Nourishing Drinks that I've Been Loving Postpartum

and a bit on the birth of our baby

Had a little end of pregnancy shoot on film with my husband, he did so good. 37 weeks here.

Our baby boy arrived three weeks ago, on what turned out to be an unseasonably warm October day. He came lighting fast and a few weeks before I predicted and felt that he would. It was my dream birth. I was mentally preparing for a very long labor, since I do most things in life very slowly, but our babe had different plans. It was so special to wait to find out that he was a boy, though I had an inkling that it was a boy my entire pregnancy. We named him Liev.

We’ve been resting, healing, bonding, and learning to breastfeed, with my husband taking amazing care of us. All that food I prepared and froze has been crucial to us feeling nourished and not over-stressed.

Today, I thought I would share a few tasty drinks that have been keeping me hydrated and warm throughout this very tender postpartum period.

Black Sesame Cappuccino

This is and oldie but goodie recipe from our blog that I’ve been utilizing a whole lot, since I stocked up on lots of black sesame seeds (a postpartum superfood). It’s so cozy and caffeine-free, despite the name.

serves 2-4

• 1 cup black sesame seeds

• 2 Medjool dates, pitted

• 3 cups water

• 1 cup homemade almond milk or almond-sesame milk

• sweetener of choice (optional)

Combine the sesame seeds, dates, and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, adjust the heat to a strong simmer and cook for 30 minutes, partially covered. The water volume should reduce by about 1/3. Towards the end, mash the dates against the sides of the pan with a spoon, letting them further release their sweetness. Strain the liquid over a fine mesh strainer.

Pour the strained liquid back into the saucepan, add the almond or almond-sesame milk and reheat gently. Add sweetener of choice, if needed (I find the subtle sweetness from dates to be enough). Enjoy hot.

Note: You can dry and save the leftover black sesame seeds for future use. To do that, spread them on a baking sheet and keep them in the oven at the lowest temperature for a couple of hours. When almost completely dried, turn off the oven and leave the seeds in until the oven is cold.

Jujube, Goji & Ginger Tea

This is another old recipe from our blog, a tea made with the nutritional powerhouse that is the jujube date. I modified it a bit by adding goji berries, which is an idea I got from the First Forty Days book. According to the book and the zuo yuezi tradition, this is the ultimate postpartum tea. It’s sweet, a bit spicy, incredibly warming, and heart opening. I buy both jujube dates and goji berries online.

makes 1 large pot

• 30 jujube dates, pitted

• 1/4 cup goji berries

• 2 inch piece ginger, sliced

• 2-4 cinnamon sticks (optional)

Put the jujube, goji, ginger, and cinnamon in a large pot and fill up the pot with purified water. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Simmer, covered, for 1-4 hours. The longer you simmer the tea, the more concentrated the flavor will get. The volume of water will also decrease more the longer you simmer. Enjoy warm or iced. Keep refrigerated. The tea should keep for up to 10 days.

Coconut Adrenal Cocktail

We initially made this drink for me to hydrate during labor, and I haven’t been able to get enough of it ever since. Breastfeeding thirst is real, and I find that I need something more than plain water to feel fully hydrated throughout the days. I’m including a rough recipe of this drink below, though we usually just eyeball the amounts. Fresh squeezed orange juice or water with a splash of maple syrup can be used in place of the coconut water.

serves 2-4

• 3 cups coconut water (I like Harmless Harvest)

• 1/2-1 cup water, or more to taste

• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime or lemon juice

• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

• a dropperful trace minerals (optional)

• 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey (optional)

Combine all the ingredients, mix, and enjoy cold or at room temp.

Thank you for reading and see you here soon,

- Masha