Post Natal Diet Followed in Various Parts of India

Opinion

We give much importance to prenatal healthcare and the delivery of our precious child. Important as this may be, too often our mothers fail to receive the postpartum care their bodies desperately need. The postpartum period is a time for deep rest and rejuvenation. Through the intense process of birth, the body is weak, the tissues are depleted and the digestion is severely impaired. New mothers are as delicate as their new-borns at this time. In order to give our children all the love and attention they deserve, we need to be strong, healthy and well balanced. Our babies receive all of their nourishment through us. If we do not take care of ourselves properly, it is our precious new-born who suffers. This is a simple guide to provide you with the wisdom you need to make the postpartum experience one of profound rejuvenation for the body, mind and soul.

It is important to recognize all of the changes your body (the newly delivered mother) has undergone. The empty space that has been created due to the baby’s exit of the womb, all of the fluids lost with the birth, displaced organs, stretched connective tissue and strained muscles to name a few. Your digestion is severely impaired because all your energy was given to birthing your beautiful baby. During the confinement period food that the mother eats is considered equivalent to medicine that helps the mother to regain her physical and mental strength. Diet followed as per north Indian tradition is rich in ingredients that keep body warm, help in lactation and also helps digestion.

In India Postpartum Diet Differs according to the Areas

In North India

Water: The main reason new mom should drink water after delivery is because water is an important constituent of breast milk. So drink up plenty of water to increase milk flow Opinion and decrease dehydration due to breastfeeding.

Drinking water also helps to reduce your chances of getting infected with a urinary tract infection. Intake of plenty of water also helps to keep your energy levels high.

Ghee: Ghee is added in almost every item prepared for post- delivery – from laddus to rotis to homemade snacks. Ghee nourishes the body when taken in right quantities. Ghee actually increases digestive power and helps in smooth bowel movements.

Pure ghee is high in nutritional content and helps in the recovery of the mother’s body from the stress of pregnancy and childbirth.

Turmeric Milk: A pinch of turmeric is added in milk and is taken in early morning. Turmeric contains vitamins B6 and C, fiber and potassium and helps to heal internal wounds. Turmeric milk helps in the healing process.

Laddus/Laddoos: There are different types of laddoos that are made in North India for the new mother. They are very essential for nursing mothers and helps in improving health. Some of the laddoos are- • Dinkache Laddoo/Gond ke laadoo(gum ladoo) Gond is a kind of edible resin and is available in all supermarkets.

These laddoos contains dry fruits and nuts in it and is very good for nursing mothers. They are very good during winters and can be kept for many days in airtight containers.

Gond and ghee help in lubricating the joints and reduce back pain or joint aches. These ladoos can be had as an after meals snack.

• Methi laddoo Methi (fenugreek seeds) is really good to increase the milk supply. Methi laddoos are also known to help with backaches.

For better results these laddoos are taken in the morning with milk.

• Alivache ladoo (Halim in Hindi, watercress seeds in English)

In Maharashtra these laddoos are must during confinement. These laddus are made from seeds that are called Aliv or haleev in Marathi.

They are rich in vitamin A, C and folic acid that are necessary for post-partum women. They are also rich in calcium and iron.

• Sesame Laddu /Til Ke Ladoo (black /white) These small, flat seeds are high in calcium, iron, copper, and magnesium. They are also popularly considered helpful in regulating bowel movements.

• Dates Ladoo These ladoos are made with dates, ground almonds, and grated coconut. It is served as an item in breakfast or as an in between meal snack. They are high in Vitamin and nutrition.

• Besan Ladoo(chick peas laddu) These laddoos are common in north India postpartum care diet. This ladoos are a must for nursing mothers.

Bajra Ki Roti

Bajra (millet) is a common grain consumed widely in India. It is a good source of energy and is rich in fiber that helps in digestion. Bajra ki roti is flat bread or roti made using millet.

Rava- Badam Sheera

This is a breakfast recipe made from semolina, ghee, ground almonds and milk. Rava ladoo is also considered good for health post-delivery. It is high in vitamin C, essential fats and fiber.

Ajwain Paratha

This makes a good breakfast or dinner option for new mothers. These are bread made from whole-wheat flour mixed with ajwain (carom). It is believed to help clean the uterus and aid digestion. Ajwain also improves lactation.

Dalia /Broken Wheat Porridge

It comprises of broken whole-wheat grain. Porridge made with broken wheat serves as a wholesome breakfast option or evening snack.

It is very high in fibre and calcium and helps to reduce constipation that every mom faces post-delivery.

