In years gone by, women raised their newborn within their village with elders to support and nourish their postpartum recovery. In Western cultures, new mothers are often left alone early in the journey, with fleeting visits from loved ones who bring flowers, sweets and gifts for the bub. What if, instead, in T3 you set up a meal train for your first 6 weeks postpartum? I imagine a world where the incidence of postnatal depletion, postnatal anxiety and postnatal depression is significantly less, where mothers are well nourished and their self care is priority #1.
What do you think?
Some of my favourite postpartum meal train ideas include:
- Shepherd’s Pie with sweet potato, pumpkin and/or cauliflower mash – extra points if you sneak in grated liver for iron, folate, vitamin A, choline and more. This is almost always guaranteed to be a hit with the whole family!
- Nourishing Chicken Soup – mummas need bone broth more than ever postpartum and many are unlikely to sit down and relax with a cup of hot broth. Instead, incorporating it into dinners is one of the best recovery strategies there is.
- Roasted Vegetable Frittata – one handed breakfasts and snacks are key. Eggs are our perfect hormonal balancing foods and packed with healthy protein and fats, the foundation of nutrient dense breast milk.
- Raw Tahini & Coconut Protein Bites – did I mention that one handed snacks are key? Black tahini/sesame seeds in particular are considered a lactation aid in Eastern culture and are rich in B vitamins for physical replenishment. Extra points if you use Chinese red dates, which are thought to boost circulation and provide relaxing qualities.
So, by all means enjoy your flowers, sweets and teddies postpartum but don’t forget to set up the right support network for yourself too. After all, you can’t pour from an empty cup. Mumma’s health needs to be priority #1.