Stage Category: Postpartum

This is a big week in your life, filled with a big emotional surge. The best thing you can do is eat and drink what sounds good.

Dealing with digestion and elimination changes is a regular and temporary effect of childbirth (after vaginal or surgical delivery). Turn to easily digestible meals such as stews, broths, cooked and steamed veggies, and warming, soothing foods.

If constipation is an issue, drink 100 ounces of fluids daily (including one beverage with added electrolytes/minerals), eat soft-cooked veggies, and increase your magnesium intake.

Continue taking your prenatal vitamin, an omega-3 supplement if you were taking one during pregnancy, and consider a desiccated organ or beef liver supplement, and vitamin D if your prenatal does not contain it. See our postpartum supplement guide here. 

Do a mental health check-in this week. If you are experiencing feelings of sadness, depression, or anxiety, or if you don’t want to get out of bed, bring this up to your healthcare team as soon as possible. 

Foods high in protein, iron, zinc, and vitamin C are all essential for recovering postpartum. Meat, chicken, and shellfish all provide protein, iron, and zinc; broccoli, leafy greens, berries, bell peppers, and oranges are all great sources of vitamin C. 

Though you might be tempted to start thinking about postpartum weight loss, undereating could affect your breastmilk supply and hinder your recovery. Prioritize getting at least 30 grams of protein at each meal, with multiple animal and plant fat sources without restriction.

If you’ve been cleared and feel ready, begin incorporating cardio and strength slowly and gradually; walking is a great place to start and 2-3 days of strength or weight-resistance exercises.

Get postpartum lab work done to check for any new concerns or deficiencies. Labs to ask your provider for: a full thyroid panel, vitamin D, B12, an iron panel, CBC, CMC, HbA1C, and RBC magnesium.

Eggs (with the yolks!) continue to be a key food for postpartum, especially if breastfeeding, since your needs are likely the highest they will ever be! Your choline intake influences the amount your baby will get through breast milk to support neural system development.

Organ meats like liver are rich in nearly everything essential for your recovery, especially protein, iron, vitamin A and B vitamins, zinc, selenium, copper, and choline. They are also rich in CoQ10, taurine, and carnitine, as well as peptides, which all aid in recovery, repair, and energy production.

Did you know breastmilk is mostly made up of fat? Consuming higher amounts of it can enrich your breastmilk, and fats are also an essential source of nutrients for both you and baby postpartum.

To follow a traditional postpartum diet, include lots of animal proteins daily, fats from both animal and plant sources, fermented veggies, nuts and seeds, organ meats, seafood, and bone broth. Aim for a variety of these foods, in the amount your body craves and is hungry for, to cover all your dramatically increased nutrient and caloric needs postpartum!

To support postpartum thyroid health, ensure you get enough iodine, 290 mcg daily if breastfeeding. Iodine-rich foods include fish, seaweed, and dairy, so try to consume these at least every other day. Completing a full thyroid panel blood test by 6 months postpartum is a great goal.

Choose protein-forward snacks with at least 10 grams of protein to help meet daily needs. Beef jerky, hard-boiled eggs, cheese sticks, edamame, rotisserie chicken, and protein powders make easy high-protein options!

To support your mental health, hormone balance, overall recovery postpartum, and your baby’s brain development through DHA passed through breastmilk, consume oysters and fatty fish at least 3 times per week.

To support maximum nutrient absorption and optimal digestion, cultivate a peaceful environment for meals, sit down, chew each bite 20-30 times or to applesauce consistency, and limit unnecessary distractions.

Bone broth should be included as often as possible to support postpartum recovery! Bone broth is rich in glycine and collagen, essential for rebuilding connective tissues that may have been damaged during labor and delivery.

To boost micronutrients and antioxidants, eat a rainbow of colorful foods throughout the week, including fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices.

As fermented foods are essential to consume throughout pregnancy to support your and your baby’s gut health, they are also significant in the postpartum period.
Fermented foods support your gut health and your baby’s gut health. Try Greek yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, tempeh, fermented veggies, and kefir.

After a very nutritionally demanding time, consider completing an HTMA test postpartum to learn more about your mineral status and get personalized strategies to optimize your nutrient levels. Click here to see if we have available spots.

Establish wake-up and wind-down routines, even for a few minutes. This could be doing your skincare and/or oral care routine, having a cup of sleep-supportive tea, avoiding blue lights after sunset, and using red light bulbs for nighttime wake-ups.

If you are starting to get into more predictable rhythms with your baby, make mealtimes more intentional, consistently timed, and spaced. Opt for planning meals out on the weekend to prepare for the week ahead. The meal plan function of this app should help with any meal decision fatigue!

Prioritize a daily stress management practice that is feasible for you, even if only for 5 minutes each morning and night. This could be deep breathing, coloring or reading for a few minutes, prayer, light stretching, journaling, or just taking a warm shower.

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