The Postpartum Guide: What Your Body Really Needs After Birth

I had my second baby this summer and, despite working in women's health and supporting women through pregnancy and postpartum every day, there were still things I had forgotten.

How hungry breastfeeding makes me. How thirsty I am all the time. The night sweats. How much better I feel after simply getting outside for half an hour. And how easy it is to spend the entire morning caring for everyone else, only to realise it's midday and I've barely eaten anything myself.

It reminded me that while postpartum recovery can last months or even years for some women, we often prepare far better for pregnancy and birth than we do for what comes afterwards. This guide focuses on the early postpartum period, helping you understand what's happening inside your body, what to prioritise nutritionally, which supplements may be worth discussing with your healthcare professional, how to approach sleep and movement, and when symptoms that seem like "normal new-mum exhaustion" deserve a closer look.

The first thing to understand: postpartum is nutritionally demanding

Pregnancy doesn't finish and suddenly your nutritional requirements return to what they were before. You have just spent nine months growing a baby and placenta, then comes birth, followed immediately by recovery and, for many women, milk production.

If you're breastfeeding, the nutritional demand continues. Producing breast milk requires energy and also transfers nutrients from you to your baby.

This is why in the first weeks postpartum we must ensure you're eating enough.

My main advice is to eat three proper meals whenever possible, and snacks when hunger asks for them, particularly if you're breastfeeding. At each meal, I want a good source of protein, some vegetables or fruit, a source of carbohydrate and healthy fat.

• Breakfast could be eggs, avocado, wholegrain toast and fruit; or Greek yoghurt with oats, chia, berries and nut butter.

• Lunch doesn't need to be complicated either. Leftover chicken with rice, vegetables and olive oil; lentil soup with bread and cheese; salmon with potatoes and salad.

  
  

Postpartum food needs to be nutritious, but it also needs to pass another test: can you prepare and eat it while looking after a newborn?

That's why containers with leftovers prepared on the `"rd trimester of pregnancy are so useful for these first meals.

The nutrients I pay particular attention to postpartum

Iron

Your iron requirement increased considerably during pregnancy because you had to produce more red blood cells and support your baby's needs. Then you lose blood during delivery.

If your ferritin was already low during pregnancy, or you had significant blood loss during birth, you have less reserve afterwards. Iron deficiency can contribute to fatigue, weakness, dizziness, headaches, breathlessness and difficulty concentrating (symptoms that are very easy to put down to having a newborn!). The postpartum research I reviewed also highlights pregnancy iron requirements and blood loss at birth as important reasons iron deficiency can persist after delivery.

This is why I prefer knowing your iron status going into birth rather than discovering six weeks afterwards that your ferritin was already very low.

If you have low iron, food matters a lot and you should focus on eating red meat, poultry, seafood, lentils, beans and leafy greens. Add vitamin C to plant sources of iron, like peppers, kiwi, berries or citrus fruit, because it improves non-haem iron absorption. But if you are actually iron deficient, food may not be enough to correct it. That's where testing and an appropriate iron supplement become useful.

Choline + iodine

These are two nutrients I think deserve much more attention during breastfeeding.

Choline is involved in brain and nervous-system development, and requirements are higher during lactation. Eggs are one of the easiest ways to increase intake, like two large eggs provide roughly 300 mg of choline, with additional amounts coming from meat, fish, dairy, soy and beans.

Iodine requirements also increase during breastfeeding because iodine is transferred into breast milk and is needed for the baby's thyroid hormone production and neurological development. Seafood, dairy products, eggs and iodised salt can all contribute, although intake varies considerably depending on what you eat and where you live.

DHA

If you're breastfeeding, maternal DHA intake influences the DHA content of breast milk. I would continue eating low-mercury oily fish regularly, such as salmon, sardines, trout, herring, and consider a DHA supplement if fish isn't something you eat.

Calcium + vitamin D

Lactation also changes calcium metabolism. Your body has mechanisms specifically designed to provide calcium for breast milk, which is another reason I want enough calcium coming in through the diet.

Make sure you eat everyday at least one of these: yoghurt, cheese, milk or fortified alternatives, calcium-set tofu and sardines with the bones.

Vitamin D is more difficult to obtain from food alone. Whether you need additional supplementation will depend on what is already in your prenatal, your baseline status, sun exposure and local recommendations.

Vitamin B12

If you eat animal products regularly, B12 is usually relatively easy to obtain from food.

Although, if you're vegan or eating very little meat, fish, eggs and dairy, this becomes much more important because maternal B12 status affects the amount available to a breastfed baby.

The first bowel movement deserves its own paragraph

Constipation is very common postpartum, and there are plenty of reasons for it: reduced movement, changes in food and fluid intake, iron supplements, pain medication, haemorrhoids, perineal trauma and sometimes simply being afraid to push because everything feels sore.

Please, don't wait until you're several days constipated to think about it. Drink water regularly, get fibre back into your meals (actually pack some grains in your maternity bag), include foods such as kiwi, oats, chia, vegetables, fruit and legumes if you tolerate them (once you arrive home), and start walking gently when you're able.

If you had significant perineal trauma, haemorrhoids, a C-section, are taking opioid pain relief or already tend towards constipation, discuss bowel management with your maternity team early. Sometimes a stool softener or laxative is appropriate.

This is a very unglamorous part of postpartum preparation, though it is also one you may be extremely grateful you thought about beforehand.

Sleep: what can we realistically do?

