Postnatal Diet – Foods You Should Eat and Avoid After Delivery

By: Bindu Raichura

After the delivery, your body changes drastically. The changes include both physical and emotional. During this phase, it is essential to maintain a healthy food habit enabling a smooth postpartum for both the mother and the baby. Though you don’t eat for two people anymore, every meal you eat impacts your health and affects breastfeeding. So, until your infant grows up a bit, you will still have to eat for two, but more healthily. That’s what we call a postpartum diet. So, let’s have a look at what is the best diet for postpartum? Why is it so important? What is the food that you can eat and avoid after delivery?

Importance of Healthy and Nutritious Food Post Delivery:

Your body requires a lot of energy to get back to your routine. With the little one by the side, your breastfeeding sessions will be longer during the initial months. So, you must choose healthy and nutritious food to support you throughout the postpartum journey. Further, your body needs to start healing. Selecting the best diet after giving birth enables you to be stronger and healthier.

What are the Foods that are Good for Health Post Delivery?

During your postpartum, you cannot get back to your regular eating style. The food that you used to love and regularly consume earlier might not be on the list. At the same time, the food that you never like may top the list. However, you need to maintain the best postpartum diet. Let’s look at what are the foods that you can eat after delivery, according to their importance in providing benefits to your body:

Protein helps your body to recover quickly after childbirth. You can eat beans, eggs, soy products, seafood (except those specifically mentioned not to eat), and lean meat. You can schedule 5 to 7 servings of protein per day, especially if you are breastfeeding. Legumes, including kidney beans and black beans, are a readily available source of proteins available for vegetarians.

Fruits are a good choice for snacking instead of chips or cookies. Try to keep half of your meal platter covered with fruits. Blueberries and apples are the best choices. Oranges and other citrus fruits can boost up your energy. In addition, they are enriched with Vitamin C, which is very important for breastfeeding mothers.

• Vegetables:

Vegetables are the most significant source of vitamins and minerals. Green vegetables contain natural antioxidants and help our body is regaining its old form. The green leafy vegetables are a must on your meal plate. Spinach and broccoli are flooded with Vitamin A and are essential for your baby’s development. They also contain calcium, vitamin C and Iron. Adding a few fenugreek seeds and garlic to your vegetables helps increase the milk supply for breastfeeding mothers.

• Fiber-Rich Carbs:

Often many new mothers try to avoid carbs and begin their fitness regime. But, in reality, carbs are essential for you during the postpartum period. Including fiber-rich carbs like brown rice, which provides the required calories and energy. In addition, carbs play a vital role in the secretion of milk for breastfeeding as well.

• Low-Fat Dairy Products:

Dairy products are the highest source of calcium alongside Vitamin D. If you are a breastfeeding mother, your milk must contain enough calcium, which helps the baby develop strong bones. You can eat curd, milk, or cheese after your delivery to enhance the calcium supply for yourself and the little one.

• Whole Grain Cereals:

You get to spend many sleepless nights during the initial months of postpartum and still feel energized in the morning. A cup of whole-grain cereals like oats, along with a bunch of blueberries and hot milk, brings you fresh energy after a sleepless night.

Also do remember that being hydrated all through the day is very important during postpartum. Breastfeeding mothers are highly prone to dehydration so drink lots of water. You can also substitute water with any fruit juice or milk if required.

Food to Avoid After Delivery:

As said earlier, whatever food that you eat after delivery is directly going to your baby through the breastmilk. So, you have to avoid some foods that may be harmful and need to maintain strict postpartum diet restrictions. So now, let’s look at what not to eat after giving birth.

Consumption of alcohol after delivery is always a controversial topic, where there are many differences of opinions. However, experts have proved that excessive alcohol consumption can weaken your body, slow down the healing phase, and affect breast milk supply. It can also lead to unusual weight gain in babies.

You can drink coffee during the day, but not more than 3 cups. Consuming more than 3 cups or 24 ounces of caffeine may affect the sleep pattern of your baby.

