Postpartum Wellness

Tips and Recipes for Healing and Restoring Postpartum

“Perhaps because pregnancy and birth get all the magazine covers and headlines—no surprise, as these events sell more stuff—we’ve overlooked this last part of the childbearing story. A woman’s postpartum experience might be given a brief nod at the end of a pregnancy book, or thirty seconds of footage at the end of a TV show, but a deeper look almost never occurs. Rather than get invited to take a sacred time-out after delivering her child, the new mother is more likely met with pressure to “bounce back”—back to her pre-pregnancy productivity, back to her pre-pregnancy body, and back to her pre-pregnancy spirits. But when it comes to becoming a mother, there is no back; there is only through. After birthing her child, every woman must pass through this initial adjustment phase. It is a strange and beautiful limbo zone that is both exhausting and exciting, mysterious and monotonous. When she arrives at the other side of the postpartum phase after roughly a month and a half, she will most certainly be facing forward, prepared to take her next steps into motherhood.”

— Heng Ou, The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother

Let’s be honest, the postpartum period often remains the most glossed-over chapter in the parenting experience. While pregnancy and birth command attention with their dramatic transformations and challenges, the journey doesn't end just when the baby is no longer growing inside you. Postpartum is not a phase to "bounce back" from but a path to move through—a unique, transformative period that deserves respect and restorative care. Unlike the societal push for rapid healing, genuine postpartum wellness calls for patience, understanding, and support. It's a time for new mothers to embrace the changes, navigate the complexities of their new roles, and step forward into motherhood with confidence and health.

Understanding Postpartum Nutrition

In many cultures, the postpartum diet is integral to a mother's recovery, crafted to support healing, provide energy, fortify mily supply, and aid in hormonal balance. The modern disregard for this restorative phase has left many new mothers grappling with isolation, fatigue, and nutritional depletion—factors that contribute significantly to postpartum mood disorders, lack of breastfeeding success, and overall stress as a parent. Prioritizing nutrition in postpartum care not only supports physical recovery but also offers emotional and psychological resilience, helping to steady hormones and allow for deep healing.

Five Tips for Postpartum Wellness

1. Prioritize Rest: Our bodies need sleep and rest, not being productive is not a sign of weakness but of strength when it comes to the postpartum time. Allow yourself the space to heal and bond with your baby without the pressure to resume activities too quickly.

2. Seek Support: Whether it's from a partner, family, friends, or a professional, having a support system can alleviate the burdens of household duties and provide emotional backing. We were not meant to carry all of our healing alone.

3. Nourish Your Body: Focus on foods that are rich in nutrients necessary for recovery and lactation. Incorporating a balance of proteins, healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals can significantly impact your energy levels and overall well-being.

4. Stay Hydrated: Hydration is key, especially if breastfeeding. Water, along with nourishing soups and broths, can help maintain your milk supply and aid in physical recovery.

5. Listen to Your Body: Every mother's recovery is unique. Pay attention to what your body is telling YOU, and don't hesitate to reach out to healthcare providers if something feels off. Same goes for baby, listen to your gut!

“Let people know that honoring the first forty days is a lifelong gift to both mother and child.”

— Heng Ou, The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother

To further support wellness in the postpartum period, I wanted to share with you three recipes designed to nourish, heal, and comfort.

Mama’s Golden Milk

recipe by Claudia Lizzani

A breastfeeding supportive and energizing drink for long nights or morning routine.

1 cup almond milk
2 pitted dates
1 tsp ghee
Pinch of nutmeg
⅛ tsp cinnamon
⅛ tsp cardamom
¼ tsp fresh grated ginger (⅛ tsp if using dry ginger)
2-3 strands saffron

1. Combine spices (without the saffron) and ghee in a small saucepan and cook for 2 minutes until the spices release their aroma.

2. Add the milk and bring to a low boil. Lower heat and simmer for 1 minute, add saffron and turn heat off.

3. Add dates and blend in a blender until smooth.

4. Drink warm, as many servings as you desire.

Peanut Butter Lactation Overnight Oats

recipe from allnaturalmothering

easy snack or breakfast that helps

increase milk supply for nursing/ pumping mothers

1/2 cup organic oats( rolled or old fashioned oats)

1 1/2 tbsp flax seed powder

2 tbsp peanut butter

2 tsp honey

1 cup milk of your choice

1 banana chopped

1. Add all the ingredients except the bananas to a mason jar/ glass bowl and mix well until combined.

2. Cover with a lid and refrigerate it overnight.

3. Next day, add some freshly chopped bananas as topping, more peanut butter or honey as needed and enjoy.

Postpartum Rice Porridge

recipe from a Colorado Birth Center

Amazing to have on hand to enjoy after labor!

1/2 c of butter

2 tsp ginger 

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp cardamom

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/2 c sugar

1/4c molasses

1 c white rice (rinse 3 times)

1. Melt butter in rice cooker -or- in a deep saucepan.

2. Add Spices to melted butter. Toast until you can smell the deliciousness.

3. Add sugar and molasses - mix together.

4. Fill the rice cooker or saucepan 3/4 with water. Warm the water and butter/spices. Stir until blended.

5. Add rinsed rice to pot.

6. Cook rice until finished.

(Birth center secret: after the rice absorbs all the water, add more water and let the rice absorb it again - makes the rice softer and the porridge more gooey)