Q&A with Postpartum Chef Guillemette
*Please note that Chef Guillemette is a chef and not a nutritional specialist or medical professional. The information below is not intended to be medical advice.
Why is Postpartum nutrition so important?
What you choose to eat is always important, but even more so during postpartum; your body needs fuel to recover from pregnancy and delivery, heal scars, recover from blood loss and other fun things, but also to care for a newborn 24/7 on little sleep. If you choose to breastfeed, you will need even more calories.
A balanced, nutrient-packed diet can help support new moms through this busy and intense season. During the postpartum transition, having a balanced diet can also help support a new mom’s mental health, which is particularly at risk at this time.
What type of food does your body need most after having a baby?
Prioritize nutrient packed, cooked, warm and warming meals, that are hydrating and easily digestible. No need to be fancy - soups and stews are the best at this time, even when it’s very hot outside! They will support, soothe, comfort and heal your body and mind.
But the most important thing is to EAT! Don’t skip meals, remember to feed yourself too.
What are a few dishes that you regularly make for postpartum families?
I love to make lots of soups and stews for my postpartum families. They are warming, soothing, and easy to digest thanks to the slow-cooking process. I make sure they are full of nutrients and flavors, as well as very colorful, to comfort and uplift the new parents after a sleepless night!
Right now, my favorite dishes to make are:
-lentil, sausage and chard soup
-butternut and kale cream
-rainbow veggies Thai tofu stew
-slow-cooked fennel, kale and pork ragù (3 hours in the oven!!)
-lamb and apricot tagine
-Persian beef, herbs and beans stew.
I can’t wait for winter squash to be back in the stores so I can make my squash, green olive and lentil Moroccan tagine! I also love to make sweet snacks and desserts (I was a pastry cook in a previous life!): chocolate custards, rustic fruit galettes, vegan sweet potato brownies...
What is your go to, easy to grab snack for a breastfeeding parent?
Nuts, bananas, hard boiled eggs, avocado toast or hummus require little to no preparation and bring good nutrition between two meals.
How can new parents set themselves up for success to get nutritious food postpartum?
Anticipation is the key word! There are lots of ways to make sure the early weeks with baby are filled with good food: cooking and freezing meals at the end of your pregnancy, organizing a nesting shower, or having a friend organize a meal train, having support from loved ones in the early days, subscribing to a meal delivery service, or private postpartum chef (wink wink)! Take advantage of the last weeks of your pregnancy to find the solution that works best for you and your growing family: you will thank yourself later!
What can a new parent expect from hiring and working with a Postpartum Chef like you?
Once session dates have been secured, I send my new clients a quick questionnaire where they share with me their food preferences and restrictions. With this in mind, I create the best menu for their family. Vegan, gluten-free, low-sodium… I make it all work! My menus include about 20 servings of soups and stews as well as savory and sweet snacks or desserts.
On the day of our session, I show up to their house with all the ingredients and some cooking tools. I cook for about four hours, store everything in containers with labels and clean up. Parents can also expect to have a house that smells wonderful for a few hours!
Parents can hire me for a one-time session or for how many they like. They can start with one booking and book many more once they realize how wonderful it is to be nourished this way!
What is your favorite thing about your job?
I have been a chef for the last 20 years, but I like to say that until I decided to become a postpartum chef, I was ‘just’ cooking. After experiencing postpartum twice myself, under difficult circumstances, I decided I needed to find a way to support new moms while doing what I do best. I am now on a mission to help improve new moms’ recovery and general well-being with my cooking. It always brings me a lot of joy to know that my clients are well nourished, less isolated, and have more time and energy to dedicate to their physical recovery, their mental health and their baby. Think of it as a big food hug!
Chef Guillemette is a French chef trained in Paris, turned postpartum chef. Mom of two little boys, she supports new families in their own kitchens in the San Francisco Bay Area by cooking delicious, nutrient-packed meals specifically created for postpartum life and adjusted to every client’s food preferences.
To learn more about Chef Guillemette or to explore working with her, check out her website:
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