5 Powerful Ways to Boost Your Energy with Postpartum Nutrition
If there’s one thing new moms most often need, it’s more energy. (And sure more sleep would surely help with that but we know how that usually goes in this season).
Yet even beyond lack of sleep, new moms are up against a lot of energy drainers- like the fact that our bodies are healing physically (which is a nutrient-demanding process) and our hormones are all out of whack for a while. Oh and of course, there’s the stress of it all, which is easily overlooked as one of the biggest suckers of energy, especially postpartum!
Challenges for New Moms
On top of it all, it’s also common for new moms to not be nourishing their bodies as deeply as needed to support their energy- whether that’s due to lack of time to prep or eat food, lack of support to make it happen, or lack of the right nutrition information and too much pressure to “bounce back” (insert eye roll here). For a comprehensive guide to helping you understand what's going on in your body in the immediate postpartum period and what it needs for optimal healing, recovery, and replenishment, check out The Root & Branch Guide to a Nourished Fourth Trimester.
Improving Energy Through Nutrition
And so besides the things depleting our energy as new moms, we also need to look at what may be getting in the way of our ability to make more- including potential under-eating, blood sugar swings, dehydration, and nutrient insufficiencies which can all be supported and improved through nutrition!
Food is such an amazing postpartum recovery tool overall and actually one that can truly help to improve energy levels for new moms- whether that’s increasing energy overall or even supporting more even energy without drastic dips that can leave us feeling totally exhausted.
So besides doing whatever is possible to get more restorative rest and sleep, you can actually make some simple but super powerful nutrition shifts to improve your energy- so that you’ve got enough to care for your new baby as well as yourself and feel good doing it.
Here are 5 simple but impactful tips for improving your energy with food:
Eat Breakfast When You Wake Up
Mornings as a new mom can be a whirlwind- change the baby, feed the baby, dress the baby, play with the baby. Usually, grabbing coffee is somewhere in there too and if you’re lucky, drinking it while it’s hot.
But one of the most impactful shifts you can make to radically improve your energy throughout the whole day is eating at the start of it. Ideally, this means breakfast within the first hour of waking.
Getting fuel into your system ASAP (and before you drink coffee especially) is crucial. It prevents your blood sugar from taking a nosedive and your stress hormones from ramping up as a result, which will make you feel more tired, but even more anxious and jittery.
What if you’re waking up a lot during the night? It can actually be helpful to grab a snack or two during the night, too- especially if you’re nursing or pumping and/or having trouble falling back asleep.
Postpartum Breakfast Ideas
Scrambled eggs with bacon and roasted potatoes
Avocado toast topped with eggs
Oatmeal with strawberries and cinnamon and chicken sausage on the side
A smoothie made with collagen or whey protein powder, banana, and milk of your choice
Banana pancakes- blend eggs, banana, and cassava flour and cook in butter or coconut oil
Have a Balanced Meal or Snack Every Few Hours
Breaking your fast with nourishment and fuel to support healthy blood sugar and happy hormones is important, but continuing that is key for ensuring you have lasting, stable energy through the day.
Going too long without eating can send you on a blood sugar roller coaster, directly impacting your energy as well as your mood, brain function, and more.Eating regularly is important for all women but is particularly crucial postpartum because when we’re stressed and depleted, our resilience is low. It’s not uncommon to have a tendency for low blood sugar, so a great way to support this is by preventing it from happening.
Postpartum Meal Timing
What to do: Balance meals and snacks with at least protein and carbs and eat one every few hours. Most women do well around every 3 hours, but some may need more frequent fuel- especially earlier postpartum
Timing meals more frequently also helps ensure you’re not under-eating overall because it gives you more opportunities for nourishment. Postpartum is also a nutrient-demanding time especially when you’re healing and if you’re breastfeeding! Remember that our bodies make energy from the food we eat- we can’t run on fumes!
Easy Postpartum Snacks
Yogurt with blueberries and honey
Cottage cheese with pineapple
Beef jerky with an apple
Plantain chips with wild smoked oysters and hot sauce
Dates stuffed with goat cheese
Incorporate Nutrient-Dense Powerhouse Foods Into Your Diet
Did you know that each pregnancy takes around 10% of a woman's mineral stores? Plus, other nutrients commonly get depleted during this time, so replenishing levels in your body can help you not only be more energized, but stronger and more resilient overall.