Moong Dal Vegetable Khichdi

Khichdi consist of dal and rice. Moong dal is rich in protein and carbohydrate.

Foods in North Indian Postnatal Diet that Help to Increase Breast Milk

Certain foods are believed to increase the supply of breast milk.

• Ajwain (carom seeds) It helps to soothe pain due to gas or indigestion. Every morning boil four glasses of water with two tablespoon of carom seeds (ajwain) and drink this water. The water allows cooling down the body temperature to room temperature.

• Fennel (saunf) Fennel helps to increase the milk supply. They are rich in vitamin c and helps in digestion. Saunf ka pani is regularly given to the nursing mothers.

• Fenugreek Seeds Fenugreek seeds are the traditional food that helps in lactation.These seeds are boiled in water and are taken in the morning after food.

These seeds are rich in iron and calcium. Fenugreek seeds are great to help prevent and ease back and joint pain.

• Jeera Seeds (Cumin seeds) Jeera water is taken for the initial 6 months after delivery. It helps to fight against infection and stomach problems like gas.

Jeera seeds are also said to cure the problem of low breast milk supply.

• Aliv Kheer To prepare this kheer aliv seeds are cooked in milk. This sweet dish can be had as an after meals snack. It is high in vitamins and minerals and also helps in increasing breast milk.

• Dill Seeds Water This helps to increase milk supply and aids digestion.

• Harira This is a traditional recipe. It provides vital nutrition and helps in lactation. The recipe for harira includes dry fruits like almond, pista, walnuts and cashew. It also contains watermelon and pumpkin seeds.

• Garlic Milk(lasun) Garlic is a excellent source that helps in lactation.

• Til Seeds(black and white seeds) They are rich in calcium and helps in milk supply.

• Panjiri It is a tradional north Indian energising food. These are prepared with mix of dry fruits, which helps in lactating. They are often taken with milk. Panjiri generates heat inside body that helps in getting rid of impure blood after delivery and thus helps in clearing uterus naturally [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7].

In South India

In Tamil nadu postpartum diet is known as “pathiya samayal”. It contains a variety of recipes which is fed to the mother from time to time. Pathiya samayal is a special cooking after delivery. Whenever a mother give birth to a child, especially in south india, elderly women in house will prepare pathiya samayal for the women who gave birth to the child. This is to ensure that the delivered mother gets healthy dish which will reach the child through her milk. Pathiya samayal is a well-balanced nutrition rich food for the new mom’s. It is believed that this pathiya samayal will increase the supply of breast milk.

The first 45 days period after delivery is crucial for any mother because whatever she is eating will have direct effect on the new born child. So mother has to be very cautious in her intake. She should avoid certain vegetables and usual way of cooking to prevent health issues in new born. Now a days doctors are advising all the mother to take normal diet after delivery. This pathiya samayal is not recommended by any doctor, but pathiya samayal has its own advantages [7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14].

Kalathu Powder

This powder is generally used for all curry (Poriyal) varieties and also for rasam. It consists of pepper, Urdal, hing and ghee.

Angaya Powder

It consists of coriander seeds, neem flower, sundakkai, pepper, cumin seeds and salt. It is served with hot rice and ghee. It is good for stomach.

Manathakkalivattal Sadham

It consists of gingili oil, manathakkalivattal and ghee. It is mixed along with boiled rice and served. It helps to increase haemoglobin.

Parippu Thuvayal

It consists of thurdhal, gingili oil, salt and curry leaves. It is served with hot rice. It is rich in proteins.

Parboiled Rice Porridge

It consists of parboiled rice, omam, badam, cashew, palm sugar. Carbohydrate rich diet suitable for baby and mother.

Ezhai Marundhu for Baby

This is a homemade marundu given in olden days for the new born baby after they complete their 1 month. Alternate days this medicene is given to the new born as we bath the baby only in the alternate days. There are 5 important ingredients which help in appetizing, sleep, prevent cold, prevent pain while peeing, and help digestion. Take the below ingredients. We can buy these ingredients in our Indian herbal medicine shops.

• jadhikkai(Nut meg)
• maasikai(Nutgall)
• Chittarattai (Rasna)
• Pulliyankottai(Tamarind seed)
• kadukaai(Gallnut) Method
• Take one ingredient at a time, wet a clean rough surface with water and rub it in a rough surface only once.
• Repeat the same step for the other ingredients
• Take the medicine from the surface and mix with mother’s breast milk and feed the baby
• We can use sandalwood stone to rub the ingredients.