What to eat when you have just had the baby?

My neighbour is due soon and I have offered to cook for her in the early days. She doesnt have family here and her in-laws are not very helpful so she will be on her own.

I will be cooking for her until she travels to her family so appox 2-3 weeks after the baby is born, perhaps shorter time depending on when the baby comes.

So my question is what to serve to a woman who just had a baby? Usually I have heard of chicken soup. but wouldnt that be so boring to have every single day.

what is on the list of not to serve? and what is must have on the list to serve to her?

The couple is Pakistani and spices will be no problem unless spices should be avoided in postnatal period???

Re: What to eat when you have just had the baby?

lots of shoorba salan, like chicken salan or aalo gosht, add zeera in it as ppl say it increases milk supply for feeding women. High protein stuff like kababs. Oatmeal and sooji ka halwa.\

avoid veggies like brocolli, cauliflower and lentils that cause gas

Re: What to eat when you have just had the baby?

anything you like.

Re: What to eat when you have just had the baby?

what about making those peendeeyan? they're like round balls full of nutrition but i'm not exactly sure what goes in them...

Re: What to eat when you have just had the baby?

Panjeeri
Chicken/Mutton yakhni
Thin gravy waley salans

Avoid gas producing foods.

At least that's what we do as desis. Non-desis eat anything and do just fine :D

Re: What to eat when you have just had the baby?

Thanks guys.

Panjeeri and piniyaan are too difficult for me to make.

Yakhni is what I was planning to make for 2-3 weeks of that will be too much for her.

Can I make roti salan for her? what about spices?

Re: What to eat when you have just had the baby?

what about kebabs? they're nutritious red meat and she can fry them up whenever she's hungry. maybe other foods too that are easy to eat on the go like samosas and patties?

maybe comfort foods like khichri and qeema? some accompaniments like timatar ki chutney and raita too? i think the saalan's are a great idea- aloo gosht, chicken ka saalan, you could make a mixed sabzi too.

Re: What to eat when you have just had the baby?

If you can't make panjeeri, do have raisins, almonds, other nuts, and coconuts available, as these foods help build strength.

Re: What to eat when you have just had the baby?

Ideally eating healthy is a good idea. Fruits, vegetables. If she is nursing - avoid lentils and gassy food.

Some women suffer from constipation after birth - so maybe want to avoid rice dishes and other constipating food.

Re: What to eat when you have just had the baby?

Too much red meat can cause constipation too. You can still make yakhni. Just add different things every day. Like one day you can give her plain yakhni with some turmeric, black pepper powder, salt & ginger garlic paste, add lots of black pepper. One day you can add some sort of pasta in it. One day you can add vegetables. You can change the vegetables and seasonings every day from just plain salt & pepper too maybe hot sauce (not too much) or some day Italian seasoning. There are many options out there.

If the mother plans on breastfeeding then avoid too much spice or foods that cause gas. Best thing you can make for her is Kaarha. Warm milk with sugar to taste, lots of turmeric powder, ground almonds & pistachios. Its easy, very nutritious & turmeric helps in healing.