Foods to Avoid After C-Section (Cesarean) Delivery

Having a well-balanced diet is key to supporting postpartum recovery. Particularly, mothers who undergo C-sections need to avoid certain types of food to aid surgical wound healing as well as prevent gassiness and constipation.

So what is a C-section and how is it different from vaginal deliveries?

A cesarean delivery (C-section) is a major surgery to deliver babies. In this procedure, an incision is made on the abdomen and uterus. In contrast, only the skin is cut and reattached in vaginal deliveries.

Given the weight of this major operation, C-section mothers need to pay extra attention to their postpartum diet. By choosing the right types of food, mothers can nourish their bodies, maintain adequate milk supply, and avoid unnecessary bowel discomfort.

Foods to Avoid After C-Section Surgery

So what are the foods to steer away from during the postpartum period? Here are seven types of food to avoid after cesarean delivery.

1. Avoid Food That Makes You Gassy.

Flatulence is a common problem in postpartum mothers. After a C-section delivery, gas build-up in the digestive tract can be quite painful.

One way to reduce gassiness is to avoid foods rich in sorbitol, fructose, lactose, and soluble fiber. This includes:

• Carbonated drinks like sodas, energy drinks, and sparkling water.
• Candy and chewing gums that contain sorbitol.
• Beans.
• Fruits like apples, pears, and prunes.
• Dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese.

2. Avoid Constipating Food.

Many mothers experience constipation following delivery. It can be caused by fluctuating hormone levels, opioid pain medications, and fear of straining and rupturing the C-section stitches.

Diet plays an important role in preventing constipation. Mothers need to take in enough dietary fiber and drink plenty of water every day to produce soft stool.

Avoiding low-fiber food is another effective strategy to tackle constipation. Examples of low fiber food include red meat, chips, chocolates, and cookies.

Processed grains like white bread and white rice also tend to have less fiber compared to their whole-grain counterparts. So it may be good to substitute refined grains with whole wheat bread, pasta, and brown rice.

3. Avoid Spicy Food

Spicy food is another one that you should avoid after delivery, especially if you’re not used to taking them. Capsaicin found in spicy food irritates the stomach lining, potentially causing food-induced diarrhoea.

In the first few weeks following the C-section, focus on nutritious, easy-to-digest foods that are gentle on the stomach. This helps you get the most out of your meal to fuel your body and speed up recovery.

4. Avoid Junk Food.

Caring for newborns demands all your time and energy. So you might be tempted to snack on some potato chips or eat fast food. After all, they are quick, delicious, and convenient.

However, junk food is loaded with empty calories. They may give you energy but lack vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber that are needed by mothers in the confinement period. Instead, these foods are packed with sugar, salt, and trans-fat.

By filling you up, indulging in junk food also replaces the need to eat wholesome and nutritious meals. So you’re missing out on vitamin A, vitamin C, zinc, and protein that promote wound healing.

If you’re looking to get back in your pre-pregnancy jeans, taking junk food consistently makes it hard for you to shed the baby weight. Junk food is designed to be addictive by adding lots of sugar and salt. So we tend to eat them a lot and very quickly.

However, if you're seriously craving for snacks, you may want to check out our confinement snack recipes for some healthy & energy boosting snack ideas.

Drinks to Avoid After C-Section Delivery

5. Avoid Caffeine

Caffeine is a natural stimulant found in coffee, tea, sodas, and chocolate. It keeps you awake and boosts energy levels, which is something all new parents need.

When you take caffeine, a small amount of it enters breast milk. Though you may be tolerant of the effects of your regular latte, your little one might not enjoy it as much.

Babies are more sensitive to caffeine because they take a long time to clear this compound from their system. Drinking 3 or more cups of coffee a day might make your little one irritable, fussy, and awake. This means less rest for C-section mums to recover completely.

6. Sugary Drinks.

Sugary drinks are poor substitutes for water when it comes to hydration. Ideally, you should avoid taking sweet beverages like carbonated drinks and fruit juice after a c-section delivery.

