It’s an all-too-common scenario: Moms focus on healthy choices during pregnancy, only to ignore their own needs once the baby is born. But getting enough vitamins, minerals and macronutrients is important for the postpartum period too.
“If moms are deficient in macronutrients, which are protein, fats, and carbs, as well as vitamins, or minerals, it can make the fatigue that they feel postpartum even worse,” said Ariel Branham, MS, RD, a registered dietitian with Yale New Haven Health’s Maternal Fetal Medicine. “Even stress or mental health concerns, it can make them worse if patients aren’t eating adequately or have enough nutrition.”
What to eat after giving birth
Every patient has different needs depending on their health history, but there are some key nutrients that all postpartum patients need.
Iron & folate: These are found in prenatal vitamins for good reason. Branham says if a patient was anemic during pregnancy, they will most likely be anemic after delivery. Iron is also important for patients who may have experienced blood loss during delivery. Both iron and folate can help with fatigue.
Protein: Protein is especially important for c-section patients, as adequate protein intake can help with muscle and tissue repair.
Fiber: It’s common to experience constipation after having a baby due to hormonal changes, or pain medication. Getting enough whole grains, fruits and vegetables can help support proper fiber intake and alleviate constipation.
Healthy fats: Healthy fats can help balance hormones after delivery. Avocados, olive oil, fish, such as salmon and nuts are all good choices.
Vitamin D: Research shows low vitamin D levels can make depression worse. Therefore, it’s a vitamin that shouldn’t be ignored during the postpartum period, especially since postpartum depression and anxiety can be common.
Calcium: Calcium helps support bone strength and is important to help support hormonal changes that happen after pregnancy.
Patients should continue to take their prenatal vitamin for at least three months postpartum. Those who are breastfeeding should take their prenatal as long as they are breastfeeding. Postnatal vitamins can also be taken after three months, as they often contain similar ingredients as a prenatal.
What to eat while breastfeeding
During the immediate postpartum period, calorie needs decrease by about 400 calories compared to the third trimester. However, breastfeeding burns calories, so breastfeeding moms will need to make sure they’re eating enough.
In addition, proper hydration is crucial for breastfeeding.
“If you don’t get enough fluid or nutritious foods, it can poorly affect the amount of breast milk made. It won’t affect the breast milk quality. If you eat a poor diet, the quality will still be good, but you may not make as much,” said Branham. “When it comes to fluids, you want to try to make sure you’re drinking 12 to 16 8-ounce caffeine free beverages a day, depending on how thirsty you are. An easy trick is trying to make sure you have a beverage every time you breastfeed.”
Branham says a lot of patients are eager to lose weight after having a baby, but they really need to let their body recover first. For those who breastfeed, they should wait until their breast milk is established before focusing on weight loss, which typically happens around three months postpartum. Calorie restricting can also negatively impact milk supply.
Postpartum meal prep
Unfortunately, the reality for a lot of new parents is a granola bar in the middle of the night, and not a well-balanced meal. Branham says it doesn’t have to be all or nothing.
Instead, add nutritious options to snacks throughout the day. That may look like throwing some nuts on top of yogurt or putting avocado on top of toast along with a hard-boiled egg.
There’s also a reason why postpartum meal prep is so popular. Prepping a few extra meals and freezing them during pregnancy can ensure parents are adequately fueling themselves during those first few weeks. Branham says she loves dump and go crock pot meals, such as shredded chicken cooked in salsa. The tomatoes from the salsa add vitamin C, which supports iron absorption from the chicken.
Prepping a few meals and sitting down to eat can serve as a lesson for new parents too. It’s an important act of self-care during a challenging period.
“It’s so common to say, ‘let me just put the baby first and then I’ll deal with me later,’” said Branham. “But there’s got to be some balance there. You can’t always be second.”
