After birth, it is beneficial to eat little and often, rather than going long hours between meals. In the East Asian traditions, mothers are often encouraged to eat 6-8 times a day in the weeks following birth.
Eating regularly will keep your digestive system going and it could also help you avoid those terrible blood sugar crashes. For inspiration on what to eat, I have put together a list with both savory and sweet postpartum snack ideas.
Snack idea: Mix an egg into your rice porridge to make it more nutritious.
Sweet postpartum snacks
Porridge based on quinoa, millet or amaranth
Swedish fruit soup
Nuts and dried fruits (raisins, goji berries, dates, prunes, dried figs)
Fresh, room temperature fruits (papaya, cherries, red apples, figs, peaches, plums)
Gluten free banana bread with nut butter
Carrot and zucchini muffins (available from my menu)
Dates filled with tahini or butter
Vanilla custard made with eggs, cream and gelatin
Swedish rosehip soup with whipped cream and toasted almond flakes
Buckwheat pancakes with cottage cheese, bee pollen and honey
Energy balls based on dried fruits, soaked nuts and coconut oil
Savory postpartum snacks
Miso soup with wakame seaweed
A bowl of sticky rice with fried egg and furikake seasoning
A cup of bone broth
Liver pâté on bread
Whole grain crackers with goat cheese, fresh figs and honey
Jammy eggs with gomashio (Japanese sesame salt)
Pre-cooked wild rice with cranberries, toasted pecans and maple syrup
Venison meatballs with beetroot salad
Steamed broccoli with sesame oil
Scrambled eggs with cottage cheese (mix in the cottage cheese before cooking)
Remember that it can be difficult to prepare these snacks for yourself when you have a newborn who requires your full attention. Eggs and oats are two really accessible alternatives even if you don't have in-home postpartum help, and they can be prepared and served in a variety of ways.
I would also suggest to keep a bowl of dried fruits and nuts on your bedside table for when you are nap trapped or cluster feeding. And don't forget to fill a thermos with hot tea or herbal infusion to keep yourself hydrated and warm as well.