Postpartum Foods To Avoid

Who knew there are foods you should and shouldn’t eat postpartum?  

My first pregnancy I researched what to do and eat during pregnancy but didn't pay much attention to postpartum.  After Rory (my first) was born I ate what I thought was “healthy” like smoothies and salads, and also splurged on junk food from friends and family.  I ended up super constipated and just feeling blaahhh all the time, which I thought was normal.

Before my next birth I learned about Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese medicine, and read The First Forty Days, by Heng Ou, which shared how our ancestors nourished a postpartum Mom.  Apparently new mamas should be eating warm, soft, cooked, easy-to-digest foods like soups, stews, and broths.  

I prepped about 60 meals to have on hand for postpartum #2, and guess what?  No constipation!!  Hooray!!  Plus I  felt 100x better, even with a toddler running around.

POSTPARTUM FOODS TO AVOID

1. COLD FOOD & DRINKS - Things like iced drinks, cold/frozen smoothies, ice cream and anything that’s going to cool you from the inside should be limited.  Your digestive fire turns off during birth and cold food/drink will slow its restarting.
   
   
2. DRY - Cake, bread, pastries, cookies, and other “dry” foods should also be limited.  Yes at Mama Meals we offer lactation cookies and brownies, but you’ll notice they are moist and nutrient dense, made with grassfed butter and pasture-raised eggs.  You certainly shouldn’t overconsume them (which is hard we know :P)
   
   
3. CRUNCHY - A close relative of dry, crunch things like chips, certain granola bars, and many nuts and seeds should also be limited. 
   
   
4. RAW VEGGIES - Veggies should be cooked during postpartum as they are much easier to digest.  Avoid salads and veggie-packed smoothies or protein shakes.
   
   
5. HIGHLY-PROCESSED - While it’s a good idea to always avoid highly-processed foods, this is especially important postpartum.  This includes foods with buzzwords like “organic” and “gluten-free” as these often contain ingredients that slow down digestion.  The fewer the ingredients, the better postpartum.

Mothers in postpartum should take careful consideration in what to eat but also what not to eat. A diet centered on warm and nutritious foods while avoiding cold and raw food will set up moms for success in recovery and healing.