Ensuring that a woman is well-nourished after she’s had the baby is just as important as it was during pregnancy, and sometimes even more so! The few days after a woman gives birth is when milk supply is being established and is often so busy for the New Mom as she’s getting to know the baby and his/her rhythms. Having help during this time is essential, especially when it comes to having household chores done for her like cleaning and cooking. If you’re a friend, relative or partner wondering how you can best support the New Mom, cooking her a meal, serving her a snack, making her tea, or filling up her water glass are often very appreciated. You can browse our recipe section for some ideas for nutritious meals, such are our Rice & Beans, Red Lentil Dahl, Warm breakfast cereal,  Warming rooibos chai tea, Maple-kissed sesame seed cookies, and the delicious Blueberry Green Smoothie… and stay tuned for Oatmeal Lactation Cookie Bar recipe 🙂

As a guideline, here is a list of foods that are nourishing for the New Mom:

*choosing organic nuts, seeds, grains (especially rice), veggies & fruits (especially the ‘Dirty Dozen‘) as much as possible would be ideal!

• oats, especially steel cut oats 
• whole grain brown rice, quinoa, millet, and amaranth
• organic, free-range chicken
• free range or organic eggs
• wild sockeye or pacific salmon
• lentils, beans (think hearty soups, casseroles, veggie chili, one-pot-wonders, hummus)
• sesame seeds (high in calcium!) and tahini (sesame seed paste)
• raw nuts and seeds (like walnuts, almonds, hemp seeds, and flax seeds)
• nut and seed butters
• healthy oils (olive oil, avocado oil)
• root veggies such as yams, squash, sweet potato, and carrots
• fresh fruit such as apple or pear (add a nut butter or handful of nuts for added nutrition)
• organic berries, especially blueberries
• lots of dark green leafy veggies
• lots of fresh purified water
• warming herbs and spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and cardamom
• nutrient teas (my favourite was a mixture of nettle, raspberry leaf, and fennel seeds to enrich milk supply and contract the uterus)
• herbal teas like rooibos, ginger, chamomile, and echinacea

And because of baby’s sensitive tummy during this tender time, foods to limit or avoid during the postpartum period are:

• caffeine
• alcohol
• dairy products
• wheat and gluten
• citrus fruits, especially fruit juice
• lots of cruciferous veggies (brussel sprouts, cabbage, broccoli)
• raw garlic and onions
• spicy foods
• nightshade vegetables – eggplant, tomatoes, potatoes & peppers 
• chocolate …too much chocolate, that is 🙂 
• iron supplements (check your multi-vitamins for iron as well)
• herbal teas like peppermint, sage, and parsley (which may decrease milk supply)
• any foods that are known sensitivities for you

This is a very special time in a New Mom’s life, and helping her out in the ways that you know how is a little effort that goes a long way.

Sleep, eat, rest. Repeat…