What might a typical food package look like?

Nourishment is one of my core pillars in postpartum care. Post birth is arguably THE MOST important time to properly nourish oneself to ensure vibrancy, resilience and wellness in the immediate postpartum and beyond.

Many traditional and indigenous cultures believe that postpartum offers an opportunity for complete body and spiritual rebuilding and renewal. The ayurvedic belief is ‘42 days for 42 years’ - meaning that how a mother/birthing person is cared for and nourished during the immediate postpartum time can impact their health for the next 42 years. 

The demands of just having growing, birthing and feeding a newborn take an enormous strain on the body and it is vital to replenish our systems with foods that are warming, easy to digest, nourishing, nutrient dense, delicious and cooked with love.

During postpartum, food fulfils an essential function in:

• replacing lost blood and nutrients

• keeping the body warm

• supporting breastfeeding

• repairing damaged tissue and healing the vagina and uterus

It is worth noting that the ideal postpartum diet (especially in the first few weeks) is often simple and delicately flavoured. More dense and flavoursome recipes and larger cuts of meat (if appropriate) will be incorporated as the weeks progress.

Ideal first postpartum meals might include:

Coconut and squash dahl 

Ginger and chicken congee*

Kitchari** 

Omelettes and quiches

Root vegetable soup

Ground beef and vegetable soup

Lamb or lentil shepherds pie

Oxtail broth 

Slow cooked beef and vegetable stew

Vegetable minestrone

Chicken noodle soup 

Chicken and red date soup 

Oat and chia congee* 

*Congee is a slow cooked, very soft rice or oat pudding that can be savoury or sweet.

**Kitchari is an Ayurvedic nutritious comfort dish with lentils and rice and warming spices like ginger and turmeric.