Bone Broth: The Postpartum Nutrient Toolbox

Pregnancy and birth can drain a woman's body of many nutrients and minerals. If we do not make sure to replenish our body, the healing process could take way longer. Bone Broth is a great way to incorporate a wide range of nutrients and minerals into your postpartum diet. Bone Broth is just what it sounds like a broth made from bones and often other vegetables are included in the process to increase the nutritional benefits and flavor. Bone broth provides hydration, electrolytes, collagen, and proteins, all of which are super helpful to a postpartum body.

To best understand the benefits we must first understand what happens to the body after giving birth. To start with the mother will lose a significant amount of blood. Losing up to 2 cups of blood is considered normal, and then there are moms who experience hemorrhages and lose even more. This leads to many minerals being depleted in mom, with iron being a big one that is lost. Mom may also become dehydrated after giving birth whether it's from sweating, vomiting, or simply not drinking enough fluids during labor. This leads to a loss of necessary electrolytes. Sweating is also common in early postpartum which may only exacerbate these issues. Your hormones are also experiencing rapid and dramatic changes at this time. Your body is preparing to switch from producing colostrum to breastmilk for your new baby. All of this is happening while your body is healing from any damage that may have occurred during the delivery (such as vaginal tearing or an incision from a cesarean). That’s a lot going on and we want to make sure we are giving our body all the tools we can to help with recovery. Think of bone broth as a postpartum toolbox full of the tools needed to arm your body.  

Amino acids, such as glycine, in bone broth, support your immune system, improve sleep quality, and promote cell growth. Bone broth is also great at reducing inflammation. Bone broth is also hydrating which as previously mentioned will be especially helpful after giving birth. It is rich in magnesium, calcium, zinc, potassium, and iron which all help boost your health. The electrolytes can even help boost energy levels, which will be a welcome perk when your newborn is keeping you up at night. The benefits don’t stop there though! Bone broth can also be exceptionally beneficial for breastfeeding mothers. Aside from the added hydration which is always great for boosting milk supply, it is also a great source of protein. Protein intake is exceptionally important for moms wanting to aid their bodies in milk production.  

Adding bone broth to your diet can be quite simple. You can drink it plain like tea. This is a great option if you aren't overly hungry or if you are dealing with nausea. You can use it as the base for a soup or stew. It can also be used to cook grains such as quinoa or rice. It is really versatile and can be adapted to fit your preferences for meals. I recommend trying to have a cup a day to feel the full strength of its benefits.   

I recommend bone broth to every postpartum mother. I even include some in a few of my doula packages. If you live in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia and are pregnant you can email me at doulakaylawamsley@outlook.com to get more information on my packages and availability. Follow me on my social media accounts for more helpful tips posted every day!  

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