When a new baby arrives, many moms get lost in the whirlwind of activity that follows. As you count feedings and dirty diapers to make sure your baby is getting enough to eat, don’t forget all about your own dietary and fitness needs.
It’s important to take care of yourself—for your own good as well as your baby’s. If you feel healthy you’ll likely do a better job caring for your newborn during a time often characterized by sleep deprivation and mental exhaustion.
Following are five tips to help you stay focused on your own nutrition and fitness needs after childbirth:
- Don’t try to lose your pregnancy weight quickly. Despite what you may see in movies, new moms don’t magically shrink down to their pre-pregnancy size as soon as the baby is delivered. Be patient and remember that it can take up to a year to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight. A crash diet can make baby blues and sleep deprivation feel even worse. Furthermore, if you’re breastfeeding you need extra calories and nutrition for your baby. Making small changes and smarter nutrition choices will help you return to your pre-pregnancy weight in a healthy way.
- Watch your food portions. You don’t have to give up your favorite high-calorie foods, but you may need to eat less of them, and less often. A good general rule is to make half your plate vegetables, one-quarter lean protein (poultry, fish or tofu), and one-quarter starch (baked potato, brown rice or whole wheat bread). In addition, limit the amount of calorie-rich and fat-heavy “extras,” such as dressings and sauces made with cream, butter, mayonnaise and oils.
- Take help when it’s offered. If friends or family offer to prepare meals for you, let them. It’s a nice (and usually healthier) alternative to take-out or restaurant food. When you do have time to cook, make extra batches and freeze them for later. This way you have an alternative to processed instant foods that are typically higher in calories, salt, sugar and preservatives than food prepared at home with lower-fat cooking methods such as baking, broiling, grilling, roasting or steaming.
- Don’t skip meals. If you do, you’re likely to become overly hungry later and overeat or choose less healthy foods. One way to avoid skipping meals is to have your kitchen stocked with healthy convenience foods such as fruits and veggies (preferably washed and ready to eat). Make breakfast a priority, since it’s the most important meal of the day. Chances are you are tired from interrupted sleep, so make it easy for yourself and have healthy yet easy-to-prepare choices in your kitchen, like high-fiber cereal, whole-wheat bread and hard-boiled eggs; or yogurt and fruit.
- Make time to exercise. Even a short walk will help you burn calories, which can help with weight loss. Moderate sunlight exposure also helps your body make vitamin D, which helps to absorb calcium and improve bone health.
In the midst of all the new-baby chaos, don’t forget to take care of yourself. By following these five simple tips you’ll feel better and have more energy to care for your new little bundle.
— Karen Astrachan, MS, RD, CDE, CSSD