New Moms: Caring for Yourself During Postpartum

You’ve just had a baby. Congratulations, mom! You’ve accomplished something beautiful! At Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH), we want to celebrate and support you during your postpartum and new parenting journey.

We know balancing new mom duties while managing your self-care can be challenging. Although you have a new baby to care for, it’s as important as ever to take the best care of yourself too, including your nutrition and your mental health.

Here are some helpful tips to help you feel your best as you navigate your new life as a new mom.

Nutrition for New Moms

Nutrition is a tool you can use to help you feel happy, strong and confident in your own skin as a new mom.

• Try adding color! Adding a variety of fruits and vegetables to your diet helps prevent or manage chronic diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease.
• Getting enough protein from foods like beans, lean meats, milk and eggs will help your body maintain your strength and immune system. Iodine and choline, which are commonly low in new moms and can help to support brain health, can be found in these foods as well.
• Carbohydrates are fuel: Give yourself enough energy to tackle those new mom responsibilities by eating foods such as whole grain bread, brown rice and oatmeal.
• Don’t forget to drink water. You will need plenty of fluid to maintain your breastmilk supply. Aim for at least 64 oz. per day or as directed by your doctor.
• For moms who breastfeed, it is important to know what your body needs to produce milk for your baby. It is a good idea to eat an additional 500 calories every day in the first six months and 400 calories per day in the second six months!
• Minimizing mercury-containing fish like Swordfish, Shark, King Mackerel and Tilefish is a good idea. By minimizing these fish, you can protect the vision and hearing of both you and your baby!

A Note on Mental Health

New moms may experience postpartum depression (PPD). PPD is a form of depression that occurs after childbirth and affects more than 3 million moms every year.

If you are struggling with PPD, you may experience:

• Loss of appetite
• Loss of sleep
• Depressed mood
• Feeling anxious
• Irritability
• Trouble bonding with your newborn

However, there are steps you can take to get back to feeling like yourself again:

• Speak with your doctor. The sooner they know what you’re experiencing, the sooner they can help.
• Your doctor may recommend psychotherapy and/or complementary treatments for depression.
• Your doctor might recommend eating foods high in a healthy fat, called omega 3, which you can get from eating foods such as salmon, walnuts and soybeans.
• Vitamin D supplementation might also be recommended by your doctor if you are deficient.

Self-Love Challenge

Here are some statements of self-love. Try speaking these affirmations out loud whenever you need a pick me up.

• I am amazing! I just grew life and brought it into the world!
• I am healing and will come out of this even stronger than before.
• I am nourishing my baby. Any way I choose to do so is perfect.
• I may not be perfect, but I am enough! For my child and for myself.
• Part of self-love is asking for help when I need it. I am worthy of help and support!

Remember, your health and well-being matter. Never hesitate to lean on your support system such as your family, friends, healthcare providers and the team at TMH, your hospital for life.

Good luck, mom, you got this!

For more information or if you have questions about nutrition for new moms, contact our pediatric and post-natal clinical dietitian, Jen Graham, at 850-431-2938.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2021. Diet considerations for breastfeeding mothers.. [online] Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/breastfeeding-special-circumstances/d….

Hogg-Kollars S, Mortimore D, Snow S. Nutrition health issues in self-reported postpartum depression. Gastroenterol Hepatol Bed Bench. 2011 Summer;4(3):120-36. PMID: 24834169; PMCID: PMC4017421.

Jardí C, Aparicio E, Bedmar C, Aranda N, Abajo S, March G, Basora J, Arija V, Study Group TE. Food Consumption during Pregnancy and Post-Partum. ECLIPSES Study. Nutrients. 2019 Oct 14;11(10):2447. doi: 10.3390/nu11102447. PMID: 31615024; PMCID: PMC6836140.

Leung, B. and Kaplan, B., 2021. Perinatal Depression: Prevalence, Risks, and the Nutrition Link—A Review of the Literature. [online] Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Available at: https://www.jandonline.org/article/S0002-8223(09)00768-8/fulltext

Liu, N., Mao, L., Sun, X. et al. The effect of health and nutrition education intervention on women's postpartum beliefs and practices: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Public Health 9, 45 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-9-45

Opie RS, Uldrich AC, Ball K. Maternal Postpartum Diet and Postpartum Depression: A Systematic Review. Matern Child Health J. 2020 Aug;24(8):966-978. doi: 10.1007/s10995-020-02949-9. PMID: 32367245.