early morning energy for the sleep deprived parent

Coffee is such a crutch for many new parents who want to avoid feeling like a zombie after a restless night. But the caffeine content might not be the best way to recover from your night feeds, and in fact, can cause even more hormonal craziness than what you’re already facing in the postpartum period. Coffee can actually cause your adrenals to produce more stress hormones, which can make you feel anxious, and actually more groggy after all those jitters set aside. Caffeine can also infiltrate your milk supply while breastfeeding, causing the same effects in your little one if they have caffeine sensitivities.

This post isn’t to make you feel even more mom shame, because coffee is a staple for most of us. Instead, I’ve gathered a post of nutritious alternatives to get your morning energy back, because we can’t always get a full night of zzzs with a little one in the house. Can’t quit cold turkey? It can be hard to change a habit, so I recommended a friendly wean! Having multiple cups a day? Try weaning yourself to one small cuppa joe in the morning, or substituting to black tea or dark chocolate. While nursing, its recommended to consume less than 300mg a day if you find it challenging to reduce entirely.

As you wean, try to boost your energy elsewhere with these nutritious alternatives:

Hydrate!

Dehydration can cause major fatigue, and most nursing mamas are in fact dehydrated from all hard work your body is doing.

While breastfeeding, try to keep your water bottle with you at all times and finish your glass during the session.

I’m a huge fan of water infusions like with mint & lemon, or if you can’t get on the water train, getting a SodaStream might be a good investment as you transition to drinking water.

Matcha:

Powdered green tea leaves, matcha is a superfood bev that’s going to give you energy as well as antioxidants to help with your postpartum recovery.

“Matcha contains a phytonutrient called l-theanine, which promotes calmness,” says Vincent Pedre, M.D., author of Happy Gut.

You’ll get a calm alertness rather than the jitters that coffee brings. Worth it!

Eat within the first 2 hours of “waking up”:

While your night’s sleep will likely be interrupted, try to eat your breakfast within the first two hours of waking up and starting your day. A balanced meal can help boost your energy levels by balancing your blood sugars and boosting your protein.

My fave breakfasts for new mamas? An egg with turkey bacon, or a veg-friendly option: overnight chia seed puddings (prepped by a partner, preferably).