Confinement period rules and postpartum diet restrictions are common in India. More than giving birth, what intimidates new moms are these restrictions to follow. The rules and the diet plan during this period are important as it not only helps the mother to recover quickly but also to increase the supply of her breast milk by following the diet including the Indian foods to eat after delivery.
Eating healthy during and after pregnancy is important for both the mother and the child. Your body’s healing after doing a tremendous job. Hence you need to rest and restore all those lost energies. It is believed that after delivery the woman’s appetite increases to a large extent especially if she is breastfeeding. The postnatal period is considered to be very important, thus there are certain precautions & ways to be followed during first 40 days after the delivery.
According to our panel gynaecologist Dr Ankita Patel Tayal, healthy fats and nutrients improve the quality of breast milk, whereas unhealthy fats found in fast food, etc., has proven to affect the nourishment that breast milk provides to the baby. Hence, eating healthy keeps your baby healthy. Here we suggest what to eat, snack, and drink during the confinement period to recover fast and make a good supply of milk.
15 Indian Foods To Eat After Delivery
A postpartum diet is strictly followed in India owing to the benefits we receive out of it. If you are wondering what to eat after normal delivery/after the C section, you have a plethora of options in Indian foods. A postnatal diet is as important as your pregnancy meal. The nutrients you consume are what are transferred to the baby in the form of breastmilk. Therefore, whatever you eat during the postpartum should not only help you lose those extra pounds but also help you regain your strength and energy.
Knowing what right food to eat during this period is crucial for you and your baby. Since the physical and emotional changes that the woman undergoes during pregnancy play havoc, she requires a lot of time to come back to normal after delivery. It may take months or more to recover for which new moms need to have sufficient rest. Their post-pregnancy diet must be nutritious as what they eat matters for their recovery. That is the main reason many elders prefer giving Indian foods to eat after delivery.
Related Reading: 15 Easy Tips To Lose Weight After Delivery
Let us discuss the must-have Indian foods by the new moms that are high in all nutrients.
1. Green leafy vegetables
The chances of developing anemia are much higher in the postpartum phase due to the excessive bleeding during delivery. Hence, new moms must ensure that there is a lot of iron in their post-pregnancy diet. You could be prone to deficiency if the iron intake is less in comparison to the recommended amount.
Spinach is one of the top recommended Indian foods to eat after delivery due to its health benefits. The vitamin C in this, helps the body to improve iron absorption which is most needed post-delivery. It is also a rich source of vitamin C and antioxidants.
2. High protein food
Consuming protein rich foods after delivery is important to support post-pregnancy recovery and to ensure a good supply of breastmilk. Foods such as meat and eggs are a good source of protein which helps in ensuring the mother’s speedy recovery. Adding Dalia after delivery is one way to increase your protein intake.
Related Reading: 21 Breastfeeding Tips For First Time Mothers
3. Moringa leaves
Moringa leaves are a must in the list of Indian foods to eat after delivery due to their richness in vitamin A, vitamin B, and vitamin C and other nutrients such as calcium, iron, and protein. You can use Moringa powder or fresh Moringa leaves in your diet. Fresh Moringa leaves can be used in soups, Sabzis, or Rotis. You can also include them in potatoes, fried vegetables, etc to make your diet complete.
4. Whole sprouted grains
Grains have always been an integral part of the Indian diet. More than the dried form, the sprouted grains carry much nutrition which is very healthy for the new mom. Sprouted grains such as wheat, Bajra, Jowar, and Ragi are a few recommended Indian foods to eat after delivery owing to their health benefits.
You can use the sprouted grain parts with the dry form of grains to make porridge and consume it in the morning for breakfast. This is a healthy option for the new mother and the child as the nutrition of the mother is passed to the child through breast milk.
5. Bottle gourd
Bottle gourd comes with a plethora of health benefits such as keeping yourself hydrated, helping you to lose weight, and improving the supply of milk. Bottle gourd is a rich source of vitamin C, vitamin A, sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, folate, and iron. Also, it comes with 95% of water content which helps to keep you hydrated.
You can consume bottle guards as a normal Sabzi like how you prepare other vegetables. In case you are a person with a sweet tooth, you can make the Doodhi Halwa which is quite popular. Adding almonds to the dish will enhance its nutritional value.
6. Garlic
Garlic is a common ingredient in the kitchen. Garlic during pregnancy has a number of benefits and is also recommended after delivery. Owing to its health benefits such as treating digestion issues and increasing the supply of breastmilk, garlic plays a vital role in improving a new mom’s health. It also is efficient in enhancing the immune system.
Adding garlic to your dishes is a healthy choice you can make. You can add them as a part of your normal vegetables, soups, or chutneys. Or, you may also consume garlic milk which has the capability of boosting your milk supply.
7. Fenugreek seeds
Fenugreek seed is an ingredient that has its mandatory place in Indian foods to eat after delivery. The leaves and the seeds of fenugreek are used in multiple ways to gain the maximum nutritional supplement. It acts as an energizer to the new mom thereby increasing her milk supply.
