Postpartum foods! Eating a healthy, well-balanced meal might feel like it’s at the bottom of your “life with a newborn” priority list, but good postpartum nutrition is essential to your physical and emotional recovery and well-being. The right nutrients and meals can speed up healing, help nourish your baby if you’re breastfeeding, and positively impact your mental health. Focus on simple meals with multiple food groups on your plate, and go for snacks like hummus, avocado toast, and apple slices with almond butter to help get the nutrients you need.

IN THIS ARTICLE

• Why is postpartum nutrition so important? 
• What nutrients do postpartum moms need most? 
• What are some great postpartum meals for new moms? 
• Are there any postpartum foods to avoid? 
• Do I need to take postpartum vitamins? 
• Tips for creating a healthy postpartum meal plan 

A shower. A nap. A meal. This is often what you need most as you navigate those sweet but trying newborn days with your baby. As you get the hang of feeding your tiny new human (whether you’re breastfeeding or formula-feeding), it can be hard to remember to feed yourself, let alone seek out nutritious foods for your healing body. But solid postpartum foods nutrition is essential.

Why is postpartum nutrition so important?

Postpartum foods nutrition is essential to your postpartum recovery, however you gave birth, and it’s especially important if you’re breastfeeding, since the nutrients you consume nourish your little one too. Eating well can help you get better sleep at a time when restful slumber may be hard to come by. Good nutrition also impacts your mental health, which can be key when your hormones are all over the place. Finally, if and when you become focused on post-baby weight loss, it can help with that.

Up to 1 in 8 moms experience postpartum depression, and studies have linked poor nutrition with symptoms of PPD and depression during pregnancy. Other research has shown that women suffering from depression tend to have lower vegetable intake and a lack of variety in their food choices. Though you won’t always avoid mental health conditions through nutrition, it can help with general mood stabilization, by keeping your blood sugar and energy levels more consistent.

While your first instinct when you think of “postpartum foods diet” might be related to weight loss, that’s not the most pressing or only reason to pursue a nutritious postpartum plan. In those early weeks postpartum, weight loss can wait as you focus on healing. In addition, calorie-restricting diets aren’t encouraged for your first two months postpartum, especially if you’re breastfeeding.

What nutrients do postpartum moms need most?

Not only do nursing moms need more food altogether – about 500 extra calories per day – they also need more calcium, protein, and extra hydration to help with milk production. And all new moms can work to eat more lean meats or proteins, high-fiber foods, low-fat dairy products, and a variety of fruits and vegetables to ensure their bodies have access to as many types of nutrients as possible.

While this may seem like far from the most convenient time to start analyzing ingredient lists on nutrition labels and making complex postpartum foods meal plans, it’s easier if you think of good postpartum foods nutrition as incorporating a variety of simple, whole foods.

There are specific extra nutrients recommended for postpartum moms, including:

• Iodine and choline: These two nutrients are part of a healthy diet for breastfeeding moms because they support brain and neurological system development for babies. If you’re counting, try to get 290 mcg of iodine and 550 mg of choline daily for your first postpartum year. If you aren’t counting, just focus on trying to up your intake of dairy products or seafood for iodine; and seafood, beans, lentils, and peas for choline.
• Iron and Vitamin B12: These nutrients help your body by giving you more energy, and if you’re nursing, they can support your baby’s brain and blood cell health. Low amounts of Vitamin B12 might even increase the risk of a deficiency, causing neurological damage. Iron is typically found in meats, so it’s especially important for vegan and vegetarian moms to pursue other sources, including iron-fortified cereals and breads, dark green leafy vegetables, and beans.
• Anti-inflammatory foods: Sure, you’ve probably taken an anti-inflammatory medication before, but have you considered that food can have similar healing powers post-birth, reducing inflammation through what you eat? This can be helpful if you’re dealing with postpartum swelling. Potassium has been shown to reduce swelling, and it’s easy to access – try a banana, potato, avocado, or spinach. Additional foods include tomatoes, olive oil, kale, and collards.

What are some great postpartum meals for new moms?

Preparing postpartum foods meals that are nutritious and help with healing and nursing doesn’t have to be complex or difficult. Instead, focus on simple meals with multiple food groups on your plate, and aim to sit down to eat these meals whenever possible to intentionally plan and focus on what you consume. Sometimes that can feel easier said than done, but it’s a worthy goal, even if it doesn’t happen every meal. It might mean taking turns eating while your partner or a helper holds the baby.

