Recipes for Postpartum Recovery
What is the Fourth Trimester?
Traditional Chinese Medicine teaches us much about birth and postpartum recovery. From the TCM perspective, giving birth is the only naturally occurring event in a woman’s life where she loses such high amounts of Qi*, blood, and energy; and especially yang energy. Giving birth is without doubt a big experience, physically, emotionally and spiritually, and both pregnancy and birth takes a toll on the woman’s body.
In the time after birth, it is important for the woman to receive extra care and attention. She needs to be replenished in many different ways in order to fully recover her strength and vitality.
The process of giving birth is a ‘yang’ dominated experience; there is usually a lot of expression, noise, emotion and energy as we give birth to our children. Therefore, after this time of extreme yang expression, we should allow for a period of time to bring yin energy into the body- to restore balance. This period is traditionally the first forty days after birth, sometimes longer, and can be referred to as the fourth trimester. According to both TCM and Ayurveda, the fourth trimester is a period where rest, seclusion, and proper nourishment is highly advised in order to replenish the mother’s Qi and vitality (Prana).
REPLENISHING THE YIN ENERGIES
"Oh, how far we’ve strayed from that old wisdom! Somehow, a pervasive idea has spread in modern times that the mom who is out and about soonest with her baby is somehow the strongest, like an episode of ‘Survivor’. For some type-A parents, it’s almost like a badge of honor to say you made it to yoga after two weeks, snuck of the office for a meeting, or flew with your infant across time zones. But that’s all upside down- in a healthy postpartum period, it’s she who stays still that wins the prize." - Heng Ou
Food and nourishment plays a vital role in restoring the postpartum body. The emphasis lies on warm, cooked and soft foods; meals that are easy to digest to allow the body to focus on the necessary healing. Anything cold, frozen, refrigerated or raw is generally avoided.
Traditions around the world encourages warmth and heat during pregnancy and postpartum, and have rituals and practices to support the woman into this tradition of motherhood; she is “gently steamed, rubbed, massaged and brought into balance.”
A few basic guidelines for postpartum foods include:
• foods that are high in energy and calories: rich in fats and protein
• potatoes, root vegetables and mushrooms
• spices with warming qualities, including as cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and ginger.
• sesame oil, avocado oil, ghee and grass fed butter
• Warm meals: Soups, broths and stews
• Herbal teas, hot milks, chai etc. Warm and milky drinks are especially calming and soothing for the nervous system, and liquids are important to the body healthy and hydrated, as well as to nourish mum’s body for breast milk production
SOOTHING PORRIDGE
INGREDIENTS:
2 tbsp Arrowroot
2/3 cup water
2/3 cup milk of choice (raw organic whole
milk or coconut milk)
Large pinch of salt
1/4 tsp cardamom
A few strands of saffron
Optional: 1 egg yolk
DIRECTIONS
1. Dissolve arrowroot powder in room tempered water.
2. Add salt, cardamom and saffron and bring this mixture to a boil whilst continuously stirring it.
3. When the mixture begins to thicken, slowly pot in milk (with an egg yolk stirred in if using). Continue to stir and give the mixture a quick boil. Turn off the heat and serve warm.
I like to drizzle mine with a little honey or maple syrup and a little coconut cream or heavy cream.
SWEET SIMPLE CONGEE
½ cup white basmati rice
1 tbsp ghee
1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/4 tsp cardamom
¼ tsp. mineral salt
3 cups water
DIRECTIONS
1. Warm ghee in a medium pot and add ginger, cardamom and salt. Simmer until fragrant, then add rice and stir to coat.
2. Add water and stir again. Bring to a boil and let the congee simmer for at least half an hour, though up to 4 hours is often recommended. Stir occasionally and add more water if necessary.
* The consistency of the congee should be anywhere from a porridge to a thick soup consistency- most importantly, the rice should be very well cooked to the point where it begins to break apart.
Serve warm for a gentle meal anytime of day.
HERBAL FAT BOMBS
These nut butter bombs can be made weeks in advance, and are an easy and handy recipe to prepare as you wait for your baby to make its arrival, or to bring as a gift to a new mother. I like to make a big (triple batch) and store them in a jar in the freezer.
INGREDIENTS:
1/3 cup organic ghee
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup hulled tahini
2 tbsp almond butter
2 tbsp raw honey or maple syrup
1 tbsp shatavari root powder
1 tbsp tremella mushroom powder
1 tsp ceylon cinnamon
1/4 tsp sea salt
HOW TO:
In a double boiler, melt ghee and coconut oil on low heat.
2. Remove the bowl from the double boiler, then stir in tahini, almond butter and honey/maple syrup. Add your herbs, cinnamon and salt and mix well.
Pour the mixture into small moulds, or into a lined container (then cut into small pieces later). Freeze until solid. Enjoy with a warm cup of tea or milk to balance out the coldness ♥
*Note: This recipe will quickly melt in room temperature, so keep the fudge in the fridge or freezer at all times.