POST-PARTUM DIET

I'm a stickler for eating well... and more so when I was expecting Baby V, and especially after delivery. Most of my friends would have hardly ever seen me binge on fast food or packaged snacks even otherwise, but during my pregnancy even my office colleagues would find my lunch bag surprising. No wonder I used to spend 30minutes packing my lunch bag to work everyday. I would never suggest eating Maggi or drinking soft-drinks at home, unless its someone else's suggestion. But even that was avoided during pregnancy and postpartum. I love dairy products and enjoy home-made food more than eating out. 

I have already spoken earlier about the need to eat well during pregnancy, and in this update I'll be talking about postpartum diet. 

With so much going on after the arrival of the baby, a mom almost forgets all about herself. Being a new mom means you're going to experience serious fatigue until you adjust to your new routine, so you need a diet that can help carry you, not one that will leave you constantly hungry and feeling deprived. The caretaker must ensure that the new mom gets the right nutrients and recovers well. Don't go about worrying about the weight loss just yet, even though you may still look 6 months preggers even after delivery. Breastfeeding will eventually help shrink the uterus and reduce those inches. Even if you are not breastfeeding, your body is still working round the clock to repair you from the inside. Give yourself 3-6 months to get back to your routine. Don't let others dictate what you should and shouldn't do. 

Some of the foods that must not be forgotten are (irrespective of a vaginal or a c-sec delivery). 

Note: C-sec moms should be careful on the amount of fat consumption.

1. Increase breast milk supply

Lactonic Granules

- Jeera & Ajwain Water: Boil 3 glasses of water with one spoon of jeera (cumin) and 1 spoon of ajwain (carom seeds). Reduce this concoction to just 1 glass of water and drink slightly luke warm. Don't go overboard in drinking this every time throughout the day. Just 1 glass a day is fine. Jeera and Ajwain help the mom recover fast and also helps increase breast milk supply. It also helps to reduce gas and indigestion, which indirectly helps the baby as well. 

In principle avoid drinking cold water for first 1 month after delivery. 

- Dairy: 1 Litre of milk a day is extremely beneficial in aiding milk supply. In addition to it, you should also take paneer, curd or lassi. 

- Laconic Granules: A little bit of outside help goes a long way. I took Laconic Granules for 1.5 months after delivery, twice a day. In the morning one glass of milk with 2 spoons of laconic granules and same in the evening. 

2. Recover from stitches the traditional way

Whether its a C-sec or a vaginal delivery, either way both get stitches, hence recovery from that is critical. Mix 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder in 1 glass of milk and bring to a boil. Note that the haldi must be boiled to help bring out the best benefits of it. One glass a day is good for the first 2 months. 

3. The main diet

- Eat maximum fruits and veggies. I used to eat 5 types of fruits a day during my pregnancy and even post delivery. 

- Protein consumption like eggs, sprouts, sea food and chicken, should be ample, to help the muscles recover 

- Leafy greens- always a must

- Iron from meats, spinach etc

- Vit C, which can help with wound healing for mothers who delivered via C-section, from oranges, tomatoes and fruit juices

My breakfast used to consist of cereals in a big bowl of milk, 2 hard boiled eggs and 2 toasts. After an hour or two, I would eat some fruits and then again some milk. 

4. Super foods

Few other super foods to that a new mom can take:

- Ragi: Ragi is a great source of iron and calcium. It is also fed to babies post 6 months in large parts of India (especially Maharashtra and South India)

- Hummus: home-made hummus is also a great source of 

5. What to avoid

- Chocolates- pampering yourself here n there is fine, but chocolates certainly are not doing you much good, apart from keeping the oxytocin levels high, which is also important if you are suffering from PPD

- Spices must be avoided. Eat plain simple home food for atlas first 2-3 months. 

- Avoid the "gassy" veggies, like you did during pregnancy (onion, cabbage, garlic, cauliflower, broccoli, cucumbers, and peppers)
- Restrict eating out or outside food for about 3 months, especially if you are breastfeeding