In the US we want comfort food after the hard work of having a baby. We crave mac and cheese, lasagna, grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup. The days and weeks after having a baby are consumed with caring for our new chum, and who wants to bother with special dietary needs?

But, during the fourth trimester (the first 6 weeks after giving birth) the mother and her baby do have special needs. In addition to rest, no chores or meal preparation, a mother needs a special diet. A mother’s digestive tract is cool and needs to be given warm, easily digestible foods so her baby won’t get colic. A baby’s digestive tract is more like a net than a tube. So foods that are not fully digested by mom can cause irritation and lead to colic.

Ayurvedic medicine teaches that all foods postpartum need to be

  • Liquid or moist
  • Oily
  • Warm
  • Spiced
  • Cooked

This is especially important in the first two weeks postpartum

Great Foods for the Postpartum

Cooked Vegetables

  • Asparagus
  • Beets
  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Celery Root (Celeric)
  • Green leafy vegetables cooked
  • Parsnips
  • Rutabagas
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Winter Squash

Fruit

  • Dates
  • Warm stewed dried fruits like prunes
  • Raisins rested in warm water until not wrinkled
  • If your baby does not have colic and is older than two weeks, you can add in room temperature fruit not on the list of fruits to avoid

Grains (whole, unmilled)

  • Amranth
  • Brown rice
  • Buckwheat
  • Millet
  • Oats (if you are not gluten free)
  • Quinoa
  • Other whole, non-allergenic grains

Oils (cold pressed)

  • Almond (raw)
  • Coconut
  • Flaxseed (raw)
  • Ghee
  • Olive
  • Sesame

Proteins

  • Almonds soaked
  • Cashews soaked
  • Organic chicken
  • Lamb
  • Lentils (these are known as masoor dal. They are brown when whole (and what most people think of as lentils, and look orange when split)
  • Mung beans (found in the health food or indian food store whole (green), split (green), or split with no skin (yellow)
  • Split peas
  • Tofu
  • Organic Turkey
  • Stewed Meat
  • Wild-caught salmon
  • Wild game

Spices

  • Anise
  • Cardamom
  • Cinnamon
  • Cumin
  • Curry
  • Fennel
  • Fenugreek
  • Galangal rhizome
  • Ginger
  • Kaffir lime leaves
  • Lemon/Lime
  • Lemongrass
  • Paprika
  • Pepper
  • Saffron
  • Salt
  • Tumeric

Principles of Foods to Avoid in the Postpartum

  • Caffeine
  • Chocolate
  • Cold (eat nothing directly from frig or spiket)
  • Heavy (like lasagna, macaroni and cheese, cheesy potatoes)
  • Fermented
  • Leftovers
  • Processed food
  • Pungent
  • Raw
  • Soda/carbonated beverages
  • Sour (like tomatoes, tamarind, lemon, oranges)
  • Tobacco
  • Vinegar
  • Alcohol
  • Refined carbohydrates including white flour and sugar

Foods to Avoid in the Postpartum

These foods are difficult to digest

Dairy

  • Cow Dairy (e.g. Milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream)

Fruit

  • Apple
  • Bananas
  • Fig
  • Kiwi
  • Oranges
  • Papayas
  • Pears
  • Persimmons
  • Pineapple
  • Pomelo
  • Star fruit
  • Watermelon

Grains

  • Barley
  • Corn
  • Kamut
  • Rye
  • Spelt
  • Wheat/Gluten (e.g. breads, crackers, cookies)
  • Baked goods (even gluten free)

Proteins

  • All beans except mung, lentils, and split peas
  • Canned meats
  • Coldcuts
  • Eggs (if you are sensitive to them)
  • Frankfurters
  • Freshwater fish
  • Sausage
  • Shellfish
  • Tuna

Vegetables

  • Beansprouts
  • Bok choy
  • Broccoli
  • Brussel Sprouts
  • Cabbage
  • Corn
  • Cucumber
  • Eggplant
  • Lettuce
  • Green Peppers
  • Popcorn
  • Potatoes
  • Tomatoes
  • Turnips

If you do eat raw foods in the first six weeks postpartum

  • Eat raw foods warmer than room temperature
  • Sip hot water between your meals
  • Add ginger and avocados or coconut fat to raw soups, juices, or smoothies