Sleep advice postpartum can become almost comical. Of course you need sleep. You also have a baby who wakes up every hour or 2 hours.

That's why I approach this differently and ask you where are we unnecessarily losing the sleep that is available? This is something I've had to ask myself too.

If the baby finally sleeps at 9 a.m. after a terrible night, am I sleeping for 20 minutes or am I answering emails, putting on a wash and trying to get through my list?

Let me tell you that there is no supplement, breakfast or breathing technique that can replace significant sleep deprivation. So when sleep is available, try to protect it.

For me what worked was getting outside in the morning. Daylight gives the brain an important circadian signal, and a walk gives me movement and fresh air at the same time. It's one of the few habits I found genuinely useful with a newborn because it does several things at once.

That is generally how I think about postpartum habits: the fewer things you can do that solve several problems at once, the better.

Movement: start with what your body is ready for

When it comes to postpartum exercise you should ask yourself: what is my body ready for now?

In the first days, moving around the house and taking a short walk outside will feel sufficient. Then you gradually add more walking, breathing and pelvic-floor work where appropriate, mobility and eventually strength.

I'm particularly interested in rebuilding the muscles motherhood asks you to use every day: glutes, legs, core, back and shoulders. This is because you are going to lift a baby hundreds of times, carry a car seat, feed in awkward positions, push a pram, sit on the floor and eventually carry an increasingly heavy child.

Strength training postpartum isn't only about aesthetics, it's incredibly practical.

And remember that leakage, pelvic heaviness or pressure, persistent pain and pain with sex are good reasons to see a pelvic-health physiotherapist.

Is it hormones or your mood?

Crying easily in the first few days after birth can be completely normal. These are the baby blues, which are common and usually short-lived.

Eating a balanced diet, getting as much rest as possible, moving your body whenever you can, and taking a prenatal multivitamin containing methylated folate and vitamin B12 can all help support your body during this time. Omega-3 fatty acids are also important for both your health and your baby's development.

If you've been prescribed an iron supplement, continue taking it unless your healthcare professional advises otherwise.

However, there is a point where we should stop saying, “It's just hormones.”

If you feel persistent sadness, severe anxiety, feeling hopeless or unable to cope, disturbing intrusive thoughts, or thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, you need proper and urgent support. On this case, supplements, nutriton and a healthy lifestyle help, but it is not enough to treat significant postpartum depression or anxiety. Knowing when something needs medical or psychological care is part of good whole-person care too.

Stress management with a newborn looks very different

Before having children, stress management might have meant yoga, meditation or an hour at the gym. Let me tell you that with a newborn, sometimes it's taking a shower, or walking outside for 20 minutes, or telling people today isn't a good day to visit, or asking your partner to take the baby after a feed so you can lie down.

This is the time to ask: “What can you remove from your day to be with you?”

Because if you're already overwhelmed, another to do from your wellness routine isn't going to help.

If you're pregnant, this is what I would prepare before birth

• Fill the freezer with meals you genuinely like: have easy breakfasts. Freeze home-cooked meals ready to put in the microwave. Have frozen vegetables and fruit.

• Freeze bread.

• Buy snacks you can eat with one hand.

• Stock the cupboard with oats, nuts, nut butter, tinned fish, beans and good olive oil.

• Know who you can call if breastfeeding is difficult.

• Think about who can help with older children.

• Talk about nights with your partner before you're both exhausted.

• Know where you can access pelvic-floor physiotherapy.

• And if your iron is low during pregnancy, deal with it now rather than entering birth already depleted.

Bringing it all together

My postpartum priorities are actually quite simple:

• Eat enough, and make protein the anchor of your meals. Add vegetables and fruit, carbohydrates, healthy fats and plenty of fibre around it.

• Pay attention to iron. Know where you stood during pregnancy and don't ignore symptoms afterwards, particularly if you had significant blood loss.

• If you're breastfeeding, make sure you eat food rich in and supplement with: Choline, iodine, DHA, calcium, vitamin D and B12 still deserve attention.

• Make food easy and accessible. This is probably more important than finding the perfect meal plan.

• Protect the sleep you can get. 

• Get outside and move, then rebuild strength gradually.

• Accept practical help. Food, laundry, childcare and an hour to sleep are all part of looking after your health.

• Pay attention when something doesn't feel right.

How I help and why my approach is different

The postpartum period doesn't end at six weeks.

While the first six weeks are often considered the "official" postpartum period, recovery looks very different for every woman. Some women feel like themselves again within a few months, while others continue to experience fatigue, hormonal changes, digestive symptoms, low mood or simply the feeling that their body never fully recovered—even years after giving birth.

That's why I support women at any stage after pregnancy, whether your baby is a few weeks, a few months or several years old.

When we work together, my goal isn't simply to treat your symptoms. I first want to understand what happened before deciding what your body needs now.

We'll explore your pregnancy, birth experience, blood loss, breastfeeding journey, nutrition, digestion, bowel habits, sleep, energy, mood, movement, current symptoms, medications and supplements. Whenever possible, I also review your pregnancy blood tests, as they often provide valuable clues that help explain how you're feeling today.

This is the part of Functional Medicine I value most: looking at the whole picture before deciding what to change.

Together, we'll then build a personalised plan that addresses your current needs while fitting realistically into your life as a mother. The goal isn't to create another overwhelming to-do list, but to help you recover your health in a way that feels practical, sustainable and supportive.