Dieting
Exercise
The recovery from the birth, and the demands of early parenting, mean that it is very important for the woman to look after herself physically, so that she can cope emotionally and stay well, to take care of her baby. In the 6 weeks recovery period, women need to keep up the well-balanced, healthy diet they were having during their pregnancy (presuming this was the case). This is particularly important for women who have had a Caesarean birth, women who experienced a haemorrhage after the birth, and/or women who are breastfeeding. If you want to read about bleeding after the birth and various aspects of physical recovery, you can go to
physical recovery after the birth.
A common problem for many women, especially in the early days and weeks after the birth, is neglecting to have regular, nutritious meals (or snacks) and drink adequate fluids. These are a couple of essential elements (along with getting adequate rest) that help maintain your strength, health and energy levels. Having a plentiful supply of easy to eat nutritious foods at your fingertips (such as pre-cooked meals, breads, yoghurt, nuts, dried and fresh fruits, muesli bars, salads and soups) will help make 'eating on the run' much easier.
Try not to skip meals. If possible, the food you eat should be high in fibre (to help digestion and prevent
constipation after the birth), include fresh fruit, vegetables, have plenty of
calcium rich foods and proteins (dairy, meat, fish, eggs, chicken, tofu, nuts, pulses), have adequate complex carbohydrates for energy (such as breads, rice, pasta, potatoes). Your food should also be complemented by at least 8 glasses of water a day (in addition to other drinks). You may wish to read more about what constitutes a healthy diet
here.
You do not need to avoid any particular foods when breastfeeding, although you will need to drink plenty of water (about 8 to 10 large glasses a day).