7 Nourishing Postpartum Foods That Rebuild Mama and Nourish Baby Through Breastmilk
Breastfeeding isn’t just about calories.
It’s about passing on information.
Every single nutrient you eat becomes the raw material for breastmilk that nourishes your baby’s brain, gut lining, immune system, hormones, and nervous system.
Your breastmilk carries minerals, essential fats, amino acids, and bioactive compounds — many of which only come through you.
And what modern culture doesn’t talk about enough?
Breastfeeding drains your nutrient stores.
Postpartum isn’t a season for surviving on crackers, bars, or empty snacks. It’s a season to rebuild — deeply, intentionally, and ancestrally.
This is how we feed both mama and baby at the same time.
1. Force of Nature Meats & Beef Liver: Nature’s Real Multivitamin for Breastfeeding Women
Why Liver is EVERYTHING Postpartum:
Heme Iron + Copper → Rebuilds blood lost in pregnancy & birth, restores energy, oxygen delivery, and hormonal balance.
Retinol (True Vitamin A) → Essential for baby’s gut health, skin barrier, immune system, vision, and respiratory strength.
B Vitamins (especially B12 & Folate) → Crucial for rebuilding mama’s energy, mood stability, and baby’s brain development.
Zinc & CoQ10 → Hormonal healing, immune resilience, and cellular repair for both mama and baby.
Where To Get It:
Force of Nature Meats are available in over 4,000 stores nationwide but they also ship!
Their Ancestral Blends sneak liver and heart right into ground beef — genius for postpartum meals.
How to Use It:
Mini meat muffins
Shepherd’s Pie with squash topping
Burgers mixed with avocado
Scrambled into eggs
Or liver capsules if cooking isn’t happening right now - I get mine from Ancestral Supplements (click here for $15 off)
2. Pastured Eggs & Egg Yolks: Baby Brain Fuel & Mama’s Nervous System Support
Why They Matter:
Choline → This is CRITICAL. Baby’s brain, nervous system, and memory centers require high choline — and mama loses it rapidly through breastfeeding.
DHA + Omega-3s → Brain, eye, and skin development for baby; postpartum mental clarity for mama.
Vitamins A, D, E, K2 → This fat-soluble synergy supports immunity, bone strength, and healthy hormones in both of you.
Easy Ways to Eat:
Stir yolks into warm broth or meat stock
Egg drop soup
Mashed into sweet potatoes
Scrambled in ghee
Raw yolk blended into yogurt + honey
3. Lineage Meat Sticks: Clean Protein & Organ Meats Without The Liver Taste
Let’s be real — sometimes postpartum meals are whatever you can eat one-handed.
That’s where these meat sticks shine. I eat these often paired with cheese and also share with my dogs for a VERY clean and healthy treat. You can get 10% off here using this link! You’ll often see me snacking on these while I am working on my computer for a quick snack.
Why They’re Postpartum Gold:
16g protein per stick → Clean, bioavailable fuel for blood sugar balance + milk production
Grass-fed Liver & Heart → Nutrient powerhouses with Vitamin A, B12, Choline & CoQ10
Air-Dried → Preserves sensitive nutrients destroyed by high heat jerky
No Sugar, Fillers, or Preservatives → Just beef, liver, heart, sea salt, vinegar, collagen casing
How This Benefits Baby:
Amino acids build baby’s gut, skin, and immune system
Fat-soluble vitamins directly pass into breastmilk to support baby’s growth, vision, and neurological development
How to Use:
Diaper bag emergency protein
Sliced over sourdough with avocado
Eaten with herbal tea & sweet potatoes for balanced nourishment
4. Sweet Potatoes & Squash: The Forgotten Postpartum Carb
Why They Matter:
Slow carbs → Stabilize blood sugar (hello, emotional regulation + energy)
Prebiotic Fiber → Feeds mama’s gut flora which shapes baby’s gut via breastmilk
Vitamin C → Enhances iron absorption from all those meats
Potassium → Restores adrenal health, fluid balance, muscle recovery
Simple Ways to Eat:
Mashed with cultured ghee
Roasted in tallow
Blended into coconut milk soup
Shepherd’s Pie topping
Sweet potato puree with egg yolk for extra richness
5. Wild Salmon (Fresh or Canned): Brain Food + Mood Support
Fresh wild salmon is postpartum gold. But let’s be real — canned is often WAY more practical.
Why Salmon Matters:
DHA & EPA → Baby’s brain + eye development; mama’s mood stability
Selenium & Iodine → Critical thyroid support (the gland that controls energy + metabolism)
Calcium → From salmon bones in canned versions — mineral support for mama & baby
How to Eat:
Fresh salmon baked in ghee
Canned salmon patties
Salmon mixed with avocado + kraut
Salmon + sourdough for an easy meal
6. Organic Coconut Butter: Hormone Fuel + Milk Richness
Coconut butter is more than fat — it’s fiber, minerals, and immune support packed into one creamy spoonful.
Why It Matters:
Healthy fats → Build richer, more satisfying breastmilk
Lauric Acid → Antimicrobial properties that can protect baby via breastmilk
Blood Sugar Balance → Prevents crashes and irritability
Fiber + Trace Minerals → Support gut health + tissue repair
Where to Buy:
Wildly Organic Coconut Butter
Nutiva brand at most natural grocers
How to Use:
Straight with sea salt
Melted over roasted squash
In no-bake energy bites
Blended into smoothies
7. Herbal Teas & Mineral Infusions: Deep Nourishment for Mama & Baby
When it comes to herbal teas in the postpartum season, think of them like liquid food — gentle, slow nourishment meant to rebuild what pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding naturally deplete.
