Postpartum is one of the most nutritionally demanding phases of a woman's life — and nutrient needs don't drop after delivery; they stay elevated. Whether or not you breastfeed, your body is rebuilding blood volume, repairing tissue, and replenishing depleted nutrient stores throughout the Fourth Trimester and beyond.
Most women nourish themselves carefully during pregnancy through food and supplementation, then shift all their attention to the baby the moment she arrives. But recovery has its own requirements: collagen and amino acids for tissue repair, heme iron to rebuild blood, DHA for brain function, calcium and choline for both mother and baby.
These 10 foods deliver those nutrients in forms that are realistic to prepare — and eat — with a newborn in your arms.
#1: Bone Broth
Bone broth is a warm liquid rich in collagen and amino acids. It also contains minerals like calcium and magnesium.
The body undergoes quite a bit of disruption during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. No matter how active your pregnancy or how you delivered, your body’s tissues will go through a process of repair during the postpartum period.
Collagen and elastin are present throughout the body, including in the skin, abdominal muscles, and uterus. After birth, they undergo a rapid breakdown and process of repair. The collagen and amino acids in bone broth can help support their repair.
How to add it to your diet
Bone broth is made by simmering the bones and connective tissue of animals. It’s fairly easy to make since it is mostly hands-off as the broth simmers, but several high-quality brands exist to purchase, like Kettle & Fire, Fond, and Bare Bones.
Bone broth can be used in soups or stews, which freeze and reheat well. It can also be used to cook grains and legumes like rice, quinoa, and lentils. If you like the taste, you can simply sip bone broth like tea.
#2 Collagen
Like bone broth, Collagen Protein is rich in both collagen and amino acids, which support tissue repair.
How to add it to your diet
Collagen protein is extremely versatile; mix it into any liquid or soft food, like tea, coffee, a smoothie, yogurt, oatmeal, muffins, or pureed soup.
When mixing collagen into soft food, stir it in slowly, a little bit at a time. In recipes that involve mixing a liquid into a solid, like oatmeal, you can also whisk the collagen into the liquid before adding it to the solid.
#3 Grass-fed and pasture-raised meat
Meat is rich in iron. A significant amount of blood is lost during delivery, and women continue to bleed for weeks following birth. Because of this blood loss, many postpartum women experience postpartum anemia. In many cases, it goes undetected since many of the symptoms are similar to those of new motherhood, like fatigue, headache, dizziness, and difficulty concentrating. Including iron-rich meats helps to support iron levels.
In addition to iron, meat is rich in B vitamins, which support energy, metabolism, and normal cell function.
How to add it to your diet
Note that Iron comes in two forms - heme and non-heme. Heme iron is found only in animal sources, while non-heme iron is found in plant foods. Heme iron is far better absorbed by the body than non-heme iron. Consuming vitamin C alongside non- heme iron can boost its absorption.
The best sources of heme iron include red meat (like beef, bison, lamb), poultry (like chicken, turkey), and organ meats (like liver).
As for quality, grass-fed and pasture-raised meats tend to have a more favorable fatty acid profile than conventional grain-fed meats.
#4 Wild-caught salmon
Salmon is rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. Eating sufficient Omega-3 fatty acids (and limiting excessive Omega-6 fatty acids) is important to maintaining a balanced Omega-3:6 ratio in the body, which supports a healthy inflammatory response.
One of the Omega-3 fatty acids, Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) plays a critical role in the brain’s ability to communicate with the rest of the body through neural signaling. It also supports baby’s brain development, which is essential if breastfeeding. DHA cannot be synthesized by the body, so it must be consumed through diet or supplementation.
Another Omega-3 fatty acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), has been associated with having positive effects on perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.
In addition to Omega-3s, salmon contains protein, Vitamin D, and Selenium, all supportive of postpartum recovery and overall health.
How to add it to your diet
Wild-caught salmon can be purchased fresh or frozen. Both are nutrient-dense, and while fresh may be preferred when possible, frozen provides more convenience. Other options for salmon include smoked salmon, which has a milder flavor and requires very little preparation, and canned salmon, which can be quickly added to salads or bowls or made into salmon patties.
Wild Planet, Bela, Safe Catch, and Season are high-quality canned fish brands. Salmon jerky is another convenient option for snacking. EPIC has good quality salmon jerky.
Another fatty, low-mercury fish option is sardines. Sardines have a distinct taste, but can be used in salad dressing or chopped in a salad. Sardines also provide calcium, an important nutrient for postpartum women.
#5 Grass-fed dairy
Dairy is rich in calcium. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and supports bone health and development for both mama and baby. Bone calcium stores can become depleted during pregnancy and breastfeeding if mama is not consuming enough. In addition to calcium, fermented dairy can support gut health.
How to include it in your diet
You don’t need to drink milk to enjoy dairy. Try yogurt, kefir, or cottage cheese as alternatives.
