Postpartum Diet - 3 Life Changing Tips

2. Postpartum Diet Essentials: You Can't Build Bricks Without Clay!

Protein is your body’s clay. The best postpartum diet MUST include healthy sources of protein to speed up recovery from the delivery and ensure that your breast milk also contains the right levels of nutrients to help your baby grow and develop.

The best sources of protein to eat after you’ve had your baby are - fish, skinless Chicken or Turkey, low fat dairy, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds, lean cuts of meat and eggs.

The best choices of fish for a breastfeeding mom are Salmon, Anchovies, Sardines and Scallops, with Salmon being a clear winner due to its high levels of certain Omega 3 essential fatty acids. These fatty acids are very important for your baby as they help in the development of the nervous system. For this reason it’s a good idea to eat Salmon twice a week.

Some types of fish should be avoided post pregnancy because of their high mercury content, these include Swordfish, Marlin, Tilefish, King Mackerel and Tuna. Also avoid eating Sushi until you finish breastfeeding.

Another fantastic food often referred to as the ‘PERFECT’ protein is eggs. Very high in Omega 3’s, so eat these regularly and keep some boiled ones ready at hand to eat as high protein snacks. 

When breastfeeding, the things you eat can effect your baby, much the same as during pregnancy. This is through your breastmilk. Substances such as nicotine, coffee and alcohol can be absorbed in to your milk. Your baby’s reactions to caffeine in your milk can be restlessness, irritability and a difficulty sleeping. Caffeine is present in Coffee, tea, many soda’s, energy drinks and chocolate. Alcohol can reduce milk production, affect your baby’s sleep and hinder their early development.

TAKEAWAY TIP: If you have the option, your postpartum diet should include high DHA Omega 3 eggs which are laid by chickens fed on a diet supplemented by eating Flax seeds

3. Consider Taking A Good Vitamin & Mineral Supplement

In a perfect world we’d get all the vitamins and minerals we need from what we eat. However this isn’t always true. There are some circumstances where it might be prudent to take supplements. During pregnancy and postpartum are 2 of these situations.

For example Vegans and vegetarian moms will almost certainly not get enough Omega 3 fatty acids in what they eat. So a supplement that contains algae, flaxseed or Chia seeds could be a good alternative.

For all new moms Calcium levels can be low, so half fat dairy is a good option.

Iron levels may well have been affected during the birth. Whilst you can get iron from things like red meat, poultry, green leafy vegetables and various kinds of beans, it could be worth looking at taking a special postpartum supplement from a reputable company.

Remember that fruit and vegetables can provide you with a wide range of vitamins and minerals so eating as many as possible, ideally organically grown should help you cover most bases. Just remember to thoroughly wash everything first, regardless of where it’s from.

Highly processed foods containing lots of fat, sugar and salt should be avoided on the whole. That’s not to say never, just think of them as a treat and eat them rarely.

TAKEAWAY TIP: Eating a wide range of natural, unprocessed foods little and often in smaller meals throughout the day ensures you get a regular supply of nutrients.

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