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.

1247 Comments

Reply hermes belt
4:26 AM on September 12, 2021 
Thank you so much for providing individuals with remarkably memorable possiblity to discover important secrets from this site. It's usually very pleasant plus packed with a great time for me personally and my office co-workers to visit the blog at the very least 3 times in 7 days to study the newest issues you will have. Of course, I'm so at all times astounded considering the gorgeous solutions you serve. Certain 2 ideas in this post are undeniably the best we've had.
hermes belt http://www.hermesbelts.com
Reply supreme clothing
4:07 AM on September 14, 2021 
I want to show appreciation to the writer just for rescuing me from this type of problem. After searching throughout the internet and getting methods which are not productive, I figured my entire life was over. Being alive without the presence of strategies to the issues you've resolved by way of this write-up is a serious case, and those which might have adversely affected my entire career if I hadn't discovered your web blog. Your personal knowledge and kindness in touching all the things was tremendous. I'm not sure what I would have done if I had not come across such a stuff like this. It's possible to at this moment relish my future. Thanks a lot very much for the impressive and results-oriented help. I won't think twice to recommend your web page to anyone who needs guide about this matter.
supreme clothing http://www.supremeshoodie.com
Reply supreme new york
4:07 AM on September 14, 2021 
I truly wanted to post a quick remark to say thanks to you for the magnificent tips you are sharing on this site. My time consuming internet lookup has now been compensated with awesome suggestions to go over with my friends and classmates. I 'd tell you that we website visitors are really fortunate to exist in a notable site with many special people with useful solutions. I feel very happy to have seen the website page and look forward to plenty of more pleasurable moments reading here. Thanks a lot once more for all the details.
supreme new york http://www.supreme-clothings.us.com
Reply yeezy 700
4:07 AM on September 14, 2021 
Thank you a lot for giving everyone remarkably spectacular possiblity to read from this site. It really is so good plus packed with a good time for me and my office peers to search your website the equivalent of 3 times in a week to read the latest stuff you have got. And definitely, I'm also at all times motivated with your mind-boggling solutions you give. Certain 4 tips in this posting are easily the most impressive we have had.
yeezy 700 http://www.yeezy700.us.com
Reply kobe
4:08 AM on September 14, 2021 
My spouse and i got satisfied Ervin managed to finish up his analysis with the precious recommendations he discovered out of the web site. It is now and again perplexing to just continually be giving for free information and facts which often other people may have been making money from. So we grasp we need the blog owner to thank because of that. All the illustrations you have made, the easy blog navigation, the relationships you will make it possible to foster - it's got all excellent, and it is making our son and our family know that that issue is awesome, and that is pretty essential. Thanks for all!
kobe http://www.kobe.us.com
Reply jordan shoes
4:09 AM on September 14, 2021 
A lot of thanks for your entire labor on this web site. My mum really loves getting into investigations and it's easy to understand why. Almost all learn all of the compelling way you create worthwhile suggestions by means of your blog and even increase participation from some other people about this matter then our child is undoubtedly learning a lot. Take advantage of the rest of the new year. You have been performing a pretty cool job.
jordan shoes http://www.jordanstoreonline.com
Reply jordan 4
3:53 AM on September 16, 2021 
A lot of thanks for every one of your effort on this blog. Betty enjoys engaging in investigations and it's really obvious why. My partner and i hear all concerning the compelling means you create important tips and hints through your website and even inspire participation from others on this area of interest and our favorite child is now starting to learn a whole lot. Take pleasure in the remaining portion of the new year. You're the one conducting a superb job.
jordan 4 http://www.jordan4.us.com
Reply supreme shirt
2:50 PM on September 16, 2021 
Thank you a lot for providing individuals with an extraordinarily splendid chance to discover important secrets from this site. It's usually very good and also full of fun for me personally and my office co-workers to visit your blog particularly three times in one week to find out the fresh items you will have. Of course, I'm just certainly happy with all the astounding ideas you serve. Selected two tips in this post are undoubtedly the most effective we've ever had.
supreme shirt http://www.supremeshirt.us.com
Reply curry 7
2:51 PM on September 18, 2021 
My spouse and i have been really lucky when Raymond could round up his survey because of the precious recommendations he got through the web page. It's not at all simplistic just to be giving for free methods which other folks have been selling. We keep in mind we've got you to appreciate for this. The specific explanations you have made, the simple blog menu, the relationships you can help to promote - it's got everything terrific, and it's assisting our son and us understand the content is brilliant, and that is unbelievably serious. Many thanks for everything!
curry 7 http://www.curry7.us
Reply off white clothing
2:54 PM on September 18, 2021 
I want to express my appreciation to the writer just for bailing me out of such a condition. Just after surfing around through the world wide web and finding notions that were not helpful, I figured my life was done. Being alive without the approaches to the problems you've solved through this article is a serious case, as well as the kind that might have adversely damaged my career if I had not encountered your blog post. Your personal understanding and kindness in taking care of the whole lot was important. I'm not sure what I would have done if I hadn't come across such a subject like this. I can also at this moment look forward to my future. Thanks for your time very much for this high quality and results-oriented guide. I won't think twice to propose the sites to anybody who should receive counselling on this issue.
