Anyone else like to talk about food? OK, you can just order our cookbook, or get some great good ideas to start below and then, you will learn more than many yummy recipes, if you still order it, honestly.
How about preventing holiday overwhelm and exhaustion after having a baby? For the winter holidays, we can choose Postpartum foods for happy baby (and mama!) tummies, to and support more lasting mood stability, lactation, rejuvenation, strength and of course, other benefits. Lean into your choices with qualities of warm temp, oily, moist, sweet, maybe a touch of sattvic sour and salty. The latter two tastes are better after the lochia has subsided and any swelling gone. Support Mama to take a nap during the holiday festivities and not cook or wash dishes while Baby is passed around, too, if you want happy campers. Moms often crash into some depression from the overwhelm on their fragile senses and other needs at these big loving parties and attentions, unfortunately, and naps as well as good food combining, support for her fragile agni, and extra digestible postnatal nutrition all really help.
The traditions I grew up with may vary from yours, but here are some Ayurvedically interpreted variations applied to some of our common foods, even if last minute Annie for this year’s Christmas day you may find these helpful.
Today I made a chutney recipe for my client (let’s call it “relish”. No worries it is very well cooked, and mama-baby do so well with it! It is such a favorite of my clients ever since Aparna Khonalkar shared it with me.
Instead of all the different carbs, let’s choose. Everyone’s tummy will be happier actually, even if not so sedated, their inner light’s ability to share in joy in community, and to see how to help mama=baby best too, will be stronger when we are not so dulled out with partying. So, hmm – Better than the drying astringency of white potatoes, or heavy complicated digestion of stuffing, how about baked (or your family favorite recipes for) yams, with lots of clarified butter, salt and pepper? Leave off the marshmallows if possible…. If you want, add some iron rich sugar – easy!
Instead of so many different dishes, make some of them freshly prepared tomorrow, so baby won’t get gassy from all the leftovers. Pretty guaranteed, I have to tell you. And repeated gassiness can build into colic – it takes a few weeks then oh my, you don’t want that.
And/or Pumpkin soup can be soo soothing; use ample butterfat and ginger among your ingredients, garnish with bit of fresh minced cilantro and ground toasted almond, cashew, or even for the adventurous, toasted ground fenugreek seeds. Yum! If she is non-vegetarian, use a base broth freshly made not from a box, of poultry, long cooked stock preserving the fats, bone and other nutrients. First few days, mostly broth. Some asparagus in there would be a treat! Eggless pumpkin pie for later in the perpeureum.
Dress up steamed and generously buttered (clarified butter is best) rice with minced dill weed – it is lactation enhancing. Use enough S&P to balance astringency and flavor. After a few weeks, garnishing with fresh yoghurt (just a little) but don’t forget the spice. Toasted cumin seeds are one of my favs if the meal isn’t already rich in cumin.
Rice or pumpkin pudding, no need for eggs in early weeks – served hot with extra ghee or even butter, and with ginger and cardamom in it, will be very likely big hit for her, and baby.
How does a well cooked gingered and coconut sugar (ok, something iron rich and flavorful) glazed carrot dish with orange zest, S&P sound?
Instead of hot mulled cider, try hot mulled dark grape juice (more iron, more soothing, great for liver and pittas), with pinch saffron, some rose petals, and fresh ginger. Oh Yes, or see Emma’s post here, similar. Or a little pomegranate-grape juice in wine glass not chilled to sip for pittas may feel great too. The warm liquid is divine though.
We even have a soaked cashew eggnog recipe in the postpartum cookbook, Touching Heaven, Tonic Postpartum Recipes. It is delish! We do have Joseph Immel’s Pumpkin Chai in the book, inspired from his website, Joyful Belly.
If a salad type prep is wanted….you can steam beets, asparagus, just about any veg on the postpartum list, and marinate with a roasted garlic/lime juice vinaigrette to give more than satisfaction. Make sure Mom gets some, with everyone else filling their plates!
What’s your call? There are so many things we can do, of course. How about Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year’s fare? Absolutely, we do not need to compromise deliciousness or happy traditions!