Becoming a mother is a life-changing experience that goes far beyond delivery. The postpartum period, sometimes referred to as the "fourth trimester," is an important time for physical recovery and emotional adjustment. Nutrition is a critical component in this period of replenishing the body, facilitating healing, and aiding lactation. A very restrictive diet might have been allowed during pregnancy. In contrast, the postpartum diet will be more accommodating of a diversity of nourishing foods that your body and your baby need to thrive.

Having carried a baby for nine months, endured the pain of labor, and labored through delivery, your body now needs to heal. Nutrition provides the basis of energy restoration, healing tissues, and support for the production of milk in breastfeeding.

As Avni Kaul, Nutritionist, Dietician, and Wellness Coach, puts it, "This time is associated with tremendous physiological changes and psychological shifts. An appropriate diet in the postpartum period helps in healing, increases milk production, and overall health."

Benefits of a Nutrient-Rich Postpartum Diet

• Speeds Recovery: Nutrient-rich foods help in tissue repair, iron replenishment, and prevention of complications like postpartum anemia.
• Helps Produce Milk: Proper hydration and nutrition help in achieving the necessary quality milk supply.
• Boosts Wellness: Balanced diet offers energy required for a new mother's challenging role.
• Overindulgence is permissible once in a while, but it is the healthier diet that would prove best for effective recovery and lactation.

Essential Nutrients for Postpartum Recovery

1. Protein: The Basis of Recovery

Protein will assist your body to rebuild and regenerate tissues of damaged parts that need repairing in cases after delivery and in making more protein for production of the milk into the baby. Top sources are: eggs, lean meats, poultry, fish, tofu, lentils, beans, and dairy products.

2. Iron: Replace your depleted reserves

Blood loss during delivery can cause a decrease in iron levels, which may lead to weakness and a weakened immune system. Iron-rich foods with vitamin C can help restore these levels and prevent anemia.

Top sources: Spinach, red meat, liver, beans, fortified cereals, and broccoli.

Vitamin C-rich foods: Citrus fruits, bell peppers, tomatoes, and strawberries.

3. Fiber: Maintaining Digestive Health

Constipation is common postpartum due to hormonal changes and reduced physical activity. Fiber-rich foods aid digestion and prevent constipation.

Top sources: Whole grains, oats, fruits, vegetables, and legumes.

4. Hydration: The Backbone of Milk Production

Lactation and hydration depend on adequate fluid intake. Target 8-10 glasses of fluids daily, including water, herbal teas, and broths. Electrolyte-rich fluids can also balance the body after delivery.

5. Vitamin B12 and Folate: Energizing and Restoring Nerve Health

B vitamins include B12 and folate. They play an important role in energy production, nerve function, and blood cell formation. These vitamins can combat postnatal fatigue and replace the blood that has been lost in delivery.

Top sources: Eggs, dairy products, beef, fish, fortified cereals, and leafy greens such as spinach and kale.

Postpartum Superfoods for Recovery and Lactation

Some foods go beyond supporting postpartum recovery and milk supply:

• Turmeric: It is the ant-inflammatory remedy in which inflammation swelling is decreased to heal well and fast.
• Fenugreek: It was historically used to augment milk.
• Oats rich in fibers with iron it keeps digestion very simple and can easily take energy with ease.
• Almond: Rich with Healthy fats and calcium almonds ensure tissue repairing.

Foods to Avoid During Postpartum

While most foods are safe, certain items should be limited or avoided for better recovery and breastfeeding outcomes:

• Caffeine: Excessive caffeine can pass into breast milk, disrupting your baby's sleep.
• Alcohol: If consuming alcohol, wait several hours before breastfeeding to ensure it doesn’t affect your milk.
• Highly Processed Foods: These are often nutrient-deficient and may contribute to fatigue.

Should New Moms Take Postpartum Vitamins?

Consult your doctor about continuing prenatal vitamins or switching to a postpartum-specific supplement. According to Avni Kaul, "Some women may need to continue prenatal vitamins while breastfeeding, while others might benefit from standard multivitamins." A healthcare provider can tailor recommendations based on your individual needs.

When Breastfeeding Twins Should You be Doubling Your Nutrition?

For mothers who nurse twins, there is an addition of around 500 calories a day per baby. Adequate hydration and the intake of calorie-rich foods is essential for each baby to thrive. Checking on wet and soiled diapers can also assure that each is being fed and hydrated correctly.

