Menu for Moms in the Maternity Hospital

How is the food?

The food in maternity hospitals and its quality depend, actually, on the maternity hospital itself. Depending on the region, city, district, and even the specific maternity hospital, the organization of meals for pregnant and postpartum women can vary greatly. Some people might like it, while others quite literally “can’t stomach” the local food. The latter group usually asks relatives or friends to bring something tasty to the maternity hospital, but this always raises the question – what food is allowed in the maternity hospital?

How should meals be organized in the maternity hospital?

According to Russian standards, maternity hospitals should provide the following meals: three main meals and 1-2 snacks. In reality, the meals are usually limited to breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon snack or dinner. The main thing is that the food should be rich in vitamins.

When you’re wondering what you can eat in the maternity hospital after childbirth, you should prepare a list of products before leaving for the hospital in anticipation of your baby. The foods should maintain a balance of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.

What for pregnant women, the same for those who gave birth?

Yes, we’re talking about post-childbirth food for a reason. Ideally, the diet of a pregnant woman and that of a new (especially breastfeeding) mother are not the same. But in reality, food in the maternity hospital isn’t much different – the cafeteria prepares the same for everyone. Often, the menu includes foods like borscht, which is half cabbage and can cause problems with breastfeeding.

Therefore, moms should still assess the food provided at the maternity hospital after childbirth, and if it feels that their body, both literally and figuratively, ‘cannot stomach’ the local food, they should care for their health and their baby’s health by asking family members to bring healthy homemade food.

Nutrition Recommendations in the Maternity Hospital

By reviewing our materials, every mom preparing to go to the maternity hospital can navigate what to bring with her, and what food after childbirth can be brought by relatives and friends.

General food requirements for mothers:

• low-fat;
• easily digestible;
• low-allergenic;
• does not promote gas formation;
• without flavorings, colorants, taste enhancers, and other additives;
• familiar.

Food to Bring

In our articles, we have explored how to eat after the baby is born, and more detailed recommendations can be provided by our specialists during a consultation. If you are preparing for childbirth and taking food to the hospital, remember these basic recommendations – low-fat, familiar, and light.

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However, if you head to the hospital already in labor and there’s no time to make a list of foods, choose products that should be on hand:

• Dark chocolate – will help restore energy after childbirth;
• A few bottles of pure non-carbonated water – several small ones, so you can drink during labor;
• Snack foods – crackers, crispbreads, pastille, cereals.

Nutrition in the Hospital Immediately After Childbirth

In the first couple of days, the food should be gentle to help the mother reestablish her body’s cleansing routine. Therefore, it is worth consuming soft, viscous food, avoiding bread, rice, bananas, as all these can be binding.

If a cesarean section or complications during childbirth occurred, recommendations may differ: follow your doctor’s advice.

Dos and Don’ts

We decided to highlight separate lists of foods that can be eaten and those that should not be eaten in the maternity ward.

Allowed:

• porridge on water;
• boiled or baked lean meat and steamed patties;
• low-fat cheese;
• baked apples and pastille;
• boiled and stewed vegetables;
• soups on lean broth or vegetable soups.

Not Allowed:

• fried, salty, spicy, and smoked foods;
• most sweets (candies, pastries, baked goods);
• mushrooms;
• raw fruits, vegetables, and berries;
• canned products, juices and sodas, store-bought yogurts.

Watch your diet, use common sense, and consider your health and your baby’s health.