New mothers, make sure to have these 5 foods after delivery for yourself and the baby

According to Akanksha J Sharda, a dietitician, "These vegetarian Indian foods contain all the nutrients that a mother and her baby require."

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New mothers, make sure to have these 5 foods after delivery for yourself and the baby

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The period after delivery can be quite demanding for new mothers, both emotionally and physically. This is why it is of utmost importance that a new mother’s focus is on having a good, nutritive diet that will ensure her postpartum journey is a healthy one.

Agreed Dr Sushma Tomar, consultant – obstetrician and gynecologist, Fortis Hospital, Kalyan, and added that lactating and new mothers require sufficient nutrients and energy to recover from the birthing process and, at the same time, provide their babies with milk that is rich and nourishing.

She further said that new mothers’ “post-delivery calorie requirements increase substantially compared to their pregnancy period”. “Since newborn babies depend entirely on their mother’s milk for the first six months of their birth, a good diet is essential for their well-being and health,” Dr Tomar told indianexpress.com.

Sharing some foods that are a must-have for new moms, dietitian Akanksha J Sharda took to Instagram and wrote: “If you are a new mother or know one, then these five Indian foods are the best to eat after delivery.”

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A post shared by Dietitian Akanksha (@_healthonmyplate)

Almonds

Almonds are essential, given the large amount of nutrients and vitamins they contain.

How to include them: Soak a few almonds overnight in water, and have them first thing in the morning after waking up.

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Bottle gourd

From hydrating the body to enhancing the production of milk for feeding and weight loss, the array of benefits of the bottle gourd are endless.

How to include them: Making standard fried vegetable out of it is the easiest way but if you have a sweet tooth then you can make doodhi halwa, too.

Cumin seeds

From improving the digestive system, immune system, to blood circulation, cumin seeds are a rich source of antioxidants, calcium, and iron.

How to include them: Have a spoonful of powdered cumin seeds with some jaggery and milk.

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Panjeeri

Panjeeri is a nutritional supplement that has healthy constituents that help improve a new mother’s metabolism and aid in weight control. Most importantly, it increases breast milk.

How to include it: You can have panjeeri in its usual form like halwa, or even laddoos.

Carom seeds

Popularly known as ajwain, it can make help in resolving gas and indigestion problems in new mothers. It is equally good for lactating mothers.

How to include them: Add two spoons of ajwain in water and boil. Once boiled, strain and drink the water.

“These vegetarian Indian foods contain all the nutrients that a mother and her baby require,” she mentioned.

Dr Tomar also mentioned that milk, curd, cheese, and paneer are “highly essential for the health and development of both the new mother and baby, so these should be added to the diet”.

Apart from this, Dr Tomar highlighted that “a wide variety of green vegetables, sweet potatoes and other items” can be consumed with rice or chapatti. “In non-vegetarian items, you can add eggs, chicken, and fish to mealtimes. At all times, focus on meals that provide adequate protein and energy,” she added.

What to avoid?

According to Dr Tomar, one such “avoid alcohol, coffee, and spicy food as these can irritate the digestive system”.

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