around constantly dealing with the needs of a brand new person, there are numerous other changes that they have to manage. Many of these changes have to do with fluctuating hormones and other bodily functions that require attention.
New moms should heed the warnings of neglecting meals as nutrition is a crucial component of both maternal and child health after a baby is born. In the sections below, we will discuss the reasons why this tends to happen, and propose measures that new mothers can take to ensure they are getting the nutritional intake they should.
Beyond adjusting their daily habits, one thing that can help keep moms on track is getting a calorie tracker. There is no better way to ensure that you are meeting your overall requirements than to have the numbers right in front of you.
Why do new moms forget to eat?
Before we get started on the solutions, let’s step back and take a look at why it is that new mothers have this tendency. In order to address the issue, we first need to understand it. While every woman is different, there are usually several different things going on:
- Shifting hormones. Women’s hormones undergo radical changes after giving birth, which can cause them to lose their appetites for different periods of time. Sudden drops in estrogen and progesterone sometimes cause women to lose the desire to eat for weeks at a time.
- Post-delivery fatigue. Sometimes women are just so exhausted after giving birth–particularly if they have to recover from a C-section–that the thought of eating just seems like too much work to bother with. With the baby taking up what is left of their energy, eating sometimes starts to seem like more of a burden than anything else.
- Fluctuating cortisol levels. Having to care for a newborn baby is extremely stressful. When you get stressed out, your cortisol levels tend to soar, and this can sometimes suppress your appetite. Dealing with this means actively monitoring stress levels and taking active steps to manage it.
- Sleep disruptions. New mothers tend to have crazy sleep habits. Beyond being woken up in the middle of the night, having to run around after the baby can be so tiring that women often just want to take a nap whenever they can. This not only disrupts their circadian rhythms, but it throws things like regular meal times completely out of whack.
The risks of improper eating and how to manage them
It is worthwhile to step back and take a look at just what the risks are of new mothers’ neglecting their diets. Not eating properly affects much more than just energy levels:
- Decreased nutrition levels in breast milk. Your first priority during this period is your baby, right? Well if you aren’t getting the right amount of nutrition in your diet, your baby surely isn’t, either. You should ensure that you are getting plenty of vitamins and all the essential nutrients to keep you strong so that your baby gets the right nutrition, too.
- Postpartum depression. Postpartum depression affects many women to different degrees. When a new mother’s body is not able to recover from the trauma of giving birth, she is often in a depleted state both physically and mentally for potentially months at a time. New moms need as much fuel as possible to keep themselves alert, energetic, and healthy.
- Risks of low blood sugar. When we don’t eat enough (and this applies to everyone, but particularly new mothers), it has an immediate and potentially long-lasting effect on our moods. Having low blood sugar can give people brain fog, make them irritable, and cause them to become physically weak.
What to do
Beyond getting a calorie counter, there are some simple things that new moms can do to ensure that they are still getting adequate nutrition. For example:
- Keeping healthy snacks around. You don’t need to do anything fancy to give yourself the nutrients you need. Simple foods like nuts, eggs, and yogurt can go a long way. And you don’t even need to spend a lot of time preparing them.
- Preparing large batches of food in advance. When you do get a break, you can cook up a big, hearty stew that will last for several days. When it’s time to eat, you can simply pop it in the microwave, and you’ll have a nutritious, ready-made meal available right away.
- Hydrating regularly. Dehydration is also a major risk for new moms. Always have water available, and if you are feeling sleepy or run down, grab some electrolyte water to give you some extra zip.
It’s easier than ever to stay on track
It might seem as if the world is just becoming a more and more complicated place all the time. And while this is an understandable concern, given the barrage of information and other sensory input that we are subject to every day, we can actually use technology to our advantage. Investing in a few simple tools to remind us of the importance of eating and helping us track nutritional input can be a lifesaver. And this goes especially for new moms. So if you are struggling to take care of an infant and yourself, see if an app or two might be able to help you out. You and your baby will be glad you did.
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