How do you manage it with a newborn? It might sound crazy but I’m hardly eating as I can’t seem to find the time. I always make sure my 3 year old is fed and watered though I’m sure that could be improvved upon at the moment too! I’ve got good eating habits in general, I’m just super struggling at the moment to make myself the nourishing foods I should be eating to sustain me through all this newborn feeding! A typical day at the moment looks like this : porridge in the morning (if I’m lucky otherwise its weetabix and dried fruit for L and a banana or smoothie for me) no lunch often, maybe a handful of raisins later and then dinner which my partner cooks when he’s home. That is not enough calories for a breastfeeding mama! I’m drinking plentty of water as I’m constantly thirsty. Any easy snack/food ideas and advice welcomed and appriciated x

Wow Gem, that is not much. I had the same problem (and a similar diet for a short while too so dont feel bad about it) in the end my hubbie made me sandwiches (when he made his for work) and left them in the fridge so I had something easy to grab during the day. We mamas are so good at looking after our babies but find it so hard to look after outselves! Must dash but wanted to share the advice.

Sarah x

I make this for myself (with baby in the sling and four yr old helping) with the help of my food processor.  It’s only nuts/dates and coconut oil based but it’s really calorific and stops me being hungry. 

Cup of walnuts, same of brazil nuts.  1/2 cup desicated coconut, one cup dates, 3 large tablespoons of coconut oil, lots of coaoa powder.  You can add/adjust this to what you have.  Sometimes I use dried apricots (less sweet overall) or use buckwheaties if I have them, and miss out the dried coconut.  It’s very nice with cocoa nibs added for the final blitz.  So yeah, blitzed together and pressed flat in a tin and kept in the fridge to snack on as and when.  It takes about five minutes to assemble, and five more to blitz and press in tin.  I make this every couple of days to supplement and snack on.  Also I have had my dh buy me gluten free bread again and so am enjoying pate on toast.  Last sunday I made a pot of soup while dh held the baby, a big pot not for eating that day but for my lunches during the week.  It had some real stock in it that my mum had left and lots of veggies, lentils and shredded chicken.  That is about it!  one time I made some ground almond cookies one day too.  Just one sauepan and one tray, I have yet to do any washing up or much housework at all so am aware it all falls to my dh on the evenings (plus he makes the evening meal for everyone).  My two kids at home make their own lunches.  My dh has been ordering food online and gets things in they can assemble themselves, like whole wheat wraps with easy fillings.  I keep meaning to boil myself a few eggs to keep in the fridge but have not got around to it yet!!!

Feel a bit of a hypocrite replying on this post as I am still rubbish at prioritising feeding myself over a year after giving birth! Gradually trying to make more of an effort.
Today I made the chocolate dates and coconut oil thing Mamauk has mentioned (may have nicked that off her blog or a previous post before:) !) and also regularly make raw carrot cupcakes after someone else posted a link to it http://www.fortheloveoffoodblog.com/2012/06/raw-carrot-cake-cupcakes.html , these are similarly made with lots of nuts and are calorific.
Snacky things like peanut butter on toast or on chunks of apple? Soup…make up a big pot of a pasta salad you can eat cold from the fridge?

Maybe get in some nak’d bars or Eat Natural bars to nibble, also nuts and maybe something like ready made smoothies - I know none of these are as good as making your own, but they aren’t bad as substitutes until you have some more time.  Also, when you feed your 3 year old, sit down and eat what they have - it might not be exciting or hugely nourishing, but at least it is something.

Gah, in my first 9 months or so of breastfeeding I am so hungry that I have to eat, and eat, and eat.  Whole packs of biscuits, plate of homecooked stuff, then same again as seconds, then pudding, then half an hour later, I have more pud.  Strangely, I put weight on, but I am sooooo hungry that I just can’t stop.  I mean I am ravenous, like walk a mountain for a few hours hungry - but several times a day.  How strange and wonderful are our bodies.

Tanya

This is so hard isn’t it? I often suddenly realise that I’m ravenous and need something to eat immediately! My main back ups are miso soups, or just cup soups, with quickly chopped spring onion or carrot sprinkled in, or ryvitas/rice cake with a quick spread of something on top. Not brilliant, but a bridge to the gap.

Quick snacks I found great in newborn days- pate on toast, peanut butter on toast, yogurt, glass of milk, flapjacks (if you get time to make them). Also super easy is fresh pasta or gnocchi for a lunch you and your dd can both enjoy (I know not home cooked goodness, but not junk either . Must say I also often ended up reaching for the biscuits which was not really the best bf food. I’m sure I’ll need reminding of this thread by the time pixie four arrives too!

Thank you all! I’m going to make more of an effort as I’ve been feeling crappy the past few days. Unfortuneately, as calorific and yummy as they are, all your nuts suggestions will have to be surpassed as my daughter has nut allergies and we never buy nuts of any kind anymore as it just isn’t worth the risk to my dd! I’m going to start making little pots of things easy to snack on and put them in the fridge in the evening so I’ve got them for the day ahead. Its just so hard balancing everyones needs, and like most mums mine go on the backburner, which isn’t ok really. Thanks mams! X