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Optimal nutrition during the postpartum period!

The postpartum period that follows childbirth is one of the most sensitive periods in a woman’s life, and she needs special health and nutritional care, to compensate for all the elements she lost during pregnancy, and to avoid any malnutrition problems! Here are the details:

Nutrition during the postpartum period is one of the most important things to focus on, to avoid any health problems that may result from malnutrition and lack of

nutrients. During the postpartum period, many physiological changes occur, the most important of which is the contraction of the uterus, its return to its normal size, and its cleaning of the remains of pregnancy and the placenta. At this time, the woman notices many secretions and prefers to use daily pads or even sanitary pads constantly in search of a feeling of comfort and dryness as much as possible. The postpartum period usually lasts up to six weeks after birth. 

Naturally, every woman differs from another, even in the face of postpartum symptoms. Consequently, nutritional needs vary from one woman to another during this period depending on several factors such as the woman’s age, height and weight, number of pregnancies, breastfeeding period, diet, health history, and many others. However, there are general recommendations and guidelines that we provide to you to ensure optimal nutrition for you after childbirth and during the postpartum period.

Here are the most important nutritional points that must be taken into account during the postpartum period and after childbirth:

1. In the beginning, you must be aware of the fact that your child needs a healthy, strong mother who is fully prepared for breastfeeding and staying up late. Make sure to eat a healthy, balanced diet that includes all nutrients, including at least five servings of vegetables and fruits, rich in various sources of protein such as legumes, poultry, and fish, and contains at least two servings of milk and its alternatives daily. Divide your daily meals into several regular small meals.
2. You should increase 500 calories per day to your diet, especially if you are breastfeeding, and in some special cases, this amount may be required to increase, as in the case of breastfeeding twins. Or in the case of women who suffer from less than normal-weight or from malnutrition. Usually, it is not recommended to follow any diet during the postpartum period, so that the amount and components of your breast milk are not affected, which may expose you or your infant to malnutrition. And remember that breastfeeding will be your most powerful way to lose calories and consume fat stores in your body, and return the uterus and hormones to their normal position.
3. Make sure to eat foods rich in various nutrients that are necessary for you, such as proteins (found in meat, fish, dairy, and its derivatives), dietary fiber (found in whole grains and legumes), as well as foods rich in calcium and essential fatty acids such as omega 3.
4. Eat sources rich in iron to replace the loss during pregnancy and the puerperium, the most famous sources of iron are meat, poultry, liver, green leafy vegetables, dried fruits, legumes, whole grains, and nuts.
5. Avoid foods that cause you gas, such as cauliflower, cabbage, cabbage, and frying pans. 
6. Drink sufficient and necessary quantities of water daily, at least 2.5 liters per day, to replace lost fluids from the body and promote milk secretion.
7. You may need to take some nutritional supplements, such as vitamin D, which is important to strengthen your bones and complete several vital processes in the body. Also, if you suffer from iron deficiency anemia, you may need iron supplements, consulting your doctor of course.
8. As for exercise, it is usually preferable to wait until your body recovers, and it is advised that you do not exercise during the first six weeks after a natural birth and after consulting your doctor and making sure that it will not pose a threat to your health. It is usually advised in the first months after natural birth to exercise light sports such as walking for half an hour a day. In the case of a cesarean section, you will definitely need a longer period of time, depending on your health condition and what you allow. 
9. Drink hot drinks such as anise, chamomile, and ginger to provide you with fluids and some antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, minerals, and vitamins, and relieve your digestive system from gas.