Dr. Madhumita Deb

Indian diet plan for mother after cesarean delivery is made after considering the following points. The menu for a mother after a c-section is planned after taking in to consideration the needs of the mother and the child. The meals should consist of the following nutrients

Proteins:

Eating a protein rich diet is a great way of healing the tissues and it is very important for the healthy growth of your baby. Proteins also help in maintaining the muscles after the surgery. Eggs supply zinc and proteins to your body. Fish is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids which are very beneficial for your health.

Sources of protein – include foods such as eggs, chicken, fish and meats if you are a non-vegetarian. Vegetarians should eat dairy foods like milk and cheese, dried beans, peas, and nuts

Vitamins:

Vitamins should be taken in sufficient quantity since they contain lot of antioxidants which help in repairing tissues. It also helps in producing collagen in the body which helps to build new scar tissues, tendons and skin.

Sources of vitamins- eat fruits and vegetables that are rich in vitamin c, such as melons, oranges, papayas, strawberries, grapefruits, tomatoes, sweet potatoes and broccoli.

Iron:
The mother loses a lot of blood during and after childbirth and thus the iron reserve in the body needs to be replenished. Lack of iron can make you weak and lethargic. Eat foods that are rich in iron. Take care not to eat excess quantities of iron since it can lead to constipation.

Sources of iron – include walnuts, red meat, oysters, dry fruits, figs, beef liver and dried beans.

Calcium:
Calcium helps in relaxing the muscles, promoting bone and teeth health, in blood coagulation and in preventing osteoporosis. Milk should be had sparingly since it is a very good source of calcium and facilitates the production of milk for the baby. Yogurt is another way to supply calcium to your body. Yogurt also contains zinc and the most advantageous thing about it is that it can be consumed with a variety of dishes.

Sources of calcium – the mother should include milk, cheese, yoghurt, spinach, kale and tofu to supplement the intake of calcium.

Fiber:
Fiber is required so that you do not suffer from constipation. Constipation can put undue pressure on the wounds. Fibrous fruits are not only very nutritious, but they also help to avoid constipation.

Sources of fiber – eat lots of raw vegetables and fruits as salad in order to add roughage to your diet.

Water and fluids:
Breastfeeding can make you exhausted and thirsty. The mother should take plenty of fluids in order to ease bowel movements and to produce sufficient quantity of milk for the little one. You can drink low-fat milk since it is easier to digest. Take special care to avoid caffeine. Caffeinated drinks include cold drinks, coffee, energy drinks, tea, carbonated drinks.

Sources of fluids – Non-citrus fruit juices, soups, coconut water, herbal teas and buttermilk. Green teas are allowed too if you consume the decaffeinated ones.

Foods that increase milk production in lactating mother:

Garlic (lehsun), fenugreek leaves and seeds (methi), fennel seeds (saunf), cumin seeds (jeera), sesame seeds (til), almonds (badaam), bottlegourd (lauki), ridge gourd (torui), spinach (palak), orange lentils (masoor dal), oats and daliya.

Foods to avoid after c-section:

• The activity level is low after delivery since you are advised to rest. Avoid all fatty foods and junk foods. These will only add on to the weight. Avoid eating spicy foods since they can cause gastric trouble. Your baby might also get the flavor in his milk.
• Citrus juices and carbonated drinks should be kept at bay since they can cause flatulence and gas.
• Caffeinated drinks such as tea and coffee should be taken in moderation only since these are diuretics. These drinks are high in caffeine and can cause problems in your baby’s growth.
• It is better to stay away from alcohol as it can impair the mother’s ability to breast feed and can cause developmental problems in the baby.
• Avoid gas forming foods like urad dals, chola, rajma, chawali, channa, besan, pickles, green peas, dry peas. Vegetables like cauliflower, cabbage, bhindi, broccholi, onions are better avoided for the first 40 days. Later on, they can be introduced in the mother’s diet slowly.
• Avoid any sort of fried food. They are very difficult to digest in the first 40 days and can lead to gas and stomach ache and burns.
• Avoid ghee and rice for the first 3-4 day after c- section. After 4 days you can start eating rice once a day. Unlike the myth that says you should not eat rice as the scar will not heal. This is true in case if the mother is diabetic, as high blood sugar levels will interfere in healing of scar, but for a non – diabetic average indian women this does not hold true.
• Very cold food and drinks. This restriction is imposed on mother just for precaution. If the mother catches cold, treatment becomes hard if she is breastfeeding. The medications are excreted in breast milk and the baby’s health gets affected too.