Pregnancy taught me tons of lessons. Before getting pregnant the term “postpartum” was so new to my vocabulary that now it is so frequent.
Life after the pregnancy is pretty different and complex. Both your body and mind are struggling. Though we all love lots of junk, the postpartum era requests you to have a more nutritious and balanced diet. The wriggly tiny soul in your hand needs to have more nutrition. You need to feed your child first!!
By the second trimester, the hospital asked about my food aversions and likeness towards Japanese foods, jotted them down, and then arranged my postpartum food. It was a lovely and kind gesture. That is what all new moms need. Hospital foods will heal you, not kill you. Since Japanese take their food seriously, I wanted to have it throughout my healing process.
Postpartum life is not easy at all; I was struggling with myself to regain my energy. Following a hectic labor session, I was not concerned about food, but a tiny soul awaited Mama’s feeding. “I really need to nourish myself better,” I determined.
I delivered my son in this patient-friendly, lovely hospital. After delivering my son, I stayed at the hospital for six days, almost a week. Today, I would love to table my postpartum food while in the hospital. It is all about something from the sea and something from the hill. The foods come along with several side dishes plus “ocha,” which is traditional Japanese tea.
Here are dishes I had in as my postpartum foods in the hospital.
The Japanese traditional sticky rice is tastier with “furikake seasoning.” The seasoning is typically made with toasted sesame seeds, nori, sugar, and salt. It is tasty and savory.
Eggs are in different styles. As Sri Lankans, we tend to have a lot of rice along with spicy curries. These are very different from it. But I always love the Japanese way. The hospital provided excellent dishes that helped to recover, and the best thing is the presentation.
On the third day of the stay, new moms are treated to “celebratory food,” which is a real feast including more than six-seven side dishes. A whole long table with various colors and textures. I have a quiet, lengthy explanation of this “celebratory food,” and if you would love to see it, I will post it as my next post
I had talks with some of my friends abroad; they were totally amazed by the way how Japanese hospitals are treating new moms.
A- Is this a hospital food or something else? asked one of my close friends. My simple answer for them all was, “No.” That is the way Japanese hospitals treat all “new moms.” “I think the whole world has to learn how to treat a new mom from Japan; most hospitals in the other part of the world kick you out as soon as possible,” one said. “I am so jealous,” she added.
Are you going to see a new Mama?
If you plan to bring something for a new mom, one of my recommendations is miso soup with “wakame”. It is so good and nutritious. Warm soup and hot drinks are also good. nuts, crackers, and dairy are also good.
How about your postpartum food in the hospital? Did you enjoy it?
