What to Eat After C-Section For Fast Recovery?

Many new mothers often ponder what to eat after C-section for fast recovery. Since a C-section is a medical procedure it is crucial to have proper postpartum nutrition plan in place. The inclusion of healthy, nutrient-rich food in the new mother's daily diet will help her to recover faster.

New moms can make their own personalised Indian diet chart after their C-section delivery. In this article, we will discuss some healthy foods to consume after C-section for fast recovery and getting the right amount of nutrients every day.

Foods to Eat After C-Section for Fast Recovery

Here are some food items and food groups you should include in your diet for a fast C-Section recovery:

1. Fibre

After a C-section, most moms complain that they suffer from constipation. This is a big issue as they cannot exert pressure as it may cause the stitches to rupture. Doctors recommend eating fibre-rich food after C-sections. New moms should include vegetables and fruits like carrots, broccoli, beetroot, cauliflower, bitter gourd, berries, pear and apples in their daily diet to get their daily dose of fibre.

2. Essential fatty acids

DHA and long-chain fatty acids are important foods after a C-Section. This is because these foods help to alleviate postpartum depression which is a common occurrence after childbirth. Foods like walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, sardines, salmon, and tuna are good sources of essential fatty acids.

3. Fluids

After a C-section, moms need to drink more fluids to prevent constipation and ease bowel movement. Breastfeeding moms can also get dehydrated which results in a lower milk supply. To avoid all these issues, it is a good idea for postpartum moms to drink more fluids like water, fruit juices (non-citrus), and soups.

4. Vitamins

Including vitamin-rich foods after a C-section is essential because they help to speed up recovery and prevent infections. Postpartum moms should include fruits and vegetables like papaya, tomato, broccoli, grapes, melons and strawberries in their daily diet.

5. Iron

New moms need not worry about adding extra iron content to their diet as they do not lose iron during lactation. But, including iron-rich foods will help mothers to rebuild the iron levels lost during delivery and absorb nutrients from other foods better.

6. Calcium

A new mom's diet should include calcium-rich foods. Ragi, soybean, Bengal gram, radish leaves, milk and milk products are all excellent sources of calcium. These foods help to speed up recovery, improve bone density, prevent conditions like osteoporosis and promote milk production.

7. Proteins

Protein-rich foods promote faster healing, improve muscle strength and help in new tissue growth. After a C-section, new moms should include protein-rich foods in their daily diet to recover faster. There are many choices of high-protein foods that new moms can choose. Non-vegetarians can include eggs, chicken, fish, and meats while vegetarians can eat cheese, dried beans, peas, and nuts.

8. Energy

New moms burn up more calories when they start breastfeeding. As a result, they often end up losing energy and start craving carbohydrates. But new moms must replenish their energy with nutrient-rich food. Instead of high-calorie carbohydrates, choose to eat nutrient-dense foods like nuts, pulses, eggs, whole grains, milk and fish.

You may also like: What Are the Essential Tips for Breastfeeding Mothers to Have a Healthy Diet Plan?

Foods to Eat After a C-Section

Now that you know what to eat after C-section for fast recovery, let's look at some food items that you should include in your postpartum diet. Moms should eat healthy and nutritious food that helps them to recover faster and also aids in milk production. But, they should also take care to eat easily digestible foods to avoid stomach issues.

Some foods that a postpartum mom should eat after her C-section are listed here:

1. Whole grains like rice, oats, quinoa, and wheat
2. Leafy vegetables like amaranth, spinach, and fenugreek
3. Garlic helps to promote breast milk production
4. Spices like fennel, and cumin help in improving digestion
5. Dry ginger powder helps in preventing inflammation and reduces gas/bloating
6. Fruits like oranges and papaya have high Vitamin C contents and help fight infections and improve milk production
7. Vegetables that are easily digestible and have a high water content like gourds, drumsticks, and pumpkin
8. Nuts like almonds, cashews and walnuts are high in nutrients and are a good source of fatty acids
9. Seeds including methi, ajwain and sesame seeds are known for improving breast milk production

Foods to Avoid After a C-Section

New mothers should be careful of what they eat and drink as it may directly affect their health and milk production. Some foods that new moms should avoid until they recover completely and stop breastfeeding are listed below.

1. New moms should stay away from eating sour and spicy foods for the first few months. This is because these foods can cause gas, inflammation and bloating.
2. Junk foods like pizza, processed foods, sodas and deep-fried foods should be avoided by new moms. These foods have little nutritional value and will only add extra calories to the body.
3. Caffeinated drinks like coffee and tea should be taken in moderation.
4. Breastfeeding moms should avoid drinking alcohol as it can enter the breast milk. This can be very dangerous for the baby.

To get more information about what to eat after C-Section for fast recovery and postpartum care, you can check Mylo Postpartum Care Plan that takes care of the new mother's needs and holistic well-being. It can help you with postpartum recovery, increased breast milk secretion, weight loss, improved gut health and constipation relief and postpartum depression.

References

1. Ituk U, Habib AS. (2018). Enhanced recovery after cesarean delivery. NCBI

2. National Collaborating Centre for Women's and Children's Health. (2011). Recovery following caesarean section. NCBI

3. Hobbs AJ, Mannion CA, McDonald SW, Brockway M, Tough SC. (2016). The impact of caesarean section on breastfeeding initiation, duration and difficulties in the first four months postpartum. NCBI