Healing Your Postpartum Body With Food
Transitioning into motherhood is one of the most significant changes a woman will experience. As she enters a new existence, her whole world shifts and is reordered.
“Matrescence is the beautiful, refining and sacred process into motherhood,” Hannah Schweitzer, a seasoned postpartum doula based in Grand Junction, explains. Matrescence, the process of becoming a mother, is a sacred period that invites women to embark on a journey of self-discovery, navigating physical, psychological, social and emotional changes while tending to their postpartum bodies during a time of profound healing. It’s crucial to remember that self-care, including proper nutrition, is not a luxury but a necessity during this time.
Drawing from ancient wisdom rooted in Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine, the postpartum period is a time to replenish a woman’s vitality after childbirth, using food as medicine.
WHY POSTPARTUM NUTRITION MATTERS
Chinese medicine considers the month after birth to be the sacred window. It is a time of transition, healing and bonding.
Stepping into motherhood, whether for the first time or not, is an intimate and eye-opening experience. In addition to grappling with a new life existence, a new mama is exhausted from the enormous amount of energy expended in birthing a child while tending to her birth wounds.
“Once the baby leaves the womb, there’s a big, empty hole in a woman’s body, including a wound where the placenta was attached. In the weeks after a baby is born, the mother is vulnerable and needs tender attention and care, just as the baby does,” says Schweitzer.
Nutrition for postpartum mothers is designed to be deeply nourishing on many levels, explains Kimberly Ann Johnson, author of The Fourth Trimester. Food choices focus on building blood, restoring hormonal levels, nurturing the yin female energy, replenishing fluids and restoring the chi — or vital energy — all resources which were depleted in the birthing process.
Honoring this sacred period through rest and proper nutrition ensures a smoother recovery and faster return to robust and longlasting health.
FOOD AS MEDICINE
“The focus of the first two weeks [when it comes to food] is completing the cleansing of the uterus, minimizing the risk of infection and aiding in milk production,” says Johnson. The gut and digestion of a new mama are compromised after giving birth.
In the first few weeks, easily digestible cooked foods take center stage, allowing the body to channel its energies into healing rather than exerting additional, precious energy with digestion. Schweitzer recommends a comforting array of warm, slow-cooked soups, stews, baked oats and other wholesome meals packed with protein and healthy fats to facilitate recovery. Infusing meals with spices like ginger, cinnamon and black pepper enhances flavor and promotes warmth, which is essential for blood-building. Additionally, drink plenty of fluids and sip on teas, especially those with digestive, warming and healing properties.
During the initial healing period, avoid cold foods, which demand additional energy for digestion and may slow down the healing process. While raw fruits, salads and smoothies are typically hailed for their health benefits, these harder-to-digest cold foods will strain the body’s recovery in the early stages.
“In the subsequent weeks, [food] should change in their objective from detoxification to fortification; now they are made to strengthen the chi and blood,” Johnson explains. Introduce iron-rich foods like red meats, lentils and cooked spinach into a new mother’s diet to replenish the significant blood loss experienced during childbirth. “Iron is an essential nutrient for blood-building,” says Schweitzer. “The body does this naturally; however, it’s important to prioritize iron-rich foods or supplementation to aid this process.” She continues to encourage crockpot meals, hearty stews and plenty of fluids during this time.
PRACTICAL TIPS FOR POSTPARTUM NUTRITION
Preparing for the postpartum period involves proactive measures to support healing and ease the transition into motherhood. So, how can you set yourself up for success?
Double or triple your meals throughout the third trimester and freeze the rest so you have a stash of readily available meals after birth. Seek assistance from friends and family to help with home-cooked meals and simple errands, or consider hiring a postpartum doula. A postpartum doula is a trained professional who meets the needs of a new mama, both physically and emotionally, while they focus on their healing.
Above all, give yourself the grace to rest. Nurture and nourish your body. Honor this sacred time and new life, mama. It’s going to be a wild ride and a beautiful journey.
Originally published in the Summer 2024 issue of Spoke+Blossom.