So, How Do You Get Your Health Feeling Good Again Postpartum?
A Guide to Feeling Good Postpartum
First off, CONGRATULATIONS MAMA you did it! You created a beautiful gift and brought a new life into this world. Be sure to pat yourself on your back because pregnancy, delivery and postpartum is no easy task. I remember with my first thinking pregnancy was difficult but then once our baby girl came into this world I realized postpartum can be even more difficult! Taking care of baby, sleep deprivation, juggling schedules, learning about your newborn and figuring out a new way of life with a newborn can all be exhausting yet the most joyous times of your life. Therefore when I found out I was pregnant with my second I knew I wanted to treat my postpartum journey a bit different. It’s equally important to take care of your body postpartum this is why it is called the fourth trimester. I know it’s easy to be easily distracted by taking care of your precious newborn but your body needs nourishment as you just went through creating life, giving birth and now taking care of your sweet baby. Don’t forget about your health and well-being. If you are taking care of yourself postpartum you will be better off to take care of your family. Plus, being well rested, nourished and feeling good will help your breast milk supply (if you chose to breastfeed) and hopefully help any postpartum blues. Therefore, if you need to ask for help don’t be shy to! Your friends and family all want to support this new journey and I know as a new mom it can be difficult to ask for help but we deserve the help, the rest and the self-care.
1) Postnatal Vitamins
As mothers we were diligent about taking our prenatal vitamins for our little growing babies but why are we not diligent about taking vitamins for the recovery of our body and longevity of our health? Our health is just as important as we have a whole life to take care of our children and need to be healthy for them, our grandbabies and ourselves! I am all about maintaining a healthy diet in order to get enough vitamins and minerals however when we are growing a baby and recovering from child birth we may fall short on key nutrients. Pregnancy depletes several nutrients in our body: folate, calcium, iron (if you were anemic), and B6. If you are breastfeeding, your body will continue to get further depleted if you are not on a postnatal vitamin regime. Breastfeeding mothers will often run low on calcium, zinc and magnesium. DHA, Choline and Iodine also go into producing breast milk so looking for a supplement to help support these nutrients is helpful (these nutrients are all in the vitamin pack I have suggested). The core vitamins I am taking on a daily basis are: Superfood multivitamin, Algae Omega (DHA) which helps from a cognitive standpoint and immune standpoint and heart health, macro minerals for anti-aging support for my muscle, skin and cellular health, a complete probiotic formula to help digestive support and promote a healthy gut microbiome, and lastly an Adaptogenic B complex to help regulate stress and mental wellbeing. All of these vitamins conveniently come in Sakaras foundation daily supplement pack so it’s easy to remember to just take the packet- which is what we need postpartum – EASY. Check out the vitamin packets here and use code: XOTESSA for 20% off
2) Smoothies
As you all know, I have always been a fan of starting my day with a morning smoothie. So of course I still have my daily smoothie! I did do this in my last pregnancy but I have now added a few extra things to my smoothie. Why am I such a fan of a morning smoothie? I think when you start your day with a huge serving of fresh vegetables/fruits it helps control cravings throughout the day, acts as a “life insurance” policy meaning if you don’t have access to anything healthy for the rest of the day than at least you got in a very nutritious breakfast and it gives you an opportunity to stuff more vitamins in a tasty drink. I also use my morning smoothie as an easy way to feed my family. Everyone gets a smoothie and it only takes me about 5-10 minutes to feed all 3 of us! Below is the standard recipe I generally use on a daily basis.
Bare Health Green Smoothie Recipe:
Green Juice (Usually consists of spinach, kale, apple, lemon, ginger)
Flax oil for DHA purposes
Hemp hearts (for texture and omega 3 and 6 fatty acids)
Avocado (for healthy fats and to make the smoothie creamy)
Banana, mango or Strawberries (or all of them!)
Handful of greens (for added fiber)
Wheat grass
Turmeric (to help with inflammation)
Some sort of superfood powder like goji powder, mulberry powder, cacao nibs or pomegrante powder
Blend everything in a good blender like the vitamix and enjoy!
3) Chlorophyll and Ionic Trace Minerals
Did you know most people are chronically dehydrated? And on top of that when you are creating a baby your hydration needs increase and most mothers are not aware of the hydration increase that they need. In order to help with my hydration during pregnancy and post pregnancy I usually fill a 32-ounce bottle of water and put a dropper full of chlorophyll, ionic trace minerals and lemon and sip on that throughout the day. I also enjoy having this first thing in the morning in warm water to get my metabolism going.
What are Ionic Trace Minerals?
- Trace minerals include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride and sulfur.
- We only need a small amount of trace minerals and most people get them through eating a healthy diet however supplementation is usually suggested.
- These drops I have been using hydrate your cells with 72 naturally-occurring ionic trace minerals
- Counteracts the mineral-depleting effects of stress, diet, and normal aging
- Ionic minerals conduct electricity throughout the body, bringing energy where it needs to go in order for each cell and system to work.
- Without these minerals, your heart couldn’t beat, your muscles couldn’t contract, your brain couldn’t function and your body couldn’t absorb nutrients.
