Sweet Pea Births

Chandler, Arizona

Sweet Pea ​Births

...celebrating every swee​t pea their birth

Blog

« Back to Blog « Older Entry | Newer Entry »

Postpartum Wellness Series: Nutrition

Posted on November 16, 2017 at 10:23 AM
Postpartum Wellness Series – Nutrition
 
Welcome to our Postpartum Wellness Series.  Each week we will look at one area you can influence to help the days and weeks after you bring your baby home be just a little bit smoother. 
 
These early days with your sweet pea are the most precious – they will never be this small again. It is a good and worthy endeavor to make these first memories as well as they can be made for your family. My goal with this 8-week series is to offer some practical tips that you can employ without any extra purchases outside of your normal postpartum needs. Hopefully all that these tips will require is a little attention and a slight shift in perspective. It is my intention that you can find at least one small thing each week that will improve your postpartum experience.
 

 
Postpartum nutrition is just as important as prenatal nutrition. We encourage our students to continue following “The Brewer Diet”. This “diet” was designed by Dr. Tom Brewer to teach his patients to eat healthy, whole food long before it was the “it” thing to do.  You can find a link to The Brewer Diet website HERE. 
 
The holistic approach to postpartum invites the woman and her family to treat this time as a recovery period from pregnancy and childbirth.  The following five ideas will help you treat your body gently and ease back into the non-pregnant state.
 
Avoid Sugars and Caffeine
Take heart, mamas...not forever...just “for now”!  I am raising my hand over here – I do enjoy the occasional caramel and mocha coffee. 
 
The issue with sugars and caffeine in the immediate postpartum is the way they affect normal body functioning.  Sugar can contribute to mood swings at a time when you are already adjusting to a new normal after pregnancy. Caffeine is a well-known stimulant that keeps you awake, the opposite of what needs to happen in the immediate postpartum.  Your body does a lot of work to repair itself while you are sleeping, so find a non-caffeinated beverage to enjoy for at least six weeks after your sweet pea arrives. THIS article outlines some of the amazing things that happen within your body when you are not awake.
 
Avoiding sugars and caffeine keeps you on a fair playing field as you adjust to life with a newborn. And if it makes it easier, circle a date six weeks out from the birth-day on the calendar when you can go get your favorite sugary and caffeine-rich treat!!  
 
Eat Real Food
Circling back to The Brewer Diet…the foundation of postpartum nutrition is a diet rich in protein, fluids, fruits and vegetables. You can also continue taking your prenatal vitamin. Believe it or not, if you are going to breastfeed, you need 500+ calories a day than you needed when you were pregnant.
 
Protein: for cell growth and repair…all the organs that have been squished in the last months of pregnancy, the uterus that has to heal, the vagina and/or cesarean birth scar that have to heal from their part in the birth journey…all these body parts need protein so that your cells can do their work to rebuild all that has been bruised and stretched through the course of pregnancy and birth.
 
Fluids: it never ceases to amaze me that the human body is about 60% water! So keep that water bottle handy and refill it often. In addition, breastmilk is a live fluid that is created out of your bloodstream for your sweet pea. Breastmilk is 88% water (https://kellymom.com/nutrition/starting-solids/baby-water/), so this is another reason why you may feel thirsty all the time if you are not paying attention to your water intake. Ample hydration is one of the ways to ensure you are making enough milk for your sweet pea – give your body what it needs to make that breastmilk.

Fruits and Vegetables: these are the most bioavailable vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants designed by Mother Nature just for you. Not everyone can afford to eat all organic all the time, so we offer the "Dirty Dozen" and "Clean Fifteen" lists from the Environmental Working Group as a resource. It may help you decide how to spend your grocery budget - spend a little more to eat organic and save where you can buying conventional growth foods. They now have easy smart phone apps that you can download and access as you shop.
 
Keep One-handed Snacks Handy
However you feed your baby – hands are going to be occupied. In the early days, both hands. As you get more comfortable, you will find yourself becoming an expert at one-handed eating (and finding things on menus that can be eaten with one hand!).
 
My postpartum shopping list included of apples, carrots, celery, crackers, nut butter, hummus, and hard cheese (sharp cheddar is my favorite!).
 
