Why We Often Get Postpartum Nutrition Wrong (And What the Truth Is)
There are some major gaps in the postpartum care model, including correct information about supporting your health as a new mom. One major area where information is lacking is nutrition.
Much of the information widely available on postpartum nutrition is either vague, misguided, or downright incorrect. And it often goes along with the mainstream narrative of postpartum- which often goes something like this:
Heal after birth- but do it fast- and bounce back to your pre-baby body ASAP and by whatever means necessary. (Don’t worry, we’ve got all the diet programs, shakes, and teas ready for you as soon as you get that baby out). Get right back to work and your normal life- it’ll be easy, everyone does it. Oh also, make it all look pretty and hide any struggle. Now that you’re a mom, your health and happiness don’t really matter as much, and you’ve just got to settle for feeling terrible and having zero time or energy for yourself.
The mainstream postpartum nutrition information we receive- from friends, family, social media, and the internet- has been curated based off of this terribly problematic narrative that goes against what our bodies truly need and want. And therefore, what we learn about nutrition in the postpartum period is actually just a bunch of very misguided myths perpetuated by our society’s skewed views of postpartum.
Let’s bust some of these myths…
Myth 1:
Nutrition doesn’t matter after pregnancy (the baby is out now, right?).
Truth: Nutrition always matters, even when you’re not growing (and nourishing) a baby. Period. But especially postpartum, your nutrition is key for your recovery and replenishment. Your nutrition will impact your immediate healing, as well as your energy, hormones, mood, and more. It’s also extremely important if you breastfeed, as the nutrients in your milk ultimately come from the food you eat (and if not, will be taken from your own nutrient stores).
Myth 2:
Postpartum nutrition is only important to support initial healing.
Truth: Postpartum nutrition does definitely impact initial healing post-birth- you need to replenish and fuel your body on a deep level. However, it’s also crucial for longer-term postpartum recovery and ultimately, restoring and supporting your vitality. The postpartum period extends far beyond the first 6 weeks, far beyond the first trimester, and well into the first 1-2 years after birth. And throughout this time, nutrition needs will shift a bit but remain a top priority.
Myth 3:
Keep taking your prenatal vitamins to cover all your nutritional bases.
Truth: Having a baby demands a lot of nutrients and many are depleted from your body to provide them to your baby. (Each pregnancy takes about 10% of a mom’s mineral stores from her body!) While it’s ideal to replenish with food- which has the most bioavailable nutrients, some supplements can be really helpful- especially at a time when your nutrient needs are high…
However, prenatal vitamins or other multivitamin supplements are not the best places to get them. Food-based supplements will be your best bet- things like desiccated grass-fed liver and whole-foods sourced vitamin C. You can also boost your intake of nutrient-dense “superfoods” like organ meats, grass-fed and raw dairy, oysters, bone broth, and more.
Myth 4:
The focus of postpartum nutrition is dieting to help you lose the baby weight.
Truth: Postpartum is not the time for restricting your body of fuel and nourishment. Also “bouncing back” after having a baby is a myth perpetuated by diet culture, putting so much pressure on new moms to push themselves past their limits and only prioritize how their bodies look after pregnancy, which in reality, is maybe the least important thing! It’s not wrong to want to change how your body looks after having a baby, but dieting truly isn’t the best way to do it.
Myth 5:
There are certain foods you should eat/not eat if you breastfeed.
Truth: While what you eat affects the nutrition in your breastmilk (so choosing a variety of nutrient-dense foods is important), that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a specific list of foods you need to eat or a special diet you need to follow. And there actually aren’t foods you need to avoid when breastfeeding- even caffeine and alcohol can be enjoyed (of course, with limitations and certain precautions when necessary).
Myth 6:
You don’t need to prioritize nutrition if you don’t breastfeed.
Truth: Again, nutrition is always important and even if you don’t breastfeed, your nutrient needs are still super high postpartum. What you eat is a key foundation of your overall health at any stage of life, and will directly impact how you feel on a daily basis. And as a new mom, you want to feel the best possible.
Myth 7:
There’s a specific postpartum diet you need to follow and if not, you’ve failed.
Truth: There’s no one-size-fits-all way of eating and nutrition, especially postpartum, should prioritize nourishment and fuel, and be personalized to your needs and goals. And while it’s important to provide your body with the nutrients it needs, postpartum is also a really challenging and overwhelming time, too, so if you struggle, that’s okay. What you eat (and while we’re at it- how your body looks) after you have a baby doesn’t define you and definitely doesn’t determine your worth. Seek help from a qualified nutrition professional if you’re experiencing challenges, especially if you’re confused how to eat for your body or are having trouble making it happen.
Ideally, the goals of postpartum nutrition are actually:
Providing the foods and nutrients necessary to support healing and recovery post-birth
Replenishing nutrients lost during pregnancy, birth, and even postpartum
Supporting balanced hormones, adrenals and thyroid health, and digestion (which are all directly impacted postpartum)
Providing sufficient fuel for good energy (especially in the face of new stress and sleep deprivation), and breastfeeding (if mom chooses to breastfeed)
Fortifying breast milk with nutrients for baby (if mom chooses to breastfeed)
Deeply nourishing the new mother on both a physical and emotional level so that she can feel her best in her body and her new role
Helping mom be her healthiest self, regardless of her weight and how fast hers changes (or doesn’t).
Meeting each unique mom’s needs and goals and taking into account many factors like her pregnancy, labor, birth, initial recovery, stress load, physiology, potential insufficiencies, and dysfunction within her body, amount of help at home, return to work, and more.
It’s time we change the mainstream narrative of postpartum and make big changes in our modern society to allow and provide for a new mom’s full healing, recovery, and replenishment after having a baby. And one powerful way we can do this is by making correct nutrition information more widely available and accepted (plus of course, shifting our expectations and ideals about postpartum bodies). You deserve to not only nourish your body after having a baby but also feel your best despite this major change in your life.
Do you want to learn more about nourishing yourself postpartum?
Get in touch with me and let's chat more about your unique needs and how you can shift your nutrition to help you be the most amazing mama you can be.
Nourishing Yourself Fully is my free gift to you! A resource to get you started on your nutrition journey. You can download it for free here!