• Specific Sea Food:

Some seafood, especially fishes are high in mercury content. Mercury is a toxin and, when consumed, is very harmful to the baby. Food including swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, shark, and tuna are said to contain mercury, and it is better to avoid them.

• Spicy Food:

Your postpartum body is very delicate. So, keep yourself away from spicy and oily food. It is also better to avoid gassy food, which is difficult to digest.

Important Tips for a Postnatal Diet:

Postnatal health is essential for a new mother. So let’s look at a quick snippet for postnatal diet tips:

• Stay hydrated throughout the day
• Prefer healthy snacking and keep a check on your calorie intake
• Increase the protein content in your food
• Don’t do crash dieting and opt for a slow and gradual weight loss
• Take your postnatal vitamin medicines without fail
• Limit your caffeine and soda intake

Postpartum is an essential phase of a mother’s life. They have to do multitasking while their body is still healing. So it is advantageous to follow a doctor’s advice and have the foods that are suggested. happy postpartum. Stay hydrated, stay healthy, stay safe.

Source: https://www.beingtheparent.com/postnatal-diet-foods-you-should-eat-and-avoid-after-delivery/

The content is owned by Bindu Raichura. Visit site here for other valuable articles.

Share Us Your Thought!

You are invited to share your thought related to the post above in the comment box. You can share about your tips/experiences as parent or as a kid (if you're in that position).

Would You Share The Post?

And if you find it's interesting post and have a value for others, please share it to your friends. Thank you.

Mom, Did We Pack a Flash Drive? 7 Surprising Items to Add to the College Packing List

By: Shari Bender

My son and I googled numerous suggested college packing lists. This was my second child so I was confident that I knew what to do this time around. And with my kids 4 years apart, my older child had just completed her college journey and had a bunch of hand-me-downs for her younger brother. Items were gathered, lists were cross-checked, and the pile of Bed and Bath coupons stood at the ready.

My son was allowed to indulge a little on Dormify and got a soft grey headboard with coordinating striped comforter and matching collapsible storage boxes. Everything was meticulously sorted and collected and placed on the dining room table. Clothes draped precariously over the chairs, and somehow a big blue bean bag made its way to the top of the pile. Every corner in the SUV was filled with stuff.

No sooner did we return home than I got my first text. (Twenty20 @angela1209fu)

My husband secured the soft-top roof rack which housed the bean bag along with pillows and other light, yet bulky items. This roof rack has come in extremely handy many times over the past 5 years of college schlepping, and I highly recommend investing in one. We had carefully packed everything, by some miracle it all fit into the car, and we were off!

Five hours later we made it to our destination. My husband, son and I worked like a well-oiled machine. And after three hours there was a real semblance of a dorm room. We didn’t forget a single thing, we were all so proud! No sooner did I arrive back home the next day when the texts started coming. Mom, did we pack a flash drive?

Oops #1

Items for the college packing list:

• Flash drive-it’s little and easily lost so it’s a put it in a snack bag and tuck it in with the chargers.
• Scale-stave off the freshman weight gain with a weekly weigh in
• Bathing suit – even in cold weather! Many colleges require a swim test, and often there are pools available for students who like to recreational swim.
• Screen cleaner- you know those soft cloths that double as an eyeglass cleaner come in very handy to clean a computer or phone.
• Bed bug spray or bed bug interceptors – I’ve heard enough college horror stories about this one and oddly it wasn’t on any list we researched.
• Scarf face mask/Ski mask for those really cold schools-especially important for kids with asthma, these create a barrier for easier breathing outdoors
• Pictures of pets- your child won’t forget photos of their high school besties and family photos, but they might forget about photos of Fido – and these kids really miss their furry friends!

Even if you have consulted every list you can think of (this one included!) know that you will likely forget something. Before you leave your student, find out how send mail/packages to the college. That may sound silly to those of you new to the empty nester game, but I can tell you from experience, sending things to your child’s school is not as simple as it should be.

Your student’s residence hall is most likely not their mailing address. They may have a PO Box or some central shipping location. Even when you have the correct shipping address you may receive a text like this one: “Mom – package place told me the package arrived but it’s not processed yet so i can’t get it.” So send those care packages well in advance of whatever date you want them to arrive.