Here is a quick list of snacks you can stock or have someone prepare for you with these seven ingredients:
  • Sliced apples spread with nut butter
  • Sliced apples stacked with sliced hard cheese
  • Sliced or “baby” carrots spread with hummus
  • Crackers with nut butter
  • Crackers with hummus
  • Crackers with sliced cheese
  • Celery spread with nut butter
  • Celery spread with hummus
 
I specifically avoided ranch dressing and soft cheeses. Some newborns are sensitive to the large milk protein found in cows’ milk.  The hard cheeses are easier to digest since the protein is broken-down differently in the preparation process. And some newborns will not tolerate any dairy…unfortunately, the only way to find out is through trial and error.
 
We also had lots of yogurt and flax seed, plus sandwich fixings in the refrigerator. Yogurt is an easy snack to sprinkle with ground flax seed for a protein and good-fat boost between feedings. Someone can also make-ahead sandwiches or tortilla wraps for the times you are ravenous and don’t have time to make a full meal.  My favorite sandwich was hummus and avocado with lettuce between two slices of whole grain bread. That combination worked equally well as a wrap. Yum!!
 
My last suggestion is to try out all the “Just A Handful” snack bags that can be purchased at Trader Joe’s. They have several different varieties that include dried fruits and nuts in a snack pouch. Not so great for the environment…so after postpartum you can buy the bigger bag and serve yourself. In the short term, please do the little things that make life easier and buy these handy packs!!
 
Funny side note: I always kept several snack size pouches in my diaper bag or my purse…our older kids always knew where to go to find snacks when we were out and about. They bemoaned the day when I was no longer breastfeeding around the clock and stopped stocking them, “You never have good snacks anymore!”
 
Probiotics and fish oils
We are learning about the benefits of probiotics and fish oil as more research is done into postpartum mood and anxiety disorders. Here is some information from THIS study from the University of Auckland:
 
Probiotics are live microorganisms that when consumed in adequate amounts provide health benefits to the host. They are typically found in some yoghurts and other fermented foods.
“Depression and anxiety in pregnancy and after birth affects 10-15 per cent of women, although many are not recognised or treated,” Professor Mitchell says.
“There is mounting evidence from animal studies that the microbiome-gut-brain axis - the biochemical signalling that takes place between the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system - may be important for mental health.”
Taking probiotics may reduce postnatal depression
www.auckland.ac.nz
 
A small study that was presented in 2011 found that:
 
“Eating fatty fish or other foods rich in healthy omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy may help lower your risk of developing symptoms commonly seen in postpartum depression…”
WebMD, “Omega-3s May Cut Risk of Postpartum Depression”
https://goo.gl/jHCkdT
 
So while you are no longer pregnant in the postpartum period, the benefit of the omega-3s found in walnuts, flax seed, fatty fish, and fish oils can still be an advantage.
 
“Essential fatty acids including those found in fish may help some women who are at-risk for postpartum depression by bolstering the vesicles that carry mood chemicals such as serotonin in the brain,” 
WebMD, “Omega-3s May Cut Risk of Postpartum Depression”
https://goo.gl/xdHFU9
 
THIS article makes sense of the alphabet soup and may help you decide what you want to eat or how to supplement going forward.
 
Placenta encapsulation
I included placenta encapsulation in the nutrition portion of this series because however you may consume it, the placenta is being processed by the digestive tract. Observation of other mammals indicates that placenta consumption is common and “natural” in the animal kingdom. 

Anecdotal information from a placenta encapsulation website:

Your baby’s placenta...in capsule form, is believed to:
contain your own natural hormones
be perfectly made for you
balance your system
replenish depleted iron (my note: see UNLV study)
give you more energy
lessen bleeding postnatally
been shown to increase milk production
help you have a happier postpartum period
hasten return of uterus to pre-pregnancy state
Placenta Benefits Info/Articles
 
 
HERE and HERE are the two reports that have come out of UNLV regarding placentophagy.
 
HERE and HERE are some blog posts I have done on placenta encapsulation if you want to learn more about our experience and the different methods of preparing the placenta for consumption.
 
That Basket Again…
As I mentioned in the first post, the “breastfeeding basket” was a time and sanity saver in the postpartum period. I would keep some “just a handful” treats from Trader Joe’s in it at all times. 
 
If you missed the sleep installment, here is “the basket”: Gather the most-used items that you need when you sit down to feed your baby so that you don’t have to get up and find them, or have someone bring them to you.  This is what I kept in my basket: water, one-hand snacks that do not need to be refrigerated (bars, nut packs, fruit leather, etc.), diapers, wipes, change of clothes for the baby, burp cloths, bottom cream and nipple cream. 

