Postpartum Nourishment for Baby and You: Part 2 in What to Expect in the First Week After Birth Series

Part 2: Feeding Yourself and Your Baby After Birth

In Part 1 of this series we covered how to rest better with your baby - strategies for getting rest- even if not much sleep!- in the first week after welcoming your baby. Today, let’s talk about what to expect when it comes time to feed yourself postpartum and feeding your baby postpartum.

mother in shirt and baby  in onesie lying in bed with white sheets

Feeding your Baby

While feeding your newborn is recommended to be "on demand," you'll likely feed your baby at least every 3 hours from breast or bottle. Early breastfeeding takes around 34 hours weekly (nearly equivalent to a full-time job!)—and this happens around the clock.

It's normal for babies to lose weight immediately after birth, then slowly regain their birth weight by around two weeks postpartum. During this time, most pediatricians recommend waking a baby every three hours to feed.

Understanding this time commitment helps adjust your expectations about what else you can accomplish while caring for a newborn.

In my time as a postpartum doula, I've learned that "fed is best"—not breast is best, not bottle is best, just fed is best. While breastfeeding or chestfeeding is often described as "natural," that doesn't mean it's easy. Navigating breastfeeding, bottle feeding, or combining approaches often benefits from support.

new mother breastfeeding chestfeeding infant while cradling baby's body and head

An International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) offers the highest level of support for breasts and babies' mouths. If you give birth at a birth center or hospital, a nurse or IBCLC likely will help with early breastfeeding and if you are at home your midwife will support you and baby finding that first latch. But support doesn't stop there! Many IBCLCs offer prenatal visits and classes about feeding options, and many parents seek support in the first weeks and months with all kinds of babyfeeding questions (breastfeeding, bottlefeeding, or both!).

The key is finding someone who supports YOUR goals—whether breastfeeding, bottle feeding, or a combination. If someone isn't supportive, try someone new! While IBCLCs have the highest training level available about new parents breastfeeding, you'll also find Lactation Consultants with certifications or other community support groups for feeding babies. Find a great list of IBCLCs, lactation consultants, and feeding groups on our resource page

During pregnancy, get contact information for at least one IBCLC (ideally one who does house calls during these first days) and locate local in-person or online support groups. Check if your insurance covers these services through The Lactation Network or your insurance database. Most insurance covers breast pumps, so consider using this benefit to purchase one during your third trimester, even if you plan to exclusively breastfeed. You’ll find that many of the postpartum support groups focused on breastfeeding/chestfeeding, pumping, and bottle feeding are free or donation based. 

 
smiling person in white sweater preparing a meal at a stove with lemons and parsley nearby in a clean kitchen.

Feeding Postpartum Parents

I think after reading that last section on what it takes to feed your newborn you can understand why I’m kind of obsessed with the idea of “if the parents are caring for the baby, then who’s caring for the parents?”

Who usually prepares food in your home? If you need three nourishing meals and three snacks daily, who will handle grocery shopping, meal prep, and cooking? If the birthing parent was also the primary chef in the past, plan for someone else to handle MOST cooking for AT LEAST the first two weeks.

rice corn olives tomatoes and cucumber in three containers lined up for meal preparation

Options include:

- Partner and visiting family cooking

- Meal trains organized by friends

- Food delivery services

- Pre-cooking and freezing meals

- Ordering from postpartum meal delivery services

- Hiring a chef or postpartum doula to cook in your home

- Ordering groceries online

- Sharing a grocery list with local family members (my mother would check our list when shopping, which was tremendously helpful!)

As a longtime postpartum doula who loved cooking for families, now I'm working on creating a recipe booklet of favorite postpartum meals to share.  I’ll be sure to post it here once it’s created!

Ideally, have several meals pre-made in the refrigerator or freezer for easy reheating so that when hunger strikes postpartum, you won't want to start from scratch with grocery shopping and cooking . During pregnancy, master some quick nutritious meals (like scrambled eggs) that can be prepared in five minutes or less.

sweet potatoes sliced in a bowl with sugar and cinnamon. a second red bowl of walnuts nearby.

Being awake at night often leads to carb cravings and sometimes upset stomach (related to cortisol and digestion) so when cooking for postpartum families, I always included easy-to-grab carb-heavy foods that settle the stomach: roasted sweet potato wedges, Indian kitchari, simple chicken or egg dishes, and noodles.

Many resources exist for postpartum nutrition. While some cultures have traditions around specific postpartum foods, there are no universal rules. If interested, explore books like The First Forty Days or Natural Health After Birth or follow social media accounts focusing on postpartum nutrition (remembering that the internet isn't always real life, so no comparing what you can do with what someone else may be doing!).

 
black woman at a computer drinking a glass of water

Water: Essential Hydration

You'll need plenty of water postpartum—about 120-130 ounces daily (a gallon is 128 ounces). If helpful, use a gallon jug to track your intake.

I even had one client who kept her Camelbak hung by her bed for easy drinking while lying down — feel free to get creative!

Keep large water bottles by your bed, nursing chair, and couch. If you're not the breastfeeding/pumping parent, bring water to the feeding parent every time they sit down with baby. Somehow, the moment someone settles comfortably with a baby to feed, they become parched! Bonus points for bringing snacks too, 😋

You’ll be amazed at how supported a partner feels when you remember to bring water every time they sit with baby.

Early postpartum, your body is sweating, urinating, and potentially lactating - all processes that take water from the body. Replenishing water helps with all these processes AND is crucial for brain function and mental health.

Today we covered ways to be prepared for feeding your baby and yourself the first week after birth with:

  • what to expect from feeding a baby the first week (40+ hours a week to feed baby!)

  • strategies to nourish parents and caregivers with food in the first week

  • the importance of staying hydrated with nearly a gallon of water daily

If it sounds like the possibility or resting and staying well fed during the first week postpartum is overwhelming and a lot for any family to take on, it is!

But with your community’s support it is possible for this to be a magical time of bonding with your new baby and growing your family. Join us in part 3 of this series to think more about community support!

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Connection and Support During Your Postpartum Journey: Part 3 in What to Expect in the First Week After Birth Series

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How to Rest Better with Baby- Part 1 in our What to Expect in the First Week After Birth Series