- Ultra-Hydration: Plumps the cells, helps flush out toxins and bloat and makes skin glow
- Collagen + Keratin Support:Restores beautifying minerals that are naturally depleted with age for supple, youthful skin and strong, resilient hair and nails
- Alkalinity:Helps the body maintain ideal pH balance for lower inflammation and toxic build-up, resulting in clearer skin and more energy
- Check out the drops here: Beauty Drops and use code: XOTESSA for 20% off
What is Chlorophyll?
- Benefits of chlorophyll include optimal digestion, gut health, immunity and liver function
- Digestion + Toxin Elimination:Helps move waste through the GI tract; improves liver function; binds to harmful toxins and heavy metals
- Oxygenation:Helps the blood carry oxygen through the body for an energy boost
- Gut Health: Helps maintain an ideal balance of healthy bacteria in the gut for optimal immunity, digestion, hormone regulation, energy, weight and skin clarity
- Chlorophyll may help protect against illness, eliminate harmful bacteria, neutralize toxins, clear the skin and enhance energy levels.
- Check out the drops here: Detox Drops and use code: XOTESSA for 20% off
4) Metabolism Powder
This is one of my favorite things that I do, I usually put it in my coffee or make superfood metabolism protein powder balls, which I will post the recipe below. I think after having two kids I really started to feel like my metabolism started to slow down or maybe it’s the fact that I turned 30. What are the signs of this? 1) Bloating and puffiness 2) Unexplained and stubborn weight gain, especially in the midsection (obviously, I was pregnant but regardless getting rid of baby weight can be challenging) 3) Fatigue, low energy, brain fog and anxiety. Your metabolism is the multi-step chemical process by which the body converts food into usable energy. Factors like genetics, age, sex, body composition, height, weight, diet, activity and hormone balance determine your basal metabolism, which is the energy expenditure needed to sustain life. The metabolism powder basically just lights the fire again for your metabolism. The powder has celery seed which is a natural diuretic and helps your body flush out excess water retention therefore most people start to feel less bloated. It also has L-glutamine, which is an essential amino acid that protects the gut for better immunity, begins to support your digestion, boost your metabolism and enhance your energy levels. In Ayurvedic medicine the “killer of sweets” is Gymnema Sylvestre and it is known to help regulate blood sugar and cortisol levels therefore helping reduce appetite and lessen cravings. Lastly there is fucoxanthin in the powder which is an antioxidant found in seaweed and helps weight management and has been showing inhibit lipid absorption.
Superfood Metabolism Protein Powder Balls
Recipe:
12 pitted dates
2TBSP almond or peanut butter
5TBSP vegan chocolate protein powder
1TBSP hemp hearts
1 package or 3 TBSP Sakara metabolism powder
Place all ingredients in a high powered blender. I use a Vitamix. Blend and roll into balls. Refrigerate and enjoy!
You can find the Metabolism Powder here and use code XOTESSA for 20% off.
5) Meal Delivery Services
I am a big fan of making things easier postpartum especially when it comes to postpartum nutrition. That’s why I am using Sakara to help give me the most nutritious meals that are all plant-based. Additionally they use over 90 fruits, vegetables and super foods a week to nourish your body. With the demands of my little one and having a 15 month old run around there is no way I could easily provide optimal nutrition to myself, my husband and my toddler’s ever evolving food palette. What is great about a meal delivery service is that many of the options provided to you may be something you would not normally make so it exposes you to a larger variety of foods. This helps me feed my curious toddler with new foods that I would not necessarily pick up at the grocery store or make (largely because I do not have the time or energy at the moment). I have tried a few different meal delivery services and I think the best thing you can do is try as many as you can until you find one that is right for yourself, family and the time in your life. At this point in my life I am investing in my health. Yes, Sakara is expensive however disease is more costly. I would rather pay a little bit more to have fresh, organic, plant-based foods in my kitchen than settle on a cheaper food option. To me this is an important part of my self-care routine. It helps me feel empowered through food as fuel and feel energized for my children. You can sign up for a meal subscription through Sakara here and be sure to use code XOTESSA for 20% off.
6) Rest
It’s easy to overdo it and trust me I am not one to lay on the couch all day. I am generally the type of person that likes to stay occupied all day long. However, I know postpartum is different and I really need to allow my body to rest and recover. I have noticed that the days that I do lay on the couch all day and drink warm tea’s, warm soup’s and allow myself to doze in and out of sleep I notice a huge difference in my energy level the next day, the bloating and swelling of my body decreases and that’s when true healing starts to happen. Sounds easy enough right? Well, not for a person whom owns a business and has a very active mind. So in order to calm my soul I have implemented a few things:
1) Essential Oils – I love using a calming oil on my wrists or even in a diffuser to help calm my mind. It helps me get into the mood of resting plus I really enjoy the smells.
2) Books – whether it be a good novel or the bible picking up a good book helps my mind relax
3) Meditation or Prayer – having silent time to mediate or prayer helps me reflect on the things that I am grateful for and puts my mind at ease for the remainder of the day
4) Shows and Movies – if all else fails a good show or movie obviously will do the trick.
5) Baby – wait the best is actually just snuggling with my precious baby boy! If that does not relax you than I don’t know what will!
Author: Tessa Mini Owner of Bare Health
