Postpartum Nutrition 101

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Grass Fed Beef

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Holistic Health

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Nutrition

Organ Meat

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You’ve probably heard your nutritional needs increase throughout pregnancy (if you haven’t, read our nose-to-tail pregnancy guide) but did you know that your nutrient needs are even higher in early postpartum?

This is because throughout pregnancy, your body has prioritised transferring valuable vitamins and minerals to your growing baby, and after giving birth, your body needs extra nourishment to recover from the process of birth, blood loss, and for tissue repair. This matters whether you had a natural birth or C-section - it all places huge demands on your body.

If you’re breastfeeding or pumping, the process of making milk from scratch is also incredibly nutritionally and calorically ‘expensive’, and as we’ll discuss, what you eat does impact the quality of your breast milk.

No matter what life looks like when your baby arrives, there’s no denying your body requires nutrient-dense foods and the right replenishment so you can recover, repair, and enjoy those special first few weeks and months with your little one. With ‘bounceback culture’ making many women feel pressured to rush back to their pre-baby body, we’re here to shed light on why restricting postpartum can be damaging to your health and is something our ancestors would never have done, and why nourishment is absolutely vital.

Postpartum Depletion & The Nutrients You Need

It’s not difficult to find advice on how to care for yourself through the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters of pregnancy, and now health experts are becoming more aware of how vital the 4th trimester is - the one that happens when your baby is here in your arms.

Today, up to 50% of mothers experience some degree of postpartum nutrient depletion, heavily driven by pregnancy and breastfeeding. In the UK, common postpartum deficiencies include vitamin D (affecting up to 50% of adults), iron (exacerbated by childbirth blood loss), zinc, iodine, and omega-3 fatty acids. Everyone is different, and your pregnancy diet will have contributed to how full or empty your postpartum nutrient stores are, however research shows that while most of the focus is on how well baby is feeding, mothers are often under-consuming folate, vitamin B12, vitamin A, and vitamin D, calcium, iron, and iodine.

This matters, because low levels of these nutrients can contribute to fatigue, brain fog, hair loss, weakened immunity and future fertility, as well as postpartum depression (PPD). Research shows that minerals such as zinc, magnesium, iron, copper may be associated with higher risk of PPD, and further studies show PPD linked to lower levels of folate, vitamin D, iron, selenium, zinc, and fats and fatty acids. That’s why postpartum nutrition needs to be given as much attention as fertility and pregnancy. We know that on some days, burnt toast and cold cups of tea might be all that is doable whilst you’re in the midst of newborn life, but with support, intention and knowledge, you can be empowered to make smart choices, small changes and simple habits that can make a huge difference to your postpartum body and mind.

Knowing that these nutrients are commonly depleted in new mothers is also why women in the postpartum period are telling us how essential the Organic Grass Fed Beef Liver and Celtic Oysters have been for them:

“Four months postpartum, breastfeeding and taking this and l really believe it has helped me get the nutrients I needed, especially when you don't have time to cook. I noticed improved energy levels even with less sleep. I will keep taking as long as I am breastfeeding” - Andrea I. - Beef Liver

“I started taking these while pregnant. Still taking them postpartum while breastfeeding to help keep zinc levels up. I gave birth to the most beautiful amazing baby, and had a great natural birth” - Lucy M. - Celtic Oysters

What the modern world forgot: A traditional approach to postpartum care

Picture the scene: you’re lying wrapped in cosy blankets, your baby lying on your chest, and plates of warming, nourishing foods and gently spiced drinks are passed to you throughout the day. You receive oily massages, and someone else does all the cleaning for you. Sounds like a dream, right? This is the long-established care given to mothers in traditional Chinese cultures, and India’s system of Ayurveda. These communities see the first 40 days after birth as a sacred time, known as zuò yuè zǐ or ‘sitting the month’ in Chinese, and the ‘Golden Month’ in Ayurveda. The practice focuses on replenishing lost energy and balancing the body's internal energy through intense rest, dietary therapy, and strict limitations on exposure to cold.

For 40-or-so days, mothers are encouraged to consume nutrient-dense, warm and easy to digest foods, as the body’s digestive power can be diminished after birth, and requires rekindling. Think bone broth, iron-rich beef stews to replenish blood loss, and soft congee dishes. They avoid cold salads and cold water, take extensive time to rest, and receive support from family and friends.

Weston A Price - the godfather of the ancestral eating movement - found that traditional communities across the world placed importance upon specific foods and nutrients throughout postpartum. In some parts of the world, new mothers consume up to 10 eggs per day to supply choline and healthy fats, whilst others prioritise organ meats like liver, bone broth, butter, raw dairy, seafood, and lard or tallow. These are among the most nutrient-dense foods on earth, and are the raw materials the body needs to replenish and rebuild itself, and ready itself for robust future fertility and hormone balance. If this sounds at all overwhelming, simply start by choosing 2 of these nutrient dense foods to include in your diet regularly, or see the supplements we recommend below to make it easy to get these nutrients into your day without preparation:

Our top postpartum supplements:

Organic Grass-Fed Beef Liver for iron levels, energy, clarity and hair growth support
Celtic Oysters to support mood levels and mineral repletion
Collagen for tissue healing, hair, skin, nails, joints and gut health
Bone Broth for mineral levels, gut health, tissue healing, skin and hydration
Beef Spleen for blood loss, to support iron levels, mood and energy

“Excellent results slowing postpartum hair loss” - Lucy R. - Beef Liver

“Have been using these celtic oyster tablets for a month and a half after having trouble with my monthly cycle. For the first time post-baby (1 year ago) my cycle has been within a month. I believe this is all down to these tablets. Also feeling more energetic on a daily basis”- Danielle S.

