Nourishing Your Body with Postpartum Nutrition

Postpartum nutrition is one of the most vital things a mom can do for optimal recovery, energy, and breastfeeding success. In functional medicine, we encourage a food first approach when healing the body holistically to address nutrient deficiencies, inflammation, and gut health. Here’s how new moms can optimize their nutrition for wellness.

Key Functional Medicine Postpartum Nutrition Principles

1. Anti-Inflammatory Foods: Prioritize whole foods like leafy greens, berries, eggs, fatty fish, and nuts to reduce inflammation and support thyroid and immune health.
2. Nutrient-Dense Diet: Include foods rich in iron (grass-fed beef, spinach), zinc (pumpkin seeds), and omega-3s (salmon, chia seeds) to replenish nutrients lost during pregnancy and with nursing.
3. Gut Health Support: Add fermented foods (yogurt, kefir) and fiber-rich vegetables to promote a healthy gut microbiome, which aids hormone balance. Eat the rainbow to promote microbiome diversity! 
4. Hydration: Drink plenty of water and herbal teas to support energy and digestion. Bonus! Add electrolytes for improved hydration!

Breastfeeding Nutrition Guidelines

Breastfeeding moms need extra calories and nutrients to support milk production, maintain nutrient stores and promote an optimal recovery:

• Calorie Boost: Aim for an additional 300-500 calories daily from nutrient-dense sources like avocados, eggs, and quinoa.
• Key Nutrients: Focus on calcium (dairy, leafy greens), vitamin D (sunlight, fortified foods), and protein (lean meats, legumes) for milk quality.
• Hydration: Drink 8-12 cups of water daily to maintain milk supply. Electrolytes, like my favorite from Needed, can help boost supply!
• Avoid Triggers: Limit caffeine and avoid processed foods or allergens (e.g., gluten, dairy) if you suspect sensitivities in you or your baby only if needed. We should really be focusing on what good things we can add into the diet, rather than restricting or taking away! But some cases call for cutting out food intolerances. 

Functional Medicine Tips for Optimizing Postpartum Nutrition

• Supplements: Consult your provider or better yet, come see Alison at Well North Functional Medicine, for personalized supplementation based on testing – like vitamin D, probiotics, or magnesium to address deficiencies.
• Stress Management: Pair nutrition with rest and mindfulness to balance cortisol, which impacts milk production and recovery.

Postpartum nutrition, guided by functional medicine, empowers new moms to heal and thrive. Prioritize whole foods, stay hydrated, and seek professional guidance to support breastfeeding and overall postpartum wellness and recovery. Book a FREE discovery call below, to learn how Well North can be your partner in postpartum health!