Last month I shared three reasons why proper postpartum nutrition is so important for mama’s. Now I want to begin to lay the groundwork for what that nutrition is. So, within this article, I will present to you a few “super foods” for the postpartum season. For review, there is a foundation on which every mom can start, focusing on the composition of macronutrients in each meal:
2 cups + of vegetables (with some fat, like butter or olive oil)
3-4 oz. of protein (with naturally occurring fat, like the skin on chicken)
1/2 to 1 cup of starchy or carbohydrate-rich whole foods
This example meal supplies a variety of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins to support proper blood sugar levels and hormonal balance. These foods have the potential to be nutrient rich food with a high yield of vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and amino acids.
How do we maximize the potential of our food? It’s all in the quality. Sourcing the best quality of these foods reduces toxins and increases nutrient density of those foods. As much as possible, buy organically grown foods, sourced from a trusted local farmer. In Alfred, we are blessed with many farms and farmers who truly value the quality of nutrition they provide their customers through their products. A few that I have highlighted here before include Sunny Cove Farm (organic raw milk, grass fed beef, pork, chicken and goat) and Living Acres and Living Cultures (organic produce and fermented, probiotic rich foods such as sauerkraut and sourdough bread.)
Here are some specific postpartum superfoods:
Proteins such as red meat provide iron for rebuilding blood postpartum, chicken liver being the best source for iron.
Eggs contain cholesterol, the hormone important for managing inflammation, and a building block for sex hormones, stress-resilience hormones, and healthy brain development. Eggs are also the best sources for choline, the mineral needed for baby’s brain and nervous system development.
Homemade bone broth is rich in minerals, amino acids, and fatty acids, great for optimizing digestion and healing from birth. It also supports your baby’s developing immune system. (Note: the longer the broth simmers the higher it is in amino acids. This is a good thing! However, there is potential for mom to have a sensitivity to histamines and since the baby's immune and nervous system is still developing, short simmered broths are a good idea as you introduce this new food.)
Vegetables, especially in the fermented form like sauerkraut, provide not only nourishing vitamins but needed fiber and probiotics for our digestive system and healthy gut microbiome for mama and baby!
There are SO many more superfoods for postpartum. But don’t worry, just start incorporating a variety of whole foods and you will be off to a great start! Then begin to incorporate one or two new “superfoods” to boost your diet. If you are pregnant and preparing for that healing postpartum season, you can also reach out to friends or family to support you with specific healing foods after the baby is born.
Stay tuned for next month as I share some tips for how to prepare these superfoods to best support the postpartum season.
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