Postpartum nutrition is more than just sustenance. It fuels recovery, supports lactation, and empowers new mothers to take on the physical and emotional challenges of early motherhood. A diet rich in real, nutrient-dense foods aids in healing, replenishes energy, and strengthens the bond between mother and baby.

As Avni Kaul emphasizes, "Proper nutrition is the cornerstone of recovery, providing the strength and vitality needed during this transformative time." For personalized guidance, consulting a nutritionist or healthcare provider can help ensure your postpartum diet meets your unique needs.

Avni Kaul is a Nutritionist, Dietician and a Wellness Coach with Specialisation in Pregnancy Health and Founder of Nutri Activania in India.

A new study showed that teens who begin using cannabis before the age of 15 are much more likely to face health problems later in life. Statistics show that many teens use cannabis, or substance more commonly known as weed from a young age.

The data from Government of Canada shows that 1 in 6 children from grades seventh to 12th reported using cannabis in 2014-15. They assessed that Canadian adolescents have the highest rates of cannabis usage.

The usage of cannabis at such a young age has also been linked to higher risk of using drugs later in life, according to the new study published in the JAMA Network Open. Compared to their peers who didn't use the drug in adolescence, they also face an increased risk of developing mental and physical health problems in young adulthood.

How Many Teens Use Cannabis?

This important conclusion comes from a recent study published in a science journal called JAMA Network Open. The researchers used data from a long study in Canada called the Québec Longitudinal Study of Child Development, where they have been following more than 1,500 children from when they were infants into their young adult years.

The scientists recorded many details about their lives, including if they used cannabis between the ages of 12 and 17. The study sorted the teenagers into three groups based on their habits:

Non-Users (60%)

Most of the teenagers didn't use cannabis at all during their adolescence.

Late/Infrequent Users (20%)

These teens started using cannabis later (in their late teens) and only used it rarely—less than once a month—by the time they were 17.

Early/Frequent Users (20%)

This last group started using cannabis before age 15 and used it at least once a month by age 17.

How Does Cannabis Usage In Teens Affect Health?

The group of teens who started early and used often was much more likely to visit the doctor or seek care for both mental and physical health problems as young adults.

Mental Health

These early/frequent users had a 51% higher chance of seeking professional help for mental health issues. This risk was calculated to be real even after the researchers carefully removed the influence of other factors that can affect health, like being bullied or problems at home.

Physical Health

Similarly, the same early and frequent users had an 86% higher chance of needing care for physical problems. The most common physical issues they reported were respiratory issues and getting into accidents or unintentional injuries. These issues could be related to being high/intoxication or perhaps to the body reacting when they stop using the drug, which are known as withdrawal symptoms.

Why Should Early Cannabis Usage Be Discouraged?

The Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explained that the brain of a teenager is still growing and developing a lot, and this process continues until they are about 25 years old. Using cannabis (marijuana) during the teen years and young adulthood can potentially harm this development.

Compared to teens who don't use cannabis, those who do are more likely to drop out of high school or not finish a college degree. Using cannabis can cause several immediate and long-term problems for teens

• Difficulty Thinking
• Memory Issues
• Poor Coordination
• Attention Problems
• School and Social Troubles
• Cannabis use can also lead to more serious issues that affect a teen's overall life.
• Increased Mental Health Risks

Cannabis is linked to depression and anxiety, and it raises the risk of temporary psychosis (paranoia or hallucinations). Starting young and using often increases the likelihood of long-term illness like schizophrenia.

Dangerous Driving

Driving under the influence of cannabis is illegal and unsafe, as it severely slows reaction time. Cannabis reduces coordination and concentration, impacting all the skills necessary for responsible and safe driving.

Potential for Addiction

Around 30% of cannabis users develop an addiction (cannabis use disorder). Failing to quit or choosing the drug over family activities are signs. This risk is higher for frequent teen users.

As a new mom a lot of things run through in the head. Not just child's health, but also your health too. As it is a very new experience. One of the newest experience could be breast feeding, and the thought of breast cancer and many such questions may occur.

Is There Any Link Between Pregnancy And Breast Cancer?

As per the National Institutes of Health, US, the risk of breast cancer, is in fact reduced by 4.3% for every 12 months of breastfeeding. This is in addition to 7.0% decrease in risk observed for each birth. However, notes a 2011 study published in the Journal of Turkish-German Gynecological Association, breast cancer risk is higher within the 3 to 15 years of term delivery. This increased risk is specific for women whose first delivery occurred after 30 years of age.