*Please speak with your healthcare provider if you are unsure whether these supplements are right for you.

Breastfeeding: Why Nutrients Matter

If you are able to or choose to breastfeed, you may have been told that it doesn’t matter what you eat - it turns out that’s not exactly true. Whilst breastmilk in any form is still an incredible superfood for your baby, your diet can impact the nutrient content of it. Please don’t let this be a stressor - we get that with a newborn, you don’t have 5 minutes to yourself, let alone time to plan and make elaborate meals, which is why we’re focusing on what’s do-able and realistic.

When you’re breastfeeding, simply eating and drinking enough in itself is vital, since your body generally needs an additional 330 to 500 calories per day to support milk production and maintain your energy levels while breastfeeding. What’s also important to remember, is that if you don’t get enough high quality vitamins and minerals, not only does this impact breastmilk, it also means your body will pull from your own nutrient stores. Nature prioritises the next generation, so if you don’t get enough calcium for example, your body may pull it from your own bones and teeth in order to give it to your infant via breastmilk, impacting future bone health.

When it comes to nutrients, research shows that depleted mothers may only be transferring around 16% of the vitamin B12 and 56% of choline an infant needs in the first 6 months of life. Women who avoid animal foods are most at risk of under-consuming vitamin B12, and infants who consequently don’t get enough, may present with irritability, muscle weakness and developmental delays. The good news is that animal products like beef, chicken, eggs and fish contain good levels of B12, and a 6 capsule serving of our Organic Grass Fed Beef Liver is an incredibly rich source of B12, giving you well above the RDA. Choline, DHA, vitamin A, vitamin D and iodine are all also essential for breastfeeding mothers. Here’s a breakdown of the key nutrients we’d focus on in breastfeeding, and the top food sources:

7 Key Nutrients For Breastfeeding Mothers

1.) Vitamin B12: Supports brain growth and nervous system function

Best sources: Beef liver, Beef organs, grass fed beef, oysters, chicken

2.) DHA: Vital for eye and brain development

Best sources: seafood, grass-fed beef, eggs

3.) Choline: Needed for brain development

Best sources: Beef liver, egg yolks, Beef organs

4.) Vitamin A: Essential for growth, immune system development and prevention of infections

Best sources: Beef liver, egg yolks, grass-fed butter

5.) Vitamin D: Needed for bone development and immune health

Best sources: Sunlight, sardines, salmon, beef liver

6.) Iodine: Vital for thyroid health and neurodevelopment

Best sources: Seaweed, oysters, cod

7.) Herbs & Spices: Fenugreek, fennel and moringa are all known as ‘galactagogues’ and are used in traditional cultures to support breastmilk production. These can be added to meals or made into a tea.

Izzi’s Postpartum Nutrition Essentials

We often get asked about Josh and Izzi’s own postpartum journey. Here’s a simple guide to what Izzi prioritised to support her nutrition:

In her 3rd trimester, Izzi batch cooked warming, nutrient-dense meals and froze them, so there was minimal food prep when baby arrived - you’ll find some of those recipes below
She drank bone broth daily, and took our Organic Grass-Fed Beef Organs
Izzi used trace minerals to support mineral needs and hydration
She increased her daily dosage of collagen to support hair, skin, nails, joints and gut health
Izzi used the Beef Protein daily to support protein needs, and when making an entire meal or snack wasn’t doable

Recipes

In the postpartum period, foods traditionally need to be warm, cooked, easy to digest, and many cultures focus on gentle spices like cinnamon, ginger, cumin, fennel and black pepper, which can help improve digestion at a time when your body is in healing mode. Here’s a few of our favourites:

Izzi’s Beef Stew

One of our staple family meals and perfect for postpartum too. If you have a slow cooker, make the most of it with this recipe! Cooking the beef in the Organic Grass-Fed Bone Broth paste is the perfect way to make sure your body is getting a wide range of balanced amino acids, vitamins and minerals.

INGREDIENTS

1kg stewing beef
2 large potatoes
2 courgettes
1 white onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried
1 Tbsp tsp Organic Grass Fed Bone Broth paste

METHOD

Chop the potatoes and courgette into bite-size pieces, and put in the slow cooker
Finely chop the onion and garlic, and fry in a separate pan for around 3 - 5 minutes or until soft
Add the beef to the pan and brown on all sides, then add everything to the slow cooker
Add 2.5 cups filtered water to the slow cooker and a Tbsp of Bone Broth paste to the slow cooker
Add the rosemary
Cook on low overnight for 8 hours, or high for 4 hours
Freeze in batches ready for postpartum meals, or serve warm and freeze leftovers

Congee With Bone Broth & Ginger

Congee is a savoury Asian rice porridge, often prescribed for those who need easy to digest foods and is a traditional postpartum food. Once you’ve made the porridge, you can eat it as it is, use as a side dish, or top with chicken, beef or soft boiled eggs.

To make a batch, rinse ½ cup white rice (white rice is much easier to digest than brown). Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large pan. Add the rice and 1 tbsp grated ginger to support digestion, then turn to a simmer and cook for around 45 minutes to 1 hour, until it reaches the consistency of a very soft porridge. Add more water if needed. About 5 minutes towards the end of cooking time, stir in 1-2 tsp of Organic Grass-Fed Beef Bone Broth paste to boost the mineral, protein and collagen content. Eat whilst warm, and store the rest in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Raw Cacao Beef Protein Hot Chocolate

One of the most popular ways customers tell us they use the Grass-Fed Raw Cacao & Maple Sea Salt Beef Protein is in a warm, comforting drink, and this is perfect for postpartum. Naturally sweet, high protein and easy to digest. For an extra treat, top with our animal based marshmallows.