Food and recipes
Our guidelines are based on general yogic principles combined with universal traditional knowledge, scientific research and eco logic. The yogic lifestyle recommends a vegetarian diet. Each mother is different and each baby is different so find the adequate nutriment for your optimal digestion. Learn to observe your body and be aware that it takes around 2,5 days after birth before breast milk will be effected by your diet. The first 40 day postnatal period and breastfeeding times are not good moments to radically change your diet, because this has effects on the milk and baby’s feeding.
General guidelines:
- Try to eat a freshly prepared and warm meal at least twice a day. Try not to eat leftovers. Ask your family, neighboors and friends to cook for you, make a schedule so to have one freshly-cooked meal each day – read more here.
- Privilege easy to digest foods like soups, stews, rice, etc.
- Each meal should contain an ingredient rich in protein (if you are vegetarian think of tofu, almonds, almond paste, tahini, green leafy vegetables, tempeh, nuts, spirulina).
- Drink plenty of water and herbal tea.
- Have healthy snacks and drinks in between. Have them close to the bedside and breastfeeding chair at all times, even at night.
- Include Iron-rich ingredients: sautéed almonds, dark green vegetables every day, dried fruit (soaking before eating), carrots, date milk, tapioca, etc.
- Give preference to fresh, organic ingredients, and eat many root vegetables (carrots, potatoes, etc).
- Sweet herbs are good for digestion and breast milk production (Fennel, cardamom, dill, basil, ginger, cumin, aniseeds).
- Give preference to rice, beans, and legumes instead of wheat. Be aware of legumes quantities and acid-forming foods (tomatoes, pickles, dairy, citrus) you eat. Legumes may create too much gas for some types of persons*. However, since the combination of whole grains and legumes is a good protein provider, when you prepare legumes such as mung beans, chickpeas, aduki beans etc., add some kombu seaweed, dill seeds, cumin, fennel, cardamon, or coriander.
- Avoid usage of strong herbs (peppers, garlic, and raw onion) and citrus fruits.
- Avoid cabbage vegetables as they produce gas (Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli, etc.) and it can disturb the baby’s proper digestion.
- Avoid coffee and black tea; It will be absorbed in breast milk and can affect the nervous system. It also prevents iron from being absorbed in the blood. Vitamin C helps absorbing iron in the blood so, if you take iron supplements or iron-rich food, make sure you combine it with vitamin C.
- Avoid sage and parsley, as they can reduce milk production.
* Legumes tend to create air and gas in the intestines, especially for mothers who have – according to the Ayurvedic medicine – a prevalence of VATA, the air element. The mother might not respond or feel it but the baby’s digestion might react to it.
Would you like some lovely and healthy recipes for mums in the postpartum period? Check the Recipes Area by clicking on the button below.
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