 
I hope that out of these 5+1 tips, there is at least one that you can embrace whole-heartedly.  I invite you to jot down or type yourself a note of one small thing you can do to make that tip happen for you this postpartum. Try to start one journal page or virtual note that you can add to as we progress through this 8-week series for a better postpartum experience.
 
Previous Installments:
Sleep
 
Coming up next week:
Exercise
 
And check back for the rest of the series:
Physical recovery
Social Support
Practical Support
Emotional Support
Medical Intervention
 
Please leave us a comment - it will be moderated and posted. 
 
References:
 
Probiotics and Postpartum Depression Study from The University of Auckland New Zealand
https://goo.gl/dYQKgo
 
Time Health: “Study: Fish Oil May Prevent Symptoms of Postpartum Depression”
http://healthland.time.com/2011/04/12/study-fish-oil-may-prevent-symptoms-of-postpartum-depression/
 
WebMD: “Omega-3s May Cut Risk of Postpartum Depression”
https://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20110412/omega-3s-may-cut-risk-of-postpartum-depression#1
 
Dietary omega-3 fatty acids aid in the modulation of inflammation and metabolic health
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4030645/
 
Placenta Benefits Info:
http://placentabenefits.info/articles/
 
Steamed, Dehydrated or Raw: Placentas May Help Moms’ Post-Partum Health
https://www.unlv.edu/news/article/steamed-dehydrated-or-raw-placentas-may-help-moms%E2%80%99-post-partum-health
 
UNLV Study Finds No Iron Benefit from Eating Placenta
https://www.unlv.edu/news/article/unlv-study-finds-no-iron-benefit-eating-placenta

 

Disclaimer: 
The material included on this site is for informational purposes only.

It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation.  Krystyna and Bruss Bowman and Bowman House, LLC accept no liability for the content of this site, or for the consequences of any actions taken on the basis of the information provided.  This blog contains information about our classes available in Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy of Husband-Coached Childbirth®.

Bradley Method® natural childbirth classes offered in Arizona: Chandler, Tempe, Ahwatukee, Gilbert, Mesa, Scottsdale

Categories: Nutrition, Placenta, Placenta Encapsulation, Planning for Baby, Postpartum, Postpartum Depression

Post a Comment

Oops!

Oops, you forgot something.

Oops!

The words you entered did not match the given text. Please try again.

