Recommended Postnatal Diet for New Mothers

Congratulations! If you’re here, you are probably expecting a sweet addition of a little baby to your family or have just had a baby. Either way, that’s something to celebrate and find joy in every day!

So.. what should you expect after birth? Would you have to be stuck in bed all day? How will breastfeeding go for both you and your little one, or will you face any difficulties with it?

Unfortunately, most of the time, it is hard to anticipate what will happen. You know what they say, things don’t always go as planned. Of course, this is not to disregard the importance of planning and preparations.

In fact, your preparation during pregnancy is key to ensuring a smooth rest after childbirth. One particular aspect to take into account is your post natal diet. To ensure proper recovery and breastfeeding journey after birth, it is crucial that you sort out the kinds of food to have throughout your critical postpartum period. During this time, you should strictly hold on to the principle of “you are what you eat”.

Confinement Practice & Diet

Are you planning on following certain confinement traditions? In Asian countries, new mothers are always paying closer attention to nutrition and daily meals during childbirth, especially during confinement, but how exactly?

First, the principles of traditional Chinese medicine are often used as guidelines. Traditional Chinese medical theory believes that there is a loss of qi and blood after delivery, which needs to be replenished. You also have to ensure proper discharge of lochia as well as good blood circulation. 

Apart from eating healthy and focusing on eating foods or soup for breastfeeding with warm properties. 

Recommended Herbs by Traditional Chinese Medicine Practices

Taking herbal tonics is especially advised for mothers practising confinement. One of the popular folk remedies for confinement is SHENG HUA TANG (生化汤), a Chinese soup for breastfeeding, well-recommended by many TCM practitioners. 

Why is Sheng Hua Tang so popular? It is a soup traditionally known to be consumed after childbirth to promote faster recovery. Depending on the recipes, there are about 7 herbs (Chinese angelica root, Chuan xiong rhizome, Safflower, Yi Mu Cao, peach kernel, baked ginger and licorice)(Chinese angelica root, chuanxiong rhizome, peach kernel, baked ginger, prepared licorice root) in Sheng Hua Tang. In short, the Sheng Hua Tang contains all the most recommended herbs for a new mother so it can spare you the hassle of having to go out of your way to obtain them. Now let’s see how it works with confinement. 

Sheng Hua Tang is traditionally recommended to be consumed to clear any blood stagnation in the body and promote dispel of lochia in Mothers. In China, some believe that Sheng Hua Tang helps to reduce uterine bleeding too, even in women post-medical abortion. 

The next one is baked ginger, as its name goes, we bake it until it turns black. TCM believes the baked ginger has the effect of removing dampness.

To have Sheng Hua Tang breastfeeding mothers would be recommended to take a break before proceeding to nurse right away. You can also finish your breastfeeding sesh first before enjoying your Sheng Hua Tang!

What Dietitian Says

During the time right after childbirth, your main focus should be towards replenishing your loss of energy, blood, and nutrients to support postpartum recovery and breastfeeding. To select the right post natal food and plan the best confinement diet for a new mother, you should make sure your daily meals are well-balanced. Here’s a 3-day confinement menu that will nourish and heal your body.

Well-Balanced Postnatal Foods

What does well-balanced mean in this context? It means you should have a sufficient supply of carbs for energy, protein to repair and build stronger muscles, adequate vegetables to provide fiber and all the antioxidants! All of these can be obtained from your common ingredients such as rice, fish, chicken, and of course, fruits and vegetables. Trust us, you don’t have to look far!

Fill a quarter of your plate with a type of staple – you can go with brown rice and quinoa for a healthier option, another quarter of your plate with a protein of your choices like fish, eggs, chicken, and seeds;  and most importantly, half a plate of greens! During the recovery process,  do feel free to add a little more protein as you need a higher intake of protein to support wound healing and recovery. 

If you simply do not have a lot of time to either plan or cook your own postnatal foods, leave it to the trusted hands! But whose hands do you trust? Sure, our mom and grandmother cook up the most delicious foods that fit our taste perfectly. 

However, you should also take into consideration that our loved ones need rest too and having to be in the kitchen all day every day for the next 30 to 40 days is not an easy task! At this point, you do not only want good taste. You should want to obtain as many health benefits as possible and your loved ones too tired out.

So, why don’t you leave it to our dietitian and award-winning chef? Our meals are crafted especially for new mothers to not only boost their recovery but also make your confinement a lot more exciting! Our menu comprises both traditional and fusion dishes so you can have the best of both worlds.