Sugary drinks contain simple sugar which causes a spike in energy levels that is not sustainable. Following this, postpartum mothers will experience an energy crash where she feels exhausted.

On top of that, postpartum mothers with a history of diabetes need to limit their sugar intake. Having a high blood sugar level slows down wound healing and increases the chance of developing an infection.

Conclusion

After a C-section, mothers should avoid taking food with little nutrients and cause discomfort to the surgical wound. By choosing the right food, you'll provide enough energy, vitamins, and minerals for both the mother and her breastfed baby.

If you don't know what confinement food to have next, why not order a postpartum food delivery meal package from us?

Post Cesarean Surgery Confinement Food Delivery in KL

At Phoenix Signature Kitchen, we specialise in preparing pregnancy and confinement meals. Whether you undergo a C-section, normal delivery, or only eat vegetarian food, our team of consultants will ensure that the meals you receive are tailored to your specific needs.

Have a piece of mind by pre-ordering your chinese confinement food delivery so you can spend more time with your bundle of joy. Click this link to order your first meal and get them delivered today. 

 

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剖腹产后应避免的食物

产后恢复的关键是拥有一个均衡的饮食，尤其是接受剖腹产的母亲更需要避免某些类型的食物，以帮助手术伤口的愈合，并防止腹胀和便秘。

那么，什么是剖腹产？它与阴道分娩又有什么不同呢？

剖腹产（C-section）是一种通过腹部和子宫切口取出婴儿的大型手术。相比之下，阴道分娩只有会阴被切开并重新缝合。

由于剖腹产属于一种大型手术，所以经历过剖腹产的妈妈们更需要特别注意产后饮食。通过选择正确的食物类型来滋养自己的身体，保持充足的母乳供应，并避免不必要的肠道不适。

 

剖腹产术后应避免的食物

你知道剖腹产后期间应该避免哪些食物吗？以下是剖腹产后应避免的七种食物：

1. 避免让你胀气的食物

胀气是产后妈妈的常见的一个问题。堆积在消化道产生气体引起的胀气会给妈妈们带来痛苦。

要减少胀气就该避免吃富含山梨醇、果糖、乳糖和可溶性纤维的食物。这包括：

• 碳酸饮料，如：苏打水、能量饮料和气泡水
• 含有山梨醇的糖果和口香糖
• 豆类
• 水果，如：苹果、梨和梅
• 乳制品，如：牛奶、酸奶和奶酪

 

2. 避免导致便秘的食物

很多妈妈在产后会出现便秘现象。这可能是因为荷尔蒙的波动、阿片类药物以及因担心拉伤和破坏剖腹产的缝线所造成的。

要预防便秘就一定要注意饮食。产后妈妈们每天须摄入足够的膳食纤维并喝大量的水以帮助软化粪便。

另一个有效预防便秘的方法是避免食用低纤维食物。低纤维食物包括红肉、薯片、巧克力、饼干等。

与全麦食品相比，白面包和白米等加工谷物的纤维含量往往较少。因此，妈妈们可以用全麦面包、意大利面和糙米代替精制谷物。

3. 避免辛辣的食物

辛辣食物也是产后应避免的食物，特别是如果你不习惯吃这些食物。辛辣食物中的辣椒素会刺激胃黏膜，有可能引起腹泻。

在剖腹产后的头几周最好选择营养丰富、容易消化，对胃部温和的食物，好让你的身体好好吸收这些养分，给身体提供能量并加速恢复。

4. 避免垃圾食品

我们都知道照顾新生儿会耗尽你的所有时间和精力，因此你选择吃一些零食薯片或快餐等代替正餐。毕竟，那是最快速、美味和方便的方法。

可是垃圾食品空有热量，它可能给你带来能量，但却含有高糖份、盐份和反式脂肪，更缺乏了产后妈妈所需的维生素、矿物质和膳食纤维。

正因为一些产后妈妈以垃圾食品取代了健康和营养膳食来填饱肚子，所以错过了能帮助促进伤口愈合的维生素A、维生素C、锌和蛋白质。

不停吃垃圾食品会让你很难减掉孕期的体重，更不要说是穿回怀孕前的牛仔裤了。垃圾食品里大量的糖份和盐份令人上瘾，并且吃得多吃得快。

 

