How to Nourish and Support the Mother Through Each Season
Motherhood is an act of profound strength—one that calls on your body, mind, and spirit in ways both visible and unseen. It’s a role rooted in love, resilience, and daily devotion. But caring for others doesn’t mean neglecting yourself. Especially since your well-being is essential for everyone else’s well-being.
Embracing that your needs are foundational is a powerful act in mothering. We invite you to care for yourself with primary devotion, and trust that your baby will reap the benefits of your nourishment. Pregnancy and postpartum are among the most nutritionally demanding and sacred chapters of life. A focus on a mother’s whole health—with special attention to nourishment—truly serves as the foundation for a baby’s well-being. Which is why society must shift toward a model where mothers are supported, well-fed, and deeply cared for every step of the way.
To explore what true nourishment can look like in motherhood, we turned to Victoria Weber—Ayurvedic doula, holistic nutrition coach, and co-founder of Marma to help us curate a guide. Through her online program, she guides women in caring for their bodies with deeply nourishing foods and intuitive self-care practices throughout pregnancy, postpartum, and beyond. Her work beautifully bridges ancient Ayurvedic wisdom with modern nutritional science, empowering women to replenish what’s been depleted and build lasting vitality from the inside out.
Pregnancy Nutrition: Building a Strong Foundation
Pregnancy is a time of extraordinary physical demand. Nutrient needs shift with each trimester, and a mindful approach to each phase is beneficial.
First Trimester APPROACH
The focus is on implantation and organ development, making micronutrients like folate, vitamin B6, and iron especially important. But because nausea is often front and center, it’s about eating what you can—gentle, easy-to-digest foods that are soothing rather than overwhelming.
Second Trimester APPROACH
As blood volume expands and the baby’s bones begin forming, the body requires more protein, calcium, and magnesium to support this growth.
Third Trimester APPROACH
The body prepares for birth and breastfeeding. Healthy fats, omega-3s, and warming, mineral-rich foods become crucial for hormone production, tissue repair, and stamina.
Foundational foods for pregnancy
It’s all about foods that are dense in nutrients, easy to digest, and rooted in tradition. Throughout pregnancy, personalization is key. “Tuning into your body’s cues and choosing foods that support your unique need is where nourishment happens.”
Slow-cooked bone broth – rich in collagen, glycine, and minerals to support gut health and tissue building
Liver (or desiccated liver capsules) – packed with iron, B12, and vitamin A
Eggs, especially yolks – high in choline, crucial for baby’s brain development
Ghee – an Ayurvedic staple that supports digestion and hormone health
Cooked leafy greens and seaweed – gentle sources of iron, calcium, and iodine
Stewed fruits like dates and prunes – helpful for digestion and natural sweetness
Postpartum: The Art of Replenishment
Postpartum is not about returning to a pre-pregnancy state—it’s about transforming into the mother. This is a time when a woman needs to be deeply nourished and replenished.
Key Nutrients to Consider Supplementing
Iron (especially after blood loss)
Zinc and B vitamins (vital for mood and energy)
Omega-3 fatty acids (important for brain health and inflammation)
Calcium and magnesium (for tissue repair, nerve health, and relaxation)
If breastfeeding, the nutritional demand ramps up even further—burning an extra 500–800 calories a day and pulling minerals from the mother’s body into her milk.
Foods and herbs to support lactation and recovery
Oats, sesame seeds, fenugreek, and fennel – classic galactagogues
Dates simmered in coconut milk – sweet, nourishing, and milk-boosting Herbal infusions like nettle, alfalfa, and raspberry leaf – mineral-rich and restorative
Ghee plus cumin and cardamom – warming fats and digestion supportive spices
In line with Ayurvedic principles, postpartum food should be warm, oily, soft, and easy to digest, helping to stabilize the nervous system and rebuild tissues. Contrary to modern diet trends, salads and smoothies are not ideal postpartum foods—the body needs warmth, grounding, and comfort.
Making Nourishment Realistic
Nourishing yourself doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does require intention—and support.
Think in terms of simple, repeatable meals
A pot of soup or stew
A batch of overnight oats
Rice and dal cooked in advance
Snacks like boiled eggs, nut butter balls, or stewed fruits that are easy to grab one-handed
For mothers seeking more structure, guidance, and real-time support, Marma is an incredible resource. With trimester-specific meal plans, nourishing recipes, Ayurvedic guidance, and even direct coaching and texting, Marma meets women exactly where they are. It’s not just a program—it’s a modern village. A membership makes a beautiful registry gift, or a powerful way to support a mom in your life with the kind of nourishment that truly makes a difference.
Rebuilding the Village: Why Outside Support Matters
In many traditional cultures, new mothers are surrounded by aunties and grandmothers who cook, massage, and care for them. In the modern world, that village often has to be intentionally rebuilt.
Hiring a postpartum chef, cooking doula, or using a meal delivery service isn’t just a luxury—it’s a lifeline. Victoria has seen firsthand how transformational this support can be. “It’s not just the food—it’s the energy of care, the message that ‘you matter, too’. Investing in your postpartum recovery isn’t selfish—it’s foundational. When you’re nourished, everything flows more smoothly—your energy, your hormones, your milk, your mood. And when we care for ourselves in this way, we’re modeling something powerful—we’re showing our children that love includes us, too.”When moms are well-fed and deeply cared for, recovery is faster, mood is more stable, milk flows more easily, and the entire household feels the difference.
Food as Love: Nourishing the Mother
Food is one of the most sacred languages of love. Small gestures can make an enormous impact on a new mother. Here are a few ways to show your support for a new mother in your life.
Preparing one warm, nourishing meal a day
Bringing her a mug of tea while she nurses
Running a meal train
Stocking the freezer with muffins, broths, and stews
Compiling a bedside basket of snacks like nuts and dried fruit that she can easily reach while nursing
The Bigger Picture: Reimagining How We Support Mothers
Little Honey Money exists because we believe in a culture where investing in postpartum care is not seen as indulgent, but as wise, strategic, deeply loving—and simply the norm. A culture where postpartum nourishment is a celebrated part of the motherhood journey, not an afterthought.
Whether it’s a postpartum chef, meal delivery, a doula, or the steady support of family and friends—this kind of care is not a luxury. It’s the foundation for a thriving motherhood. When mothers are well-fed, well-supported, and well-rested, they’re able to meet the needs of their babies and themselves with greater presence and joy.
Calling In the Care You Deserve
Inviting the support you need is an act of care for your family—and your baby registry is the most graceful way to do just that. With your Little Honey Money registry, you can welcome gifts like nourishing meals, hands-on postpartum support, wellness services, and more. Because the greatest gift you can give yourself—and the most meaningful gift your village can offer—is a well-supported, well-nourished start to motherhood.
Emily Shepard is a mother of two with a third on the way, motherhood writer, and advocate for maternal health education. Visit Marma to connect with Victoria Weber and learn more about the perinatal nutrition and support services.
