What foods are better to eat after giving birth?

When recovering from postpartum, give priority to mild foods with high nutritional density and easy digestion. Don’t blindly take supplements. Take good care of the stomach and wounds first, and then supplement nutrients as needed. This is the experience I gained from visiting the maternal and child nutrition department three times and going through a lot of nutritional supplement pits.

I had just given birth in the first week, and my mother felt sorry for me because I had exhausted all my energy. She made pig's trotter soup and old hen soup in different ways every day. She didn't produce much milk. She gained three pounds in weight first. She also had a lactation blockage and had to visit a lactation specialist in the middle of the night. The pain made me cry. Later, when I went to the nutrition department for a follow-up visit, I found out that this was a typical example of me taking early supplements and taking the wrong supplements. My gastrointestinal function was weak just after giving birth. The thick soup was full of fat and could not be absorbed at all. Instead, I was prone to lactation blockage and constipation.

Nowadays, there are all kinds of opinions about postpartum diet on the Internet. There are many controversial points. In fact, there is no need to argue about right or wrong. The most important thing is what suits you. Let’s talk about the most controversial issue about brown sugar. Elderly people say that drinking brown sugar can eliminate lochia and replenish qi and blood. My mother-in-law wanted me to drink a cup with every meal, but a nutritionist said that more than 90% of brown sugar is sucrose, with very little iron content. Drinking too much will not only cause blood sugar to spike, but may also prolong the time of lochia discharge. Drink it for up to 10 days, and a small spoonful a day is enough. There is also the matter of whether you can eat fruits at room temperature. My mother always said to eat cold fruits and asked me to boil the fruits until they are soft and mashed before eating them. Later, the doctor said that as long as they are not iced fruits just taken out of the refrigerator, apples, strawberries, and kiwis at room temperature can be eaten directly. They will lose less vitamins and can also relieve postpartum constipation. I later tried it and ate a room temperature apple every day. The problem of being unable to defecate in the previous three days was really relieved a lot.

There is really no need to rush to replenish the baby in the first week after giving birth. Whether it is a natural birth or a caesarean section, there are wounds on the body and the gastrointestinal motility is slow. Just eat some millet porridge, steamed eggs, boiled lean meat porridge, soft noodles, and some blanched green leafy vegetables. It is light and not greasy, and can also provide the body with enough basic protein and iron. When the appetite slowly returns and the milk supply stabilizes, slowly add high-protein ingredients such as lean beef, fish, shrimp, and soy products. If you are afraid of anemia, eat pork liver 1 to 2 times a week, about the amount of an egg each time. It is more effective than taking many blood supplements. Oh, yes, there are many places that say that seafood is fat and will affect wound healing. In fact, as long as you are not allergic to seafood, eating thoroughly cooked fresh fish and shrimp can supplement high-quality protein and DHA, which is good for wound healing and can be fed to the baby. Just don’t eat raw pickled or iced fish.

I am now one year postpartum, and my weight has returned to pre-pregnancy. Every time I check up, my indicators are quite normal. I really feel that I don’t have to have so many weird taboos when eating after giving birth. Don’t force yourself to eat things you don’t want to eat just to produce milk. Balanced nutrition and comfortable eating are better than anything else.