Posted on April 3rd, 2016

Sound Familiar? Have you recently had a baby and finding it difficult to not only sleep but to eat as well?

Whether you are currently breastfeeding or not you still need to take care of yourself while putting all your effort into being the best mum you can be.

I have been lucky enough to spend heaps of time with babies lately as a fair few of my close friends have all recently given birth and they know who they are!

When you feel exhausted and fatigued you don’t necessarily feel hungry or want to eat, therefore it becomes easier to skip meals or completely forget about meals altogether. Then later in the day your either really hungry or just simply can’t remember when you last ate, let alone got quality sleep.

If you are currently breastfeeding then you are already aware of the requirement to eat more protein, hence regular meals are going to often be more suitable for you since bub always seems to know how to cry/scream when you want to enjoy a decent meal! Even if you are formula feeding you still need to eat regularly to help your body cope with the changes of becoming a mum.

Quick snacks/small meal ideas:

• Tin of tuna or salmon (max 2-3 tins weekly)
• Hardboiled egg
• Chia seed pudding (1 tbsp chia seeds, 1 tbsp protein powder, ½ cup milk – mix well and allow to sit for 2 hours or overnight)
• Smoothies (1-2 pieces of fruit, 1 cup milk, 1 tbsp protein powder, 1 tbsp nut butter – blend and enjoy)
• Roast chicken (buy from supermarket deli and break up)
• Raw vegies and hummus (carrot and celery sticks)
• Pre-made salad packs (add some protein)
• Deli meats (turkey, leg ham of the bone etc.)
• Wholemeal crackers with 1 tbsp nut butter or cheese
• Wholemeal toast with an egg or 1 tbsp nut butter

Eating something that is quick to make or convenient is the easiest way to ensure that you don’t skip meals. Always best to aim to eat something little every 4-5 hours to keep your energy levels up.