Good foods for a very new mum

[The Godfather]

Hi all

my best friend gave birth to a very healthy 8lb 6oz baby boa on the 9th , she is doing really well looking after him and he is doing amazing , but its really taking its toll on here and after seeing the doctor a couple of days ago he put her on iron tablets and was told her blood sugar level was low
Im going to see her at the weekend so wanted to get her some foods and drinks that will be really good for her and make her feel better , she isnt with the father of the baby now but lives with her mum, so all day and all night she tends to the babys needs apart from when her mum is about in the evenings to help
She dosnt have a great deal of time to prepare food for herself and thats one of the reasons i think its taking its toll on her , as often when the baby is a sleep she tries to catch up on sleep herself and then ends up not eating properly and just snacking,so i want some very easy to prepare stuff or ready to eat foods that will do her some good
So can anyone help me out with a shopping list please

Thanks Kev

 

[sparky]

what an amazing pal you are!! best thing you can do for someone whos just had a baby is give them a little tlc..

i make stews, casserols, shepherds pie etc anything that can be made in one batch and eaten over a couple of days.

It depends on what she likes really.

 

[nutcase109]

What a lovely thought!

You can get some of those silver disposable boxes from the supermarket, you know the ones you get takeaways in from chinese / indian etc...

And fill them with sherperds pie, or casserole, and she can keep them in the freezer. Then just bung them in the oven for 90 mins when she wants them!

Mini steak pies are great for keeping in the fridge for a quick snack, filling and full of iron.

Also a pasta sauce you could make up, with loads of finely cut veggies in it, and loads of spinach which is packed with iron, again she could keep in freezer and microwave or oven when she wants it.

I was low in iron too so these foods served me well!

Hope this helps,

Emily xx

 

[andreag]

I was recommended a supplement called Floradix (in Holland and Barratt) which like a tonic for pregnant and nursing Mums, and helps get you back on track. You would need to check though it is ok to take with the iron tablets.

Re food, not sure if you are planning on cooking for the freezer or shopping. If you are cooking, tasty meals you can eat with a fork are good - lasagne, shepherds pie, etc.
IF shopping, I would get plenty of baking potatoes, cheese, beans, stir fry veg and fruit (esp bananas as these are so filing) Basically things that are healthy but very quick to make a meal out of. Also, good quality cereals. I used to snack on ceral bars, which are great especially if breastfeeding and they have a high oat content. You could make flapjacks and fill them with all sorts of fruits to make a decent snack.
Re drinks, avoid caffine if she is breastfeeding and alcohol, fennel tea is good for milk production, and canomile is relaxing so these would be good.

As Sparky says, you are a terrific friend to be doing this - I am sure she will appraciate anythinbg you get.

 

[Bexie]

I second what all the girls have said. Floridix is a really good form of Iron, better than the tablets and easier to digest (it doesn't cause constipation or loose bowels like the tablets do)

All the food suggested should really help her as would things like fruit dried and fresh, just things for her to nibble on as well as good home made meals.

What a great friend you are, there's not many peole like you about.

 

[The Godfather]

Thanks everyone for your help ,you have given me some great ideas on what to do and get , im going over there later today so looks like i will have quite a variety of foods to take

I would also like to thank you for your kind words , to me a mate is a proper mate and i will help her out in anyway i can

thanks Kev

 

[Misslarue]

aaw what a great mate you are

just to add as the girls have already said some great advice. Make her a large fresh fruit salad. Loads of fresh pineapple, mango, melon, strawberrys etc. She won't have time to prepare one herself, but if its already cut up and ready to eat its a great healthy snack to pick on. It will only last a few days but its full of vitamins and will give her a great energy boast.

 

[Urchin]

Orange juice... great for iron absorption

 

[kerryp]

by now you would have been to see your friend so cant really give any input (i would have gone with what everyone above said) BUT i had to comment on what a fab friend you must be! youre a star.
x

 

[maria1976]

Chocolate

 

[Misslarue]

Chocolate

 

[hennaly]

Juicy dried apricots, they are brill for iron