Overall, prioritizing minimally-processed whole foods as best as possible helps you get more nutrients in, and a focus on foods that are easier to digest ensures you can absorb them better (i.e. slow-cooked meats, roasted veggies, soups, stews, etc.). But some extra nutrient-packed foods to include in your diet postpartum are:
Pastured/grass-fed meats and poultry (beef, chicken, eggs, butter etc.)
Grass-fed/organic dairy (raw if you have access)
Grass-fed beef liver
Bone broth
Wild fish and shellfish (sardines, oysters, etc.)
Sea vegetables (kelp, nori, etc.)
Colorful fruits of all kinds
Raw cacao/dark chocolate
Coconut water
Root vegetables (potatoes, yams, carrots, etc.)
Winter squashes (butternut, acorn, pumpkin, etc.)
Include Some Sugar in Your Diet
Wait, what? This may go against everything you’ve been taught about nutrition but the truth is, not all sugar is “bad” nor problematic for our health. Naturally-occurring sugars actually support our bodies and help to fuel and energize us! Plus, they are also rich in micronutrients- including the ones we need to handle sugar. Mother nature is smart!
Natural Sugar Sources
Fruits of all kinds
Honey (raw and/or local if you can)
Coconut sugar
Pure maple syrup
Blackstrap molasses
Add Minerals to Your Water
You probably know how important it is to drink enough water, but it’s less commonly known that you can actually overhydrate. This is especially common when you drink plain water and also when your body is low in minerals.
One great way to help you hydrate more efficiently is to add minerals to the water you drink- specifically, electrolytes. These are a class of minerals that conduct electricity when dissolved in water. They are responsible for directing water where it needs to be in the body and help to maintain proper fluid balance.
Electrolyte Benefits
Electrolyte minerals like sodium, potassium, and chloride have a lot of essential functions in the body, especially when it comes to energy production. They also support the adrenal glands, which are the body’s main stress-handling organ.
Now, you’ll get plenty of electrolytes from different foods- especially the ones highlighted in this article, but by adding some to your water, you can support hydration specifically, which can help a ton with your energy- both in the short-term and long-term! Click here to grab my comprehensive ebook teaching you everything you need to know about minerals + why replenishing and rebalancing yours is the key to vibrant energy, balanced hormones, improved mood, and more
Electrolyte-Rich Drinks
A very simple way to add some electrolytes to water is adding a pinch or two of sea salt- like Himalayan or Celtic salt- to each glass you drink. You can also include other mineral-rich drinks like bone broth, coconut water, and what’s called the “adrenal cocktail”- a blend of whole-food-based vitamin C, potassium, and sodium! Here’s a post where you can learn more about this delicious drink and how to make it!
Tips for Making It All Happen
Okay so now, let’s talk about reality- because you’ve got the information you need, but how the heck do you implement it in a time where you’re overwhelmed and tired?
Postpartum Meal Prep Tips and Support
Prep What You Can Ahead of Time
If you can, cook some freezer meals before the baby arrives so that you have stuff ready for postpartum. And if you didn’t get that chance, batch cooking certain things like oats, roasted veggies, grilled meats, hard boiled eggs, and making one-pot/pan meals like soups and chilis can be simple and quick!
Rely on Help From Others
It truly takes a village to support a new mom, and that’s especially true when it comes to nourishment. Ask for assistance with food shopping and cooking from loved ones. Take up offers for food. And when someone asks how they can help, give them ideas for specific meals you like!
Prioritize Consistency Over Perfection
This isn’t the time to stress about food or go on a diet. It’s the time to eat food that nourishes you physically and emotionally!
Eat While the Baby Sleeps
Sure, sleep if you can. But, eat first! Your needs matter, too and meeting them helps you better take care of your little one.
Final Thoughts on Boosting Your Energy with Postpartum Nutrition
Maintaining proper nutrition postpartum is essential for energy, recovery, and overall well-being. By incorporating healthy snacks, balanced meals, and effective meal prep strategies, new moms can support their bodies through this demanding time.
If you’re looking for extra support during this stage in your life, you’ll want to check out The Nourished Moms Village. This online community is perfect for moms who know that making themselves a top priority isn’t “selfish” but necessary and want to live a nourished life in motherhood! This place is for you if you know caring for your health and happiness is way easier when you have guidance from a professional + accountability from other moms with similar challenges, goals, and visions. Join the village today!