Postpartum Foods — What to Eat & Avoid
During pregnancy, in addition to meeting the mother’s own nutritional needs, the body also sustains the growth and development of the fetus. The mother’s various body systems adapt accordingly — the uterine muscle cells enlarge, proliferate, and elongate; the heart bears a greater load; the lungs face increased demands; the kidneys slightly enlarge during pregnancy; the ureters widen and lose muscle tone. Other areas such as the intestines, endocrine system, skin, skeletal structure, joints, and ligaments all undergo corresponding changes as well. After delivery, as the baby is born, the mother’s organs gradually return to their pre-pregnancy state.
The uterus, perineum, and vaginal wounds heal; the uterus slowly shrinks; the diaphragm descends; the heart recovers; and the loosened skin, joints, and ligaments all restore themselves. However, the extent to which these organs and structures recover depends entirely on how well the mother takes care of herself during the confinement period. With proper care, recovery is faster and may even result in a healthier state than before pregnancy. With inadequate care, recovery is slower and may result in lasting health issues.
Postpartum Foods: What to Eat & What to Avoid
| Food Category | Recommended | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Grains & Legumes | White rice, rice vermicelli, black soybeans, red beans, yellow soybeans, large red beans, job’s tears, white/round-grain rice, glutinous rice, wheat, barley, black rice, peanuts, cashews, roasted black/white sesame, corn | Fava beans, barley malt, mung beans |
| Meat & Organ Meats | Beef/pork tongue, beef/pork tripe, pork liver, pork kidney, chicken liver, pork heart, chicken, pork, beef | Duck |
| Seafood | Dried small fish, shrimp, sea bass, silver carp, eel, river eel, carp, red sea bream, crucian carp, yellow croaker, salmon, black mullet, swordfish (all seafood must be thoroughly cooked) | Clams, raw fish, freshwater clam meat, crab, sea conch, common clam, snail, mussel |
| Vegetables | Green beans, speckled beans, fine beans, large red beans, sweet potato leaves, potatoes, red bell pepper, cabbage, shiitake mushrooms, edamame, spinach, Chinese broccoli, celery, cauliflower, Chinese yam, carrots, lettuce, red amaranth, onions, button mushrooms, pumpkin, black wood ear fungus, taro, green peas, dried mushrooms, corn, garlic, red gynura, ginger, onions, sweet potatoes, red pickled vegetable, Thai basil, cabbage, sweet potato leaves, lotus seeds | Preserved mustard greens, pickled cabbage, winter melon, bamboo shoots, ridge gourd, hair vegetable, eggplant, loofah, lotus root, cucumber, amaranth, bitter melon, dried preserved vegetables, cabbage heart, raw lettuce, burdock, white radish, mung bean sprouts, daylily |
| Beverages | Sheng Hua Tang herbal decoction, rice wine water | Green tea |
| Fruits | Lychee, longan, durian, papaya, white peach, peach, grapes, cherries, jujube, red apple, loquat, almonds, peach kernels, lotus seeds, walnuts, mango, durian, kumquat peel | Pear, watermelon, persimmon, coconut, starfruit, tangerine, orange, pomegranate, banana, kiwi, water chestnut, plum, pomelo, grapefruit, wax apple, pineapple, honeydew melon |
A Friendly Reminder:
Postpartum moms should choose warming-natured vegetables and fruits — cooling-natured ones should be avoided.
Starting from the first week postpartum, warming-natured fruits and vegetables can be introduced to help relieve constipation, which is common after delivery.