Navigating the Postpartum Period: Self-Care Tips from an Eating Disorder Dietitian

Oftentimes so much focus is placed on pregnancy and the arrival of a baby, that you may not be prepared for the unique challenges of the postpartum period. It can be an exciting time filled with newness, love, and joy, and also a time of fatigue, grief, and a myriad of physical and emotional changes. The postpartum period is not simply a few weeks after giving birth, but rather 1-2 years! My hope is that these tips will help you reflect and reframe postpartum expectations, while supporting a healthy relationship with food and your body. Keep reading to learn postpartum self-care tips that can help you navigate this new environment.

Prioritize nourishment, not restriction

Lactation increases your calorie and fluid needs, so whether your breast feeding, chest feeding, or pumping, make sure to honor your increased hunger and eat regularly throughout the day. 

Your body also needs more choline and iodine at this time.  An adequate and varied diet can usually meet these needs.  These nutrients are found in dairy products, eggs, meats, seafood, and iodized salt. You can also continue taking your prenatal vitamin during this time to help fill in any gaps.

• • • Try setting up a snack station that include easy snacks and water. Keep it close to where you plan on nursing or pumping, so you can eat and drink while feeding the baby
    • If you have certain medical conditions, gastrointestinal disorders, do not eat animal products, or have a limited intake, you may need additional supplementation. Talk to your dietitian or health care provider for guidance.
    • There is no solid evidence that any specific foods can increase milk production. If you like the taste of oatmeal or lactation cookies, great! Enjoy as part of a balanced diet, but be wary of supplements, herbs, or food products marketed as milk boosters. Remember supplements are not regulated by the FDA, and some may even have some adverse side effects or interact with other medications.
    • Instead focus on adequate food intake and a variety of foods that hit the major food groups- protein, grains, fruits and vegetables, fats, and calcium rich foods. 
    • Eat regularly throughout the day (consider using alarms or phone reminders if your schedule is chaotic due to fatigue, napping, feeding, and appointments). 
    • Sometimes babies can be fussy, gassy, not sleep well, cry, and overall be hard to figure out. I often see ‘off the cuff’ suggestions by other moms, friends, social media groups, and even various practitioners, to cut out certain foods to see if it helps. This may be necessary in some circumstances, such as medical conditions or allergies. However, this should be carefully explored with your and baby’s medical professionals before trying. For some, cutting out foods can simply be an inconvenience, while for others it can be extremely damaging to physical and mental wellbeing.

What if I am not breastfeeding?

Firstly, remember that fed is best. There are many reasons someone may choose not to breast or chest feed, and all are valid. 

Even if you are not lactating, being well nourished is necessary for recovery and healing! Your body has been through a lot these past 9 months and needs to replenish its stores of iron, folate, and other nutrients. The same recommendations above still apply. Make sure to honor hunger, eat consistently throughout the day, and include a variety of foods from all the food groups. Adequate intake is also always necessary for general well-being and energy to function (especially on little sleep).

Keep Meals Simple

If you enjoy cooking and are able to make meals from scratch, that is great, go for it! If not, that is okay. Lean into frozen foods, convenience foods, and packaged foods.  Postpartum can be a huge adjustment to life with a new baby. It can be a “surviving not thriving” phase. We know that an adequate and balanced diet is important, but don’t let this be another source of guilt or stress for you. Remember, ‘Fed is best’ applies to you as well as baby. (This applies at all stages of life and not just postpartum).

• • • Try crockpot ‘dump and go’ recipes, stock up on frozen foods and steam in the bag veggies
    • Buy premade heat and eat meals at the grocery store or deli counter, or consider trying a premade meal delivery service if you can afford it. Foods such as rotisserie chicken, pasta salads, premade quiches, and salad kits are some examples
    • Enjoy takeout without guilt
    • Prep meals and snacks ahead of time when able
    • If you are cooking a meal, keep it simple (think breakfast for dinner or grilled cheese sandwiches)
    • Make a double batch of a recipe to freeze half for a later time. 
    • This may be a good time to try out online grocery ordering for pick-up or delivery if you have not already. Two advantages to this include less time spent shopping and it saves your order online.  Next time you order you can swap out any needed items, but still have the bulk of your grocery staples saved in your cart. (Sometimes just making the list is the exhausting part!)
    • Stock up on easy hand-held snacks (that you can eat while feeding baby) 4
    • Enlist friends and family to bring a meal or groceries if they are visiting the baby 
    • Host a ‘make a freezer meal’ party instead of a baby shower or sprinkle. Have guest bring a recipe and all the needed ingredients
    • If you are feeding the baby, task your partner with preparing your food

Practice Self-Care and Self Compassion

After giving birth, your body is going through a world of changes including physical healing, hormone shifts, and adjustments to a new life and schedule.  Unfortunately, we live in a society that glorifies ‘Bounce back culture’ or the idea that someone should return to their pre-pregnancy body quickly (or at all). This mentality is harmful and unrealistic. It can be damaging to your physical and mental health and trigger body dissatisfaction and disordered eating patterns. I urge you to try to challenge this and reframe to rest and recovery. Focus on mental and physical well-being vs numbers.

• • • Consider your social media feed- are you following postpartum accounts that encourage unrealistic expectation, increase your comparison, or simply just make you feel bad? If so, consider muting or unfollowing.
    • Focus on what your body does vs. how it looks. Making, birthing and caring for a whole new human is pretty amazing!
    • When it is safe to do so, focus on movement that honors your body and feels good. This may look different from before you were a parent and that is okay too.
    • Taking care of yourself is good for baby
    • If you are struggling to accept your new body, try to focus on things you can do to respect it such as resting it, feeding it, moving it, and talking kindly about it. 

Get Support During the Postpartum Period

If you are feeling overwhelmed, not in touch with your hunger/fullness cues, struggling to feed yourself, or having increased disordered thoughts and urges, please reach out for help. You are not alone.  If you have an established treatment team (dietitian, therapist, psychiatrist, OB), keep regular appointments for support and accountability. Check in with your partner or a supportive friend or family member. Even if you are doing well with eating, accept offers of help with laundry, childcare, or other household tasks so you can take some time for yourself (or to sleep!)

Final Thoughts on Navigating the Postpartum Period

Thank you for reading through our postpartum self-care tips. Everyone’s postpartum experience is different and comes with physical and emotional changes. Try to prioritize rest, recovery, nourishment, and your emotional wellbeing.  Do not be afraid to reach out for support and professional help if needed. Most importantly, treat yourself gently and practice self-compassion. Enjoy this special time!

Need Support? Contact us!

Courage to Nourish is a group of eating disorder specialized dietitians. We have in person locations in Alexandria, Virginia, Columbia, Maryland and College Park, Maryland. We offer virtual services across the state of Virginia, Washington DC, Pennsylvania, and Colorado and Georgia. We offer individual nutrition therapy. As well as support groups.