Hi there, New Mama! Welcome to our corner of the world. This is a huge, life-changing event for you, and we don’t blame you if you feel a little nervous or overwhelmed. After all, no one prepares you for becoming a parent.
That’s where we come in. We know it’s a given that you’re a Cool Mom, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use a little support. Especially when it comes to taking care of yourself.
The first few weeks postpartum are a crazy, beautiful, and special time between you and your new little one. But it’s also a time when your body is going through a lot of healing. One of the best ways to help it on its journey? Fueling it with nutritious, healthy meals!
Not sure where to start? Read on to find out the best ways to nourish your postpartum body.
What Are My Postpartum Dietary Needs as a Breastfeeding Parent?
For the most part, your postpartum meals can look like your everyday, balanced diet. The key is to eat a variety of nutrient-rich foods.
However, there are a few essential nutrients you’ll want to make sure you are incorporating into your daily diet, particularly if you are breastfeeding. Iodine, in particular, is important to pay attention to. Many breastfeeding parents find that they develop an iodine deficiency. Iodine is a key player when it comes to a baby’s brain development. Iodine is frequently added to salt but can also be found in seafood, yogurt, and eggs.
You’ll also want to make a conscious choice to incorporate foods with high Omega-3 fatty acids and choline. Both of these help support baby’s brain and nervous system. While both of these nutrients can be found in fish, choline can also be found in legumes, cruciferous vegetables, and whole grains.
What Are My Postpartum Dietary Needs to Help Me Heal?
A little reminder from us to you: if you’ve given birth, you are essentially a superhero. Regardless of the type of birth you have, it is taxing on the body. But when you have a new human to support, it’s difficult to remember that you must be taken care of, too!
While the biggest factor in your healing journey is always going to be time, you can help your postpartum body by eating a healthy diet. We recommend incorporating lots of anti-inflammatory foods into your diet.
An anti-inflammatory meal plan can help to reduce post-partum swelling and pain. It’s also relatively easy to incorporate. Most importantly, you want to stay away from highly inflammatory foods like such as refined carbs and processed fats. Meals built around whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats like avocado will help you feel your best.
It’s also good to track how much collagen you are getting in your diet. Collagen will help with tissue repair and potentially speed up healing times. You can get collagen from a supplement or from natural sources like gelatin and bone broth.
Meal Ideas
Here are our absolute favorite recipes from around the web that are simple, nutrient-dense, and good for you and your baby postpartum.
Baked Salmon with Amazing Lemon Sauce from Pinch of Yum
We love every recipe that Lindsay from Pinch of Yum creates! This one has the benefit of being packed with Omega-3s from the fish and choline from the broccoli. Plus it can be made with one pan? Sign us up!
Instant Pot Short Rib Tacos from The Cool Mom Co.
The Cool Mom Co. founder, Lizzy Mathis, knows a thing or two about cooking as a busy parent. She knows you want minimal fuss and maximum flavor. That’s precisely what you’ll get with these short rib tacos made in the Instant Pot!
Sweet Potato Almond Butter Muffins from All The Healthy Things
When that breastfeeding hunger hits, sometimes you just need something filing and quick. Instead of reaching for that bag of chips, try having some of these muffins on hand. Packed with protein from almond butter, eggs, and greek yogurt, these will keep you full and satisfied. We especially like that this recipe ditches inflammatory ingredients in favor of ingredients like coconut sugar and oat flour.
Kimchi Soondooboo Jeongol from The Korean Vegan
Is there anything more soothing than a warm bowl of soup or stew when you’ve had a hard day? We don’t think so! That’s why we’re absolutely obsessed with the Korean Vegan’s recipe for a plant-based jeongol (you might know this as a “hot pot”). Made with kimchi, a traditional fermented cabbage pickle, this recipe is full of probiotics to help fight postpartum inflammation.
Oregano Meatballs with Grilled Vegetables and Tzatziki from Half Baked Harvest
This recipe has it all. Protein powered meatballs, lots of healthy veggies, and probiotic-rich tzatziki. This will quickly become one of your go-to’s!
Harvest Bowl from Leite’s Culinaria
We love that this bowl is easy to prep in advance and throw together for when you want a nourishing meal. Whole grains like farro promote even energy while still getting in your daily dose of greens!
What are your go-to postpartum meals? Share with us in the comments below!