剖腹产后应避免的饮料

5. 避免咖啡因

咖啡因是一种天然兴奋剂，存在于咖啡、茶、苏打水和巧克力中。它能使你保持清醒并提高能量水平，这是所有新手父母都需要的东西。

一部分的咖啡因会在产后妈妈饮用后到达母乳。尽管你能忍受普通拿铁咖啡的影响，但你的小宝宝可能不那么喜欢它。

咖啡因对宝宝来说更为敏感，因为他们需要很长的时间来清除系统中的化合物。每天喝3杯以上的咖啡很可能会使你的宝宝变得暴躁、烦躁和亢奋。这么一来妈妈的休息时间将大大减少，无法完全恢复。

6. 避免含糖饮料

说到补充水分，含糖饮料绝对不可以替代水。剖腹产后的妈妈应避免饮用碳酸饮料和果汁等甜的饮料。

含糖饮料含有单糖，会导致血糖和能量水平飙升，但这种能量水平无法持续维持。当体内血糖急剧下降时，可能会导致产后妈妈感到疲惫不堪。

除此之外，有糖尿病史的产后母亲更应该限制糖的摄入因为高血糖会减缓伤口愈合，并增加感染的机率。

 

结论

剖腹产后，母亲应避免服用营养成分少以及会给手术伤口造成不适的食物。选择正确的食物可以为妈妈及母乳喂养的宝宝提供足够的能量、维生素和矿物质。

如果你不知道接下来该吃怎么样的月子餐，可以考虑预订我们的月子餐哦！

  

KL剖腹产后月子餐外送

在凤凰招牌厨房，我们专门准备孕期和月子膳食。无论你是进行剖腹产、顺产，还是只吃素食，我们的顾问团队都会确保饭菜是根据你的特定需求完成。

请放心，只需预订你的月子餐外送，这样你就有更多与宝宝一起享受的时光了。还等什么？今天就点击这个链接下单吧！

 

References.

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2. NBC News. 2022. How much caffeine is too much?. [online] Available at: <https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna6631177> [Accessed 16 May 2022].
3. Australian Breastfeeding Association. 2022. Breastfeeding and maternal caffeine consumption. [online] Available at: <https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/breastfeeding-and-maternal-caffeine-consumption#:~:text=Newborn%20babies%20however%20can%20be,only%20about%203%E2%80%937%20hours.> [Accessed 16 May 2022].
4. Verywell Family. 2022. New Study Warns Against Sugary Drinks While Breastfeeding. [online] Available at: <https://www.verywellfamily.com/sugary-drinks-during-breastfeeding-5083312#:~:text=A%20recent%20study%20finds%20that,and%20other%20sugar%2Dsweetened%20beverages.> [Accessed 16 May 2022].
5. Medicalnewstoday.com. 2022. Postpartum gas: Causes, treatment, and home remedies. [online] Available at: <https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322683> [Accessed 16 May 2022].
6. Verywell Health. 2022. What to Eat After Surgery and What to Avoid. [online] Available at: <https://www.verywellhealth.com/what-to-eat-during-your-recovery-after-surgery-3156923#:~:text=Summary,cause%20constipation%20and%20avoid%20them.> [Accessed 16 May 2022].
7. Healthline. 2022. Does Spicy Food Help with Digestion?. [online] Available at: <https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/spicy-food-digestion> [Accessed 16 May 2022].
8. The New Paper. 2022. Debunking Asian food myths. [online] Available at: <https://tnp.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/health/debunking-asian-food-myths#:~:text=The%20myth%3A%20Avoid%20chicken%20and%20seafood%20after%20surgery&text=However%2C%20according%20to%20a%20post,help%20strengthen%20the%20immune%20system.> [Accessed 16 May 2022].