5 Best Confinement Foods Mothers Should Eat After Giving Birth

Just because you’ve given birth, doesn’t mean you have to forego tasty and nutritious meals. In fact, what you eat during your postnatal confinement period can greatly impact your health and recovery. Here are 5 of the best confinement foods mothers should eat during their postnatal period! These tips come courtesy of a long-time expert and all-around household name in preparing yummy and well-balanced food for confinement – Tian Wei Signature!

Yes, yes, the plugging is done with and out of the way, we can get on with the actual article now for the 5 best confinement foods. So, without further ado, let’s do further.

Setting The Scene

After giving birth, mothers in eastern cultures undergo a period of isolation or “confinement” where they rest and heal while being cared for by family members. During this time, it is important for mothers to eat well so that they can regain their strength.

Fish

In addition to traditional confinement foods like ginger soup and red date tea, many mothers also include fish in their diets. But why is fish such an important part of the postnatal diet?

Fish is a great source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids, both of which are essential for a mother’s postnatal recovery particularly fish like salmon, cod, skipjack tuna. Omega-3 fatty acids help to reduce inflammation and promote tissue regeneration, while protein aids in the repair of damaged muscles and tissues. Did we mention that it is also a nutritious food that contains many vitamins and minerals? Well, they do!

Protein helps to repair and rebuild tissue while Omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to have a number of benefits for both mother and child, including improving cognitive function.

Fish soup is a particularly popular dish among postnatal women as the soup itself is easy on the stomach and can be easily tailored to individual preferences and dietary needs. For example, some women add ginger to their fish soup to help with nausea, while others add white radish to sneak in more fiber which is important for gut health and to prevent constipation. 

If you are looking for nutritious foods to eat during your postnatal confinement, consider adding fish to your diet. Fish is a healthy food that contains many essential nutrients, including protein, and Omega-3 fatty acids. In addition, fish soup is a popular dish among postnatal women as it is easy on the stomach and can be easily tailored to individual preferences and dietary needs. Speaking of fish soup, that reminds us of Tian Wei’s Fenugreek Green Papaya Herbal Fish Soup. Absolutely satisfying.

Chicken

Why Chicken? You might be asking…or, at least, that’s what we think you’d be asking…and the answer is – Why not chicken? You’ve heard of chicken soup for the soul, right?

Chicken is an excellent source of protein that helps with muscle repair and recovery (or, as the case may be – healing and repairing the body after giving birth). It is also commonly used in Chinese postnatal soups and herbal tonics, as it is believed to help increase energy levels and improve lactation.

Chicken also contains a wide variety of vitamins and minerals, including zinc, selenium, and B vitamins, which all play important roles in the postnatal period. Zinc helps to heal wounds, selenium boosts the immune system, and B vitamins are essential for energy production. In addition, chicken is a good source of iron, which is necessary for producing new red blood cells and preventing fatigue due to low iron levels.

Chicken soup is particularly beneficial during the postnatal period as it contains ingredients that help to boost energy levels and promote healing. Common ingredients in chicken soup, such as ginger and garlic, are known to have anti-inflammatory properties.

Bonus Tip – What to Look for When Buying Chicken

You’ll want to make sure that the chicken you buy has been properly handled and stored as raw chicken can harbor harmful bacteria that can make you sick.

To sum up, chicken is an excellent choice for a postnatal meal as it contains high-quality protein and a wide variety of vitamins and minerals.

Red Dates

After nine months of pregnancy, your body has been through a lot. From carrying the extra weight to accommodating a growing baby, it’s no wonder why you might feel exhausted both mentally and physically after giving birth. Traditionally, red dates are incorporated into your postnatal diet. It is believed to help you recover by providing much-needed nutrients and energy. Let’s take a closer look at why mothers are traditionally served red dates during confinement.

Red dates are a popular ingredient in Chinese postnatal soups and tonics as they are known to be extremely nourishing. It is believed to prevent fatigue and to replenish the blood loss suffered during delivery.

In addition, red dates are believed to aid in digestion as they are also a good source of fiber.

Red dates have long been used in Chinese Medicine as a way to tonify the blood and promote postnatal recovery. If you’re looking for an all-natural way to help yourself heal and regain your strength after childbirth, adding red dates to your diet is a great place to start.

Ginger

Ginger is a fragrant, tuberous root that is used extensively in Asian cuisine. It has a pungent, slightly sweet taste that is often used to add flavor to dishes. But did you know that ginger also has many health benefits? For centuries, ginger has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat a variety of ailments. Due to its vasodilation properties, it provides a warming sensation believed to be beneficial and good for the body to keep mothers warm during postpartum. It is also believed to provide better blood flow which is desired during postpartum in traditional medicine as the mother recovers from childbirth. These properties make ginger an ideal ingredient for postnatal confinement meals. 

Today, we know that ginger can be helpful in treating nausea and its anti-inflammatory properties which are believed to boost the immune system. Albeit not as common as during pregnancy, some mothers complain of nausea during postnatal confinement. This may be due to the drastic change in hormone levels after childbirth, thus making some mothers experience nausea during this time.Drinking ginger tea or eating dishes prepared with ginger can help ease these symptoms by settling the stomach and promoting healthy digestion. 

Lastly, ginger can help reduce inflammation by inhibiting the production of proinflammatory cytokines which is beneficial in supporting general recovery and well being.

All in all, ginger is a versatile ingredient that has many health benefits. These benefits make it an ideal ingredient for postnatal confinement meals. If you are looking for a way to ease nausea or enjoy its warming properties as believed in traditional practices, consider adding ginger to your diet!

Fiber (Whole Grains & Veggies)

Let’s start this point off with the obvious – fiber from both wholegrains and vegetables are important to prevent constipation during recovery. Traditional confinement diets may avoid vegetables due to it’s believed that some vegetables are cold in its properties and would delay the postpartum recovery of mothers. However, the problem that arises from such strict dietary practices is constipation among mothers due to the lack of fiber in the diet. Constipation in mothers may put unnecessary pressure on wound sites, therefore delaying wound recovery and prolong bleeding. Thus, adequate fiber intake is essential during postpartum. It also promotes a healthy gut which in turn leads to support of the immune system’s optimal performance. 

Not only that, wholegrains are also rich in B vitamins, which are essential for energy production and the maintenance of the nervous system. As a nifty little aside, these wholegrains can also provide you with sustained energy throughout the day.

Oh, let’s not forget that vegetables, too, are another important part of the diet during confinement. They provide essential nutrients like vitamins A and C, which are important for optimal immune system function and wound healing.

Closing Words

Eating a nutritious confinement meal during your postnatal confinement period is essential for a speedy recovery. If you’re looking for ideas on what to eat, look no further than these 5 delicious and healthy confinement foods!
Should you not be up for cooking and incorporating these foods in your diet, you could always opt for Tian Wei’s confinement food delivery services where they’ll cook your confinement meals for you and deliver them right to your doorstep!