4 Things to Focus on in Your 4th Trimester

Many women have a self imposed timeline or goal related to “losing the baby weight” or “getting my body back.” I get it, Postpartum is one of the most vulnerable times- like hormones, feeding a small human and not sleeping? K. We try to ground ourselves with familiar food rules, we seek structure and order in our newly chaotic lives, But Maybe not a great time to impose expectations of weight loss or self imposed food rules? #justsayin

Let’s try:

FULL RECOVERY

I don’t mean just the generic 6 weeks (and getting your well check at 6 weeks also because #selfcare) but genuinely checking in with how you feel in your body.Childbirth is not for the faint of heart (ha) and integrating activity too quickly can absolutely do more harm than good- I always encourage mommas to look at this really as “wound healing” regardless of the time of birth experience you had, tissues were damaged and are in need of repair- and this requires rest and sufficient nutrients. Take this time to really explore what type of movement you authentically enjoy and would like to return to- everyone’s timeline is different, honor it.

DITCHING THE SCALE

Externally measuring can further detach you from the experience you are having in YOUR body. The number of the scale really is a poor determinant of “how your doing”- other factors such as fluid fluctuations, milk supply, and increased fluid and nutrient requirements will give you a number that is not accurate (cue further freak out and unwarranted stress-which could lead to more restricted eating and weight gain)

SPIRAL UP

Many women are hyper aware of their diet during the postpartum reason, mostly due to breastfeeding and wanting to remain vigilant around any sign of a babies intolerance. For many moms, I’ve seen this spiral into a ball of anxiety and hyper awareness around every.single.food.choice. Focusing on adding in nutritious choices and not limiting yourself can help promote balanced nutrition. Make sure to include all macronutrients with each meal {protein, carbs + a fat} and pair 2 macronutrients for snacks.

NOSH OFTEN

Breastfeeding mommas require higher calorie needs (about 500 kcal/d) for a single kiddo. No need to count calories or check labels, eating in response to hunger can guide you to exactly what you need. Snacking often, every 2-3 hours can give you a nutrition boost, keep metabolism high and provide sustainable energy (for the 11th feeding of the day 😩).

Need help navigating postpartum, weight and wellness? Shoot me an email at jaren@empowerdrd.com ;)