The study notes that women who delivered their fist baby at ages younger than 25, did not have any breast cancer risk, or had a very small increase. However, a transient increase was seen within 10 to 15 years of delivery and after that a protective effect of delivery is seen.

Among women who delivered their first baby before 25 years of age, the life time breast cancer risk actually decreased 36% after the period of transient increase.

However, new mothers who are at risk may find it difficult to distinguish between normal lactation-related issues and potential warning signs of breast cancer, including discharge from breast, and more.

To understand this better, we spoke to Dr Prachi Sarin Sethi, Gyencologist & Laparoscopic surgeon, Motherhood Hospitals, Gurugram. Here's what she told us:

"All new moms need to be aware that changes in the breast during lactation are common, but awareness is key," she pointed out.

Blocked Ducts And Mastitis Vs Suspicious Lumps: How to Differentiate?

"Many breastfeeding mothers experience blocked ducts, which can cause small, tender lumps in the breast," said Dr Sethi. To understand the symptoms, it is important to understand first what they mean.

Mastitis means an infection of the breast tissue that could lead to redness, swelling, warmth, pain, and even fever. "These conditions are temporary and resolve with rest, warm compresses, and proper breastfeeding techniques," she points out.

However, it is important to know that not all lumps are related to breastfeeding. Suspicious lumps can be hard, irregular in shape, painless, or persist beyond a week. This is when the woman must go to a doctor, she points out.

"Changes in the nipple, skin dimpling, or unusual discharge will also indicate that a woman needs medical attention."

The doctor notes that routine breast checks after the delivery must be done as it allows one's doctor to examine the breast tissue and guide the patient on proper self-examination techniques. This could also allow early identification of abnormalities, and improve the treatment outcomes.

"New moms should be encouraged to perform regular self-checks, observe changes in shape, texture, or skin appearance, and lumps. Keeping a record of any persistent changes or discomfort is helpful during consultations."

Think of when you go to someone's house who has a kid. What is the first thing that happens? The kid is asked to sing, dance, or recite a poem for the guests. If the kid does it, he or she receives applause, and the parents become instantly happy. If the kid fails to do so or hesitates, while the parents smile, and behind it is a pattern that child psychologist call the Trophy Child Syndrome.

This happens when parents view their child's talents, grades, or charm as the reflection of their own. While this may seem like a common, everyday household, tradition, it bears a lasting impact on the child. This is what experts call the 'showcase parenting'.

What Is A Trophy Child?

Paul Opiyo, who writes for Medium says that when a child is exceptionally good at something his or her success is often put at par with parent's reflection. However, this comes in many shapes, for instance, writes Opiyo, if the child shows great athletic talent, the parents initiate a 'Project Mbappe', or when the child demonstrates intellectual gifts, the parents shove a 'Project Einstein' on them.

In other parents, from very early on the child discovered that it is not them or their personality, but actually what they do is what's considered important.

This is true especially in households with parents who have high narcissistic traits, who are controlling or who are enmeshed. This is where the child is seen just as the extension of a parent and nothing more than that. This forms predictable patterns of family dynamics. The family operates on winning love and approbation. This is not just a competition, but a habit, that gets amped up and becomes the standard by which family members are judged.

Are There Signs Of A Trophy Child?

While the child may recognize that he or she is a trophy child, there could be many signs that may hint towards those.

Perfectionism

The child has a strong need to be perfect at everything they do. The child is also highly sensitive to criticism, because any mistake to the child feels like a failure to meet expectations.

People Pleasing

The child has a hard time saying 'no', this is because the child has had a habit of seeking validation from others.

External Validation

The child's self worth is also tied to their accomplishments and achievements, which are only celebrated outside, and not private goals. The child learns to feel valuable only when there is something that the child is 'winning' at.

Loss Of Identity

In the race to become someone else or to behave like someone else, personal goals or the child's own interests often gets sidelined. this could lead to a weak sense of self.

Experts point out that these kids internalize the message that they are valued for what they do and not who they are. This very feeling creates deep insecurities in them as they enter adulthood. Because even after they have grown up, they feel the constant pressure to prove their worth.

Experts also point out that social media has further fueled fire to this. Thanks to social media, many parents are asking their kids to do certain things, record it online and upload it for likes and views.

However, there is a way to break the cycle, the first step is to acknowledge that this is happening with you and then to approach a practitioner.