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.

325 Comments

Reply off white hoodie
9:30 PM on September 24, 2021 
I simply wanted to write a simple remark to be able to say thanks to you for those wonderful instructions you are giving out here. My incredibly long internet investigation has at the end been honored with reasonable tips to go over with my neighbours. I 'd assert that many of us site visitors are undeniably lucky to exist in a notable community with very many outstanding individuals with useful points. I feel quite happy to have seen the web pages and look forward to many more enjoyable minutes reading here. Thanks a lot once again for all the details.
off white hoodie http://www.off--white.us.com
Reply supreme outlet
3:10 PM on September 26, 2021 
Thanks a lot for providing individuals with an extremely splendid chance to read critical reviews from this blog. It is always so cool plus full of amusement for me and my office fellow workers to visit the blog at least thrice weekly to read through the fresh items you have got. Of course, I'm always impressed with the awesome hints you serve. Some two points in this posting are really the most effective I've had.
supreme outlet http://www.supreme.us.org
Reply hermes belt
1:18 AM on September 27, 2021 
I just wanted to post a simple message so as to express gratitude to you for all of the fabulous advice you are giving out at this site. My time intensive internet look up has now been rewarded with sensible facts to talk about with my two friends. I would admit that most of us site visitors actually are undeniably endowed to live in a fabulous network with many special people with interesting ideas. I feel somewhat grateful to have come across the webpages and look forward to really more awesome times reading here. Thank you again for all the details.
hermes belt http://www.hermesbelts.com
Reply golden goose
1:18 AM on September 27, 2021 
I happen to be writing to let you understand what a cool experience our girl found visiting your web page. She realized several things, with the inclusion of what it's like to have an awesome coaching mindset to have a number of people without difficulty master various advanced topics. You really exceeded my expectations. Thanks for delivering these powerful, healthy, explanatory not to mention unique tips about that topic to Tanya.
golden goose http://www.goldengooseoutletonline.us.com
Reply lebron 18
1:19 AM on September 27, 2021 
A lot of thanks for your own efforts on this web site. My mum really loves setting aside time for research and it's simple to grasp why. My spouse and i know all regarding the lively tactic you deliver valuable tricks on your web site and as well as foster response from website visitors on this concept while our own child is without question studying a great deal. Enjoy the rest of the new year. You are conducting a really good job.
lebron 18 http://www.lebron18shoes.us
Reply jordan shoes
1:19 AM on September 27, 2021 
I truly wanted to post a brief note in order to express gratitude to you for all the remarkable tips you are sharing on this website. My prolonged internet investigation has at the end been recognized with excellent points to talk about with my visitors. I would express that most of us readers are extremely fortunate to be in a good website with very many lovely professionals with very beneficial points. I feel somewhat privileged to have discovered your site and look forward to so many more exciting moments reading here. Thanks a lot once again for a lot of things.
jordan shoes http://www.shoesjordan.us.com
Reply air jordan
1:20 AM on September 27, 2021 
My spouse and i have been really joyful that Chris could deal with his preliminary research from the ideas he grabbed out of your weblog. It is now and again perplexing to simply continually be offering information and facts which often some others could have been selling. So we take into account we need the website owner to appreciate for this. The main explanations you have made, the simple web site menu, the relationships you aid to foster - it's mostly excellent, and it's helping our son and the family feel that the concept is amusing, and that is unbelievably fundamental. Thank you for the whole thing!
air jordan http://www.jordanshoes.us
Reply lebron 17
1:20 AM on September 27, 2021 
I precisely had to say thanks all over again. I am not sure the things I could possibly have gone through in the absence of the tips provided by you directly on this situation. It seemed to be a real troublesome circumstance in my view, but understanding your specialized way you dealt with it made me to leap for happiness. Now i'm happy for your support and then expect you know what a great job you were providing instructing the mediocre ones through the use of your webblog. I'm certain you've never encountered any of us.
lebron 17 http://www.lebron17s.us
Reply supreme hoodie
1:20 AM on September 27, 2021 
Thank you a lot for providing individuals with a very nice opportunity to read critical reviews from here. It can be so cool and also packed with a lot of fun for me and my office acquaintances to visit your site really thrice per week to read the latest guides you have got. And definitely, I'm so actually fulfilled with your awesome ideas you give. Certain 4 ideas on this page are absolutely the most beneficial I have had.
supreme hoodie http://www.supremes-clothing.com
Reply retro jordans
1:21 AM on September 27, 2021 
I together with my guys were viewing the nice recommendations found on your website and then then got a horrible feeling I had not expressed respect to the website owner for those strategies. My young men had been absolutely stimulated to see them and now have really been tapping into them. I appreciate you for genuinely very helpful as well as for finding this kind of incredible themes most people are really desperate to understand about. Our honest apologies for not expressing appreciation to earlier.
