Are you a new Mommy? Does your baby take most of your time & energy giving you sleepless nights? Welcome to the world of parenting! While motherhood is a wonderful experience, it could sometimes leave you feeling stressed out and harried as a result of energy loss, discomfort and hormonal imbalances. Therefore, it goes without saying -fuelling your body with the right nutrition is paramount!

You may think that a post-delivery diet could get complicated & boring; well, in reality, it’s just a smart mix of traditional remedies and a bit of science.

Here’s how you can work out a diet regime to get the best nutrition from a diverse food groups:

1. Consider having wholemeal:
At least for the initial few months while you are nursing the baby, you will require that extra energy. Hence, it’s important that you plan your calorie intake from small meals that are good sources of protein, such as eggs, nuts, daals and legumes, and are also easily digestible.

However, remember to avoid oily and spicy foods. Some of the other wholemeal options include – vegetable poha, khichdi, upma, idlis etc.

2. Balance your Iron levels:
Increase the consumption of green leafy vegetables like spinach, beans and broccoli that are rich sources of Iron, Vitamins (A & C) and heart-healthy antioxidants while also being low in calories.

3. Up your intake of dairy products:
Adequate consumption of milk and other dairy products such as Cheese, Yoghurt are highly recommended for lactating mothers as they are great sources of Protein, Calcium and Vitamins (B & D) – essential for the growing baby.

4. Keep your fluid intake high:
As you are constantly breast-feeding, there are chances that you are prone to dehydration. It’s essential to stay well hydrated to make sure your milk production levels are high. Drink plenty of water; include fresh fruit juices, coconut water, milk etc.

5. Super-foods:
It’s a good idea to make super-foods a part of your daily diet. Superfoods are mostly plant-based but also include fish; nutritionally dense blueberries, salmon, kale and acai are some of the examples. Also whole-grain carbs like brown rice will ensure that your energy levels stay high.

In a Nutshell:

Food rich in Protein – All pulses, quinoa, peas, nuts, cumin seeds, soybeans, eggs, wheat germ, tofu.

Food rich in calcium – Beans, Leafy green vegetables, ragi, fenugreek, sesame seeds, milk, yogurt, cheese.

Food rich in iron – Dried Beans, spinach, tofu, dates, almonds, lentils, dried apricots, pomegranates, beetroot, brussel sprouts, oats, blackstrap molasses.

Food Rich in Vitamin C – All citrus fruits, papaya, strawberries, bell peppers, broccoli, tomatoes, grapefruit, spinach, watermelons, cabbage, guava.

Here’s a quick recipe that comes quite handy, yet, healthy and tasty:
Vegetable Brown Rice
Brown Rice helps in the stimulation of Prolactin, a hormone involved in lactation. It has enormous antioxidant properties, higher fibre content and nutrients that boost the immune system compared to white rice.

The Recipe:

1. Take vegetables of your choice (Carrots, Beans, Peas, Onions, Tomatoes, Paneer and Potato)
2. Stir-fry all the vegetables of your choice. You can also use mild spices like cumin, bayleaf, cloves and cardamom
3. Add 1 cup of cooked brown rice to the vegetables and mix well
4. Garnish it with finely chopped coriander or mint leaves
5. Have it with plain curd or vegetable raita

References:
http://www.padhuskitchen.com/2015/04/indian-recipes-for-lactating-mothers.html
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/diet/Diet-plan-for-new-mothers/articleshow/11484947.cms
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/diet/Super-foods-every-new-mom-should-eat/articleshow/33816654.cms
http://www.desidieter.com/article/diet-care-fore-a-new-mother-post-delivery.html

Picture Courtesy:

bullseye-digital.com/

ecowatch.com

buckelew.org