Remember that most essentials can be found at the campus bookstore or are a quick Uber ride away- so it may be easier and less expensive for your student to purchase directly than for you to ship things to them.

Now get packing!

Note: G&F receives compensation for purchases made through some of the links in this post.

You Might Also Enjoy Reading:

12 Things Every Freshmen Needs for Their Dorm

Source: https://grownandflown.com/items-college-packing-list/

The content is owned by Shari Bender. Visit site here for other valuable articles.

Share Us Your Thought!

You are invited to share your thought related to the post above in the comment box. You can share about your tips/experiences as parent or as a kid (if you're in that position).

Would You Share The Post?

And if you find it's interesting post and have a value for others, please share it to your friends. Thank you.

College Shopping Guide: 6 Steps to Simplify Your Dorm Shopping Trip

By: Grown and Flown

Dorm shopping is a rite of passage for parents to help their teens prepare for college life. It requires much more planning than any previous back-to-school shopping trip that’s ever come before.

We’ve been down the dorm shopping road with our own five kids. We shopped with them as freshmen, then later as sophomores, when they moved into college apartments and then finally when they moved, again, into first apartments.

Note: We are a reader-supported site and receive compensation from purchases made through these links. Thanks!

Six steps to college shopping sanity!

Here are six steps to help you simplify the off-to-college shopping you want to do with your teen.

1. Dorm Discovery

Look on the website of your teen’s new college under “Residence Life” and find out as much as you can about the specific dorm room they will soon occupy. It is much better to learn all you can about their new space BEFORE you shop to avoid mistakes and the need to return items that were the wrong size or prohibited.

Here’s what you can find out on most college websites:

• What furniture is included
• What items are prohibited
• Floor plan showing if the bed is lofted and, if so, how high
• Location of the bathroom
• Location of the laundry facilities

Once you have a better idea about how your teen’s dorm room is configured, you can simplify the shopping list to meet their needs and fit their living space.

2. Make the bed

There is a reason why everyone makes such a fuss over dorm beds – they will soon become THE space where your teen sleeps, studies, and hangs out. Making it a comfortable refuge is worth the effort and expense. Here are the pieces that go on the list:

Mattress topper

One of our kids said that he would give up his backpack before giving up his mattress topper. It was what made all the difference to him in getting a good night’s sleep. There are options at every price point and any topper will vastly improve the brick-like mattresses that colleges supply. This memory foam mattress topper gets great reviews.

Sheet set 

Look for sheets that are soft and durable and come in colors that coordinate with a comforter. Dorm rooms typically have beds that are Twin XL, which may be the only time you will shop for that size. Poppy & Fritz has adorable patterns from crisp blue and white stripe to avocados, llamas and more.

Pillow

Dorm rooms quickly become dusty messes and sleeping on a clean pillow can help your teen stay healthy. Nest pillows are the top rated ones and you can learn more about them here.

3. Where’s the bathroom?

If the bathroom is down the hall, they will need a shower caddy to transport their toiletries. This mesh shower tote has pouches for all their shampoo, shaving and bath items.

Shower Shoes

Regardless of how near or far the bathroom is, your teen will need a pair of shower slides or flip-flops  to wear when they shower. We are big fans of Havaianas flip flops and love the range of styles offered.

Towels

We are partial to these towels from Target that are available in four colors.

4. Laundry

The number one thing to know before buying a hamper is how far away the facilities are. For one of our teens it was across the quad making the choice of an easy-to-carry and durable hamper a must.

5. Storage and organization

Help your teen create a system to organize their clothes, toiletries, shoes, extra sheets, towels and “stuff.” If you’ve found the dimensions of the furniture on the college website, this will be much easier to do than if you have to guess. Take a tape measure when you shop for under bed storage and plan this real estate space together to maximize every square inch.

Storage Ottoman

A storage ottoman is very useful to store miscellaneous items and double as a chair for extra seating for when your student has friends over.

