During the postpartum period, or the fourth trimester, your body undergoes significant changes.

Ensuring proper nutrition is essential to support your postpartum recovery. One important nutrient to focus on in your fourth trimester is Vitamin C.

How does Vitamin C support postpartum recovery?

Vitamin C plays a crucial role in your energy & stress levels and helps collagen production to support your postpartum recovery. Vitamin C is needed to regulate your stress hormone cortisol, which is often elevated in the early postpartum period. Your adrenal glands, which produce cortisol, also have the highest saturation of Vitamin C in your body.

When your body is under stress (like recovering from birth and sleepless nights with a newborn), you require higher amounts of Vitamin C to help your adrenal glands regulate cortisol levels. Balanced cortisol levels in your fourth trimester will improve your energy, mood, recovery and reduce likelihood of postnatal depletion. 

Vitamin C also supports collagen production, required in the formation of your connective tissues, skin and bloods vessels. If you had a vaginal tear, episiotomy or a c-section, including Vitamin C rich foods into your postpartum diet will support tissue repair and healing.

What are the benefits of Vitamin C for postpartum recovery?

1. Boosts your Immune System after Birth:

Vitamin C helps strengthen the immune system, which is especially important during the postpartum period when the body is more vulnerable to infections, especially if you required vaginal stitches, an episiotomy or c-section. 

2. Reduces Postpartum Inflammation:

The anti-inflammatory properties of Vitamin C help reduce swelling, inflammation and bruising after a vaginal or c-section birth. Increase levels of inflammatory markers in the postnatal period has also been linked to postnatal mood disorders like depression and anxiety. This is because inflammatory markers can impact your ability to produce neurotransmitters like serotonin (your happy hormone), one factor which may lead to postnatal depression. 

3. Enhances Iron Absorption:

Vitamin C enhances the absorption of iron from your food. Iron is another essential nutrient, with an estimated 10-30% of new mums struggling with iron deficiency in their postnatal period. Iron is required for oxygen transport around the body which improves energy and reduces postnatal fatigue. Iron is also required to help make serotonin and support your mood during the fourth trimester.

Research has found that:

Iron Deficiency during pregnancy significantly increases risk of postnatal depression

Considering Iron deficiency is incredibly common during pregnancy, optimising your dietary Iron intake from both animal and plant based sources is important. You should also make sure to include foods containing Vitamin C to improve absorption of Iron from your diet. Combining Iron and Vitamin C rich foods is an essential dietary strategy to support your postpartum mental health. You may also benefit by taking a postnatal supplement which contains Iron, if you struggle to get enough in your daily diet.  

What are the best sources of Vitamin C to include for postpartum recovery?

These foods contain a rich concentration of Vitamin C: 

• Oranges
• Grapefruit
• Kiwi fruit
• Strawberries
• Mango
• Lychees
• Capsicum
• Spinach
• Broccoli 
• Mothers Boost Postnatal Protein Powder

How to incorporate Vitamin C rich foods into your postpartum diet?

To support your recovery after birth and reduce feeling the exhaustion of postnatal depletion, make sure to add at least one source of Vitamin C into your daily diet. This is relatively easy to do using both fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables. 

Why not try:

• A glass of orange or grapefruit juice with your breakfast
• Mid-morning snack plate with kiwi fruit, strawberries, rice crackers, cubed cheese and almonds
• Capsicum sticks with a side of hummus or smashed avocado to dip in
• Adding frozen broccoli into stir-fries
• Adding a handful of spinach into scrambled eggs
• A smoothie with frozen mixed berries, coconut yoghurt & the Mothers Boost Postnatal Protein Powder

Why our Mothers Boost Postnatal Protein Powder is perfect for postpartum recovery:

The Mothers Boost Postnatal Protein Powder has been formulated with the nutrient needs of postpartum mums in mind. It is the perfect protein to support your energy in the fourth trimester and well into motherhood. Mothers Boost is a fantastic source of Vitamin C to support postpartum recovery. It contains 80mg per serve, which is 200% of the Recommended Dietary Intake! 

Other benefits of the Mothers Boost Postnatal Protein Powder include: 

• 11.7g of protein from collagen
• 6.7mg of Iron (56% of the RDI)
• 270mg of Magnesium (85% of the RDI)
• 11mg of Zinc (90% of the RDI)
• Vitamin B6 & B12 (200% of the RDI)
• Iodine & L-tyrosine to improve postnatal thyroid health 
• Ashwagandha  to reduce stress and boost energy 
• Lemon Balm to alleviate postnatal anxiety 
• Maca to balance your postpartum hormones
• MCT oil to reduce mum brain & improve concentration 

Try this Vitamin C packed recipe: Mango & Lychee Smoothie Bowl 

Ingredients