Healthy eating or a well-balanced diet can help you through your nine-month pregnancy journey. The most critical aspect though, begins after the delivery. When it comes to postpartum nutrition, you might be surprised to find that new moms' dietary requirements are higher than they were while they were pregnant. This is especially true for breastfeeding mothers. To speed up the healing process and help nourish your baby, the correct foods and meals should be chosen to help you heal physically and psychologically. Technically, you are still in the process of developing your kid while breastfeeding. The only difference is that the child is no longer in your womb. As a result, replenishing yourself should always be a top concern. The first 40 days after childbirth are the most significant in a woman's life. Rest, rejuvenation, and replenishment are all things that women are expected to do. These foods and recommendations aid in the recovery of a new mother's body:
A Calcium rich diet:
Despite a calcium-rich diet and supplements during pregnancy, there is a significant calcium loss from the body after delivery, and lactation needs more calcium. Calcium-rich foods, including milk, yoghurt, cheese, sesame seeds, and leafy greens like spinach, are necessary for refueling the body and supporting lactation.
Add Iron to your diet:
To avoid anemia and recover from blood loss during and after childbirth, it's vital to eat an iron-rich diet. Low iron levels can affect milk lactation as well. Cashews, almonds, and walnuts, as well as seasonal greens, ragi, and fennel seeds, should all be included.
Food that is easy to digest:
Add asafetida (hing), carom seeds (ajwain), cumin (jeera), and fennel seeds (saunf) to meals to make them more digestible. This aids in the healing of the gastrointestinal tract after childbirth and eliminates any digestive diseases caused by a newborn's abnormal sleep cycle, such as acidity or bloating.
Take plenty of fluids:
Breastfeeding necessitates an increase in fluid intake. It is essential to drink plenty of water in order to avoid dehydration. Drinks made with milk or yoghurt should be consumed on a regular basis. Soups made with vegetables and lentils are also excellent at this time. Some common foods include dal, gondh (edible gum) ke ladoo, turmeric milk, panjeeri, fenugreek seeds, bottle gourd, eggs, meat, etc and many more.
Foods to avoid:
Cabbage, potatoes, cauliflower, kidney beans, and chickpeas should be avoided during the first three weeks after delivery since they upset the digestive system and create discomfort. According to Ayurveda, this is the most sensitive time for moms, particularly for the digestive system, hence light foods are recommended. Herbal tonics and oil massages are beneficial in addition to nutrition for a quick recovery.