When a woman has a miscarriage, it can be a challenging and tough time to go through, both physically and mentally. The loss of a child can be depressing and hard for your body as well. Some parents take a few months to recover from this loss and get back to normal life. It is important for the woman to take care of herself and let the body heal itself to try conceiving again after some time. For this, you can talk to your gynaecologist about some tips to recover and the right diet intake. Experts suggest to wait for a few months or over a year before trying for another baby, and there are many other dietary factors that one needs to keep in mind during this time.
After having a miscarriage, a woman might experience a lot of issues, including cramps, weakness, pain and bleeding for around 2 weeks. It can take some time to recover or cope up from a miscarriage. Miscarriage can have a negative impact on a woman both physically and emotionally. Gaining the stamina and energy back in the body holds a lot of importance in such situations. And, you don't have to starve yourself from eating comfort foods, if you feel hungry or sad. Make sure to consume a healthy diet post miscarriage. Onlymyhealth editorial team spoke to Dr. Anjali Phatak, Director Nutripulse and Senior Clinical Nutritionist, Nutripulse, about the foods and drinks to eat and avoid after miscarriage for healing.
Foods to eat and avoid after miscarriage
Miscarriage is the sudden and unexpected loss of an unborn baby before the 20th week of pregnancy. All the symptoms of miscarriage such as weakness, depression, weight loss and bleeding can be managed by taking a healthy diet, and focusing on the essential nutrients during this period. According to Dr. Anjali, here are the foods and drinks to eat and avoid after miscarriage for healing:
To eat:
1. Protein rich foods
The amino acids present in proteins are required by the body after miscarriage to recover the damaged cells. One can consume milk, cheese, curd, fish, eggs, lentils, grains, quinoa and properly cooked lean meats in their daily diet routine. Incorporating these protein rich foods in your diet post miscarriage can be beneficial to heal or recover.
2. Drink fluids
Drink plenty of fluids after having a miscarriage as there are chances of bleeding and blood loss. A woman can take detox drinks, coconut water and pomegranate juice for better iron absorption and better health. Dr. Anjali said, you can also take turmeric milk before sleeping. It acts as a healing agent for coping up from both physical and mental trauma.
3. Folate rich foods
Folate rich foods are recommended for women's health by many experts. Folate helps in quick and better recovery from a miscarriage or abortion. Good sources of folate include kale, broccoli, spinach, nuts, seeds and lettuce. You can easily include these foods in your everyday diet.
Also read: What Are The Symptoms And Causes Of A Miscarriage?
4. Calcium and magnesium rich foods
As per few studies, magnesium deficiency is can put you at a risk of depression. Magnesium rich foods can help in tackling depression and reducing anxiety, that are common symptoms of miscarriage. Whole grains, chocolate and green leafy vegetables are rich sources of magnesium. And, intake of calcium is also important after miscarriage to fulfil the deficiency of calcium in the body. You can consume dairy products to take a calcium rich diet.
5. Iron and vitamin C rich foods
Dates and raisins are very good sources of vitamin C and iron, and both are important to recover from post miscarriage symptoms such as blood loss and weakness. Vitamin C promotes faster recovery and better iron absorption in the body, therefore this combination can be extremely beneficial. You can make oranges, papaya, fish and beans a part of your diet.
Also read: Here Are Some Foods That Can Cause Miscarriage, Pregnant Women Should Not Eat These
To avoid:
1. Sodas
According to a study, drinking sodas on a daily basis can affect your fertility. It has high amounts of caffeine that will not act as a helpful factor in recovering or healing from a miscarriage. A woman should make sure to avoid this artificial sweetener after having a miscarriage or abortion as it can raise your blood sugar, thus slowing down the healing process.
2. Alcohol
After having a miscarriage, a woman should immediately quit alcohol and drink plenty of other healthy fluids. And, alcohol consumption is not good for your overall health as well. You can talk to your doctor about ways to quit alcohol completely.
3. Junk foods
All junk foods such as burgers, pizzas and French fries should be avoided in a diet after miscarriage. These are hallow calories that do not provide any important nutrients to your body. It might fill your stomach but goes in vain as these foods cannot contribute towards post miscarriage or abortion recovery.
Also read: Threatened Miscarriage: Know Causes, Symptoms, Prevention and More
4. Sugary foods
Along with junk foods, sugary foods including doughnuts, chocolates and traditional sweets should also be restricted after having a miscarriage. These foods and spike your blood sugar levels, thus giving birth to several issues. The fluctuations in these levels can also slow down the healing process. You can replace sugary foods with other healthier home made alternatives.
5. Soy products
Soy foods are considered good for your health but it is not suggested for consumption post miscarriage or abortion as it contains phytate, which prevents iron absorption. Soy products include tofu, soy milk, tempeh, etc. Soy rich diet contains the female hormone estrogen, which can be an interference in your body’s absorption.
Bonus tip by Dr. Anjali Phatak-
Making yoga a part of your daily routine can help in maintaining a healthy weight and lifestyle. It is important to get back to your normal day to day life, but without exerting yourself. In addition, dry fruits are also extremely important to consume during this period.
So, if you eat and avoid the above listed foods and drinks, you can maintain a healthy diet after miscarriage. A miscarriage can be hard on women both physically and emotionally, therefore diet plays a major role in coping up from the trauma. But, do not station yourself at one place and move your body regularly without too much exhaustion. Give your body a good amount of hydration to recover from the extreme blood loss due to menstruation.
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