Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes and Postpartum: 3 Tips for Well-Being After Bringing Home Baby


Meatloaf and mashed potatoes are nutrition-dense foods – filled with protein, vitamins and minerals, fats and especially love. A healthy postpartum is just like a home-cooked meal. Here are three tips to start your life with a new baby (or babies!) the right way.


Eat and drink when the baby feeds: Whether you’re nursing or not, your body has high nutrition needs after giving birth. You’re recovering stretched or injured tissue, restoring iron and other nutrients lost during childbirth. To make sure you’re getting enough nourishment and fluids to recover your amazing body – and to make milk if you’re breastfeeding – drink and eat when the baby feeds. You can keep water bottles near your favorite spots to feed baby – and ask your partner and family to supply you with a plate of nibbles. Consider nutrient-rich meals and snacks that include cheese or yogurt, whole grains, and fruits and veggies. Include nuts and proteins like fish, beef, and eggs. Drinking fluids like coconut water and bone broth can maintain electrolyte balance. If you’ve just welcomed twins or triplets, you’ll need to eat even more.


Give yourself permission to ask for household help: When family and friends come to visit, ask that they toss a load of laundry in the dryer or sweep the floor. While visitors might be excited to focus on the new baby, it’s reasonable to expect them to help keep the household running so that you can rest. You can also hire a postpartum doula to support with light housework and cooking. Rest and skin-to-skin time are both necessary for you and your newborn’s health. You and your partner may be exhausted from the pregnancy, birth and new baby care. Let your village wash the dishes. 


Shine a light on mental health: The year after giving birth is a vulnerable time filled with challenges and joys alike. You and your new baby (or babies!) are getting to know each other, your body is changing, and your relationship with your partner is evolving. You may have experienced stresses during your pregnancy and birth that you need to process. Add on sleep deprivation and worries about newborn care, and it’s no wonder that anxiety and depression can emerge. Stay in touch with your emotions and needs by expressing yourself to your partner and by talking honestly with your family and friends. Find ways to let go of perfection and focus on what is most important. And if you – or your partner – find that you are experiencing consistent feelings of worry or sadness that won’t go away, talk to your doctor or midwife. They can help connect you with therapists and medical treatment to maintain your mental health.


Nutrition for your body and soul can sustain you on the postpartum journey. As a doula, I love supporting clients and their families after their babies are born.

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