Best Nutrients For Postpartum Recovery (2024)

Mothers-to-be are often told to be diligent about what they eat and how they treat their bodies during pregnancy, but aren’t given as much encouragement to prioritize their health after giving birth.

According to a 2019 study, a significant number of pregnant people do not meet recommendations for vitamins D, C, A, B6, K and E, folate, choline, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium and zinc – even while taking dietary supplements^[1]Bailey RL, Pac SG, Fulgoni VL, et al. Estimation of total usual dietary intakes of pregnant women in the United States. JAMA Network Open. 2019;2(6). .

And after birth, your body requires higher amounts of certain vitamins and minerals to recover from pregnancy and support lactation––making proper nutrition all the more important.

Postpartum nutrition also plays a significant role in supporting cognitive health during the postpartum period in addition to physical recovery, says Lorraine Kearney, certified dietitian and CEO of New York City Nutrition.

“Many new parents are exhausted, [enduring] sleepless nights, fatigue from breastfeeding, and recovering from the delivery of their child. This can lead to exhaustion, feelings of burnout, or make the parent feel there are not enough hours in a day to support their own nutritional needs while caring for their newborn.”

The five major food groups (fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins and dairy) serve as a helpful starting point in postpartum meal planning. However, certain foods and ingredients are more rich in the essential nutrients you need for recovery.

The following list includes some of the most essential vitamins and minerals for postpartum recovery and examples of foods that contain high densities of those nutrients. However, it’s always ideal to consult with your doctor, dietitian or nutritionist to ensure your diet is meeting your body’s specific needs.

Choline

Choline is a nutrient that supports memory and cognition. The body does not produce enough choline on its own and because many prenatal supplements and multivitamins do not typically contain choline, it’s important for pregnant individuals and those who have recently had a baby to make sure their diets include the recommended amount each day.

Adult women should consume 425 milligrams of choline per day. For pregnancy and lactation, the recommended amounts are 450 milligrams and 550 milligrams daily, respectively.

Choline-rich foods that can help people get their daily recommended amounts include:

• Eggs yolks
• Beef or beef liver
• Mushrooms
• Chicken breasts
• Fish
• Potatoes
• Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, Brussels sprouts or cabbage)
• Legumes

Iron

Iron is essential for maintaining healthy blood and energy levels, and replenishes blood stores lost from childbirth, explains Kecia Gaither, M.D., an OB/GYN and maternal-fetal medicine specialist based in New York. When you’re low on iron, you may feel fatigued and lightheaded. Other symptoms of iron deficiency include hair loss, brittle nails, a rapid heartbeat and a sensitivity to cold.

“It is important for a person who has birthed a child to replenish nutrients such as iron from blood loss during birth,” says Kearney.

The recommended intake of iron for adults is 18 milligrams per day for women, 27 milligrams during pregnancy and 9 milligrams during lactation. The recommended consumption of iron is lower in lactation than during pregnancy because there are usually no menstrual losses of iron during the first six months postpartum. The iron you accumulate during pregnancy is also recycled during the postpartum period.

Iron-rich foods include:

• Meats (lean red meat, dark meat chicken or turkey)
• Shellfish (oysters, clams, mussels)
• Leafy vegetables, though it is important to note that plant-based iron is not very bioavailable and should be combined with acid, such as tomatoes or citrus, to help increase iron stores
• Canned sardines and canned tuna

Zinc

Zinc is a trace mineral your body produces to maintain a healthy immune system. Pregnant and lactating people are at an increased risk for zinc deficiency. Signs include physical symptoms, such as hair loss and slow healing of wounds, as well as postpartum depression and other behavioral disturbances.

“Zinc requirements are greater during lactation than pregnancy,” says Kearney. “Zinc in breast milk drops from 2 to 3 milligrams per day in the first two months to 1 milligram per day in month three.”

The underlying causes of zinc deficiency are currently not well understood, but studies show that when zinc deficiencies are addressed in postpartum people, there can be significant physical and mental improvements. Adult women are recommended to consume 8 milligrams of zinc per day, while pregnant and lactating women require 11 milligrams and 12 milligrams per day, respectively.

Foods that contain zinc include:

• Oysters
• Red meat and poultry
• Nuts
• Crab and lobster
• Whole grains
• Fortified breakfast cereals

Protein

Foods rich in protein are important for tissue repair, immune response, healing and breastfeeding. Protein is also essential for serotonin production, which helps to regulate your mood. Vegetarian and vegan diets can be safe during pregnancy and lactation, but they require extra attention to ensure protein requirements are being met.

• Animal proteins (poultry, fatty fish, steak in moderation)
• Beans
• Lentils
• Nuts and seeds

But Kearney notes that protein needs should be assessed by a registered dietitian, “as it will vary depending on a birthing person’s needs such as surgical delivery, body composition and volume of milk production.”

Stay Hydrated

“Water is essential during postpartum to decrease swelling, flush excess sodium from the body, and for lactation,” says Kearney.

When you are breastfeeding, you are at a greater risk of dehydration. According to a cross-sectional study surveying 150 breastfeeding women, less than a third drank the recommended amount of water: between 2.7 and 2.8 liters per day (or 11 to 16 cups^[2]Zhou Y, Zhu X, Qin Y, et al. Association between total water intake and dietary intake of pregnant and breastfeeding women in China: a cross-sectional survey. BMC Pregnancy Childbirth. 2019;19(172). .)

