A newborn is the most wonderful thing that can happen, but as a beautiful life with a baby is, as tiring is for the new mother. Usually, the effort of getting a few hours of sleep, during the first months after birth can be very challenging. In addition to this, tiredness can intensify because the diet does not contain the nutrients you need. We know that your main concern is the baby’s health and food, but it is aloes very important to take care of yourself. So, choosing healthy food and eating will help you maintain your energy at an optimum level so that you can cope with your responsibilities as a new parent.
Here are some simple strategies for maintaining your energy and tone at a high level with the help of a proper diet after your baby’s birth:
Keep a balanced diet
Firstly, to be able to cope with the needs of a newborn you need a lot of patience, calm and last but not least, energy. That is why it is indicated to talk to a nutritionist to create your own personalised diet according to your age and activity level. Drink a lot of water and try to find time to sit down and have a quick snack, even if it is only a cup of cream of wheat with milk. You can have a healthy snack when the baby is sleeping or if the baby has not developed its own schedule yet, you can ask your partner for help. Do not hesitate to ask your friends or neighbours for help when you do shopping or for different cooking and cleaning activities.
Start your day with a healthy breakfast
Proteins from eggs and yoghurt, for example, and complex carbohydrates from wholemeal bread and whole-grain are a better choice than a breakfast made up of simple carbohydrates or sugar. This means that instead of eating, in the morning, white bread with cold cuts or butter, a bowl of cereals with sugar of a slice of white bread – all of these are simple carbohydrates – you’d better try a cocktail made from yoghurt and fruit, a bowl of oat flakes or wheat omelette.
Simple carbohydrates give you an energy boost only for a short period of time and then they can induce drowsiness. But complex carbohydrates give you energy for a longer period of time because they help you feel satiated for a longer period of time, taking into consideration the fact that you need more time to digest. They also give your body nutrients in the form of vitamins and minerals. In conclusion, having a breakfast full of proteins and carbohydrates is the best way to stay awake and active during the whole day and night.
Eat small and frequent meals during the day
Rather than eating 3 rich meals, eat five smaller meals a day. This helps you maintain a high level of energy. And, moreover, it is a better way for the new mother to eat and lose the weight gained during pregnancy.
But in no way do we refer to fast food or take-out. Choose carefully your food; look for food with a high content of proteins and / or complex carbohydrates. Try to eat frequent meals made of whole-wheat pretzels or toast with peanut butter and dried fruit, soya, cheese and biscuits. You can also prepare snacks using nuts and dried fruit, fruit yoghurt. Eating in small quantities during the day will give you energy only if the snacks are made from healthy and nutritious ingredients.
Fight the temptation of starting a
diet in the first months after birth
No one likes to wear loose, maternity clothes, especially after the baby has
arrived. Even if you get frustrated because you do not lose weight as fast as
you want after giving birth, this is the best and healthiest way to lose weight
after pregnancy and maintain your energy. Now it is not a good time to skip
meals or to drastically reduce caloric intake. At the moment, the most
important thing for you has to be the baby’s health and yours as well, so, do
not worry about your weight now.
After finishing breastfeeding your baby, recovering after pregnancy and birth and receiving the doctor’s approval, you can start a diet to lose weight. (see our diet for losing weight in a healthy way after giving birth) Your body will lose the excess pounds naturally, that is why you have to lose weight using natural methods. Also, mothers who breastfeed need to know that losing weigh fast , makes toxins pass in to their body fat, which will make them pass into the mother’s milk. So, here is another reason not to start a diet after birth, as well as the fact that it will reduce your energy level.
Drin, drink, drink as many liquids as you can
During the first weeks after birth, dehydration will make the drowsiness and fatigue that you already feel to be even more intensely felt. So, it is important to drink as much water as you can. Drinking water is probably the most simple thing you can do, as a new mother, to maintain your energy level high. Keep a bottle of water near you inside your house, in the baby’s bag, in its stroller, so that you keep yourself hydrated no matter where you are. If you are breastfeeding, during the first few weeks will be thirsty and it is necessary to drink eight or ten glasses of water a day.
Don’t rely
on caffeine or sugar
You are tempted to have a cup of coffee when you are tired or, because of fatigue, you will be super tempted to munch on some sweets when you are hungry. You will do this because you will need energy and you need it fast. Be careful though, because relying too much on drinks with caffeine or sweets will make you gain even more weight and you will have a lower energy level. Both types of food: coffee and sugar can give you hyper energy for the moment, but when it has passed and it passes real fast, you will feel even more tired. The above-mentioned complex carbohydrates – wholemeal bread, vegetables like beans and lentils, corn – or proteins like light meat, cheese, eggs, nuts, soy or yoghurt, will help you maintain the sugar level in your blood a lot more stable, which means that you will be more active and you will enjoy all the beautiful moments of your baby’s life.
Add fruit to your diet
Fruit in the diet of a new mother represents the best choice when you are hungry and feel like you do not have energy. Fruit offers an energy boost and the best part is that that it does not induce that bad state that appears after you have eaten sweets that contain refined sugar. Moreover, fruits like apples, oranges, peaches and pears are rich in fibres, which help the digestive tract to function properly. Most fruits do not require any effort for their preparation and are easy to eat even while moving.
Eat energy
bars
An energy bar can be a useful way to have occasional snacks between meals, especially when you need something that can be prepared fast. Be careful, though when you choose your energy bars. Some of them can be rich in calories and can contain a lot of sugar. Check the label to make sure that you choose the right energy bars with a low content of sugar and fat, but rich in fibres, proteins and carbohydrates.
Finally, you have to take into consideration the fact that even the most energizing food cannot replace a good nap. So, if you have the possibility to take a nap when you are tired, instead of eating food that offers you energy, do it without thinking twice. New mothers have the tendency to eat, thinking that they will have more energy.
How do you manage to maintain your energy at a high level?
