Healing foods for new mums'.

Food.

We know food is a basic human need. We don’t always give ourselves the best source of it but like water and breathing it’s a must-have.

When we are thinking about new mums though, food, and more importantly, nourishing foods is one of the core postnatal pillars. A phrase coined by Kimberly Ann Johnson, author of the book, THE FOURTH TRIMESTER.

Why?

Because food is healing and when we have gone through pregnancy and childbirth and now in recovery, certain types of foods can make our recovery shorter and smoother.

Thinking back to my first son – even before I knew what a doula was, let alone healing foods - I lived on toast, sandwiches and the odd chocolate biscuit because it was quick and something thing I could shove in in the short gaps of time between feeding, naps and everything else going on in those early days as a first-time mum.

In some cultures, its encouraged to have a rest period – we are talking 40 days - so you can bond with your baby and have time to rest and recover. In that time, the women folk in your family network would prepare healing soups, nourishing broths, energy-rich snacks, cleansing lunches, lactating teas.

Now I get the concept of resting for 40 days is not something that is widely adopted in the western world – more of a superwoman-can-do-it-all type approach but even with the lack of the 40 days rest we can course still learn, prepare and consume the foods that are especially good in the time after giving birth.

There is a fantastic book called THE FIRST FORTY DAYS which is a great resource for what foods and why.

I have put up on my FB page a recipe idea for a broth – warm foods are better for the digestion postnatally, so there is a chicken broth idea and an energy ball recipe (pic above)

These are so quick to do and good for all the family.

Find them on FB @4thtrimesterspecialist (copy and paste that address)

I personally have been working with a fantastic Nutritional Therapist, Sandrine Olmi. Sandrine does a lot of work with new mums and what the foods to eat.

This is absolutely her zone of genius!

There are food groups that can help and heal for areas such as:

· Better sleep

· Brain fog

· Energy

· Destress

· Healing ailments

· Essential postnatal nutrients

· Milk production

You don’t have to be an expert in food and nutrition to know what to buy and prepare. Trust me if I can prepare these foods, anyone can!

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Sandrine will be the guest nutritional expert for my new online fourth trimester program and we are super excited for her to share her love and knowledge of healing foods for new mums'.

The program is called the confident new mum program and details can be found @aprilknell.com