Traditional Chinese Medicine and many Eastern cultures emphasize warm foods during the postpartum period. During childbirth you lose a lot of heat and energy, leaving your body in a cold state that needs to be rebalanced. Warm and easy to digest foods as well as physical warmth are important for healing.

First things first, there are some nutrients that are especially important to include in your postpartum diet – so start with this article to find out what they are and where to find them. Below, build this by combining these important nutrients into some easy recipes to cover postpartum food in general.

Postpartum hemorrhage is both the most common and the most dangerous complication of childbirth. It affects 5-10% of all births and causes 27% of maternal deaths. It also contributes to postpartum anemia which affects 50-80% of postpartum women in low- and middle-income countries. Anemia can contribute to insufficient milk supply, postpartum depression, stress and cognitive function.

Breastfeeding women need calcium and during postpartum the female body has low levels of estrogen and a lot of prolactin. This means that there is a lot of calcium mobilization from bones and bone loss. Remember, your baby will get all the minerals and nutrients needed, even if it means taking from your stores.

Bone broth has iron, calcium, vitamin B6 and magnesium, as well as phosphorus, gelatine and collagen which support the growth and maintenance of bones and tendons. These minerals also strengthen and regenerate soft tissue, which is especially important for a cesarean section or a tear.

Bone broth can also reduce your joint pain – especially if made with cartilage-rich bones. Collagen and glycine, an amino acid that makes up 33% of bone broth, both work to support a healthy gut microbiome allowing you to absorb all the nutrients from the food you eat.

You can make bone broth by adding animal bones and water in a big pot and letting it boil. You can easily use a chicken carcass after you eat a rotisserie chicken. But, you can also buy bone broth powder and then just add boiling water for a really quick and nutritious meal.

Yes, we just went into detail on why you need to avoid cold foods during the postpartum period. Yes, overnight oats spend the night in the refrigerator. Why are they here then? Because we have been through the postpartum period and we know that you cannot always eat a warm meal.

Overnight oats are great for breakfast, the middle of the night, or anytime you need a tasty, boost of energy snack. They are super easy and quick to prepare. Jot this down on a piece of paper so that anyone in your kitchen can whip you up a batch! 

If you want to stick with the warm foods you can always make traditional oatmeal and add some chia seeds, fruit and nuts on top.

This is a one jar recipe, so there is really zero clean up. Choose a jar that can fit your entire batch, add the three ingredients and shake! 

• Chia seeds: 1 part
• Rolled oats: 3 parts
• Milk of your choice: 8 parts (alternatively: 2 parts greek yogurt and 6 parts milk for extra probiotics)

We use “parts” for our recipe here so you can scale according to the size of your jar. One part can be a soup spoon, serving spoon, or a measuring cup depending on how much you want to make. 

You can add in a dash of maple syrup, or a warming spice – cinnamon or cardamom – for flavor variations. Also add in whatever fruits you have (fresh or frozen) and some chopped nuts. You can shake them in, place just on top of the jar, or add in fresh when you’re ready to eat!

Oats: Give you lasting energy, fights inflammation and helps with milk supply

Chia seeds: High in fiber to help your digestion, full of protein to balance energy, and a good source of calcium 

Nuts: Source of protein and good fat – almonds, pistachios, cashews, macadamia nuts, peanuts or even a scoop of your favorite nut butter 

Fruit: High in fiber, vitamins and minerals – berries, peaches, grated apples or pears 

Aim for warm or at least room temperature beverages and food. Your digestive system has to work harder to break down raw vegetables and cold food, so avoiding them allows your body to spend that energy on healing. 

Breastfeeding vegans need to pay special attention to ensure adequate DHA and B12 intake as they are involved in cognitive function and caregiving.

For a concrete guide, you can refer to these recommendations for serving sizes per core food group for breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding women.