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Many moons ago when I had my first child in London, I witnessed something which, to my mind, was rather discombobulating. A fellow new mother in my antenatal group, whose Taiwanese mother had flown in from Texas, received weeks of traditional postnatal or postpartum care. The new grandmother did many a wonderful thing, like cuddling the baby so this mama could get some rest as well as preparing postpartum meals like soup. Lots of soup.
Hearty soups involving seemingly exotic ingredients involving chicken feet and pigs trotters; i.e. nourishing bone broth soups chock full of collagen and iron. This new mother looked amazing and I couldn’t understand why.
Meanwhile the rest of us, hailing from our atomised, family-allergic, antinatalist, supermarket-driven, middle class British culture of the 2010s, staggered on through the shock of early motherhood mainly fuelled by cake and coffee.
It was only later that I reflected how this ancient wisdom and tradition of that Texan Taiwanese mama and grandma was so profound in its generationally-acquired understanding of a new mother’s needs.
Nourishing the Whole Mother
Today, as a mother of five and a commentator on food, family & community, I’ve come to recognize that postpartum healing isn’t just about physical recovery – it’s about nourishing the whole mother.
I had a very powerful chat with Stephanie Dueger of the Prepared for Parenthood Podcast where we discussed the support that is – and often isn’t – available for new mothers and their babies. And, as it’s often easy to criticise without offering solutions, we also spoke about how new mothers, their partners and families can set themselves up for success once the baby arrives and much of it revolves around postpartum meals.
You can watch the video on Youtube here (with me looking rather enthusiastic on the right hand side!):
However, for those who prefer a blog post, here’s a summary of what every new mother should know about supporting her healing journey:
What To Eat After Giving Birth
After giving birth, your body needs substantial replenishment. You’ve just given birth which is the most incredible physical feat you can go through (did you know that – rather grimly – in Aztec culture, mothers who died in childbirth were granted the same honours as men who died in battle?).
Blood loss during delivery and the demands of breastfeeding create an increased need for iron and healing nutrients. The cornerstone of nutrition during this time should include postpartum meals with iron-rich red meat and protein in abundance.
Ideas for Postpartum Meals
Hearty stews of beef or lamb slow cooked with the bone, and thus the bone marrow, offer deep nourishment. All that collagen is so good for tissue repair and overall healing.
If you’ve someone around with both hands available to cook (you’re probably holding the baby!), then steak or liver and bacon are amazing.
However, if you’re pushed for time as most new mamas are, one-pot meals combining proteins and root vegetables ensure complete nutrition while minimising preparation time.
Soups! Back to that amazing Taiwanese grandma… slow-cooked bone broth provides essential amino acids, proteins, collagen, nutrients and minerals.
Eggs for breakfast to set you up for the day (and if you need other healthy breakfast ideas to prep ahead for when the baby arrive, check out the freebie 5 Easy Gluten Free Breakfast Ideas)
Sardines, mackerel and salmon are also chock full of goodness for the healing mama and are great with a simple pre-prepared salad from the supermarket.
How You Can Actually Eat Well During The Postpartum Period
Now, as lovely as this is to throw a heap of cooking ideas at you, the reality is, postpartum healing demands peace for you and the opportunity to bond with your little one. You’ll probably notice you’ve usually only got one hand free and you’re somewhat tired. Well, this period requires a delicate balance of rest and minimal kitchen time. You need to conserve energy for healing whilst cuddling and nourishing your baby.
Top Tips
- If you’re in the frenzy of “nesting” just before your baby arrives, cook meals and freeze them in those disposable aluminium trays so the food can be simply reheated in the oven and then the tray is thrown away. This means less cooking stress when you’re tired, recovering and healing from birth AND no washing up. Win win.
- During your baby shower or when friends and family ask what gifts to give the new baby, demand they feed you instead once the baby arrives. This is the ultimate gift during the postpartum period.
- Get a slow cooker or Instant Pot and check out easy recipes with ingredients you can dump in the cooker in the morning and are ready by the late afternoon.
- Focus on simple, nutritious meals that can be eaten one-handed while nursing or holding your little one.
- Ask the main cook to cut up your steak for example so you can enjoy your food with just a fork!
- Choose meals that can be easily reheated or eaten cold, accommodating the unpredictable schedule of life with a newborn.
- Regarding side dishes, now is the season in life for frozen vegetables, bags of salad, If visitors and family pop over they can help chop fresh veg ready for steaming.
- As for snacks – again, to be eaten one-handed! – have mixed nuts, Greek yoghurt, berries and peeled citrus fruit at the ready.
- You’ll also need emergency bananas, which will become a cornerstone of your handbag / mama rucksack throughout this period of mothering small children, for a quick sweet boost that isn’t cake or biscuits.
Conclusion
Remember: this vulnerable yet wonderful time of early motherhood is not about bouncing back quickly. It’s about giving your body the deep nourishment it needs to heal and transition into motherhood, a concept we in the West have lost. It might be worth having a look at what traditional cultures have long understood; us mamas need to take time to nourish ourselves and thus our babies during these first precious few weeks of motherhood.
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