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Postpartum Nutrition and Repletion

katrinawong14
Apr 4, 20232 min read

postpartum nutrition

Here are some tips of postpartum nutrition and repletion! So important with WHAT and HOW you eat!


Universal Principles

  • Eat foods that are well cooked and easily digestible (one pot meals are great)

  • Hydrate!

  • Consume lots of warming spices: turmeric, garlic, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg.

  • Avoid frozen and processed foods

Foods to Avoid

  • Alcohol

  • Caffeine

  • Processed and frozen foods

  • Acidic or spicy foods

  • Raw foods

  • WHY? You want to nourish your body with nutrients! The abdomen needs time to settle. We want to create an environment in our bodies that is non-inflammatory.

What to Eat:

  • Lots of vegetables! 8-10 servings a day! Cooked = more easily digestible

  • Spices: Ginger, lemon, garlic, turmeric, cumin, nutmeg, cinnamon, black pepper, thyme, oregano

  • Healthy fats: avocado, sesame oil, olive oil, egg yolks, grass fed butter

  • Nuts and seeds: flax seeds, chia seeds, pistachio, almonds, walnuts

  • Fish: salmon, mackerel, halibut, sardines, etc.

  • Grass fed meat

    • Protein requirements for postpartum: 1 gram of protein/kg of body weight

      • i.e. 125 lb (56 kg) = ~56 grams of protein

  • Whole grains: brown rice, quinoa, buckwheat noodles

  • Bone broth: helps heal your internal wound on placenta

  • Vitamin D: oily fish like eel, sardines, herring, and salmon. Cod liver oil, pastured beef, chicken liver, egg yolks, and butter are good sources as well. Best plant source: dark leafy greens like kale, chard, spinach, beet greens, turnip greens, and collard greens.

  • Foods that slow down release of glucose in blood: flaxseeds, chia seeds, avocados, and nut

How to Eat:

  • Follow a regular eating schedule; eat at the same time each day, same size meal

  • Eat your food in the right order

    • Start with veggies first, then protein and fats second, and starches/sugars last

    • Fiber in the veggies coat the small intestine; fat and protein slow down gastric emptying

    • As a result, glucose from your carbs are absorbed at a lesser and smaller extent, which means you won't get significant glucose spikes

    • Why steady glucose levels are important? fuller longer, decreased cravings, better hormonal balance, improved fertility, decreased inflammation

  • Move after you eat for 10 minutes

    • You can go on a walk, clean the house, or workout!

    • Doing some light physical activity after eating allows the muscles to soak up the glucose from the bloodstream, decreasing your glucose spike

    • This also results in reduced inflammation, happier organs, steadier mood



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