Dear New Celebrity Mom—Here’s What You Should Be Eating Right Now
Dear New Celebrity Mom,
Congratulations! You just brought a tiny, adorable, already-famous, probably-better-dressed-than-99-percent-of-America human life into the world. This bundle of infant joy is going to be the talk of the town—or at least the talk of Us Weekly's Celebrity Moms ** page—so you want to take good care of the little sucker. (Also, it's your baby, you really should take care of it anyway.) That means feeding it, and by proxy yourself, very well. Lucky for you, we're here to tell you how to do just that.
We spoke with nutritionist Marissa Lippert, of Nourish Kitchen + Table, about the post-pregnancy diet and what every new mom should know about eating and drinking after giving birth—from nutrient-boosting ingredients to great new-mom snacks to tricks for getting the breast milk to come in. Click through for 11 great tips and recipes.
1/11Stay Well-Fed and Hydrated
First of all, remember to eat—period.
Obvious? Yes. Irrelevant? No. According to Lippert, a lot of new mothers are so preoccupied with tending to the needs of their newborns that they neglect their own nutritional well-being.
"Often the biggest downfall of new moms is that they get so wrapped up in taking care of the child that they forget to take care of themselves," she said. "They're sleep-deprived; they’re exhausted; they haven't showered in five days; they're concerned about feeding the baby—which of course is a major concern. But if you don't feed yourself, at some point you won't be able to generate milk as well. Not to mention the fact that, after giving birth, your body is physically exhausted. Eating and staying hydrated is really important. So, from an energy standpoint: Eat!"
As with pregnancy, however, there are a few foods you should avoid: Steer clear of fish that are high in mercury, like tuna, swordfish, and mackerel, and don't drink too much caffeine or alcohol (more on that in a minute).
2/11Stock Up on Food—Specifically, Food You Can Eat With One Hand
As the mother of an infant, you won't likely have the time or energy to prepare yourself lavish three-course lunches (see previous slide). When you do have a burst of energy, capitalize on it by stocking up on and preparing meals and snacks for later.
For a healthy and satisfying snack you can eat while holding the baby, Lippert recommends a banana with almond butter, half an avocado with lemon, olive oil, and Aleppo pepper, a hard-boiled egg with sea salt, or a fruit/nut granola bar like this cherry-almond concoction. For more substantive meals, it's a good idea to make big batches of food you can munch on throughout the week (Lippert recommends one-pot meals), like a lentil and vegetable stew with kale, or the Country Captain with Cauliflower and Peas.
What about when you're exhausted, holding a baby, and looking for a quick, satisfying meal that you don't have to prepare, you ask? Make and freeze a big batch of burritos—like this mushroom and black bean version—and preheat one when you need a pick-me-up.
3/11Don't Neglect Your Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and veggies make great snacks but—more important—they're also excellent sources of fibers, vitamins, and minerals. Take a break from your standard crudités with a blood orange, beet, and fennel salad, or whip up a few servings of parsley kale and berry or fruit smoothies in the morning to last you through the day.
"I encourage everyone, regardless of their pregnancy status, to get some sort of fruit and vegetable in at every meal, in some way shape or form. That does not change when you’ve given birth," said Lippert. "In fact, it’s that much more important for new moms to eat fruits and vegetables because they’re loaded with vitamins and minerals, and you want to pass those on through your breast milk."
Peden + Munk4/11Load Up on Omega-3s and Healthy Fats
For a meal that'll sate your hunger and (if you're nursing) ** improve your kid's brain development, munch on something that's packed with healthy Omega-3 fats. "Omega-3s and healthy fats are really important in the overall development of the child—particularly brain development—during pregnancy as well as breast feeding," said Lippert. "So try to incorporate foods like avocado, wild salmon, olive oil, and nut butters into your diet. They're important developmentally, but they’re also satisfying."
Need recipe inspiration? Try our grilled side of wild salmon, a poached wild salmon with peas and morels, or one of these 23 awesome avocado recipes.
Peden + Munk5/11Up Your Iron Intake
Tired, cranky, and low on energy? Congratulations, you're a parent! Reward yourself with some...high-iron food items. Think lean protein, like grass-fed steak (this recipe for grass-fed steaks with kalamata-olive chimichurri will satisfy your iron and Omega-3 requirements) or free-range chicken. If you're a vegetarian, try a recipe involving cooked soybeans, quinoa, white beans, or cooked spinach. We love the skillet bruschetta with beans and greens, kale and white bean soup, and a simple, spicy sautéed spinach. (You may also want to talk to your doctor about taking a supplement.)
