With the whirlwind of a new baby at home, paying attention to her own food intake may be the last thing on a new mom’s mind. But what a woman puts into her body after childbirth is just as important as what she consumes during pregnancy. This can mean forgoing everything from chocolate cake, milkshakes to Starbucks, but a post-baby diet doesn’t have to be boring. There are plenty of delicious foods and meals new moms can enjoy that have positive effects on breast milk quality, mood, and daily energy.
Salmon: A Fish New Mom Can Eat
When planning a yummy post-baby diet, it’s important to consider vitamin-rich foods that benefit women’s health but don’t contaminate breast milk. New moms are strongly advised to exercise caution when eating certain types of fish. For example, swordfish, mackerel, shark, and tilefish have high levels of mercury and should not be consumed by breastfeeding moms.
Salmon, on the other hand, along with shrimp, albacore tuna, and cod, contains very low levels of mercury that are proven not to harm breast milk. Furthermore, Salmon in particular contains a healthy dose of DHA, which is an important fatty acid that aids in the development of an infant’s nervous system.
Fortunately, salmon can be enjoyed in a number of delicious ways. Plus, kids love it too! Whip up tasty salmon tacos with black beans and brown rice, or bake salmon to a golden brown with Swiss chard, sweet potatoes, and carrots. All these accompanying ingredients also do their part to support healthy breast milk production. Iron-rich veggies and potatoes benefit the baby’s liver and may improve the quality of breast milk too.
Quick and Tasty Snacks
To say new moms are busy is an understatement. Chances are that taking the time to sit down and enjoy a nice balanced meal alone won’t be happening any time soon. But new moms don’t have to sacrifice their own nutrition, especially while breastfeeding. Trail mix is one of the best on-to-go snacks for busy new moms, plus it can be enhanced with all the ingredients necessary of healthy breast milk.
Chocolate should be avoided while breastfeeding, so resist the urge to add those yummy M&Ms to the mix. But this doesn’t mean trail mix has to be bland. Dried blueberries are an excellent source of energy to fight mid-afternoon fatigue, along with dried apples, apricots, and potassium-rich bananas.
Healthy Eating Patterns
When the right diet is paired with a consistent eating schedule, new moms can experience more energy throughout the day, better moods, and improved sleep. While it’s all too easy to skip meals, new moms are strongly advised to eat a balanced breakfast every day. This is a great way to prevent mid-morning hunger and energy loss.
Finding energy without coffee may feel like a myth, but drinking lots of water, choosing the right foods, and eating small meals during the day can do wonders for moms and their busy lives. What are some of your favorite post-baby meals?
Resources: Baby Center, Every Day Family, WebMD, Babycenter.com, and American Pregnancy)
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After I had my kids, I went back to eating normally as soon as I delivered.
I love Justin’s, they have the best almond butter. Great suggestions.
Almonds/almond butter, oatmeal, and flax are all great for new moms. Not only are they loaded with nutrients and vitamins but they also help with lactation.
Salmon is my favorite fish out of them all. I know many do not like the fishy flavor, but I prepare it with so many different sauces/spices, etc that you can barely tell it is salmon.
Having never had a baby I never had to worry about this–but for a breast feeding Mom it is a serious concern. You really do have to be careful what you consume!
There are A TON of natural herbs that can help Mom with milk supply and deliver great nutrition. Here is a link to our list of these herbs and their known health benefits:
I didn’t realize chocolate wasn’t great during breastfeeding. I’m glad you brought that point up!
I agree with the salmon. I loved eating it after I had my daughter
This is a great article. It’s hard to know what to eat for health when you’re a new mom.
I lucked out when I had my son. I just ate whatever. I had no idea certain food shouldn’t be eaten. He never had any digestive issues, thank goodness.
For me nuts are a quick and healthy snack… I also love to eat fish, and I know that is good for me.
any protein snacks are also a must have!
A healthy diet is always important but especially in the postpartum phase as your body recovers from pregnancy and birth as well as during breastfeeding. I’ve breastfed three kids for over 5 years and have never heard that chocolate should be avoided, will have to read more on that before baby #4 arrives in a few months.
Great tips. I remember struggling after my first was born, trying to figure out the best things to eat. This would have been really helpful. Thanks for the idea 🙂
I love these ideas! I’m expecting baby #2 in the next couple of months and it’s important for me to be able to get some weight off afterwards. These will all help and also keep me healthy for nursing.
I wish I was a bigger fan of fish since salmon is so good for you. I’m all about fast and easy healthy snacks that I can eat on the go like the bars.
Our doctor had my wife on a strict diet after our girls were born to make sure she was passing along the best nutrients. Without that guidance, I don’t know what we would have done.
Oh man, my 4 month old daughter has the most sensitive stomach in the whole world! As a new mom, I have to watch everything I eat! No dairy, nuts, chocolate, or sweets! It’s hard, but worth it not to have a screaming baby 🙂
I love trying new and healthy snacks! These are snacks that we actually consume everyday!
I love Justin’s products. I like the package sizes that they come in,, perfect for on the go.
Yes! Thanks for this, I’m expecting and remember how awful it was just to even fit in a meal on those first days.
I remember my first 4 months! I couldn’t eat anything, wish I had seen this then! Thank you!
Thankfully I have always been able to eat chocolate after having baby without it causing issues. So bring on that delicious trail mix! But I also think a good trailmix with berries in it is an awesome snack for after baby too.
Eating healthy is a good thing to do any time. Especially as a new mom when you need to energy.
Salmon is my favorite fish – I have a gazillion recipes for it but sadly my daughter hates it. 🙁 What’s a mom to do?
These are great suggestions! New moms have to eat healthy!
I love Salmon dishes. They are tasty and so healthy for new moms
Justin’s are really good. All these snacks look amazing. Thanks for the share
Mmm, these do look delicious! It’s nice to have healthy meal options after having a baby.
These are great meal ideas for new Moms. I like to make a few dinners and freeze them for my new Mom friends.
Justin’s is a great way for new moms to get some great healthy fat and calories in!
Eating healthy and smart is important for many reasons. Starting now helps to build lifelong habits.