Postnatal eating

[TWBK]

Hi, I would like to know what are the challenges mothers might face to have a healthy eating habits after giving birth? I know there are a lot of nutrition information for postnatal online but I feel like I need more realistic advices because I anticipate there are some circumstance for example lack of time, money, or energy to prepare food for ourself in that period.

thanks!

[BadHare Ambassador]

I bought some wholefood cookery books & started batch cooking which I still do decades later. It doesn't take much extra time to chop a bit more to prepare a second or third meal to eat later in the week, & it's nice to know there's something healthy ready to eat with little effort if you've been kept up all night.

Check out the layout of your supermarket & only go to the areas that

sell fresh or healthy food, & avoid the aisles with the junk.Buy wholfoods in bulk if you don't have a good shop nearby. If you can afford it, get organic foods.

Don't get into the habit of buying baby or toddler junk food. The wrappers are pretty, the contents aren't, & bad habits start early. Avoid adding salt to meals you cook, then your baby can safely eat these as well. Look out for a mini food blender for making tiny baby glop. I used to use an ice cube tray to freeze tiny portions. There are big ice cue trays & small/medium BPA free pots on sale for larger portions. Make wholesome but bland meals suitable for babies & toddlers, then if you need to, add stronger seasoning later for yourself.

Use positive bribery if necessary. My son went through a stage of eating anything as long as it had apple sauce, mashed banana, or yoghurt on top. Carob was a treat he happily ate until someone gave him a chocolate button at 3. Soups & stews are easy to blend for eating vegetables or for introducing lumpy foods, & blended beans & lentils seem to go down well. Stronger foods if you like them such as chilli & curry can be made bland with healthy avocado blended in, or full fat yoghurt. Smoothies are a good way to introduce fruit, though avoid adding juice as it's sugar with no benefits. Don't give your baby anything to drink aside from milk (preferably yours) & water. Don't give your baby toxic chemical sweeteners or processed food like margarine. Avoid food that's not natural, & the likes of peanut butter that's often fed to children as it has a high mould content.

Look up Jack Monroe's website & Cooking on a Bootstrap for cheap easy recipes.

Join a website like Mumsnet for swapping food & recipe ideas.