5 fabulous superfoods for new mothers

Pregnant women and new mothers are especially in need of superfoods with extra nutrients. Image credit: Freeimages.com/BenEarwicker

Green leafy veggies, in particular spinach, are great for new mums as they are high in folic acid and vitamin A. Image credit: Freeimages.com/Florin Bleiceanu

Brown rice is high in fibre and a healthy carb for keeping level blood sugar. Image credit: Freeimages.com/Robert Wall

Almonds are a great source of vitamin E and essential fats which help with milk supply. Image credit:Freeimages.com/JLDesigns

When you're a new or expectant mother, a healthy diet is vital for the development of your baby as well as mum's recovery following the birth. Breastfeeding mothers in particular are urged to eat extra healthy to produce all the additional nutrients your growing baby needs.Additionally, having a healthy and balanced diet will help produce breast milk and replenish nutrients that mothers can often lose whilst pregnant. To ensure both mother and baby get the the nutrients they both need, include these superfoods in your diet after baby is born and boost your nutrient levels.Spinach and most green leafy veggies such as bok choy, kale and Chinese broccoli are especially beneficial to nursing women as they are high in vitamin A which is a much-needed nutrient for both mother and baby. In particular, spinach also has high levels of folic acid which assist in production of lost blood cells and helps boost milk production. The manganese in spinach is also helpful for bone, cartilage and collagen production which is needed, especially when a new mother is recovering from a c-section.In general, green veggies like spinach have a large amount of calcium, iron and vitamin C as well.Oats offer high levels of iron which can help prevent anaemia, often seen in new mums. Oats also are one of the most lactogenic foods and help increase breast milk supply. High in fibre, they are of benefit when new mothers are experiencing postnatal constipation.Also high in fibre, brown rice offers healthy, whole-grain carbohydrates to help keep energy levels up and blood sugar levels consistent. Brown rice offers more fibre than white rice and is an easy food to incorporate into your regular meals.New mothers benefit from eating salmon as it's a fatty fish containing high amounts of a fat called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) which is crucial in the development of an infant's nervous system. It's also high in protein and vitamin B12 and is believed to help prevent post natal depression.Boosting your almond intake provides a variety of nutrients like vitamin E and essential fats important for your baby's health as well as yours. The essential fatty acids including omega-3 also help increase milk supply. Almonds provide protein and calcium for your bones and teeth. To help increase breast milk, soak a small handful of almonds (about 8-10) overnight in water and enjoy then the next morning.Simply adding these few foods to your diet can greatly assist in getting you feeling your best and give your baby a healthy head start.