Postpartum nutrition is a vital part of postpartum healing. Our bodies need the appropriate nutrients to recover and heal from pregnancy and childbirth. The unfortunate truth is that many mothers do not get the nutrition necessary to make a full recovery. Postpartum nutrition is more than just eating additional calories to make milk. It’s the foundation for long term health and wellbeing. It’s necessary for tissue repair, hormone regulation, mental health, immune function and beyond!
In postpartum, nutritional needs are at an all time high while the ability to absorb nutrients is at an all time low. About 80% of individuals enter postpartum with nutritional deficiencies. These deficiencies cause a wide range of symptoms and too often they are told “this is motherhood”.
Nutritional deficiencies are associated with the following:
- Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders
- Autoimmune diseases (Those who give birth are at a 30% increased chance of developing an autoimmune disease in the first year. 1 in 7 will develop a thyroid disorder.)
- Poor birth recovery
- Brain fog and impaired decision making
- Impaired immune function
- Poor sleep
- Severe hair loss and many other health concerns.
This is not how it is supposed to be and there is a better way.
Did you know that the digestive system goes through a shift during birth? The body recognizes birth as a physical trauma and redirects its energy into lifesaving systems to prevent hemorrhage, maintain heart rate and blood pressure, etc. The digestive system gets paused as it’s considered secondary for immediate survival. When the body is properly supported after birth the digestive system resumes as normal within 6-12 weeks. When the body is not supported, this pause can last much longer, and the impacts can be felt for a lifetime.
To help your body get the nutrients it needs to thrive in postpartum, there are 4 simple guidelines to follow:
- Warmth
- Simple
- Well-cooked
- High in protein and fat
Warm
Many cultures around the world have warming practices in postpartum. This includes nurturing the mind with warmth, physically warming the body and nourishing it with warm foods. During postpartum, only consuming warm food and drinks help support digestion and absorption. The postpartum body doesn’t have energy to spare and warming food and drink require a lot of it
Simple
Simple meals will be your go to. As mentioned, gastric juices, acids and enzyme production is massively reduced when the body enters a sympathetic state. Less ingredients require less enzymes to breakdown the foods you are eating and you are able to absorb more of the nutrients.
Well-Cooked
All foods, including fruits, should be well-cooked. Again, this comes down to energy and gastric acids and enzymes. It takes a lot of energy and enzymes to breakdown raw foods. Make it easier for your body to digest the foods you are consuming and get the most of it.
High in protein and fat
Protein and fat are necessary for tissue repair, healing, and breastmilk creation. They are the building blocks for life at the most basic level. Animal proteins provide the most benefit however you can achieve healing on a vegetarian or vegan diet as well, though it may require more tailored support.
Healing Motherhood | Kelowna Postpartum Doula 