You can add fenugreek seeds to Panjeeri and Ladoo to make it healthy. Alternatively, you can use the sprouted form in Sabzis and your normal vegetables. You could also sauté the sprouts with some garlic, tomato, and onion and consume them as a snack.
8. Cumin seeds
This is a common Indian spice that is included in almost all dishes to enhance the taste and to make it healthy. Right from solving your appetite issues to keeping a healthy gut, the benefits of cumin are endless. Cumin also contains antioxidants, calcium, and iron which act as an energizer helping you regain your lost energy.
You can add cumin seeds to your everyday cooking or drink a glass of cumin water (powdered cumin seeds mixed with lukewarm water). This helps to improve your immunity and increase breastmilk supply.
9. Sesame seeds
Sesame seeds are small flat seeds that are high in iron, copper, magnesium, and phosphorus. They are a part of the Indian foods to eat after delivery due to their ability to replenish the body with essential minerals and regulate bowel movements. There are many dishes that you can incorporate into your food such as Ladoo, and Chikki. You can also fry sesame seeds with urad dhal and salt and powder them. Use the powder by mixing it with rice or by using it as a side dish for Idli or Dosa.
Related Reading: Can Sesame Seeds During Pregnancy Cause Miscarriage? Know Here
10. Finger millet (Ragi)
Ragi or finger millet is a powerhouse of nutrients. There are amazing health benefits of eating Ragi during pregnancy. Ragi gives you the required strength to get back to normalcy after delivery. It is a rich source of calcium, iron, and magnesium. For moms who are lactose intolerant, adding ragi to their diet is recommended.
Eating finger millet will help to meet your body’s requirements and is a great alternative in case you are allergic to dairy products. You can make Dosa, Idli, and Chapati with the help of Ragi which will be a healthy alternative to your normal diet.
11. Almonds
Nuts like almonds provide you with the required nutrition that is needed by the body to cope. They are rich in protein, iron, calcium, zinc, and vitamins K, B, and E. All these nutrients are crucial to help boost body functionality.
Almonds are also lactogenic. This means they help in improving the supply of your breast milk. They also make a wholesome healthy snack that you can have in between meals. You can also have a glass of almond milk every day to reap its benefits.
12. Dates
As a quick and healthy snack, dates provide us with a lot of health benefits right from improving the blood count to reducing the amount of blood loss and hemorrhaging after delivery. They are packed with natural sugars which help provide instant energy. Also, the polyphenols compounds help to improve digestion and brain functions.
13. Carom seeds
Carom seeds being a part of Indian foods to eat after delivery helps to increase the production of milk supply in women. Also, it contains anesthetic properties that help to tackle back pain in women which is a common problem after delivery. It also helps in the digestion process and is useful to reduce weight after delivery.
You can drink a glass of carrom/Ajwain water daily to get the benefits of it.
Related Reading: 12 Precautions To Take After Normal Delivery
14. Turmeric
Turmeric during pregnancy is a both yes & no. But as a natural healer of wounds, the properties of turmeric are endless and it can be easily included as a part of your postnatal diet. Turmeric acts as a pain reliever and increases milk supply. Its health benefits include anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-depressant qualities which are helpful for new moms in many ways.
You can add half a teaspoon of turmeric to your everyday cooking or drink a glass of turmeric milk daily during your postnatal diet.
15. Eggs
Eggs are an ideal inclusion to your postnatal diet as they are a great source of protein and contain a wide range of nutrients which is vital for you and your baby. A plethora of nutrients such as vitamins A, D, E, and K, folate, B12, choline, and omega-3 fats is found in egg yolk. Eggs are believed to be a rich source of nine amino acids that help you regain strength and can give your immunity a boost.
Since eggs are a versatile food, you can include them in many different ways as a part of your postpartum diet.
Last but not the least, Dr Ankita Patel Tayal, MD OBGYN, recommends new mothers to consume various citrus fruits (lemon, orange, grapefruit), to improve their immune system. Citrus fruits include vitamin C, which aids in iron absorption. Combining them with iron-rich foods helps the absorption of vitamin C easier, thus benefitting the body. Iron will also assist in boosting the mother’s haemoglobin levels, preventing iron-deficiency anaemia.
Conclusion
The pregnancy and breastfeeding stages of a woman’s life are crucial where she needs to gain all those lost energy and nutrients. The new mom needs to regain all her lost strength and energy to meet the endless demands of her newborn. To be able to do this, the new mom must have a diet that is nutritious as it supports the process of recovery after carrying the child for months and going into labor.
The confinement period is the best time to supplement the body with hormone regulating and health-promoting nutrition which can be obtained from Indian foods to eat after delivery. Since your body needs immediate refueling in terms of nutrition, it is necessary to opt for wholesome meals and get the benefits of whole nutrients with feeling satiated.