Follow this simple formula to create a well-balanced postpartum foods meal: a fruit and/or vegetable, a lean meat or a non-meat protein source, and a complex carbohydrate, with additional options for low-fat dairy items and fruit. It might look like the following:

• Breakfast: Steel-cut oats with fruits, nuts, and skim milk or avocado toast with tomatoes or eggs on whole wheat bread, and a side of Greek yogurt.
• Lunch: a salad with grilled chicken, fish or shrimp; and a side of whole-wheat pasta
• Dinner: A lean protein, mixed vegetables (such as broccoli and cauliflower), and brown rice

If you’re looking for more energy

While you might turn to a few extra cups of coffee during those very early mornings, caffeine can have a yo-yo effect on your energy levels, can be dehydrating, and some of it can be transferred to your baby if you’re nursing. Instead, look to other longer-lasting energy sources, like complex carbs, yogurt, or fish.

Trade your white bread for whole-wheat toast. Scramble an egg with the yolk for breakfast, or add tuna fish to your lunch. Also, try to regulate your blood sugar by eating smaller meals throughout the day, adding in nutritious snacks to the above diet suggestions.

If you’re looking to boost your mood

Try to integrate a vegetable into each meal, to ensure that you’re getting as many nutrients as you can. Additionally, add a lean meat or eggs for protein to stay full longer.

Also, Omega-3 fatty acids, found in nuts, seeds, and fish may help protect against postpartum depression. Sub your usual vegetable oil or olive oil for flaxseed oil when you’re cooking, or top off your morning oatmeal with a handful of walnuts.

If you’re dealing with postpartum constipation

You might notice that you’ve come home from the hospital and your body is starting to feel more like yours again …  but you haven’t had that first post-birth poop. High-fiber foods, including whole-grain cereals, brown rice, and beans, can help with postpartum constipation. Additionally, fresh fruits and vegetables will regulate your system too. Ask your healthcare provider about taking a stool softener if needed. Also, up your water intake for more relief.

Are there any postpartum foods to avoid?

If you’re formula-feeding, you don’t need to worry as much about these foods to avoid as much as breastfeeding moms do, but they’re healthy guidelines worth considering regardless.

It’s best for breastfeeding moms to avoid eating any seafood that’s high in mercury. Common culprits include king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, tilefish, and bigeye tuna. (Don’t be scared to eat other types of fish, as they contain essential ingredients such as choline.)

And while they’re not totally off limits, breastfeeding moms need to be cautious about the amounts of caffeine and alcohol they’re having. Around 300 milligrams or less of caffeine per day – which is the equivalent to about two or three cups of coffee – isn’t a problem. But when you drink more than that, you might start to notice fussiness, poor sleep, or irritability in your infant. (Be aware of additional sneaky sources of caffeine too, like chocolate, tea, energy drinks, and sodas.)

Because the alcohol you drink enters your baby’s breastmilk, the CDC recommends you wait at least two hours before breastfeeding if you’ve had one drink. Read more about alcohol and breastfeeding here.

Do I need to take postpartum vitamins?

Your healthcare provider will likely recommend you continue taking your prenatal vitamin after you give birth, especially if you’re nursing. Some moms find this comforting, especially if they’re nervous about finding the time to eat well. That said, try not to use vitamins as a substitute for fresh, nutritious foods, as it won’t provide every nutrient your body and baby need.

Talk to your OB or midwife about any vitamin changes you might need to make between pregnancy and postpartum weeks tailored to your particular body and situation.

Some moms have even anecdotally found that they can combat hair loss, a normal postpartum symptom, with postpartum hair loss vitamins.

Tips for creating a healthy postpartum meal plan

Create a healthy meal plan for yourself by stocking your home with nutritious foods that can you can reach for easily, even when you’re in the midst of comforting a fussy baby.

Here are some postpartum foods meal and snack prep ideas that are quick and easy to make and eat:

• Carrots, celery, or cucumber slices and hummus or bean dip
• Cheese and whole wheat crackers
• Avocado toast
• Scrambled eggs and pre-cooked turkey sausage
• Ham and cheese on a whole wheat wrap
• Apples and almond butter

Don’t underestimate the importance of hydration – especially if you’re nursing. Some experts recommend that breastfeeding moms try to drink 16 cups of water per day, which can come not only from water but from water found in fruits and vegetables too. (Your exact hydration needs may vary based on your activity level, your size, and the weather.)

Even if you aren’t nursing, water can aid in the healing process. Create a routine for yourself that involves water, such as making yourself a fresh cup before sitting down to feed your baby, or bringing a water bottle with you whenever you drive somewhere.

Finally, try not to get too overwhelmed meeting everyone else’s needs that you forget to eat altogether. It can help to ask your partner to check in with you periodically to ensure you’re eating enough, and to help support you in making healthy snacks for both of you. You can also set an alarm if needed to remind yourself to eat, and ultimately to prioritize yourself and your own postpartum recovery.

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