off white clothing http://www.offwhite.us.com
Reply off white shoes
5:47 AM on September 22, 2021 
I am glad for writing to make you be aware of what a perfect encounter my friend's child experienced reading through your site. She figured out so many things, including what it's like to have an amazing helping mood to make other folks effortlessly completely grasp specified very confusing issues. You undoubtedly exceeded my expectations. Thanks for imparting such invaluable, dependable, edifying as well as cool tips on that topic to Tanya.
off white shoes http://www.offwhiteshoes.us.com
Reply yeezy shoes
7:58 AM on September 24, 2021 
I wish to point out my appreciation for your generosity for women who need guidance on this one theme. Your very own commitment to getting the solution all-around has been especially informative and has continuously permitted men and women like me to arrive at their aims. The interesting guide can mean this much a person like me and extremely more to my office colleagues. Best wishes; from all of us.
yeezy shoes http://www.yeezy-shoes.us.org
Reply birkin bag
7:58 AM on September 24, 2021 
My spouse and i got really satisfied Edward could do his analysis from your precious recommendations he gained in your blog. It is now and again perplexing to simply be freely giving facts that many a number of people could have been trying to sell. And we also know we've got the blog owner to be grateful to because of that. All of the explanations you've made, the easy site navigation, the friendships your site aid to foster - it's many superb, and it's really aiding our son in addition to our family consider that the subject matter is entertaining, and that is particularly indispensable. Thank you for the whole thing!
birkin bag http://www.birkinbag.us.com
Reply curry 5
7:58 AM on September 24, 2021 
I wish to get across my love for your kind-heartedness supporting those individuals that require assistance with this particular topic. Your special dedication to getting the message along turned out to be amazingly significant and has constantly empowered regular people much like me to reach their endeavors. Your own informative useful information denotes this much a person like me and even more to my fellow workers. Warm regards; from each one of us.
curry 5 http://www.curry5.us.com
Reply golden goose
7:58 AM on September 24, 2021 
I'm just writing to make you know what a perfect encounter my friend's girl gained studying your webblog. She figured out a wide variety of pieces, not to mention how it is like to possess a wonderful coaching mindset to have a number of people effortlessly have an understanding of various advanced subject areas. You truly exceeded people's expectations. Thank you for churning out these helpful, trusted, edifying and even unique thoughts on your topic to Gloria.
golden goose http://www.goldengoosesonline.com
Reply off white nike
7:59 AM on September 24, 2021 
I wanted to create you that tiny observation to thank you very much over again considering the superb techniques you've contributed in this article. It has been simply remarkably generous of people like you to grant unreservedly precisely what a lot of people would have distributed for an e-book to get some bucks for their own end, and in particular considering that you could possibly have tried it if you ever desired. Those suggestions additionally served to be the fantastic way to recognize that many people have the same zeal the same as my very own to know whole lot more with regard to this condition. I think there are a lot more pleasurable sessions in the future for many who view your blog.
off white nike http://www.nikexoffwhite.com
Reply michael jordan shoes
7:59 AM on September 24, 2021 
Thank you so much for providing individuals with an extraordinarily splendid possiblity to read from this site. It is often so brilliant and jam-packed with amusement for me and my office fellow workers to search the blog nearly three times weekly to read through the latest tips you will have. And lastly, I am just actually fascinated for the beautiful pointers served by you. Selected 2 tips in this posting are ultimately the finest we have all ever had.
michael jordan shoes http://www.michaeljordanshoes.us.com
Reply kyrie 7
7:59 AM on September 24, 2021 
Thank you a lot for giving everyone a very terrific possiblity to read in detail from this web site. It is always very pleasurable and as well , full of a lot of fun for me and my office acquaintances to search your blog the equivalent of thrice in one week to read the fresh secrets you have. And indeed, I am just usually happy with your cool points served by you. Certain 3 tips in this article are rather the most suitable I've had.
kyrie 7 http://www.kyrie7.us
Reply lebron james shoes
7:59 AM on September 24, 2021 
I in addition to my buddies ended up reviewing the good solutions located on your web page and so then came up with an awful suspicion I never thanked the web blog owner for those strategies. All of the guys came as a result glad to read through all of them and already have in reality been making the most of these things. Thanks for indeed being well accommodating and for selecting this form of brilliant themes millions of individuals are really needing to know about. My personal honest apologies for not saying thanks to you sooner.
lebron james shoes http://www.lebronjames.us.com
Reply kevin durant shoes
7:59 AM on September 24, 2021 
I as well as my pals have been checking out the nice suggestions located on the blog and so before long developed a horrible suspicion I had not expressed respect to the web site owner for those techniques. These men came absolutely glad to read through all of them and now have truly been having fun with them. Many thanks for being indeed considerate and also for pick out these kinds of decent tips most people are really wanting to learn about. My personal sincere apologies for not expressing appreciation to sooner.
kevin durant shoes http://www.kd-shoes.us

Categories


/
Lightbox image