Confinement diet is essential for after-birth recovery. Eating the right food or diet can ensure that your body could fully-recover into pre-pregnancy condition. Confinement meals mainly is to replenish the nutrients that your body has loses. As mommy will lose lots of blood during the labor process, therefore it is important for them to replenish by having the right diet or maybe herbs and supplement.

During confinement, mommy are encourage to consume warm food to allow their womb to recover as soon as possible. Warm food can also help to expel wind from the body. A good confinement meal can also ensure the quality of breastmilk. Mommy have to maintain high level of iron in their body to have a suitable breastmilk production for their baby.  Therefore, a healthy and balanced diet is really important.

What are the best confinement meals for mommy after childbirth?

1. Vegetables and fruits

Vegetables and fruits are a great source of iron, fiber, and vitamin A and C. Vegetable such as spinach is rich in calcium which are the compulsory element every postnatal diet. Eating calcium-rich food could help you on blood replenishing. The faster your blood replenish, the faster you recover. Other than that, food such as carrot or cauliflowers could relieve constipation. Warm of neutral property vegetables such as ginger or  onions could release wind and keep mommy warm.

Other than vegetables, fruits is important for nutrient replenishing too.  Blueberries, grapes, and papaya are rich in antioxidants that can prevent many chronic diseases. Oranges have high vitamin C could improve the immune system of mommy. 

2. Dry food

Dry food such as oat, nuts or almond, can stimulate and increase the breast milk production. Almond is the best dry food as it contain rich vitamin E, carbohydrates and Vitamin B12. It also contain lots of minerals such as  potassium, magnesium, copper, and iron. It will definitely brings benefit to breastfeeding for mommy.

Other than that, nuts are rich is omega 3 which could enhance brain  development and prevent heart disease for your breastfed newborn. Oats are rich in protein, fiber and vitamin that could boost you energy and avoid constipation for mommy.

3. Lean meat

Lean meats are high in proteins and iron which could replenish blood loss from confinement mommy. However, mommy should only consume lean meat moderately as we only need 19mg of iron in our daily intake to recover.  Inadequate iron can drain your energy thus making it difficult to take care of your newborn.

Other than that, lean meats like skinless chicken and pork with the fat trimmed off are simply great for losing weight. Try not to consume too much salt or herbs that could lead to edema. Fat meat is not suitable in confinement diet as it does not contain any too much nutrition that mommy need during confinement period and it would cause obesity.

4. Whole-wheat bread

Wheat bread is highly nutritional as it is rich of vitamins and fiber which  help to maintain your bowel health and prevent constipation. Whole-wheat bread can also lower the risk of getting heart diseases and stroke.

Wheat bread is also light weight and filling, therefore it is a best food to prevent obesity or postpartum weight gain. 

5. Water

Distilled water is important in a postpartum diet. This is because dehydration is one of the biggest energy drainers and may disrupt physiological functions. It is also essential to keep hydrated for the production of milk.

6. Diet that you should AVOID during confinement period

a. Caffeine and alcohol

Caffeine-related food or alcohol could affect the quality of breastmilk and cause malnutrition to your baby because of difficulties in digestion and sleepless night. Other than that, caffeine and alcohol might elevate heartbeat. In some worst case, mommy might face difficulties in producing milk because of the intake of caffeine and alcohol.

b. Garlic

As we know that garlic has really strong smell and taste. It would affect the taste of breastmilk and baby might refuse to consume the breastmilk and cause malnutrition.

c. Hot and spicy food

Spicy food can easily cause constipation and other problem such as bloating or abdominal pains.

d. Highly salted content

Salt content could easily discharge water in your body and cause dehydration. Mommy should reduce the intake of salty food such as processed canned food, salted fish or vegetables. 

In conclusion, it is important prepare confinement meal wisely and considerately to make sure that mommy can recover quickly. However, there are cases that mommy will have to go for an outing, such as postpartum exercise. Therefore, it is important to have everything ready as you would not want your either mommy or baby to have unhealthy food.

Introducing:

JOYLEE® Urbano Traveler Diaper Bag

A bag that contain insulated pocket to keep your food warm and safe. It is also suitable for mommy to bring some confinement equipment such as breast pump or baby's equipment such as pacifier or bottles. 

JOYLEE® Urbano Flask

The supreme quality thermos flask that makes a difference in your daily lifestyle.
It is made with premium-grade stainless steel that could maintain your beverage at the ideal temperature for up to 12 hours. It is suitable for mommy to fill in hot water as preparation for the baby.