152 Comments

Reply supreme clothing
3:09 AM on August 29, 2021 
My spouse and i felt delighted when Emmanuel could complete his studies via the precious recommendations he had from your very own web page. It is now and again perplexing to simply find yourself releasing facts which often the others could have been selling. We see we've got the blog owner to be grateful to for this. The main illustrations you have made, the easy web site navigation, the relationships you will help to instill - it is all fantastic, and it is facilitating our son and the family consider that the topic is thrilling, and that is very fundamental. Thanks for all the pieces!
supreme clothing http://www.supremeoutlet.us.com
Reply adidas yeezy
3:10 AM on August 29, 2021 
I happen to be commenting to let you be aware of of the extraordinary discovery our child obtained studying your webblog. She came to find so many things, with the inclusion of what it's like to possess an awesome teaching nature to let the others very easily thoroughly grasp specific specialized subject matter. You actually did more than readers' expected results. I appreciate you for supplying the valuable, healthy, informative and in addition cool tips about that topic to Janet.
adidas yeezy http://www.yeezysadidas.us
Reply air jordan
3:10 AM on August 29, 2021 
I wanted to draft you that very little note in order to say thanks a lot as before for all the striking guidelines you have contributed on this page. This is tremendously generous with you to convey freely precisely what most people would've made available as an ebook to earn some bucks on their own, even more so considering the fact that you could possibly have done it in the event you wanted. Those solutions as well served as the easy way to comprehend some people have similar desire just as my very own to grasp a whole lot more on the subject of this matter. I know there are numerous more pleasurable situations in the future for individuals who take a look at your site.
air jordan http://www.airjordansstore.com
Reply golden goose
3:11 AM on August 29, 2021 
I must show some appreciation to the writer for bailing me out of such a scenario. Because of searching throughout the internet and getting tips which were not beneficial, I figured my entire life was done. Existing without the presence of strategies to the issues you have sorted out through your main guideline is a critical case, and the kind which may have in a negative way affected my career if I hadn't encountered the website. The talents and kindness in dealing with all areas was crucial. I am not sure what I would have done if I had not discovered such a stuff like this. I am able to at this moment look forward to my future. Thank you very much for this high quality and result oriented help. I won't think twice to suggest your web blog to anybody who requires recommendations on this problem.
golden goose http://www.goldengoose-shoes.us.com
Reply moncler
3:11 AM on August 29, 2021 
I would like to express my thanks to this writer just for rescuing me from this particular crisis. Right after looking out throughout the the net and coming across notions that were not beneficial, I figured my entire life was gone. Living devoid of the answers to the difficulties you have resolved by way of the article content is a critical case, and ones that would have negatively affected my career if I had not encountered your web site. Your actual training and kindness in handling the whole thing was important. I don't know what I would've done if I hadn't discovered such a thing like this. I can also at this time relish my future. Thank you so much for the impressive and sensible help. I will not be reluctant to suggest your web site to any person who should get guidelines about this topic.
moncler http://www.monclerjackets.us.org
Reply kyrie 6
4:17 AM on August 31, 2021 
Thank you a lot for providing individuals with an extremely wonderful possiblity to read in detail from this site. It is always very fantastic plus packed with fun for me personally and my office friends to search your web site a minimum of three times weekly to learn the new stuff you have got. Not to mention, I am just always happy concerning the very good things you give. Selected 3 areas in this posting are in fact the most efficient we have had.
kyrie 6 http://www.kyrie6.org
Reply curry 7 shoes
3:19 PM on August 31, 2021 
Thank you for your entire effort on this web site. My mum really likes doing investigations and it's really obvious why. We all know all concerning the compelling means you present helpful suggestions by means of the web blog and as well as cause contribution from some others about this subject so our own daughter is now understanding a great deal. Enjoy the rest of the new year. You are always conducting a very good job.
curry 7 shoes http://www.curry7shoes.us
Reply moncler
4:54 AM on September 2, 2021 
My husband and i have been quite fortunate when Chris could conclude his studies with the precious recommendations he was given in your site. It is now and again perplexing to simply choose to be handing out key points which usually others have been making money from. We really keep in mind we have got the writer to give thanks to for this. All the illustrations you've made, the simple web site menu, the relationships you will give support to create - it is many awesome, and it's helping our son in addition to our family reckon that this concept is amusing, and that is quite serious. Thanks for the whole lot!
moncler http://www.moncler--outlet.us.com
Reply jordan 11
3:37 PM on September 2, 2021 
My husband and i ended up being absolutely contented when Chris could round up his preliminary research from your ideas he discovered out of your blog. It's not at all simplistic to simply continually be freely giving concepts many people could have been making money from. We acknowledge we now have the blog owner to be grateful to for this. Those explanations you made, the straightforward web site menu, the friendships you can help to promote - it's got many astonishing, and it's aiding our son and our family reckon that that article is exciting, which is pretty essential. Thanks for all!
jordan 11 http://www.jordan11retro.us.com
Reply yeezy 350
5:11 AM on September 4, 2021 
I must show my thanks to you just for rescuing me from this particular predicament. Because of looking throughout the world-wide-web and finding recommendations which were not helpful, I figured my life was gone. Living devoid of the answers to the problems you've fixed all through your good post is a serious case, as well as those which could have negatively damaged my career if I had not noticed your blog. Your personal talents and kindness in taking care of the whole thing was vital. I'm not sure what I would have done if I had not come across such a step like this. I am able to now look ahead to my future. Thanks a lot very much for this specialized and amazing guide. I won't think twice to refer your web page to any individual who needs direction about this subject matter.
