Recipe: postnatal energy smoothie
Postnatal bodies need nutrients & energy, but that can be tricky to get when you’re juggling a baby, a recovering digestive system and sleep deprivation. This simple make-in-advance smoothie is a perfect one-handed breakfast or snack.
What do I need to know about my pregnancy & postnatal digestive system?
It’s not just your uterus and pelvic floor that feels the weight of pregnancy: your digestive tract (eg: stomach, small intestine & large intestine) go through a fair amount too…
It’s not something we’re always prepared for, but digestive recovery is big part of the early days of parenthood.
During pregnancy, our whole digestive tract gets bumped and shoved out the way as our baby grows. As your uterus shrinks down in the weeks after birth, the stomach and colon tract slowly find their way back to position and that movement can be a bit disruptive to the digestive process.
But that isn’t all. The hormones which fill the body during the postnatal period, affect peristalsis (the way the muscles squeeze food through the colon), slowing it down. This means that food takes longer to be digested and - if the right nutrients and fluid levels aren’t consumed - can lead to constipation.
Why are smoothies a great option postnatally?
After birth, you need foods that are simple to make, can be consumed one handed and are packed with the nutrients to help you recover.
Enter, the smoothie…
During the first few days and weeks of your postnatal journey, smoothies offer a simple and delicious solution to this digestive conundrum.
Their liquid form means that they’re a lot easier for your recovering organs to digest.
They can be made in advance and kept in a fridge so you can have one quickly, when needed.
They can be poured and consumed one-handed (really helpful when you’ve got a baby to hold!)
Gemma’s recipe for a postnatal energy smoothie
You’ll need:
two bananas
two oranges (peeled and pipped)
three handfuls of fresh spinach
5 tablespoons of nut butter (I use almond)
100g of rolled oats
5 tablespoons of ground flaxseed
1 litre of oat milk (or preferred alternative)
Maple syrup or honey to taste
and also…
a good electric blender
a fridge-friendly storage jug with a lid
Place all of the ingredients (except maple syrup or honey) into the blender & seal the lid.
Turn it on and blend until smooth. Add more milk to reach the desired consistency.
Taste a little bit and add the maple syrup or honey to taste.
Drink immediately or store in the fridge for up to two days (you made need to give it a little mix if it separates slightly).
Food is such a big part of what I do as a postnatal doula: from helping them to stock their freezers before baby arrives to cooking the meals that sustain them once they have, perinatal nutrition is never far from my thoughts.
If this is something you’d like more support with, either with an antenatal education session or through postnatal doulas support, get in touch! Everything I do is tailored to the individual and we can create a package that gives you what you need to feel good about the journey ahead.