Consider Vitamin Supplements

While the foods you eat are key to postpartum recovery, sometimes diet alone may not provide enough nutrition—especially if you have dietary restrictions that prevent you from eating certain foods.

Continuing with prenatal vitamins, particularly if breastfeeding, can be beneficial, notes Dr. Gaither. However, some may contain higher amounts of certain vitamins than necessary, depending on your current levels. It’s best to consult a dietitian or your doctor to determine what type of supplements would be most ideal for you.

Your progesterone, cortisol and estrogen levels are altered during pregnancy and after giving birth, which affects how you feel—mentally, emotionally and physically—during the perinatal period, according to Kearney.

“Cortisol is a stress hormone which, when elevated, can cause irritability, resistant weight loss, affect gut health, blood pressure and more,” says Kearney. “It’s common for a woman to have higher cortisol levels after giving birth and, when combined with lack of sleep or skipping meals, cortisol can remain elevated for weeks afterwards.”

Estrogen and progesterone are connected to serotonin and dopamine, “and levels of both are significantly higher during pregnancy than before,” Kearney says. “Progesterone levels drop significantly after birth, resulting in mood changes or feelings of sadness, irritability, anxiety and being overwhelmed.”

Estrogen levels also fluctuate dramatically after giving birth. “Higher estrogen levels over longer periods of time can lead to body composition changes like weight gain around the hips and waist,” Kearney says. “Lower estrogen levels can contribute to bone loss, joint pain, night sweats, depression and low libido.”

The foods you eat can play a role in how those hormone levels adjust as you recover from childbirth.

“To support estrogen and progesterone levels, consume foods rich in vitamin C, zinc, B6, iron and magnesium,” Kearney says. “A prenatal supplement can be helpful here, but it is always recommended to add nutrient rich foods to your diet.”

Fiber rich foods and hydration can also be beneficial. “Estrogen is released from the body through stool, and there is a possibility that excess estrogen is being absorbed back into the bloodstream if it cannot be excreted from the body,” Kearney says.

If hormone-related physical symptoms don’t subside within three to six months, consult with a healthcare provider who can help you determine if you are experiencing a hormone imbalance.

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“A woman’s body needs to heal, and giving appropriate nutrition with emphasis on key ingredients may help decrease the incidence of postpartum depression,” says Dr. Gaither.

The majority of serotonin, the hormone that helps regulate your moods, sleep and appetite, originates in your gastrointestinal tract. What you eat can actually determine how well your body produces serotonin.

To produce serotonin, your body needs tryptophan, an amino acid found in protein-dense foods, and carbohydrates, which help your body make insulin-releasing glucose. Insulin provides amino acids to your organs and helps tryptophan pass the blood-brain barrier, kick starting serotonin production.

“A new mother’s diet should consist of 45% to 65% carbohydrates mostly sourced from fruit, vegetables and whole grains to support cognitive health,” Kearney says.

Research also supports the importance of adequate consumption of other micronutrients to support mental health.

“Deficiencies of Vitamin D, folate, omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin B6/ B12, zinc and selenium have been associated with mood disorders,” says Dr. Gaither. “They are important for the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine.”

According to Dr. Gaither, foods which can replenish these nutrients include

• Mackerel, salmon, sardines, tuna for Omega-3 fatty acids
• Lean red meats, dark meat chicken or turkey for iron and vitamin B12
• Eggs for vitamin D, selenium, iron, vitamin B12
• Beans for selenium, iron, folate, zinc

How to Know When to See a Mental Health Professional

Experiencing minor changes to your mental health, such as increased anxiety, irritability and the “baby blues,” is common and often improves with proper nutrition, rest time and self-care. However, many individuals require extra help.

Paige Bellenbaum, a licensed master social worker and founding director and chief external relations officer at the Motherhood Center of New York, says that “the enormous shame and stigma that surrounds maternal mental health,” causes many cases of mental health disorders in perinatal people to go undiagnosed and untreated.

“Although nutrition can play a vital role in the overall health and well-being of a perinatal woman, it is not considered to be a diagnostically efficacious stand-alone intervention to treat someone who is experiencing a moderate to severe mental illness,” she explains.

But it can be difficult to determine when you’re experiencing a normal adjustment period and when you require professional assistance. Bellenbaum says that if your mental health is preventing you from completing daily tasks and your symptoms “feel distressing a lot of the time or most of the time,” it’s time to reach out for help.

Nourishing your body with nutrient-rich foods is essential for your physical recovery, providing energy and supporting your mental health after giving birth. Generally, postpartum people do not need to limit or avoid specific foods while breastfeeding, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The focus should be on maintaining a healthy and diverse diet.

Caloric intake is also very important during postpartum. Not getting enough calories can actually “have a negative effect on the new mothers’ physical and mental health, and volume of breastmilk,” says Kearney.

The CDC advises postpartum people who are breastfeeding to consume an additional 330 to 400 kilocalories (kcal) per day on top of the baseline of 1,600 to 2,400 kcal per day that is recommended for non-breastfeeding people^[3]Maternal Diet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed 11/7/2022. .

Additionally, postpartum people who are not lactating also need to consume adequate calories to heal from wounds caused by vagin*l labor or cesarean section, as repairing body tissue requires increased energy from proteins, carbohydrates and fats. If the energy needs are not met, the body will use protein as the source of energy rather than to heal wounds.

“Being able to birth a child is just one of the amazing things the body can do. It takes nine months from conception to birth, so it will take time for the body to adjust after delivery,” says Kearney. “When we understand how food is supporting the body, it can change perspective from restrictive eating to nourishment.”