Choose grass-fed dairy when possible. Dairy from grass-fed cows has elevated levels of omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA). This provides a more favorable omega-6-to-omega-3 fatty acid balance. Grassmilk contains nearly a 1:1 ratio as compared to a 5:1 to 7:1 ratio in conventional whole milk.
#6 Eggs
Eggs are rich in Choline. Choline is essential at all ages and stages of life, but is particularly critical for postpartum women to support their own brain and nervous system health and their babies' brain development.
Eggs also contain protein, fat, and B vitamins. The nutrients and fat are mostly contained in the yolk, while the protein is primarily in the white.
How to include it in your diet
Eggs can be prepared in so many ways. Hard-boiled eggs are convenient, but if you are limiting cold foods in early postpartum, stick with warm cooked eggs like scrambled or over easy. You can also wrap eggs in a tortilla or add them to a sandwich. If plain eggs aren’t your favorite, try egg-heavy recipes like banana egg pancakes or egg muffin cups with veggies and cheese. Both are great for batch cooking and saving for later.
Opt for pasture-raised eggs when possible; you’ll be able to see the difference with a yolk that is a rich orange color as opposed to the dull yellow of a conventionally raised chicken.
#7 Berries
Fruits and vegetables contain a variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that may support normal postpartum recovery. One variety of fruit with multiple benefits is berries, a nutritional powerhouse with antioxidants for inflammation reduction, vitamin C for collagen production, and fiber to help with postpartum constipation.
There's such a wonderful variety of berries that you're bound to find one that you like. Strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and even goji berries are often available year-round and easy to grab as an on-the-go snack or incorporated into your cooking.
How to include in your diet
You can easily grab a few berries for a quick snack, toss them into your oatmeal or on top of Greek yogurt, or even bake them into a yummy treat. One way we love to add berries to our diet is via smoothies, such as this nutrient-packed Green Berry Almond Smoothie made with a scoop of Needed's collagen and prenatal powder.
#8 Cruciferous vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, kale, and Brussels sprouts, are some of the best foods you can add to your diet for recovery. They are jam-packed with Vitamins C, K, and E, as well as folate, which can help protect against DNA damage and have anti-inflammatory properties. They also serve as a fiber-rich source of healthy carbs. Fiber can help support digestion and regularity, which can slow during postpartum.
How to include it in your diet
We could spend a whole other Motherlode post just on ideas for incorporating these hearty veggies into your diet. Take kale, for example; you can add it to smoothies or toss it with some olive oil and seasonings for a side dish. If you’re able, aim for variety.
When possible, choose organic varieties. But if organic options aren’t available or are cost-prohibitive, use the Dirty Dozen list. It’s a good resource that can help prioritize what to buy organic.
#9 Cacao
Have you ever heard of cacao? It's a variety of beans that come from a small tree native to the Amazon basin. It's also the chief ingredient of chocolate, which is why you may be surprised to find that cacao itself is rich in antioxidants, minerals and vitamins. Cacao, or cocoa, has:
- Flavanols, a plant-based antioxidant compound that can help support heart health and brain function
- Fiber and protein
- Potassium
- Magnesium
So while you're likely to see cocoa in the hot chocolate aisle or as the base ingredient for your favorite candy bar, in its raw form, cacao is a nutritional superfood!
How to include it in your diet
DYK that eating dark chocolate is actually good for you? Research found a correlation between regular consumption of dark chocolate and improved cardiovascular health, among other studied benefits. Just make sure you're eating at least 70% cacao and minding the sugar content and how much you eat. You can also buy raw cacao powder in the baking aisle at your local grocery store and add it to your smoothies or make your own pudding at home.
#10 Legumes
Perhaps the only food with more variety than fruits and veggies would be legumes. They're an especially excellent option — rich in protein and fiber, which help your body eliminate waste, repair tissue, and feel fuller, longer. They are especially good for vegetarian and vegan mothers struggling to get enough protein in their daily diets. 1 cup of cooked black beans has about 15 grams of protein, making them an exceptional dietary option.
How to include in your diet
The best part of legumes? You can prepare them in a multitude of ways, and there's so much variety. Need a quick meal? Throw some rice in the rice cooker and cook your favorite variety of beans on the stove for a few minutes; you'll have a filling, tasty and nutritious meal in less than 30 minutes. You can make bean casseroles and safely freeze them for up to a few weeks (who wants to cook with a newborn at home?). You can even use beans in smoothies, like our Black Bean Brownie Batter Smoothie. The opportunities are endless!
The bottom line: Recovery is worth nourishing
Your body did something remarkable, and healing from it deserves the same intention you brought to pregnancy. You don't need to overhaul your kitchen overnight — start with one or two of these foods in formats that fit your life right now, whether that's sipping bone broth between feeds or batch-cooking egg muffin cups during a nap. Every nutrient-dense choice supports the repair work already underway.
And if you're unsure whether you're meeting your needs, a practitioner who understands postpartum nutrition can help you fill the gaps.