Under-bed storage

Because the dorms are limited in terms of space, your teen will want to utilize under bed space for extra storage. Under bed storage is perfect for storing extra clothes, towels, and medications.

6. Electronics

Most students have at least a phone and laptop and many will have other electronics or appliances like a blow dryer or coffee maker. All dorm rooms are short on outlets.

Surge Protector

A surge protector, NOT just an extension cord, is what most dorms will require for extra power. This one comes with two USB ports and a six foot cord, a feature your teen will appreciate when they want to charge their phone near their bed and the outlet is on the opposite wall.

Desk Lamp

Some colleges supply a lamp or a desk with built-in desk lighting but, if your teen needs one, this lamp is has multiple brightness levels and a USB charging port to keep their phone fully charge while they are studying.

Dorm Extras

Bedside Shelf

Back Rest Pillow

Coffee Maker

Over the Door Hanger With Hooks 

Steamer

You Might Also Be Interested In:

The Grown & Flown book is available NOW in paperback with our best tips for college shopping, move in and …preparing to say goodbye.

Source: https://grownandflown.com/college-shopping-guide-dorm/

The content is owned by Grown and Flown. Visit site here for other valuable articles.

Share Us Your Thought!

You are invited to share your thought related to the post above in the comment box. You can share about your tips/experiences as parent or as a kid (if you're in that position).

Would You Share The Post?

And if you find it's interesting post and have a value for others, please share it to your friends. Thank you.

4 Crucial Additions to the College Dorm List

By: Pete Tropf

College freshmen are finalizing plans for school and, no doubt, their university has provided them with a long list of necessary items – immunization forms, financial information, and registration instructions.

In our household, my wife and teen have downloaded the college dorm checklist and headed off to Bed Bath and Beyond to get the requisite shower caddies and surge protectors. They’ve rented the micro fridge and selected the meal plan.

The items on the list are nearly all checked off. But speaking from experience, here are four items to add to your student’s college dorm list before they venture off for their extended stay away from home.

There are important things that students need to do before they leave for college.

Four safety items to add to the dorm checklist

1. Health Services Arrangements

The campus probably has a student health center and your student already has information on hours, coverage requirements, records transfer, etc. However, on most campuses, the student health center isn’t open 24 hours a day. Even when open, it can be challenging to get an appointment, especially during cold and flu season. Locate a nearby pharmacy, urgent care facility and local hospital emergency room. Both of you record the locations and phone numbers. Decide how your student will get there for an appointment, or in an emergency.

Look at what transportation services the campus offers and if they have any specific practices or services for emergencies. Decide what you are going to do if there is a medical emergency. Do you go? Are you prepared to go? Do you have a contact locally or at the school that can help you, even if it is just to get information?

One Saturday around midnight, my son called me to say he had been very sick all day and was going down to the main desk in the dorm to see about going to a doctor. That was the last I heard from him for 12 hours. The resident attendant, (per school policy – which I didn’t know at the time) called an ambulance that took him to the hospital. I called his phone for several hours, but the hospital had taken it along with his other personal items.

Around 6 AM, I started calling the local hospitals (there were seven). None of them had any record, or wouldn’t confirm, that he was admitted. My wife was out of town, and I couldn’t reach her. He was hours away. Should I stay and keep making calls from home? Do I drive the three hours to his campus? Whom would I even contact there?

Thankfully, the school had a person on duty that monitors for any student emergencies, and the Assistant Dean of Students called me around 8 AM to see how he was. Where he was, I told her, was the first question. It took her awhile, but she was able to track him through the campus police report, ambulance company, and found the hospital. She got me the hospital name and phone number, room number and some information about his status, and got him his phone. It was fortuitous that the school had such a policy and service. I had no plan.

He turned out to be okay, but there were those hours where he was lost and I was panicked. My take away was that it is beneficial to have a local resource at either the university or a contact in the area that can help you out in an emergency when you aren’t nearby. If there is no contact at the university or you don’t know any locals, turn to your parents association. I’ve joined the parent Facebook group and found that there are plenty of parents locally with students in attendance that are willing to help you and your student with all kinds of support, especially in an emergency.

