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
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
