4 Tips for Nourishing the New Mama
When you’re a new Mom it goes without saying that you are short on time. The first few months with your babe are truly the newborn vortex - and by all means, please stay in that delicious bubble as long as possible! But what that means is, most of your time is spent taking care of the baby, starring at the baby, and if you find yourself with a few minutes you're probably still talking about the baby. In those rare spare moments you grab a shower, or stuff anything edible into your mouth because maybe you're breastfeeding...read: STARVING... or you're exhausted...which also makes you STARVING...or both. Don't worry, this is totally normal. And for me, the hunger level way WAY more intense in those first few months postpartum then it was during my pregnancy.
Oh, and, if you’re nursing... just multiply your lack time by 10 and your hungry by (this is not official math it’s DeAnna math - haha). And in this case, you’re sustaining two WHOLE humans and need even extra nourishment.
Bottom line: you need GOOD nourishment as a new mama, and A LOT of it.
I struggled with this in those early days, tremendously. Me...food lover, clean eating advocate, self-proclaimed self-care ambassador...had a hard time making myself a priority after giving birth to my daughter in March of 2017, had a hard time making time to feed myself with nutritious energy-rich foods. My priorities had quickly shifted to my baby and what I would have done differently in hindsight is also make sure I was set-up as a priority too.
I promised y'all I would ALWAYS be real with you, didn't I?
Today I compiled some tips that have helped me regain some balance when it comes to nourishment. Let me caveat by saying this is a constant effort and balancing act -- it requires help from others, so don't be afraid to ask for it. This is not a perfect science every week but I’ve acquired some habits that have helped my family tremendously. Now that Emerson is eating solids, these tips are even more vital because now she’s eating all the real, whole, fresh foods too.
Keep healthy foods on hand. Having a bowl of fresh fruit (washed and dried in advance) in the center of our table makes it very easy to grab a piece of fruit on the way out the door. I love Justin's Nut Butter packets for a quick hit of protein with a piece of fruit.
Easy to grab snacks. After you have kids do you really ever have two hands to yourself again? Kidding! But really having easy one-handed snacks is essential for the new mama. Some of my favorites are baked oatmeal squares, pumpkin walnut muffins, GoMacro Bars. I always throw a bar in the diaper bag too because you just never know when hunger will strike and ain’t nobody got time for a low blood sugar attack. You also want to keep your calorie intake steady to make enough milk if you’re nursing.
Get your groceries delivered. My days of long trips to the grocery store carefully picking items has been set aside to make the most of these precious days with Emmy. Sites like InstaCart, Thrive Market, Vitacost and FreshDirect are VITAL for keeping your refrigerator stocked. I love that InstaCart saved my previously ordered items which saves time searching for my regular items. Plus their app makes it even more convenient.
Two words: MEAL PREP. At the very least take one day a week and set aside 1-3 hours to meal prep. I always bulk prep a GRAIN (brown rice, quinoa..), a GREEN (kale, a big green salad, cut veggies) and a BEAN (lentils, garbanzo or black beans). When i remember I’ll boil a dozen eggs which is a great addition to grab and go healthy snacks. With these items in my refrigerator I can throw together meals and snacks very quickly.
My last tip would be to be flexible. This “New Mom” phase is so short and I chose to prioritize time with my daughter over hours in the kitchen — so asking for HELP is the key here from your partner, friends or family. Everyone will ask you “do you need anything?” SAY YES MAMA to meals, help in the kitchen or folding some laundry — use your village. Now that Emmy is eating solids I like to sit her in her high chair while I meal prep and include her in the process. She loves it and soon she’ll be in the kitchen with me!