What to eat after birth -first 72 hours
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Eating nourishing foods in the first 3 days post birth can greatly help with the rapid changes and healing in those early days.
+ The dramatic changes in post-birth hormones,
+ the uterus contracting back,
+ milk coming in,
+ both the superficial aspects of physical recovery and
+ the start of the ultimate recovery from pregnancy and birth.
Supporting your body nutritionally will have a significant impact on making these initial days of recovery feel smoother – something I know firsthand.
After having an emergency c-section 4 weeks early with my first and spending a short time in NICU, I lived off the hospital cafeteria food when I managed to eat something. I did my best for that situation.
With my next two births I made sure I had a freezer full of bone broth, healthy snacks, some dinners and a plan of quick food to make (in 5mins or less) and it was so lovely to feel NOURIsHED during one of your most vulnerable times. (It still feels lovely actually, even at 12months postpartum <3)
What are the best meals to eat after birth?
The best meals to focus on post birth are ones that are easy to digest, restore energy nutrients and hydration, and having healing properties.
Here’s some of my favourite meals I recommend. Prepare them about a month before your due date and freeze them.
Meals to Prepare Before Birth
Chicken soup bone broth
This is a slow cooked, whole chicken soup which makes it bone a bone broth and a protein packed meal. There’s hydrating and energising minerals, collagen building nutrients, easy to digest so the nutrients can go straight to where they need to go.
Nourishing shepherds pie with liver
This is a wonderful freeze ahead meal – easy to double batch and so nourishing! Beautiful blood building nutrients to restore your energy, minerals to promote postpartum healing and an easy to digest but hearty meal.
Blueberry Oat Bars (great for bfeeding)
My favourite healthy postpartum snack to keep in the freezer. Packed with protein, fiber and ingredients rich in zinc, calcium, magnesium and omegas – all important during the postpartum stage.
Banana Berry Muffins
High in protein, a good source of healthy fats and minerals, these are great to have in a freezer stash or breakfast OR a snack. Grab them out in the morning and let defrost warm them up with a little butter. A great one handed meal esp if you’re in the hospital for a couple of days.
Then when you’re home and all settled, add this chia pudding to your list of brekkies (5 mins to make!)
Chia Pudding with berries (you can freeze this too if you want!)
Chia Puddings are the perfect postpartum food because they help to encourage easy bowel movements and avoid the constipation most women experience post birth. You can use your milk of choice or make it extra creamy by making it with canned coconut milk. Freeze into individual portions in freezer safe containers topped with berries or your choice of fruit.
The Recipes
Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup (Gluten Dairy Free)
Not only is this simple recipe quick and delicious, it's full of minerals and nutrients in an easily digested form. Perfect for the cooler months.
Ingredients
- 2 Stalks of Celery
- 2 Large Carrots
- 2 Cups of Pumpkin
- 2 Brown Potatoes
- 1 onion
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 4-6 stems and leaves of Kale
- Small bunch of parsley or coriander optional
- 1 whole organic chicken
- 3 TBS Nutraorganics bone broth powder optional
- 50-100 g Vermicelli Rice noodles
- Water
- Salt and Pepper to serve
Instructions
- Dice onion and celery and roughly chop all veggies except kale into 1-2inch pieces, then add to slow cooker with herbs and optional bone broth powder.
- Rinse Chicken and place on top of veggies then pour water in until just nearly covering the chicken.
- Add whole stems of kale and parsley (uncut).
- Cook on low setting for 8 hours or high setting for minimum 4 hours
- When ready, remove kale and parsley or coriander and discard.
- Remove chicken, place on cutting board and take as much chicken off as possible, setting remaining bones aside for bone broth. Shred the chicken and return to slow cooker. Season with salt.
- Optional: Before serving add 50-100g of rice noodles, let soften for a couple minutes then serve.
Healthy Shepherds pie with Cauli Potato Mash
This is a hearty, warming dish perfect for an easy weeknight dinner. A healthy gluten and dairy free Shepherds pie that is sure to be a family favourite!
Ingredients
- 500 g Lamb or Beef Mince
- 1 Onion
- 2 Large Cloves Garlic
- 2 Carrots
- 1 Cup Peas
- 1 Cup Baby Spinach
- 1 Can tinned tomatoes
- 2 TBS worcesteshire Sauce
- 1/4- 3/4 cup almond meal
- 250 ml Stock/Bone Broth
Potato Cauli Mash
- 3 Large Potatoes
- 1/2 head of a small cauliflower
- Olive oil or butter/ghee
- Splash of almond milk if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C and put a saucepan of water on to boil.
