Nourishing foods for postpartum

Nourishing and nutrient-dense foods have a big impact on the recovery and healing of a new mama. They provide much needed energy, help rebalance hormones, support the production of breastmilk as well as nourish your breastmilk with all the goodness. During the early days, it is important to focus on foods that are warm, soft and easy to digest. The benefits of these food are that they are also freezer friendly, so you can prepare some before the baby arrives.

Some of my favourite foods include:

• Warming and easy to digest foods such as bone broth, soups, curries, casseroles and cooked veggies.

• Healthy fats such as nut butter, coconut, bone marrow, ghee, avocado, eggs and oily fish to help balance hormones, stabilise blood sugar, nourish breastmilk and provide energy.

• Fermented foods such as sauerkraut, lacto-fermented fruit/veggies and kefir to nourish breastmilk and the microbiome.

• Nourishing carbohydrates such as root veggies to provide energy after sleepless nights and help build milk supply.

• High-quality sources of protein to help repair and rebuild tissue and muscle.

• Iron rich foods such as grass-fed liver and slow cooked meats to replete losses from birth.

• DHA rich foods such as salmon and sardines to support “baby brain” and your breastfed mini’s brain development.

• Healthy one handed snacks such as lactation cookies, bliss balls, chia puddings and muffins that are easy to grab while breastfeeding.

• Warming spices such as ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and cardamom to help with healing as the body adjusts back.

• Breastfeeding superfood powders such as spirulina, barley grass, brewers yeast and moringa to help nourish breastmilk and encourage milk supply.