February 16, 2013

A typical daily dietary routine for a new mom

How does one consume the items over the first 40 days? Is there a prescribed regimen which needs to be followed? These are questions frequently asked by nursing moms, so this post is an extension to the guidelines prescribed in the 40 day diet post.

For the first 40 days after delivery, this is a recommended routine for the nursing mother (I'd hate to use the word 'regimen' here because I have seen moms enjoy this routine as it relaxes them, nourishes them and rejuvenates them for the most critical time of the baby's life).

Morning:
Upon rising (from the 11th day onwards), eat 5 gms of an herbal medicine called Sowbhagyavathi Shunti leyha (this is a very effective post-natal leyha for women. It prevents all Vata/gas disorders due to its contents of draksha, rasna, nagara, mishi arka, ghrita, guda, dhanyaka, jeeraka, pippali, vidanga, chitraka) with a glass of sweetened warm milk or milk with turmeric first thing in the morning.
30 minutes later: any of the recommended breakfast items can be eaten. Refer the 40 day diet post

Mid-morning snack:
Moms can eat a piece of dry coconut and a handful of raw groundnuts. These are not only delicious, but extremely helpful in increasing lactation. 
Moms can also eat a fruit or a handful of nuts like almonds, pistachios, walnuts and dry fruits like dates, figs, etc,.

Lunch:
Always eat the first rice meal with a tbsp of ghee (clarified butter) and om kal chutney powder (ajwain) or pepper powder (this aids in beating any gas in the mother's system as well as posseses nutritional properties to soothe the GI tract). Many decades ago, nursing moms were made to eat 1/2 a cup of ghee for each meal, but with all the concerns of weight management in young women, I'd refrain from enforcing that! :-)
Any of the entrees listed can be eaten. Ensure that the mom gets at the least 2 different vegetables each day. One for lunch and another for dinner.
After lunch 2 tsp of herbal medicine - Dashamoolarishta (This is a tonic Agnivardhaka and Panchaka claimed to be the best restorative tonic for women after delivery) mixed with 4 tsp of boiled and then cooled water. 

Ensure that the mom consumes garlic chutney powder with an entree during lunch for continued lactation aid.


Mid-afternoon:
Gond ladoo, should be taken everyday.
A piece of dry coconut and raw groundnuts can also be consumed as a snack.
A cup of masala chai can also be consumed (a cup of coffee in the AM and chai in the afternoon does not exceed the daily recommended value of caffeine) 

Dinner:
The same lunch routine needs to be followed, but with a different vegetable entree/side for dinner.

The first 10 days post-delivery however, are slightly restrictive in diet and can be followed, if needed by the moms. A sample is below:
Having rava ganji and coffee for breakfast. (Note no leyha is consumed)
Only tamarind rasam or  pepper rasam for lunch (ghee and rice can be taken) and then end the meal with milk and rice
Boiled vegetables like bottle gourd, dill greens, palak/spinach, methi/fenugreek leaves, carrots etc can be consumed with some oil (seasoning) and salt.

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