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What to eat

Postpartum nutrition guide

What to eat after birth to rebuild your body, support milk supply and steady your mood.

Good postpartum nutrition centers on warm, easy-to-digest, nutrient-dense food that rebuilds what pregnancy and birth deplete. Prioritize iron (red meat, liver, lentils, greens) to replace blood loss, protein and collagen (soups, broths, eggs, fish) for tissue repair, omega-3s (salmon, sardines, walnuts) and vitamin D for mood, and plenty of fluids for milk supply. Soups, broths, stews and porridges are ideal — gentle on digestion and deeply restorative.

On this page

Iron & bloodProtein & collagenMood & omega-3sMilk supplyHow to eat it

Rebuild blood with iron

Blood loss during birth leaves many mothers with low iron, causing the fatigue, brain fog and low mood that mimic and worsen depression. Rebuild it with red meat, liver, lentils, beans and dark leafy greens (pair plant sources with vitamin C to boost absorption). Warming, slow-cooked dishes make iron gentle on a tired gut.

Protein and collagen for repair

Your body is healing tissue, possibly a surgical wound, and producing milk — all protein-hungry work. Bone broths and collagen-rich soups are a sitting-month staple for exactly this reason. Aim for protein at every meal.

Support mood with omega-3s and vitamin D

Omega-3 fatty acids (especially from fatty fish) and vitamin D are the nutrients most linked to postpartum mood. Low levels are a recognized risk factor for postpartum depression. Include fatty fish a few times a week and get safe sun exposure; ask your provider about supplements. More detail: foods and mood after birth.

Foods and fluids for milk supply

Milk production needs calories, protein and lots of fluids. Warm soups and teas do double duty — hydration plus nourishment. Traditional galactagogue foods (oats, fennel, and the warming ingredients of the sitting month) are commonly used to support supply.

The easiest way to eat well postpartum

  • Batch-cook or accept soups, stews and broths that reheat in minutes.
  • Keep one-handed, protein-rich snacks by every feeding spot.
  • Drink a warm cup of something every time you feed the baby.
  • Say yes when people offer to bring food — it's care, not charity.

For done-for-you warming meal plans built on these principles, see the Sitting Month recovery course and recovery teas.

Keep reading

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The tradition

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Common questions

Frequently asked

What should I eat right after giving birth?

Warm, easy-to-digest, nutrient-dense foods: iron-rich soups and stews, bone/collagen broths, eggs, fish, cooked vegetables and porridges. These rebuild blood, repair tissue, support milk supply and steady mood.

What foods increase milk supply?

Adequate calories, protein and fluids matter most. Warm soups and teas, oats, and the warming galactagogue foods of the sitting month are commonly used to support milk supply.

Emily Montague, The Postpartum Chef
Written & reviewed by

Emily Montague, The Postpartum Chef

Emily is a chef, mother of five and postpartum-recovery educator who revives the 2,000-year-old zuo yuezi ("sitting month") tradition for modern mothers. Her signature, food-first method helps women rebuild after birth and ease postpartum depression — and she now certifies doulas and midwives to cook it for their own clients.

Visit The Sitting Month →    Meet Emily →

Warming meal plans, done for you

The Sitting Month recovery course delivers these healing nutrients in ready-to-follow meal plans for both vaginal and cesarean recovery.

See the recovery course