The Missing Piece of Postpartum Care: Food | goop
Across cultures, postpartum recovery has long been supported by nourishing foods and communal care. In the U.S., however, these traditions have faded, leaving many new mothers without essential support. Innovative services like Chiyo are working to bridge this gap by reintroducing time-honored nutritional practices.
In many cultures, the postpartum period is marked by specific rituals aimed at aiding a mother's recovery through rest and nourishment. Practices like China's "zuo yue zi" and Latin America's "La Cuarentena" emphasize the importance of warm, nutrient-dense meals to restore the body's strength after childbirth. These traditions recognize that food is not only sustenance but also a form of care and love
Kristal Lau, MBBS, MPH, a physician and postpartum wellness expert, notes, "Food, in general, is a language of love for many ethnicities. It's also part of a rite of passage into motherhood, where everyone comes together to nurture a new mother." Such communal approaches are often missing in the U.S., where new mothers may lack access to traditional foods and support systems.
"Meals are nutritionally balanced with a registered dietitian making sure there are enough macros and micros, specifically enough protein, and ensuring that everything is phased throughout the day," explains the Goop article. Chiyo's offerings include anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich foods, broths, bites, teas, and full meals tailored for various stages of motherhood.
Read more: https://goop.com/wellness/parenthood/postpartum-nutrition-rituals/
