel you need it.
Other superfoods include goji berries, blueberries and blackcurrants, kale and sprouted seeds, and algae such as spirulina and chlorella.
Avoid excess and give your body a rest
To do this properly, avoid foods that are inflammatory, exciting or difficult to digest, while remembering that post-partum food must remain tasty and satisfying.
Forget sodas and therefined sugars they contain, as well as industrial and processed products, and red or fatty meats. coffee and black tea can be replaced by infusions, whilealcohol remains prohibited, especially if you're breast-feeding. Finally, crudités and cold or wet products (dairy products, cheese, cold drinks...) can be restricted during the first weeks post-partum, also known as the "golden month".
The golden month stretches over the forty days following childbirth and symbolizes a period of transition. It's a delicate time of fatigue and upheaval, when everyone takes care of the new mother, when she becomes aware of her new state, when the mother-child encounter takes place, when the body gradually recovers from having given birth. The watchword is rest. A fundamental rest for you, for your baby and for your breastfeeding, if you wish to start it.
Post-partum nutrition and breastfeeding: what can be changed?
In most cases, what's good for you postpartum is good for your breastfed baby. Simple, isn't it?
Note, however, that in some babies, milk proteins cause intolerance, resulting in GERD orintense colic . You can alsoslow down your fish consumption and choose smaller fish. Rich in omega 3 and DHA, fish also contain mercury, which can pass into your milk. Add to your list of foods to watch out for sage, parsley, sorrel and mint , which slow down lactation, and you know everything.
One last thing to keep in mind:hydration. In the postpartum period, whether you're breastfeeding or not, drinking water and fresh fruit juices is essential for tissue replenishment, hydration and good digestion.
