C-section delivery is an invasive procedure and mothers surely need plenty of time to recover from it. Post-delivery, a woman comes under physical, emotional, and mental stress. When it comes to recovery, diet forms a crucial part of the recovery process. While most women are conscious of their diet during pregnancy, yet after delivery, diet often gets ignored as mothers get engrossed in taking care of the baby.
In this article, we hope to provide you with an Indian diet chart after c-section delivery. The aim is to give you a smooth ride post-partum and propel the healing process. Let’s get started.
Which food is good after c-section delivery?
Post c-section, home-cooked meals with fresh fruits, vegetables, and nuts work out the best. It is best to cook food in pure ghee made of cow’s milk. The diet must be rich in fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals.
Soon after the c-section, the mothers are kept on a liquid diet to let the normal body functioning resume. Once the intestinal functioning normalizes, then semi-solid food is introduced. Slowly, the solid food is reintroduced.
Here, is the Indian diet chart after c-section delivery:
Water intake: The water consumption (preferably warm water) must be increased to avoid dehydration. Post c-section the mothers are given vitamins, calcium, iron supplements, and pain relieving medications, which may lead to constipation if enough water is not consumed.
Water and fluids like coconut milk, smoothies, buttermilk, herbal teas, soups, calcium-fortified drinks, and fruit juices can help ease bowel movements.
Fibre-rich food: Fibres are important for digestion and easy bowel movement. Fibre-rich diet must be consumed in the form of whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, and nuts.
Protein-rich food: Protein rich food helps in muscle reparation and building. Proteins are adequately found in whole grains, vegetables, legumes, fruits, and nuts, Greek yoghurt, white meat poultry, eggs, beans, lentils, tofu/paneer, etc.
Vitamin-rich food: Food rich in vitamins help in repairing damaged tissues by promoting collagen and contain high level of antioxidants. Foods like spinach, broccoli, carrots, avocado, oranges, strawberries, watermelon, papaya and fenugreek leaves are good vitamin sources. Vitamins also help in boosting immunity.
Green leafy vegetables, beans, legumes are iron-rich food and promote haemoglobin production and thus must be consumed post c-section.
Minerals and calcium: Minerals and calcium help in cell reparation and cell building, and also strengthen the bones. Calcium and minerals are adequately found in milk and dairy products, soya drinks and fortified flour. Kiwi, oranges, grapes, banana, blueberries, cherries, peach, and mango have high mineral content.
Other nutrient rich food that you must have post-surgery are quinoa, turkey, ham, dried apricots, peanuts, roasted almonds, sunflower seeds, sesame, pumpkin seeds, fennel, chickpeas, roasted/soaked almonds, and papaya. Indian spices like jeera, ajwain, and hing must be consumed in plenty to improve digestion and get rid of flatulence.
Easily digestible food like curd, soups, broths, makhane are great to have as snacks in between. Milk is an important food post-delivery that must be consumed either as skimmed milk, paneer or curd. Those who are lactose intolerant can have almond, soy milk, or coconut milk to fulfil their nutritional needs.
Galactagogue food: Galactagogue food helps to promote and maintain breast milk production and must be added to the mother’s food. It includes fennel seeds, sesame seeds, garlic, green leafy vegetables, and tulsi. Mothers must consume plenty of these foods.
Foods to avoid
Indian diet chart after c-section delivery restricts the consumption of acidic food post-surgery. They must also avoid intake of caffeinated drinks like tea/coffee very frequently. Alcohol, smoking, junk food, carbonated drinks, citrus juices and oily food must also be avoided.
Fermented and fried food can also lead to bloating and so must be avoided. Anything that takes longer to digest must not be consumed for a couple of weeks post-delivery.
Dals like chana, urad, gram flour, rajma, and besan must also be cut off from the list for a few weeks, as they may cause gastrointestinal issues. Veggies like potatoes, cabbage and onions can also be avoided for the same reason.
Fish and shell fish also have high mercury content and thus must be avoided by the breastfeeding mothers. Foods containing high sodium content or preservatives like canned or frozen food, baking powder and soda, sauces like barbeque, soy, teriyaki, salted fish, chinese food, and processed meat must be consumed in small proportions.
Can we eat ghee after c-section?
Ghee has much significance in Indian diet and it is believed to possess curative powers. Ghee must be included in everyone’s diet at all times, including new moms who have had a normal or a c-section delivery. Ghee is rich in nutrients like Vitamin A, D, E and K and calcium and promotes digestion and overall health. Ghee is high in saturated fats of good quality and has low glycaemic index.
Ghee comes with multiple benefits like:
- Ghee is packed with fat-soluble nutrients that support growth of bones, teeth, healing wounds, and boosts immunity.
- Ghee is rich in omega-6 fatty acids also known as conjugated linoleic acid or CLA. Eating ghee helps to keep the heart healthy, lowers body fat and blood sugar. The linoleic acid present in ghee gets converted to DHA which is another important fatty acid.
- Vitamin A in ghee improves eyesight and maintains vision.
- Ghee facilitates smooth bowel movement overcoming constipation.
- Ghee also cures migraines, stomach aches and headaches. It also promotes metabolism and helps to stay energetic for long. It contains phospholipids that lubricate the cells and tissues in the body.
- Ghee is rich in butyric acid which is an immune-booster and has anti-cancer properties.
Post c-section it takes four to six weeks to recover fully. You must take a lot of care of your diet.
Does C-section reduce breast milk?
No, C-section does not reduce the breast milk at all. Whether it’s a vaginal delivery or a C-section delivery, the woman experiences the same hormonal shift which prompts milk secretion from the breasts. However, postpartum stress and physical trauma may delay the start of feeding process
When can I start dieting after c-section?
Indian diet chart after c-section delivery focuses on eating the right food and not less food. The quality of food that you consume post-delivery should be highly nutritive and home cooked. You can start the complete intake of food after the first week or when your intestinal functioning is restored.
Make sure to stay hydrated all the time to fasten your recovery process.