Having a baby is a wonderful episode in life. The bundle of joy brings out the best in a lady. But, a new mother needs as much care post-delivery as she will during her pregnancy. Immediately after delivering a new born (normal or c-section) it’s very common for the new mother to face these general discomforts:

Upset bowel and urinary motions. Due to stress of delivery the gastric organs lose their usual motility and it takes a while to come back to normal routine. Constipation/no control over bowels/in ability to pass stools or urine are general complains of average women after they have just delivered. With rest, and healthy diets these symptoms usually disappear within few days. Rarely medical intervention like medication for constipation/stool softener or catheter to remove urine is required but it’s not uncommon for Doctors to suggest one.

Pain and discomfort in stitches. A woman may experience some pain where stitches have been made (either c-section or normal). It is important not to stress the stitches and allow them to heal hence; diet also has to be modified accordingly.

Emotional anxiety and crankiness is very commonly experienced by new mothers due to challenges of taking care of a young infant, hormonal roller-coaster going on in the body, physical discomforts and general anxiety.

It is important that the caretaker and spouse of the new mother be patient and understanding to the sudden mood swings of the new mother and take extra care of her diet. Pain in the breast nipple region due to new born’s feeding, in ability to produce breast milk, heaviness in the breast. These are all common discomforts faced in the initial few days and gradually will disappear within few days. Consult the Doctor/Lactation specialist to understand the appropriate feeding techniques. 

Diet of a new mother needs special attention

The new mother’s diet needs as much attention as when she was carrying the infant. To ease her of the above mentioned discomforts here are a few dietary suggestions which will be also offered during her stay at the Maternity Ward in the Hospital.

To ease the discomfort of hard stools/constipation and to avoid stress on the stitches; it is advised to offer small frequent meals to the mother. The food should be semi-solid and freshly prepared for the initial few days. Easy to digest, less spicy, non-fried, non-oily and soft, home cooked food should be prepared. The taste and preferences of the mother should be kept in mind. Prepare poha, khichdi, upma, custards, kheer, porridges, soft idlis and offer in the first few days. To avoid constipation ensure that fiber is given in the form of grated salads, cooked vegetables, fruits, and soft chapattis, dalia.

It is absolute essential to drink plenty of fluids in the form of water, soups, juices, dals, milk to relieve the ease of passage of urine and bowels. Moreover, good fluid intake will ensure good flow of breast milk. Please note that drinking fluids does not cause water retention in the body and its intake should not be restricted as is a common malpractice in Indian families.

Certain foods should be avoided -

Here are a few things which should be restricted in the first few weeks:

• Spicy, strong flavored or pungent tasting food as the flavors may penetrate breast milk and make it repulsive for the baby to drink.
• Oily, fried, greasy meals as they are difficult to digest and also the extra fat will add to the weight gain of the mother, making it difficult for her to lose ‘baby-fat’ later. Meals should be simple and fresh as cooked for the whole family.
• Strong flavored vegetables like garlic, cabbage, cauliflower and dals like rajma, channa, lobhia effect flavor of breast milk and also are known to aggravate colic in the young infant, hence these should be restricted for a few weeks.

Some of these foods are important in diet:

• Plenty of beverages like soups, milk, juices
• Fresh fruits
• Milk and milk products
• Eggs/paneer/chicken/fish
• Dry fruits
• Vegetables which are easy to digest and are not strongly flavored
• Salads; can be grated to make them easy to digest and not strain the stitches by adding to bulk.
• Breast Milk Producers- Methi seeds, Fennel seeds, Ajwain, til seeds, ginger powder-sauth

Dietary care for the new born

For more information on Yoga, Ayurveda, diet, nutrition, health, weight loss plans or fitness contact DesiDieter Health and Diet Experts