Healthy Eating After Pregnancy

Taking good care of yourself after your baby arrives is important. Eating healthy foods will help to give you the energy and nutrients you need.

Eat well

Healthy eating is important for new parents, and if you’re breastfeeding, you might feel hungrier and thirstier than usual. Listen to your body’s signals of hunger and fullness, and aim to eat a little extra food from Canada’s Food Guide each day.

Take a multivitamin daily

All women who could become pregnant and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding need a daily multivitamin containing 400 micrograms (0.4 mg) of folic acid.

Choose water

Choose water when you are thirsty. Avoid sugary drinks such as pop, 100% juice, fruit drinks, sports drinks, and sweetened teas and coffees.

Limit caffeine

If you are breastfeeding, limit the amount of caffeine you have to no more than 300 mg a day. This is equal to about 1 to 2 (8 ounce) cups of coffee a day. Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, pop, energy drinks, and chocolate. Women who are breastfeeding or pregnant should not drink energy drinks. Some herbal teas may not be safe to drink while breastfeeding. Talk to your health care provider about which herbal teas are safe for you.

Practice body-positivity

Having a healthy relationship with food and your body is an important part of life-long mental health. Talk about food and bodies positively to protect your child’s body image right from the start. Avoid talking about diets, restricting food, or things you may not like about your own body. Bodies come in all shapes and sizes, try to role model celebrating these differences!

For more information on healthy eating, call Health Connect Ontario to speak to a registered dietitian at 811, or visit www.unlockfood.ca