- Peel and dice potatoes and cauliflower and add to saucepan.
- Meanwhile dice onion and add to fry pan with mince and garlic.
- Dice the rest of veggies while the mince is browning then add rest of ingredients to fry pan. Stir and let it thicken up for a few minutes (star with 1/4 cup almond ,eal adding up to 3/4 cup to thicken).
- Pour into a lightly greased baking dish.
- Drain potato and cauliflower, leaving a little bit of the water in the saucepan. Add the olive oil/ghee and a splash of milk (if needed) and mash until desired consistency.
- Spread on top of the mince mixture. Season with Salt.
- Spray or drizzle with olive oil and add to oven for 25-30 minutes or until potato are golden.
Vanilla Chia Pudding
Creamy and filling, it's the perfect snack or quick breaky.
Servings: 2 serves
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 cup chia seeds
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Stevia to taste (about 2 tsp) 2 tsp maple Syrup/honey
- 1/2 cup fresh or frozen berries
Instructions
- Place ingredients in container and mix well. Cover with lid and refrigerate (give it another mix in an hour so the seeds don’t fall to the bottom)
- Set overnight or at least 3 hours.
- Will last up to 5 days.
Mama Blueberry Oat Bars
The perfect food to support new mums to support energy levels and milk supply if breastfeeding.
Servings: 8 slices
Ingredients
- 2 cups oats
- 1/4 cup flaxseed meal (ground linseeds)
- 3/4 cup almonds
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 2 Tablespoons Pea or Brown Rice Protein Powder I use Vital Protein
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1/2 cup pitted and chopped dates
- 1/3 cup 100% maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C. In a food processor or blender (will need to pulse), combine 1 cup oats, almonds, linseeds, brewers yeast, pumpkin seeds, protein powder, and salt. Blend until all combined. Add dates, maple syrup and vanilla. Process for another 30 seconds. add blueberries and remaining 1 cup oats. Blend combined and sticking together.
- Line an 8×8 square pan with baking paper and press mixture into pan. Put in the oven for 20 minutes until edges are golden. Cool completely before cutting into bars.
Notes
- You can leave out the protein powder or sub for almond meal.
- If making in a high speed blender, blend dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately then mix together in bowl.
- Add less or more maple syrup to suit your taste.
- If your really feeling like your supply is low, add more brewers yeast but be sure to add more liquid and maple syrup (or stevia).
Banana Berry Muffins
1 bowl, super easy muffins free from gluten, dairy and sugar. They are also high in protein, fibre and complex carbs to keep you full and satisfied.
Servings: 6 muffins
Ingredients
- 1 Large Banana mashed
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups almond meal blanched
- 1/4 cup shredded coconut
- 1/3 cup any berries – raspberries, blueberries, strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180
- Mix all ingredients except berries until combined.
- Stir through berries last.
- Pour into muffin tin and bake for 30-40minutes or until skewer comes out clean.
Notes
(may need to cover with tin foil halfway through if over browning)
Packing Your Meals for Hospital
Pre-Pack in your bag ready to go:
Coconut Water (hydration during labour and after birth)
Two 2 Litre Bottles with a container filled with electrolyte sea salt to add to the bottles.
When you’re ready to head to hospital:
Give these instructions to someone OR you can always just have these meals waiting for you when you get back.
- Warm up the soup and add to a thermos
- Take chia pudding out of freezer
- Take snack bag out of freezer
(these will defrost over a couple hours – can be warmed up if needed)
4. Chuck some extra fruit in the bag if you’ve got it handy
Place all the items in a food / cooler bag and off you go!
If it’s winter focus on bone broth, warm herbal teas like raspberry and nettle leaf, if it’s summer weather – room temp water and herbal teas + coconut water (cold).
Imagine how good you’re going to feel having this beautiful food to eat while in the early days of recovery! Then move onto regular quick nourishing recipes and simple preps to keep you fuelled well.
For more recipes, a complete 3 week meal plan showing you more meal preps and. Postpartum Nutrition Video check out The “Postpartum Plate”.
It’s full of my favourite eas healthy recipes for postpartum Mums to fuel you through not just the first few weeks, but the whole year (and beyond).
You deserve to feel nourished, balanced and have the best postpartum experience possible – I hope this helps set you on your way.
Michala xo
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