Postpartum what to expect and how to prepare for it

We’ll be creating and sharing some delicious and nutritious recipes for Mom, Baby and indeed the whole family.

Our first one is Overnight Sweet Brown Rice Porridge from Goop.

We love this option because it’s a warm breakfast made ahead in the slow cooker overnight. It’s hearty but also mild if you’re still dealing with first-trimester nausea. For this recipe, find an almond milk with calcium. Growing and feeding a baby takes a lot of calcium, and you don’t want it to come from your bones. (You’ll also get calcium from the greens and beans in these recipes—dairy products aren’t the only good foods for bone health.) The porridge is made into a true superfood, though, by its chia and flax seeds, which are rich in protein, fiber, calcium, iron, and an omega-3 fatty acid. Your body can turn the plant omega-3 into DHA and EPA of fish-oil fame.

SERVES 4

1 cup short-grain brown rice
4 cups unsweetened almond milk
2 tablespoons honey
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder
¼ cup chia seeds
¼ cup crushed flax seeds

TO SERVE

Sliced bananas
Toasted walnuts
Cinnamon

1. Combine the rice, almond milk, honey, salt, vanilla bean powder, and 2 cups water in a slow cooker. Set to low and cook for 8 hours.

2. Check the rice after 8 hours. It will look too thin, but don’t worry. Vigorously stir the porridge for a few minutes to help break up the rice, releasing the starches, which will thicken it. Then add the chia and flax seeds and continue to stir—the chia seeds will also help thicken the porridge. Spoon into bowls and top with the bananas, walnuts, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.