5 Food to Eat During Confinement
It’s important for new mothers to enjoy a confinement period following childbirth to focus on wellness and recovery. Chinese mothers believe that childbirth causes a lot of blood loss and “Qi” deficiency; thus many follow confinement practices originated from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), restricting them to a certain diet.
A confinement diet usually consists of warm foods that help with faster womb recovery. It also encourages moms to have hearty meals that serve as an effective repellent to get rid of trapped wind from the body. All in all, a good diet during a confinement period aims to help mothers in replenishing their bodies.
So, what does a good confinement diet consist of? GoCompare.sg has compiled a list of essential meals full of goodness that help with your recovery.
Leafy greens
Leaf vegetables are great for blood replenishment as they are rich in fibres, irons, and vitamins. Faster blood replenishment can boost faster recovery, so it is important to make sure you eat plenty of leafy vegetables.
Spinach is a good example of leafy greens with lots of health benefits with only a few calories. According to Healthline, about 100g of raw spinach contains 2.7mg of iron. On top of that, spinach is a great source of vitamin C as well as antioxidants.
Kale can also be your go-to leafy greens as they are full of calcium, potassium, copper, manganese, and vitamins especially Vitamins A, K, B6 and C, according to Mayo Clinic. It’s best to eat it raw to fully reap the nutritional benefits of this superfood.
You could try Spinach with Black Fungus & Wolfberries or Stir Fried Chinese Spinach with Crispy Ginger menus by Thomsonbaby. Thomson is the first and only private hospital offering home delivery of confinement food since 2013, so you don’t have to worry about the quality of your food as they are backed by science!
Red meats, poultry, and fishes
Consuming red meats in moderation during your confinement help replenish blood loss as they are great sources of iron and protein. When you beef or pork in moderation during the recovery, the protein found in red meats encourages wound healing.
You can also opt for poultry or fishes as they provide good nutritional values like vitamin B12 which promotes recovery by keeping your nerve and red blood cells healthy. Moreover, the nutrients contained in these ingredients help support your immune system.
Chilli Padi Confinement serves some signature confinement dishes made from poultry and fishes for you to enjoy. Such dishes include Herbal Chicken with Dom, Ginseng Chicken, Papaya Fish Soup, Fish Roulade, Fish Maw with Sweet Beans, and Black Chicken Red Date Soup. For mommies with breastfeeding problems, you can count on their menu as Chilli Padi Confinement incorporates ingredients that promote lactation into their confinement menu.
Ginger
Ginger is a typical ingredient that we often find in confinement food due to its numerous health benefits. The rhizome is loved by mothers in Singapore when it comes to confinement food preparation as it gives warm effects for stomach comforts. It is quite understandable as the use of ginger is deeply rooted in Chinese belief that body temperature drop in new mothers is something to be avoided, and this ingredient is believed to be effective in alleviating such an issue.
Taste the goodness of ginger for your wellness with the flavourful Beancurd with Minced Meat and Ginger menu served by Zuo Yue Food. They offer new mommies savoury taste of nutritious home-cooked meals which serve a traditional Malaysian blend of Hakka and Cantonese style. Feel the warm inside with the amazing meal or try out other signature dishes they serve.
Whole grains
Breast milk supply is crucial in mommies breastfeeding their newborns for the health and growth of the precious babies. According to Verywell Family, whole grains are thought to possess properties that promote an increase in breast milk supply. Oats are among the best whole grains when it comes to milk boosters.
While mommies can never go wrong with slow-cooked old-fashioned oatmeal, Noor Confinement can give you a whole new experience in enjoying the confinement staple. This halal food caterer in Singapore serves an interesting menu using meatballs made out of oats, so make sure you check them out along with their other signature confinement dishes.
Milk and other dairy products
Last but not least, never forget to drink your milk! Milk is rich in calcium which plays a part in promoting healthy bones. You can also incorporate other dairy products in your confinement diets, such as cheese and yoghurt.
Mommies can enjoy the goodness of dairy products in different ways. Try out Burpps’ awesome yoghurt lactation cookies to boost your breast milk supply. Or, enjoy Noor Confinement’s unique Thai Green Curry Kampong Chicken, using organic almond milk as its broth!
Find the best confinement food caterer in Singapore
While cooking for yourselves could be an enjoyable activity for moms, food preparation often takes time and such a routine can tire out new moms during confinement quite easily. No need to worry, though, you can now browse through GoCompare.sg to find the best confinement food caterer serving yummy dishes full of nutrients for a speedy recovery.