Nourishing Your Body and Soul: Postpartum Nutrition and Wellness for New Moms
Congratulations, mama!
As you embark on this incredible journey of motherhood, I want to share a few insights from my own postpartum experience. I’m now six months postpartum and hope that some of the hacks, routines, and gentle reminders I leaned on during this time can help support your own recovery and transition.
Welcoming a new life into the world is beautiful—but it’s also raw, delicate, exhausting, and full of emotional and physical shifts. You’ll give so much to your little one, but don’t forget to check in with yourself daily. Listen to your body, nourish it well, and know that it’s okay (and necessary!) to accept help and care.
Postpartum Prep That Made Life Easier
A little preparation during pregnancy helped ease my postpartum recovery in ways I didn’t expect. I:
Set up diaper changing stations on each floor
Made postpartum feminine care baskets for every bathroom
Stocked my freezer with healing, nourishing meals
These simple steps lightened the load when I was adjusting to a newborn and learning how to care for myself at the same time.
Nourishment: Warm, Soft, Healing Foods
During my third trimester, my doulas emphasized the importance of easy-to-digest, wholesome foods for postpartum healing. Think soups, stews, porridge, bone broth, and congee—comforting, warm foods that gently wake up your digestive system and replenish your energy.
What to avoid? Cold, crunchy, processed foods (like salads, raw veggies, chips, and soda). I had never heard that before, but once I learned, I wanted to prepare in advance. That’s when I discovered Mama Meals—an amazing postpartum meal delivery service. Their organic, pre-cooked, frozen meals were a total lifesaver.
My Go-To Mama Meals Favorites
These were a few of my top picks (and yes, they were all delicious!):
Berry Date Oatmeal Congee + Collagen
Sprouted oats to support lactation, with blueberries, strawberries, and dates for natural sweetness.
Primal No-Bean Chili
Loaded with bone broth, sweet potatoes, regeneratively-raised beef and organ blend (trust me—you can’t taste it!).
Creamy Chicken + Rice Congee
Jasmine rice, bone broth, and buttery chicken with healing herbs and pureed liver for a nutritional boost.
They also offer lactation treats (BROWNIES…need I say more!), healing teas, stewed fruits, and nourishing drinks like ashwagandha hot cocoa.
📦 Mama Meals ships nationwide (even from CA to NY like they did for me!).
💸 Use my link or code BRITT20 to save $20 off your first order.
Postpartum Fitness: Grace Over Grind
As a fitness instructor, you’d think I was eager to jump back into workouts—but honestly, I wasn’t. And that’s okay! The early postpartum period should be about healing, bonding, and rest.
Gentle movement like walking and deep breathing was all I did in the first couple of weeks. I waited until the summer heat passed before even taking my son outside for strolls. Once I felt ready and had clearance from my provider, I began easing back into movement—with my baby by my side.
Postpartum Fitness INs
✅ Get cleared by your provider and pelvic floor PT
✅ Start with walking, breath work, stretching
✅ Rebuild your core and pelvic floor gently
✅ Hydrate, nourish, and rest regularly
✅ Include your baby in your movement
✅ Join an online community for support
✅ Celebrate small wins and be kind to yourself
Postpartum Fitness OUTs
🚫 High-impact workouts or HIIT before 6–8 weeks
🚫 Crunches or heavy lifting too soon
🚫 Ignoring your pelvic floor health
🚫 Comparing your journey to others
🚫 Skipping sleep, rest, and recovery
Hydration Matters
Just like in pregnancy, hydration plays a key role in postpartum recovery—especially if you’re breastfeeding. Water, salt, and electrolytes are essential to keeping your energy and mood steady.
Final Words of Encouragement
Whether you're sipping a warm broth, cuddling your baby, taking a gentle stroll, or sneaking in a nap—remember: you matter, too. Take care of yourself in small but meaningful ways, and don’t hesitate to share this post with other moms or moms-to-be who could use a little guidance and grace during this season.
You're doing an incredible job, mama. Keep going—you’ve got this. 💛