Herbal infusions (aka long-steeped teas) are one of my favorite ancestral tools for breastfeeding mamas because they support both you and your baby.
But they have to be the right herbs — not all herbs are appropriate for daily use, and some (like mint!) can actually lower milk supply.
Let’s break down the most nourishing, safe-for-breastfeeding herbs — how they help YOU, how they benefit BABY through your milk, and exactly how much to use.
Nettle Leaf
Nettle is an absolute postpartum powerhouse. It’s rich in iron, calcium, magnesium, Vitamin K, and trace minerals — everything your body needs to rebuild after birth.
Nettle helps restore your iron levels (especially if you lost blood), supports strong bones, nourishes hair + nails, and even gently supports kidney health.
For baby? The minerals in nettle-rich milk support strong bones, healthy teeth later on, and a nourished gut lining.
Use: 1-2 tablespoons dried nettle per quart of tea — safe daily.
Oatstraw
This is my #1 herb for nervous system nourishment postpartum.
Oatstraw is deeply calming for frazzled, overstimulated, exhausted mamas (hi, cluster-feeding nights!). It supports adrenal health, gentle milk production, and helps with postpartum anxiety or overwhelm.
Baby benefits too — oatstraw supports better let-down reflex, calmer feeds, and can help mama’s milk feel richer and more satisfying.
Use: 1-2 tablespoons dried oatstraw per quart — safe daily.
Raspberry Leaf
This is a traditional uterine toner used for generations in postpartum healing. It supports tissue repair, hormonal regulation, and strengthens the pelvic floor and uterus after birth.
When passed through breastmilk, raspberry leaf's minerals support baby’s developing gut lining and bone growth.
Use: 1-2 tablespoons dried raspberry leaf per quart — safe daily.
Lemon Balm
Lemon balm is a mama favorite for its gentle mood-lifting, calming, and digestive-soothing properties.
For postpartum women, it can help ease anxiety, calm digestive upset, and promote restful sleep.
Through breastmilk? It can help soothe a gassy or fussy baby and support their developing digestion gently.
Use: 1 tablespoon dried lemon balm per quart — safe daily, especially in blends.
Marshmallow Root
Marshmallow is all about moisture and gut healing — soothing irritated mucous membranes in mama’s gut (which impacts immune health + digestion) and helping breastfed babies who struggle with reflux, colic, or gut irritation.
It’s best cold-infused to preserve its soothing mucilage.
Use: 1 tablespoon chopped marshmallow root steeped in cool water overnight — then strain and sip or mix with warm teas.
Safe for daily use.
Shatavari (Optional, but Powerful)
This is an Ayurvedic adaptogen known for supporting milk richness, hormone balance, and even fertility recovery postpartum.
Shatavari nourishes the reproductive system and is thought to increase the quality and quantity of breastmilk.
Through breastmilk, it may help support baby's gut health and immune system gently.
Use: 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon powdered shatavari daily — stirred into tea, broth, or milk. Or 1 tablespoon dried root steeped in teas.
Safe for daily use in food-like doses.
Can I Mix These Herbs Together Daily?
YES. In fact — that’s how they work best.
Traditional postpartum infusions combine multiple gentle, mineral-rich herbs for a full spectrum of nourishment.
These are not medicinal doses. They are food-like, intended for daily sipping and gradual nourishment — perfect for breastfeeding mamas whose bodies are doing constant, beautiful work.
How To Make a Nourishing Mama Tea Daily
Here's exactly how to do it:
In a quart mason jar, combine:
1-2 tbsp nettle
1-2 tbsp oatstraw
1 tbsp raspberry leaf
1 tbsp lemon balm (optional for calming)
1 tbsp marshmallow root (best cold-infused in a separate jar)
Cover with boiling water (except marshmallow — use room temp water for that one)
Cover and steep overnight (8-12 hours is gold)
Strain and sip throughout the next day
Optional add-ins:
Shatavari powder stirred in when drinking
Raw honey for sweetness
Lemon for flavor
Pinch of sea salt for electrolytes
Is It Safe To Drink These Teas Every Day While Breastfeeding?
Absolutely — when used in these food-like amounts, these herbs are not only safe but incredibly supportive.
These daily teas support:
Stronger milk production
Richer mineral content in milk
Hormonal balance for mama
Calmer nervous systems (yours + baby’s)
Gut health support for both of you
Tissue healing and energy restoration
This is the slow, ancestral nourishment your body wants in this season.
A Note on Herbs to Avoid or Limit While Breastfeeding:
Peppermint → Can reduce milk supply
Spearmint → Same risk in large doses
Sage → Drying to milk production
Parsley → In high amounts, may lower supply
Licorice Root → Hormonal & blood pressure altering in higher doses
Breastfeeding isn’t just about feeding your baby. It’s about nourishing YOU so that your milk becomes potent, healing, and life-giving.
This isn’t trendy. This is ancestral wisdom — the way women have rebuilt their bodies and nourished their babies for generations.
Feed yourself like a woman who matters deeply.
Because you do.