From Pregnancy to Postpartum: Why Bone Broth is Essential for New Mums

Pregnancy and postpartum are two of the most transformational phases in a woman’s life—physically, emotionally, and nutritionally. While modern motherhood often comes with an overwhelming amount of advice, one timeless truth remains: healing begins with nourishment. At Ossa Organic, we believe that nutrient-dense, ancestral foods like bone broth are fundamental to supporting women through this delicate period.

This blog explores why bone broth should be at the heart of every new mum’s kitchen. From rebuilding tissues and replenishing minerals to restoring hormonal balance and aiding digestion, bone broth is a powerful ally in postpartum recovery.

The Postpartum Body: A Time of Healing

After birth, a woman’s body enters a state of depletion. Blood loss, hormonal fluctuations, lack of sleep, and the physical demands of labour leave the body in urgent need of repair. In traditional cultures, new mothers were routinely served slow-cooked broths and stews designed to strengthen the body and restore warmth and vitality.

Western culture has often overlooked this essential healing window, pushing women to “bounce back” quickly. But the truth is, proper nourishment during postpartum is vital—not just for energy and healing, but for long-term hormonal and mental health.

Why Bone Broth is Ideal for New Mums

Bone broth stands apart as a uniquely restorative food because of its nutrient profile and easy digestibility. Here are just a few reasons why it’s an ideal choice for the postpartum period:

• Collagen for tissue repair: Bone broth contains high levels of collagen and gelatin, which help rebuild skin, ligaments, and muscle tissue—essential after vaginal or caesarean delivery.
  
  

• Amino acids to support recovery: Glycine, proline, and glutamine are abundant in bone broth and help support immune function, liver detoxification, and cellular repair.
  
  

• Mineral repletion: Calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium—lost during pregnancy and birth—are replenished through slow-simmered bones.
  
  

• Hydration support: Bone broth contains electrolytes that support hydration, especially important for breastfeeding mothers.
  
  

• Easy to digest: Many women experience sensitive digestion postpartum. Bone broth soothes and supports gut health without overloading the digestive system.
  
  

Collagen: The Postpartum Super Nutrient

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body and plays a vital role in healing. During pregnancy and birth, collagen stores are significantly depleted. Postpartum, the body needs to rebuild tissue—whether that’s from a C-section incision, vaginal tearing, or stretched ligaments and joints.

By drinking bone broth regularly, new mums can replenish their collagen stores naturally. Unlike synthetic collagen supplements, bone broth offers a whole-food source of collagen along with co-factors that support its absorption.

Ossa’s Beef Bone Broth and Lamb Bone Broth are particularly rich in collagen, due to the inclusion of marrow bones, joints, and connective tissue in our slow cooking process.

Hormonal Balance and Bone Broth

Postpartum is a time of hormonal recalibration. Oestrogen and progesterone drop sharply, while prolactin and oxytocin rise to support breastfeeding. Many women experience mood swings, low energy, or even symptoms of postpartum depression during this transition.

While no food is a cure-all, bone broth supports the endocrine system through its glycine content. Glycine is a calming amino acid that supports the liver (key in hormone clearance) and helps the body manage stress.

By sipping a warm cup of bone broth each day, new mothers can support their emotional and physical resilience during this challenging yet beautiful season.

Gut Health and Immunity After Birth

The digestive system goes through significant changes during pregnancy and can remain sluggish after birth. If antibiotics were administered during labour (especially during C-sections), the gut microbiome may also be disrupted.

Bone broth helps to:

• Repair the gut lining with gelatin and amino acids
  
  

• Support the microbiome by providing a clean, nourishing environment
  
  

• Strengthen immune function by supporting the mucosal barrier
  
  

This is especially important for new mums who are breastfeeding, as the health of the maternal gut directly impacts the baby’s developing immune system.

Breastfeeding and Nutritional Demands

Lactating women require more calories, protein, and nutrients than during pregnancy. Bone broth provides high-quality protein and minerals in a form that’s easy to consume and gentle on the body. For breastfeeding mums struggling with appetite, nausea, or fatigue, a warm bowl of bone broth is often more appealing than heavier meals.

Some of the key nutrients in bone broth that support lactation include:

• Glycine: Supports milk production and stress reduction
  
  

• Calcium and magnesium: Help prevent muscle cramping and replenish what is passed to baby
  
  

• Gelatin: Aids digestion and supports skin health, especially helpful for cracked nipples or sensitive skin
  
  

Traditional Foods for Modern Mothers

Across cultures, postpartum traditions emphasise warming, slow-cooked foods like broths, porridges, and stews. In Chinese medicine, the concept of “zuo yuezi” (the sitting month) includes daily servings of bone broth to restore the mother's strength and blood. Similarly, in Ayurveda, postpartum women are encouraged to consume soups made from animal bones, herbs, and ghee.

At Ossa Organic, our range of broths, ghee, and traditional fats are rooted in these same principles. We honour the wisdom of ancestral foods while making them accessible to today’s mothers.

How to Use Bone Broth Postpartum

Here are a few practical ways new mums can incorporate bone broth into their daily life:

• Sip as-is: Warm a cup of Ossa’s chicken, beef, or lamb broth and enjoy it between meals or during night feeds.
  
  

• Use as a base for soups or stews: Pair with seasonal vegetables, lentils, or leftover meats for a quick, nourishing dish.
  
  

• Add to grains: Cook rice, quinoa, or oats in bone broth instead of water for a mineral boost.
  
  

• Postpartum breakfast: Bone broth with poached eggs and sourdough toast is a comforting and protein-rich start.
  
  

• Make it portable: Store portions in thermos flasks so you can sip throughout the day.
  
  

The Ossa Difference

Not all bone broths are created equal. Many commercial brands use shortcuts, flavour enhancers, or bones of questionable quality. At Ossa Organic, we commit to:

• 100% organic and grass-fed ingredients
  
  

• Traditional 24-hour slow cooking process
  
  

• No additives, thickeners, or preservatives
  
  

• A rich, gelatinous texture that signals nutrient density
  
  

Our broths are made the way they should be—slow, pure, and nourishing.

Supporting Recovery Beyond the Physical

For new mums navigating sleepless nights, hormone changes, and body image shifts, having access to easy, nourishing foods like bone broth can offer a small but meaningful form of care.

It’s not just about nutrients—it’s about feeling cared for, supported, and strengthened from the inside out.

Postpartum recovery is a journey, not a destination. There is no rush, no timeline, and no perfect way to heal—but nourishment will always be part of the path.

Ossa’s organic bone broths provide mothers with a deeply healing, warming, and grounding food that supports the many layers of recovery—physical, hormonal, digestive, and emotional. Whether you’ve just welcomed your first baby or your third, let bone broth be a daily reminder to slow down, nourish deeply, and honour the incredible work your body has done.

Your body deserves real food. Your healing deserves intention.