"When you've got a newborn, you’re bound to be using up a lot of energy," said Lippert. "Iron helps promote red blood cell growth, which leads to increased energy levels. If you’re just playing catch-as-catch-can with your meals, and you’re eating whatever random foods, that may not be as satisfying. You’re going to be exhausted."
Copyright Cedric Angeles6/11Eat Your Fiber!
If you've just brought a child into the world, we don't need to tell you that, upon giving birth, some weird crap is going on with your body. Eating healthy helps it recalibrate. "Digestion can get a little thrown off with new moms after giving birth because their systems are out of whack," said Lippert. "So new moms should make sure they have enough water and fiber—which they’ll get from fruits and vegetables, and from whole grains like quinoa, whole wheat pasta, or beans and barley." For a great high-fiber dish, try an asparagus and red quinoa salad, or beans with kale and Portuguese sausage.
Gentl & Hyers7/11Don't Forget the Folic Acid
For pregnant women, it's critical to get a ton of folic acid, a B vitamin that helps women's bodies produce healthy new cells and can reduce the risk of spina bifida. According to Lippert, you want to maintain a healthy folic acid intake even after birth. That means eating lots of grains, whole-wheat pasta (we recommend this whole wheat orecchiette with bitter greens and radishes), something lentil-heavy like a hearty kale-lentil soup, and dark leafy greens such as kale, spinach, broccoli, broccoli rabe, or asparagus. (Try our ricotta gnocchi with asparagus, peas, and morels to satisfy this last requirement.)____
8/11Beer (and Water) Will Help with Milk Production
For new moms planning on breastfeeding, milk production can be a major concern, because not every woman produces milk easily. Not to worry—there are a few liquids that can help generate it. One is water. And one is beer.
That's right: According to a 2013 study in Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, polysaccharides in barley—the main building blocks of beer—stimulates prolactin, which encourages milk production. Check out this slideshow detailing some of our favorite milk stouts.
As for other breast milk generators? According to some old wives' tales, there are a few spices and seeds—including fennel seeds (which also allegedly prevents colic), cumin seeds, garlic, black sesame seeds, and lentils— that may do the trick. If you feel like experimenting with one of these methods, try this pan-seared pork tenderloin with rhubarb compote (and fennel seeds), or use this chipotle rub, which includes fennel and cumin seeds.
<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/elvissa/" target="_blank">Flickr: elvissa</a>9/11Be Sensitive to Your Baby's Breast Milk Preferences (Seriously)
We're not saying you should entirely cater to the whims of an uncommunicative infant, but it turns out your kid can be allergic to foods. "Certain foods will come out in the breast milk," said Lippert. "You'll hear circumstances where a new mom can’t have cow’s milk cheese or something because the baby will get diarrhea, or a rash, or it’s not well-suited to a particular ingredient or food. It’s actually pretty common." If your kid's acting fussy about something you've been eating a lot of, consult your pediatrician.
Jamie Chung10/11Moderate Your Alcohol Intake
Okay, we know we just told you to drink beer to help milk production—but if you're breastfeeding, be careful not to drink too much. There's much debate over how long you should wait to breastfeed after drinking, but Lippert recommends a cautious—though not totally ascetic—approach.
"I do love a good glass of wine, and I would imagine after 10 months of pregnancy that I would want one on occasion," she said. "Just be smart about it: Don't pour a full glass, and don’t breastfeed immediately after drinking. Wait a while and if you’re really concerned, pump and dump. Balance is the key."
Ditte Isager11/11Don't Crash Diet
We at Bon Appétit don't endorse crash diets under any circumstances (duh), but when you're a new mom, they can be dangerous—and unnecessary. Breastfeeding burns 500 extra calories a day, according to Lippert, and that's not including all the various additional forms of exertion—pacing, lifting, diaper-changing, burping, etc.—in which you'll surely be partaking over the <del>rest of your life</del> next several months.
"You have to be really careful about dieting. If you're breastfeeding and eating well, the weight is naturally going to come off," said Lippert. "If you can squeeze in a workout or two a week, even better. But if you go on some extreme diet and undercut your calories too much, it’s going to impact your milk supply. Be thoughtful."
