I always giggle a little to myself when I hear people talking about how to “bounce back” after having a baby. That makes it sound as if there’s a way to heal up, feel energized, and pop back into your skinny jeans as soon as you leave that hospital bed, when in reality it takes a little longer than that. With the right nutrition and a healthy lifestyle, you can reduce the amount of time it takes to start feeling like yourself, though. So while you won’t be 100% overnight, you could be almost back to normal over the course of a few months.
Some new moms pour all of their energy into caring for their new little bundle of joy and forget all about themselves. However, in order to take care of your new family, you’ll need to take care of yourself. Sure, you may wear less makeup and throw your hair into a ponytail or braid more days than you used to, but the core ways to take care of yourself—nutrition, exercise, and sleep—are possibly even more important now than they were before you got pregnant.
You may not have time to sit down and eat for as long as you used to, so make sure you’re eating nutrient-dense foods. Planning ahead and making a lot of food at once is one of the things that will help you most with meeting your nutrition needs and keeping you from reaching for fast foods or convenience meals from the freezer section of the grocery store.
We don’t count calories on the Beauty Detox plan, but as an idea, a breastfeeding mom needs about 300-500 extra calories per day to keep her milk supply up. A while ago, we wrote about some of the best foods you can eat while breastfeeding to keep your energy and milk supply up, and why you shouldn’t try to do a drastic detox while breastfeeding.
Your little one isn’t going to be on a schedule for a while, so you’ll be subject to his or her whims and fondly remembering those nights you used to be able to sleep for six or seven hours at a time.
You may not be able to sleep for large stretches at a time, but there are some ways to make the most of the time you do have and ensure that you fall asleep quickly once the baby’s down for the night:
Some moms are ready to crash at the first sign of a quiet moment, but others may have anxiety that keeps them awake even after the baby’s sleeping peacefully.
For those moments when the baby’s quietly entertaining him or herself but there’s not enough time for a nap, try meditation. You only need a couple of minutes to boost your energy levels. You may not feel as refreshed as you might after a full night’s sleep, but meditating can cut down on the total exhaustion you feel and even help with postpartum depression.
Between the hormones and the lack of sleep, you may find that your moods are all over the place once the baby’s born (sorry, the mood swings don’t end as soon as the baby arrives!). Good nutrition, little pockets of quiet time when you can take them, and light exercise (once you get the green light from your doctor) will all help stabilize your mood and allow you to enjoy this new, joyous time in your life as much as possible. Oh baby! Fitness has some great workout tips to get your body back into shape.
From a dietary perspective, making sure you’re getting enough fatty acids in your diet could help. Try walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseeds, avocados, Brazil nuts, almonds, pistachios, and hemp seeds. These will also boost your caloric intake if you’re having a hard time eating enough to keep up an abundant milk supply.
If you feel that your postpartum symptoms aren’t going away and you need some extra support, visit PostPartum.net for help. Symptoms could include anxiety, irritability, upsetting thoughts, depression, mood swings, and more, and there’s no shame in reaching out for help. Know that you’re not alone in your struggles.
Having a baby is a beautiful, life-changing experience, but because it does change almost every facet of your life in some way, it may take some time to feel like yourself again. Cut yourself some slack and don’t turn the weight loss into a race. Yes, you want to lose it as quickly as possible, but there’s no need to make yourself miserable in the process. When you’re eating a clean, plant-based diet and taking care of yourself, returning to your “old” (or “new and improved”!) self will happen naturally. Don’t stress! You’re beautiful!
