Essential Must-Have Foods In Your Meal During Confinement

 

Confinement diet is a crucial part of your body’s path to recovery. During confinement, mothers are urged to consume more “heaty” or warm foods to enable the womb to heal faster and to discharge wind from the body. 

If you are breastfeeding, whatever you eat will be transferred to your baby via your breast milk.

Hence, it is necessary that you eat a balanced diet so that your baby will get the right nutrients for optimum growth and development. 

To encourage lactation and maintain the quality of breast milk, you should eat a variety of food consisting of a variety of foods.

Traditional Chinese confinement food consists mainly of old ginger, sesame oil, black vinegar, lots of meat and many more which is meant to refurbish the body of a new mother with energy and nutrients. 

Below are some foods that you might want to add to your diet during the postnatal confinement month.

Dairy Products

Ensure that you consume enough dairy products for your calcium needs. 

Milk, yoghurt and cheese products are all safe for consumption if you are breastfeeding. 

It is also recommended that you consume at least two servings of dairy products a day to replenish your body’s calcium.

Oatmeal

Oats are high in vitamins, protein, and fibre, vital components for your body. 

Fibre will help fight constipation, a common occurrence during the postnatal period. 

Based on word of mouth, some say that oatmeals can give an additional boost in  your milk supply. No harm in trying!

Oatmeal also helps to control diabetes during post pregnancy.

You May Also Read this : Why Is It Important to Take Sheng Hua Tang During Postpartum

Pork Livers

Lean Meats

For a healthier consumption of red meat, go for lean red meats like lean beef and lean pork. 

In general, lean red meat contains lower fat levels compared to the usual red meat, which helps to keep your cholesterol level and blood pressure level in check.

Brown Rice

Compared to white rice, brown rice contains higher fiber content. This makes brown rice a better source of complex carbohydrate. The fiber allows brown rice to take longer to digest which helps to avoid spikes in blood sugar, instead gradually increase blood sugar throughout the day, providing a more stable source of energy. 

Such phenomena help to regulate insulin levels in the body which has an impact on the regulation of reproductive hormones, energy balance and mood swings.

Salmon

Rich in heart-healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, it is recommended to include salmon as part of your weekly diet, especially when you are nourishing for two (via your breastfeeding this time instead). Omega 3-DHA fatty acids is essential for brain development and function as well as vision acuity. Having adequate intake would translate to adequate transfer of Omega 3-DHA into the breastmilk for the baby. 

Additionally, it’s an excellent source of Vitamin D, which can be difficult to get from other foods and plays an important role in supporting your immune system, promoting balanced hormones while aiding in calcium absorption to help strengthen bones. 

Taking care of yourself postpartum is key – nourishing your body not only gives you more energy and vitality but also positively impacts your overall health long term – so make sure to include salmon as a must-have food in your diet!

Water

When asking what food is good for confinement, one can not leave out water. 

Yes, yes, it is technically not food, but it is one of the essential components to support you as you recover from childbirth and breastfeed.

As breastfeeding in itself produces much fluid for the baby from your body, replenishment is essential to avoid dehydration in mothers. Dehydrated mothers can lead to slower recovery, higher risk of constipation and even fatigue.

Therefore, it is necessary to have a bottle of water next to you during breastfeeding and keep yourself hydrated while you munch on all those confinement foods and hearty soups!

The important thing is to follow your own body’s needs and be comfortable with what you eat. Whatever you take, make sure that you have the best food for confinement that is full of proteins, minerals, carbohydrates, vitamins, fats, and water.