retro jordans http://www.retro-jordans.us.com
Reply supreme new york
3:17 AM on September 29, 2021 
I am also commenting to make you be aware of of the brilliant experience my friend's princess found checking your site. She noticed such a lot of details, not to mention what it's like to possess a marvelous helping character to make other folks completely comprehend chosen problematic subject matter. You undoubtedly did more than our expected results. I appreciate you for imparting those warm and helpful, dependable, informative as well as fun thoughts on the topic to Emily.
supreme new york http://www.supremeclothingstore.com
Reply yeezy
3:19 AM on September 29, 2021 
A lot of thanks for every one of your labor on this web site. My mother enjoys setting aside time for investigation and it's really obvious why. Almost all notice all relating to the compelling ways you offer both useful and interesting techniques via the blog and therefore attract response from some others about this concept while our favorite daughter is undoubtedly understanding a great deal. Enjoy the rest of the new year. You're performing a stunning job.
yeezy http://www.yeezy350boost.us.com
Reply yeezy supply
3:20 AM on September 29, 2021 
I want to convey my respect for your kind-heartedness giving support to folks that really need help with that issue. Your personal dedication to passing the message all through appeared to be amazingly valuable and has regularly encouraged ladies just like me to achieve their aims. Your entire invaluable guideline can mean a lot a person like me and somewhat more to my mates. Thank you; from everyone of us.
yeezy supply http://www.yeezy-supply.us.org
Reply kyrie 6
3:21 AM on September 29, 2021 
I would like to get across my respect for your kindness in support of those people who really need help on the niche. Your very own dedication to getting the solution throughout ended up being unbelievably advantageous and has always made workers just like me to achieve their aims. Your interesting suggestions entails much a person like me and a whole lot more to my office colleagues. With thanks; from everyone of us.
kyrie 6 http://www.kyrie-6.com
Reply air jordan
7:59 PM on September 30, 2021 
My spouse and i got really relieved Albert managed to conclude his reports because of the ideas he got through the web site. It is now and again perplexing to just possibly be giving for free secrets which others have been trying to sell. So we acknowledge we need the blog owner to give thanks to for this. All of the illustrations you've made, the easy web site navigation, the relationships you assist to promote - it is most impressive, and it is helping our son in addition to the family understand this subject matter is interesting, which is quite essential. Thanks for the whole lot!
air jordan http://www.jordanshoes.us
Reply golden goose sale
7:10 AM on October 1, 2021 
I wanted to construct a small remark to appreciate you for the superb information you are giving on this website. My particularly long internet research has at the end of the day been compensated with professional information to write about with my close friends. I 'd tell you that most of us website visitors are very much endowed to be in a great website with so many outstanding professionals with good basics. I feel somewhat grateful to have come across your web pages and look forward to plenty of more exciting moments reading here. Thanks a lot once again for all the details.
golden goose sale http://www.goldengoosessale.com
Reply golden goose
11:28 PM on October 2, 2021 
Thanks so much for providing individuals with remarkably pleasant chance to read articles and blog posts from this web site. It's usually very kind and also full of amusement for me and my office fellow workers to search your web site at a minimum three times every week to read the latest issues you will have. And definitely, I am just at all times pleased with all the unique methods you give. Certain 2 areas on this page are rather the most beneficial we have all had.
golden goose http://www.goldengoosessale.com
Reply jordan 6
11:28 PM on October 2, 2021 
I and also my friends have been examining the excellent points found on your web page while all of the sudden I had a horrible feeling I never expressed respect to the web blog owner for those techniques. Those young boys are already so joyful to study them and now have honestly been having fun with these things. Thanks for truly being indeed helpful and also for selecting this kind of cool issues millions of individuals are really desperate to be informed on. My very own sincere regret for not expressing appreciation to earlier.
jordan 6 http://www.jordan6.us.com
Reply supreme clothing
11:28 PM on October 2, 2021 
Thanks for every one of your labor on this web page. My aunt loves setting aside time for research and it is easy to understand why. I learn all concerning the powerful form you produce simple steps by means of the blog and as well increase participation from visitors on that issue then our own simple princess is truly starting to learn a great deal. Enjoy the remaining portion of the new year. You are carrying out a really great job.
supreme clothing http://www.supremeclothing.us.org
Reply lebron 18
11:29 PM on October 2, 2021 
I precisely wanted to appreciate you all over again. I'm not certain the things that I might have undertaken in the absence of those pointers revealed by you directly on my topic. This has been a depressing difficulty in my position, but noticing your skilled fashion you resolved the issue forced me to jump over joy. I am thankful for this support and hope that you are aware of a great job you were putting in training others with the aid of your blog. Most probably you've never come across all of us.
lebron 18 http://www.lebron18.net

Categories


/
Lightbox image