yeezy 350 http://www.yeezy-350.us.com
Reply yeezy boost 350
4:02 PM on September 4, 2021 
I precisely wished to appreciate you again. I'm not certain what I would have handled without the information shared by you directly on that subject. It was before a real depressing case in my opinion, however , noticing your professional approach you treated the issue made me to jump for happiness. I am just grateful for the information as well as wish you really know what a powerful job that you're carrying out instructing others through your websites. More than likely you have never encountered all of us.
yeezy boost 350 http://www.adidasyeezyboost350.us.com
Reply bape outlet
5:39 AM on September 6, 2021 
I needed to draft you the little observation to help thank you so much once again for these awesome thoughts you have documented here. It is certainly pretty open-handed of you to deliver extensively exactly what a number of us could possibly have sold for an e book in making some bucks for their own end, even more so now that you might have tried it in case you wanted. The creative ideas additionally acted as the good way to be certain that other people online have a similar zeal just as my very own to see more and more with reference to this issue. I'm certain there are several more pleasant instances ahead for individuals who look over your blog.
bape outlet http://www.bapesonline.com
Reply hermes
5:39 AM on September 6, 2021 
Needed to put you the very little remark to finally thank you very much as before on the beautiful techniques you've contributed on this website. This is quite strangely generous of people like you giving publicly all a few people could possibly have offered for an ebook to help with making some profit for their own end, most notably seeing that you could have tried it in the event you decided. Those creative ideas as well acted to become good way to understand that some people have the same dreams just like my very own to realize very much more with reference to this problem. I think there are lots of more pleasant opportunities up front for those who looked over your blog post.
hermes http://www.hermes-handbags.us.com
Reply nike off white
5:40 AM on September 6, 2021 
I together with my guys ended up digesting the excellent suggestions from the blog and suddenly developed a terrible feeling I never thanked the site owner for those strategies. These women came as a result excited to see them and have really been taking pleasure in them. We appreciate you truly being well considerate and also for going for certain awesome useful guides millions of individuals are really wanting to be aware of. My honest apologies for not expressing appreciation to you sooner.
nike off white http://www.offwhiteshoes.us.com
Reply kevin durant shoes
5:40 AM on September 6, 2021 
A lot of thanks for your whole efforts on this web page. Ellie take interest in doing investigations and it is obvious why. My spouse and i learn all of the lively ways you make simple solutions through the web site and therefore inspire response from website visitors on that issue so our favorite daughter is always starting to learn a lot. Enjoy the remaining portion of the year. You are carrying out a stunning job.
kevin durant shoes http://www.kd-shoes.us
Reply kobe sneakers
5:40 AM on September 6, 2021 
I really wanted to write down a quick message in order to say thanks to you for these magnificent tips you are sharing on this site. My extensive internet look up has finally been honored with excellent facts to talk about with my great friends. I would assume that many of us readers actually are really fortunate to dwell in a fine place with so many awesome people with beneficial methods. I feel truly lucky to have seen your site and look forward to tons of more exciting minutes reading here. Thanks a lot once more for all the details.
kobe sneakers http://www.kobesneakers.com
Reply moncler outlet
5:40 AM on September 6, 2021 
I truly wanted to send a quick comment so as to appreciate you for the great suggestions you are giving out here. My considerable internet search has finally been honored with beneficial content to write about with my neighbours. I would suppose that we site visitors are rather blessed to dwell in a really good website with very many awesome individuals with beneficial tips and hints. I feel really grateful to have used your website page and look forward to really more cool moments reading here. Thank you once more for all the details.
moncler outlet http://www.monclersoutletstore.com
Reply supreme clothing
5:04 AM on September 8, 2021 
I needed to send you that very little word to be able to thank you as before about the amazing concepts you've shared on this page. It is quite incredibly generous of people like you to make publicly all that many individuals might have sold as an ebook to help with making some money for their own end, principally seeing that you could possibly have done it if you ever decided. The pointers likewise worked to be the easy way to recognize that most people have the same zeal just as mine to figure out much more in respect of this condition. I know there are some more fun instances in the future for those who start reading your blog post.
supreme clothing http://www.supremeoutlet.us.com
Reply curry shoes
4:42 AM on September 10, 2021 
I needed to draft you a very little word to thank you the moment again on your incredible thoughts you've contributed at this time. This is quite shockingly generous with people like you to allow without restraint precisely what many individuals could have distributed as an e book to end up making some money for themselves, mostly since you might have done it in the event you desired. Those tips additionally served as the great way to realize that the rest have the identical dream the same as my personal own to know whole lot more with reference to this problem. I am sure there are some more pleasant occasions in the future for many who read your site.
curry shoes http://www.curryshoes.us.com
Reply retro jordans
3:24 PM on September 10, 2021 
Thanks so much for giving everyone a very breathtaking opportunity to read articles and blog posts from here. It can be very kind plus jam-packed with fun for me personally and my office fellow workers to search the blog at minimum thrice per week to see the fresh issues you have got. Not to mention, I'm actually happy considering the splendid information served by you. Some 4 facts in this post are basically the best we have all ever had.
retro jordans http://www.jordan-retro.us.com

Categories


/
Lightbox image