Healthy Eating After Pregnancy

07/13/2013

Guest post by Jennifer Stinson, freelancer for Everyday Health.com and its recipe and calorie counter tools.

Having a baby is a life changing experience -in more ways than one. Not only is your new focus on caring for your baby, but your body and nutritional needs are much different than they were just ten months ago. It is easy to feel anxious about losing those post pregnancy pounds. While a quick fix diet can sound really tempting, taking the time to properly nourish your body will give you the energy you need to take care of your new little one, as well as get back to your pre-pregnancy weight.

Here are some healthy ways to alter your diet to help you be the best mom you can be:

Take time to eat regular meals and snacks

It goes without saying that you feed your baby when he is hungry. However, most new moms forget to feed themselves! Certainly, life is busy with a new little one, but there is no way you will have the energy you need without nourishing your own body. This is even more important if you are nursing. A good rule of thumb is to have breakfast within 90 minutes of getting up, with meals four to six hours apart. Having healthy snacks in between meals, just when you begin to feel hungry will prevent you from making the wrong choices when you are tired and hungry. Here are some easy, healthy snack ides to keep you satisfied through out the day:

1. Low fat Greek yogurt and an ounce of nuts
2. Veggie sticks and hummus
3. Whole grain crackers and low fat cheese
4. Low fat cottage cheese and fruit
5. Whole grain cereal and fat free milk
6. Whole grain toast and natural peanut butter

Banish sweets and junk food from the house

What is easier to grab when you are hungry and tired than sweets or salty, fatty junk food? These types of foods really sound good when you have pulled an all nighter with a newborn. However, junk foods contain little nutrients that will fuel you up for the energy you need to make it through the day. It is best to get them out of your house, so you won’t be tempted when you are feeling hungry and tired. Some healthy alternatives to junk food that get the green light are:

1. Plain popcorn
2. Whole grain pretzels
3. Baked kale chips
4. Roasted garbanzo beans.

Stock up on Superfoods

It will be especially important to make healthy choices if you are nursing. Even if you are not breast feeding, you will need to plenty of energy, stamina, alertness and strength to get you through those first few months with a newborn. This means paying special attention to the food choices you make, so you can maximize your nutrition for you and your baby. Superfoods are rich in antioxidants, phytochemicals and typically not processed, leaving them packed full of nutrients that your body needs to keep you going. Superfoods include the following:

1. Green, leafy veggies
2. Blueberries
3. Broccoli
4. Beans and legumes
5. Salmon
6. Walnuts
7. Oats
8. Yogurt
9. Oranges.

It can be a challenge to focus on your own nutrition after having a baby. Take one day at a time and remind yourself that getting in all the nutrients your body needs is good for both you and baby!

To learn more about healthy eating and nutrition check out My-Calorie-Counter.com