The 4th Trimester; dedicated to all my new mamas, soon to be mamas, yet to be mamas, sisters, aunts, girlfriends, grandmothers and babies…
Wait a minute I thought there were only three trimesters in pregnancy? 4 you say? Where is this from? In India it is tradition to support a woman for the first 40 days after birth. Something that was lost in our culture but is slowly making a comeback and I wanted to shed light on the foods, recipes and culture that surround this, and boy do I wish I had known more when I had my girls, as it would have helped a ton. I nested a few days before the birth of my first born, it was a few days before Thanksgiving and after a few false labor starts I needed something to do so I cooked… Big surprise right? Not only did I cook some great food to have for the holiday I went a bit crazy, I didn’t have a ton of family around, just my spouse and my mother were going to be around and well I guess we needed a fully trimmed organic bird, six side dishes and three types of pie… and don’t forget the appetizers… Of course it all saved well and nourished me weeks after birth which was a godsend for my sleepless nights learning how to nurse my daughter who wasn’t staying awake to latch on properly…. But if I had known which types of food I should have been eating and resting with, that would have certainly made a difference. So now you can say you’ve been informed what to make for those dinner trains.
In Ayurveda medicine, the saying goes “the first 40 days of life will impact the next 40 years of life” During this period mother and newborn are confined to allow the mothers body to recover from the intensity of childbirth when hormone levels change drastically, the uterus returns to pre-pregnancy size, milk production is established and the perineum or c-section area heals. Women are becoming mothers, this is a special time… and far to often it’s not taken into account the huge physical, spiritual and emotional toll that is taken on the woman, rather all the emphasis is placed on the newborn and the mother strives to return to a busy norm of her new role… rather than being pampered like she deserves. So what does this mean in terms of foods? What kind of nourishment does the new mother need? You always hear the staple… stay hydrated, eat protein, and a good mix of carbs and fresh greens. But for the 4th trimester it has some simple rules… drinking warm liquids… so instead of a glass of water… try Tulsi tea (holy basil) is an amazing tea.. my favorite is the Tulsi Rose from Organic India… talk about herbs to soothe your soul… Rose is very powerful for mother and baby and the anything from Rose water, to rose essential oil use very diluted on mama will make for a happy healthy recovery. Warm broths, bone broths, stewed fruits and grains are also great staples. Avoid cold and crunchy foods during this time… you want meals to be well cooked and easily digestible. Using Ghee or clarified butter instead of full fat butter is ideal.
Here is a recipe for Kitchari, (pronounced kitch-a-ree) is like the chicken noodle soup of Indian foods, easily digestable comforting and there a ton of great versions that can help you during this time or for anyone wishing for a hearty, cleansing and healthy warm meal. It is a mixture or mess of beans, and starch with spices.
- ¾ cup red split lentils, organic (masur dal)
- ½ cup quinoa, organic
- 4 cups water
- ½ tsp tumeric
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp ginger, grated
- 2 green serrano chillies minced
- 3 Tblsp coconut oil/ghee
- 1 tsp cumin seeds, whole
- 1 red onion, organic fine diced
- 1 lime
- 2 Tblsp cilantro for garnish
Place lentils, quinoa and water in pressure cooker with salt, tumeric, ginger and green chillies. Cook under pressure for 25 minutes. (Did I mention that any new mother needs a pressure cooker by about the 3rd month of pregnancy and it’s probably not on her baby shower gift list.)
While that is cooking or cooling heat the oil up in a heavy pan (cast iron preferably) add the cumin seeds for 30 seconds add onion and cook on meduim low for 10 minutes until golden brown. Add onion mixture to the pressure cooker and mix well, it should have a soft creamy consistancy. Garnish with lime wedges and cilantro before serving. Feel free to add to this recipe, sweet potatoes, differen lentils or mung beans are also a great addition. Rest up, enjoy that cup of tea and enjoy peace of becoming a new mother.
From my table to yours, enjoy!
