When you have a newborn, your focus is almost exclusively on your baby. You’re providing around-the-clock care, even though you’re physically recovering from childbirth and often running on insufficient sleep. This leaves little time to take care of yourself, including what you eat.
“The first three months after giving birth is considered the fourth trimester, and it’s often a time where the mom is neglected,” says Val Warner, RD, a postpartum fitness coach and functional sports dietitian in private practice in Albuquerque, New Mexico. “Proper nutrition during this period — and beyond — is critical for a momma’s recovery, health, and well-being.”
During the postpartum period, a woman’s body is healing from giving birth, as well as adjusting to the demands of motherhood. “Adequate nutrition helps restore nutrient stores depleted during pregnancy, supports uterine and wound healing, and reduces the risk of postpartum complications,” says Jessica Ryniec, MD, a reproductive endocrinologist at CCRM Fertility of Boston. “If you are breastfeeding, what you eat also directly influences milk composition and volume, which affects your baby’s growth and development.”
You don’t need to strive for perfection, but including certain foods in your diet can help make this intense period of your life just a little easier on you, which also helps your baby.
Healthy eating after having a baby focuses on foods that are good at any stage of life: nutrient-dense whole foods, including fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, lean proteins, whole grains, and omega-3 fatty acids, which are typically part of a Mediterranean diet. “Prioritizing minimally processed, nutrient-dense foods helps meet the increased demands of postpartum recovery while supporting sustained energy levels and emotional well-being,” says Dr. Ryniec.
The benefits of eating a healthy diet go beyond the physical: One study found that mothers who followed a
Mediterranean diet also experienced lower rates of
postpartum depression than those who didn’t follow the diet.
Here are the best types of food to consider during the postpartum phase.
1. Lean Proteins
Foods such as beans and other legumes, eggs, fish, and lean meats (for example, chicken, lean beef, and turkey) provide your body with the fuel it needs to repair tissues and regain strength after giving birth. Lean protein contains essential amino acids that help your body heal, maintain lean body mass, and support your immune system.
It’s especially important if you’re breastfeeding. “Protein requirements increase during lactation, with recommendations suggesting an additional intake to support milk synthesis and maternal recovery,” says Ryniec.
If cooking protein-rich meals seems more overwhelming than doable right now, consider buying bone broth. “Soups and stews made with bone broth are high in amino acids that enhance tissue recovery, provide electrolytes to support hydration, and also have other vitamins and minerals needed for recovery,” says Warner. You can freeze batches and pull them out when it’s time for a quick meal.
2. Healthy Fats and Omega-3s
Avocados, nuts, seeds, and fatty fish such as salmon and sardines supply healthy fats and omega-3 fatty acids. These support brain health, reduce inflammation, and may help boost mood. A type of omega-3 fatty acid called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is also crucial to your baby’s brain development, making healthy fats especially helpful if you’re breastfeeding, which passes these nutrients on to your newborn.
Breastfeeding mothers can increase DHA in their milk by eating low-mercury fish, such as flounder, salmon, and trout, two or three times a week.
3. Iron-Rich Foods
Good sources of
iron include beans, fortified cereals, leafy greens, poultry, red meat, and spinach. Iron is crucial for replacing lost blood and preventing fatigue.
“Iron deficiency is common postpartum, due to blood loss during delivery and the demands of pregnancy,” says Ryniec.
Pair plant-based iron-rich foods with vitamin C–rich fruits, such as citrus, to help your body absorb the iron better.
4. Calcium- and Vitamin D–Rich Foods
Dairy products, fortified plant milks, and leafy greens support adequate
vitamin D intake. These are essential for your infant’s bone health and skeletal development.
5. Folate-Rich Foods
You may remember taking prenatal vitamins containing folic acid, but this nutrient is also important postpartum. Foods rich in folate, such as leafy greens, legumes and grains fortified with folic acid (the synthetic form of folate), support continued cellular repair and are important for women in their reproductive years.
6. Whole Grains and Fiber
Whole grains, such as brown rice, oatmeal, popcorn, and whole-grain cereals, flour, and pasta, are great to include in your diet. “These support digestive health, provide sustained energy, and help prevent constipation that can be common postpartum,” says Ryniec.
Whole grains are easy to include in any meal. “When I was postpartum, I loved prepping overnight oats, because they were easy to prepare and eat while holding my baby,” says Warner.
Other fiber-rich foods include fruits and vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds. “Fruits and vegetables also help provide vitamins A, C, and E, potassium, and antioxidants that support immune function and recovery,” says Ryniec.
If eating healthy when you barely have time to shower feels daunting, here are some tips to keep things simple:
- Eat regular, balanced meals and snacks. Set an alarm if you find you’re forgetting to eat.
- Create a list of meals and snacks you — or your family or friends — can prepare ahead of time to make healthy eating less stressful.
- Prepare small containers of healthy snacks, such as fruits and nuts, to have on hand for times when you’re too busy to eat a meal.
- Stock up on backup options in your freezer and pantry. Pair a freezer meal containing clean ingredients and high protein with frozen vegetables and canned beans to boost calories and nutrients.
- Consider using a healthy meal-prep service during this intensely busy time. “Aim for meals that are 30 to 40 grams of protein, and have some plant foods included to provide fiber,” says Warner.
- Continue prenatal vitamins, or switch to a postnatal vitamin. Ask your doctor if you need other supplements.
- Focus on nutrient density over calorie restriction. In other words, eating healthy foods right now is more important than losing baby weight.
- Try to create balanced plates: one-quarter protein, one-quarter complex carbohydrates, half cooked vegetables, and a little healthy fat.
If you’re breastfeeding:
- You may require up to an additional 330 to 400 calories a day to meet your nutritional needs. Not eating enough can affect milk production, so talk to your doctor about any specific dietary needs or concerns you have.
- Moderate caffeine intake (roughly two to three cups of coffee) is generally considered safe, but more than that may affect your baby’s sleep patterns.
- Limit alcohol and fish high in mercury, which can also pass from your breastmilk to your baby.
- Stay hydrated. Remember to drink water to help with hydration and support milk production.
