Prepping for Postpartum: Food, Food, Food!
My favourite thing to bring or have delivered to new mums is food! Firstly, because often new mums are so distracted and exhausted to even think about cooking, and secondly, because it is so important for mums to be nourished properly if they are to survive the hectic first weeks of recovery, sleep deprivation and learning to breastfeed.
Prepping your freezer for postpartum, or cooking for a loved one who has just had a baby is the best gift ever - but what should you be prepping?
A great book to get a hold of is “THE FIRST FORTY DAYS” by Heng Ou - it not only outlines why nourishment is so important but it also has a tonne of recipes, suggestions on pantry staples and some great tips for postpartum in general.
The key to an easier recovery postpartum is eating food that is easily digestible and warming, this helps mums reserve their energy for more important things. With this in mind - soups, broths, curries, slow-cooked meats and veggies are perfect. Hand-held snacks like slices, muffins, bliss balls or quiches are also great to deliver fresh or frozen.
Here are some of my favourite recipes I love making for clients!
Broths:
Beef Bone Broth - I love this adaptation, and this beautiful doula also has a shiitake broth recipe for our veg mamas too.
A great ready-made option for a quick nutrient injection is the range of bone broths from Nutraorganics or the Body Glue from Gevity RX. Perfect for a postpartum gift basket!
Mains:
Thai Pumpkin Soup - Based on this recipe by Donna Hay, replace some of the water with coconut milk and serve with a squeeze of lime, coriander, fresh or dried chilli, and roti or fresh sourdough. This can be made with vege stock for vegan mamas and is great for the freezer or a jar in the fridge.
Chicken & Corn Soup - I love to replace the stock with bone broth or any kind, and the corn flour can be skipped for a gluten free soup.
Slow Cooked Beef Lasagne - I like to replace the stock with beef bone broth for extra nourishment. Can also be made Gluten Free and freezes well.
Family Friendly Fried Rice - a hit with the whole family, and super cheap to make. Great for using up any meat you have in the fridge, freezes well and can be made meat free and gluten free.
Slow Cooked Beef Ragu - a perfect meal to pop on in the morning when everyone is in a better mood. Great for the freezer, and can be served with mash, pasta or even made into a lasagne or shepherd's pie for a revamp! Can be made with Lamb and rosemary for a twist too.
Snacks:
Peanut Butter & Honey Rice Crispies from The First Forty Days - think healthy kids treats.
Zucchini Slice by Donna Hay - perfect for a quick 2nd brekkie!
Apple Cinnamon Crumble Muffins - great for the freezer and for mini muffins!
Chia Seed Pudding - serve in jars with fresh fruit and nuts on top, perfect for vegan mums too.
Some extra tips:
🌻 Serve frozen meals in small servings so that mums can defrost one at a time.
🌻Serve soup and broth in a mug, not a bowl, as it’s easy to drink while feeding.
🌻Bring along rice pouches for easy microwaving - it means you don’t have to cook rice and portions can easily be made one-handed.
🌻If you are in need of more Tupperware or baking dishes, the op shop if a great place to look - you can get some really cheap dishes that you then don’t have to worry about collecting if you don’t want to!
🌻 Sometimes mamas won’t be up for a visit at the exact time you are dropping a meal - please don’t be offended, you never know what that beautiful woman has been through in the last few days, and how her body is recovering. The best idea is to simply leave a meal outside in a freezer bag with some ice packs, and let mama know that it’s there for her.
🌻 If you want to be promoted to favourite friend, then go one extra and set up a Meal Train for mum! You can use a Whatsapp group, a shared Google Sheets page or the free Meal Train website to get one going.
Don’t Have Time to Cook?
Then your best option is to organise a food service for at least the first couple of weeks postpartum. Most cities will have their own services - just search “Postpartum Meal Delivery in {your town}”.
Here in Perth we have a couple I always recommend -
The Baby Days - specifically formulated for postpartum nutritional needs, there is also 10% your first order when you subscribe to the newsletter!
The Postpartum Chef - beautiful mama Tara is a qualified chef and works with doulas all over Perth to nourish mums in their postpartum, as well as delivering to the Perth metro and surrounds.
Poppet’s Pantry - not specifically for postpartum but amazing hearty meals, this Nedlands based family business is nourishing mamas and their families all over Perth.
The Whole Bowl Co. - frozen meals delivered all over Australia specifically for postpartum, 10% off your first order when you subscribe to their newsletter too.
Feel free to download this information in an easy PDF right here to save on your phone!
I can’t wait to see what you make for yourself or a loved one during postpartum! Make sure you come say hi over on Facebook or Instagram!!!
Sending so much love!
