In my book I devote a few chapters to what happens when you bring your baby home and what is known as the fourth trimester. It is extremely important for mums to look after themselves after having a baby. Most women are aware of a higher need for nutrients throughout pregnancy, but your body needs to recover from the birth and cope with a new-born. So remember to look after your dietary needs.
First, your body needs to replenish the nutrients that were transferred to your baby during pregnancy.
Second, you need a lot of nutrients to recover the energy expended during birth and for healing after birth. You can imagine that someone who had a very long labor or a C-section (or both) may need even more nourishment than someone whose birth was relatively short and had no tearing or surgical wounds.
Third, if you are breastfeeding, your body has the huge task of making milk, something that is very “nutritionally expensive” in both total energy needs and nutrient needs.
All the dietary and lifestyle guidance provided throughout the book still applies once baby is born. Although partners may sometimes feel little left out once baby is home, their role becomes one of support — supporting the mum while breastfeeding, ensuring she has water on hand as hydration is extremely important, helping prepare nutritious meals. Remember, both parents are needed and are equally important although your roles may be different. For all of these reasons (and more), we’ve got to give more support to new mothers and ensure they are well-nourished during this challenging, sleep-deprived, all-consuming time of caring for a newborn.
As with all things, preparation is key. Justine Schofield has written an excellent book “Cook Ahead” which provides recipes and ideas on how you can do exactly that: cook ahead for when you bring baby home. Widely available from Amazon to Big W and Target stores.