In addition, unless your student has signed a waiver to Disclose Private Health Care information, it will be difficult to get information in an emergency. Even with a waiver, it can be a problem getting details from a third-party provider. More information on this topic is available here. A local contact may help find out information for you or be present while you cannot.

2. Safety Kit

Cue your teen’s eye roll please. You can’t make your student use it, but you can make them take it, and hopefully remember it should they need it. If there is a lockdown, fire alarm or other need to evacuate your student, will want to have some items to aid them temporarily. Get an inexpensive drawstring backpack to allow for a quick grab and go and fill it with the following items: water bottles, extra phone charger and cable, some power bars, a bandana or face mask, a cheap plastic poncho, flashlight and extra batteries.

A first aid kit is recommended, but not the standard band-aid one. Get an emergency kit, like this one that has 299 essential first aid supplies for treating minor aches and injuries.

The Red Cross also has a good one (RC-562) that is only 9x7x2″ and available from many sellers.

Some experts recommend having some cash in the kit. It is not a bad idea if there is a chance that it would remain there. If your student takes any medication, include a day or two supply.

Finally, if there is room, include some warm clothing – gloves, hat, sweatshirt/pants, and socks. At night or in cold climates they may not have time to dress during an evacuation. Both my college students have stories of the 2 AM fire alarm and standing in the snow in slippers and PJ bottoms waiting for the fire trucks to arrive.

3. Remote Computer Equipment Tracking Software

There is a lot of activity on a college campus and students will be in a comfortable, but open and unfamiliar environment with people they don’t know. They will be moving around all day, and taking their technology with them. It is unfortunate, but more than likely, that at some point your student will either lose or have one of their devices stolen. Both of my boys, at different universities, had equipment stolen in the dining hall when they left it unattended.

Remote tracking software installed on an electronic device gives your student a shot at locating the equipment, and, maybe, provide enough information to the campus police to get it back. Some universities even offer a recovery service where they will track a lost device. Even if you don’t retrieve the device, these products allow the owner to wipe all data remotely to prevent disclosing private information.

The campus may recommend particular products or applications, and offer purchase discounts. If not, there is no shortage of good products and applications available. Android vendors and Apple offer apps with their devices.

There are many other solutions on the market, both free and fee based, depending on your preferences. You will even see products, like Tile stickers, that allow tracking of other valuables or items like keys that a student may misplace. A quick web search will turn up dozens of choices, or consult with your local geek squad team for a recommendation.

Be sure to pick a product that works on all of your student’s devices. If your student has a PC and iPhone, get one system that works with both windows and IOS. Second, select a product that has a web-based console that either you or your student can log into so you can issue the commands if they can’t. Don’t wait until your student is off to school to think about this. These features need to be setup ahead of time and it will be easiest to do while at home, especially if some technical assistance is needed.

4. Renters Insurance

Get renters insurance. Anything that can happen at home can happen at school, and you need to make sure your student has loss coverage. Estimate the cost to replace clothing, books, electronic equipment, furniture, other personal items, and don’t forget that micro fridge. It is likely that your insurance company offers this type of policy, so start with them for a quote.

Some policies will automatically cover electronic and camera equipment and some require a separate rider, so be sure to ask. A renter’s policy will likely include liability coverage for protection in the event of injury to a third-party occurring in your student’s living space.

That’s it. Except for those last-minute items that you need from the local big box store, your college dorm list is now complete.

You Might Also Enjoy Reading:

25 Bestselling Dorm Essentials 

When Your Kid is Sick or Has an Emergency, Here are the Forms You Need 

Source: https://grownandflown.com/4-crucial-additions-college-dorm-list/

The content is owned by Pete Tropf. Visit site here for other valuable articles.

Share Us Your Thought!

You are invited to share your thought related to the post above in the comment box. You can share about your tips/experiences as parent or as a kid (if you're in that position).

Would You Share The Post?

And if you find it's interesting post and have a value for others, please share it to your friends. Thank you.