Supporting Postpartum Nutrition
If you’re a new mom, there’s a good chance you’re not paying close enough attention to this…👇🏼
🥑 Your nutrition! 🥑
It is so important for you to get adequate nutrition while you are healing and breastfeeding. This will require more calories than you normally consume. You may even find that you feel starving all the time! Listen to your body and make sure you are fuelling appropriately.
The following are a few of my favourite strategies to make sure you are eating well postpartum:
🌯 Prepare freezer meals ahead of time that are easy to thaw and eat on days when you are too tired to cook!
🥗 Ask for visitors to bring meals or snacks - depending on your family/friend situation you may even want to plan out a meal schedule ahead of time! 💓 Don’t be shy with this - people want to help out new parents and don’t always know how, so tell them!
💑 Partners! This is a great area for you to take the lead. A new mom will likely be preoccupied with making sure that baby is fed, especially if she is breastfeeding. You can provide tremendous support by making sure that SHE is fed, and by taking over the mental load of meal planning and execution.
💊 Supplements! While there is a lot of emphasis on taking supplements during pregnancy, it's equally important to continue with a supplementation protocol after your baby is born to ensure you're getting the necessary nutrients to support your recovery and overall well-being.
Some of my favourite supplements for new mothers include:
⭐️ Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Helps to promote brain and heart health, reduce inflammation, and protect against several chronic conditions.
⭐️ Magnesium: Supports relaxation and proper nerve function. Maternal magnesium levels are depleted during pregnancy and lactation, and supplementation can help avoid postpartum depression, anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, and migraines.
⭐️ Vitamin D: Known as the “sunshine vitamin,” Vitamin D is vital for healthy teeth, bones, and immune function. A deficiency in this vitamin can increase the risk of postpartum depression. Many women are deficient in this nutrient even before pregnancy, and the deficiency can worsen during pregnancy and lactation. A blood test can be used to check your Vitamin D status.
⭐️ Probiotics: This helps support a healthy digestive system, which can improve your postpartum mental health and overall nutrient absorption.
⭐️ Prenatal Vitamin: it is recommended for breastfeeding women continue taking a prenatal vitamin for the duration of breastfeeding to ensure they continue to get crucial nutrients for mom and baby
You can find more info on my postnatal supplement recommendations through my online dispensary below.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any supplements.
✨ Dr. Lindsay
