Conventional wisdom has it that women should get back to their usual life as soon as they can after giving birth. It turns out that that is so far from the truth. Doing so ignores the important postpartum period, something we dive deep into in this episode.

Today I’m welcoming back to the podcast Lily Nichols. Lily is a registered dietician and nutritionist specializing in gestational health. With the goal of helping women make use of holistic tools to live more healthfully, Lily has been spreading the message of getting the best diet to maximize health before, during, and after pregnancy.

Since we have both recently given birth to our second child, Lily and I chat about what we have learned about postpartum health. From accepting help from loved ones and getting the right nutrients to producing enough milk and addressing the underlying causes of postpartum depression, Lily and I discuss what it takes to support yourself and your child’s health after birth.

Have you faced challenges maintaining good postpartum nutrition? Tell me about it in the comments on the episode page! 

  In this episode

• The importance of accepting help after childbirth
• Why it’s crucial to have the right nourishing foods postpartum
• Why you probably aren’t getting enough protein after you give birth
• The challenges faced by vegetarians in maintaining a well-rounded postpartum diet
• The potential benefits of Vitamin D for you and your baby during and after pregnancy
• How to boost milk production through good nutrition and other means
• The benefits of iron-rich organ meat and how to easily incorporate it into your meals
• Taking good care of thyroid health during and after pregnancy

  Quotes

“You need those amino acids that are found in the connective tissues of animal foods.” [16:33]

“Supplement yourself. You’re probably going to help maintain your own Vitamin D levels and immune function and mental health. Also, the baby is getting enough and you don’t need to think about a separate product.” [28:32]

“It’s often one of the trickiest things postpartum - just eating and drinking enough. You’re just spread so thin.” [31:09]

“It is very wise to introduce some iron-rich foods because the baby’s iron stores can start to drop around four to six months.” [39:47]

“We just need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable for postpartum because your life does slow down.” [49:03]

  Links

Find Lily Nichols Online

Follow Lily on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

Muscle Medicine Episode 30 with Lily Nichols 

Real Food for Pregnancy

Real Food Postpartum Recovery Meals

 

Check out the full show notes for this episode here

Urban Wellness Clinic

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