Healthy Postpartum Diet and Nutrition Plan

So you had a baby recently and now you are responsible for more than one person! Whether you are breastfeeding or not, it is important to have a healthy postpartum diet to keep your energy up.

You had a baby! That is absolutely amazing. It is so important to eat well after having a baby, to set yourself up for this next stage of your life, and if you are breastfeeding also affords your child optimal nutritional support.

Your body requires 500 extra calories a day to support breastfeeding!

Make sure you drink lots of water or eat water-based foods

The more fluids you consume, the faster your body can recover and regenerate after childbirth. If you are breastfeeding, you want to make sure you have 10-15 glasses of water, which comes to about 80-120 ounces. I used a 32oz water bottle like this to measure how much I drink – it’s so helpful.

Eat healthy for energy and weight loss

Eat a nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory diet with lots of colorful produce, healthy proteins, fats, and grains.

• Try fresh, colorful vegetables (especially leafy greens)
• Fruits like bananas, berries, citrus fruits, cranberries and pineapple
• Vegetables like avocado, bell peppers, broccoli, brussels sprouts, carrots, leafy greens like spinach, Swiss chard, and kale; potatoes, red and green cabbage, snow peas and sweet potato
• Healthy fats like coconut oil, avocado oil, extra-virgin olive oil
• Nutrient-rich grains like rice, millet, quinoa, oats, etc.
• Probiotic-rich foods like yogurt, kefir, kimchi, kombucha, and sauerkraut help maintain a healthy gut
• Protein from albacore tuna, beef, beans, eggs, lentils, shrimp, wild-caught alaskan salmon, almonds, chia seeds, flaxseeds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and walnuts. You should aim for 21 grams of protein in your postpartum days.

Snack ideas for a postpartum diet

Here are some great ideas to quell those between-meal hunger pains:

• • Whole-grain crackers with hummus
  • Easy Kid Friendly Chickpea Cookie Dough Dip

    

  • Nuts (stash some in your purse in case you get a craving on the go)
  • A cup of whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk.
  • A hardboiled egg with some carrots
  • Roasted Chickpeas Snack Recipe – Taco Flavored

• • Low-fat cheese with a piece of fruit
  • Peanut butter on an apple
  • Moroccan Sellou Granola Bar for Breastfeeding Health
  • Lactation Cookies Recipe and Postpartum Health
  • Plain Greek yogurt — add in a cup of berries to avoid added sugar from the flavored kind.
  • Oatmeal Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies

Sample Meal Plan Ideas for Postpartum Diet

Breakfast
Breakfast Smoothies: Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal
Quick Skillet Muffins and other On-the-Go Breakfast Ideas
Very Banana Oatmeal Recipe
Homemade Moroccan Pancakes – Beghrir
Kid-Friendly Protein Pancakes Recipe
Power Granola Recipe

Lunch
Chickpea Salad Sandwich Recipe
Chickpea and Quinoa Greek Salad
Easy Moroccan Lentils Recipe
Garden Fresh Black Bean Quesadilla Recipe

Dinner
Asian Ground Turkey Rice Skillet
Loubia – Moroccan White Beans
Easy Chicken Quesadilla Recipe with Mango Salsa
White Bean and Farro Salad
Mediterranean Farro Salad
Mediterranean Chickpea Burger and Farro Salad
Zucchini Chickpea Veggie Burger
Healthy Moroccan Chickpea Carrot Stew
Turkey Burger Recipe with Spinach and Cheese

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