“Well, these are deeply rooted customs”: a qualitative study on nutritional practices among postpartum mothers in Oaxaca, Mexico

BACKGROUND: Maternal nutrition during the postpartum period is a critical time for mothers as they recover from pregnancy and delivery and continue to support their infant through breastfeeding. As Mexico goes through a nutrition transition away from traditional, home-prepared meals to more processed foods, it is unknown what the current dietary choices of women are after pregnancy. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the nutritional practices of women in Southern Mexico during the postpartum period. METHODS: A qualitative study, guided by the Ecological Systems Theory and the Intersectionality Framework, was conducted involving 25 low-income women with children under the age of five in the cities of Oaxaca and Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico. Data were collected through in-depth interviews between June and December 2023. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim in Spanish, coded, and analyzed using NVivo R1 following a grounded theory approach. RESULTS: Three main themes emerged: (i) maternal diet after a C-section, (ii) food practices during the breastfeeding period, and (iii) nutrition supplements after the delivery. These findings reveal that compared to women who deliver vaginally and are not advised on a specific diet during the postnatal recovery, women who deliver via C-section usually have a selective diet, based on recommendations from health providers and family members. Their diet consists mainly of fruit, vegetables, and broths with a restriction from consuming seafood and pork. A common traditional hot beverage, Atole, was frequently consumed by postnatal women to increase their milk supply. Iron and folic acid were nutritional supplements mostly consumed during the postnatal period by women with a greater need to replenish nutrients lost during childbirth or the postnatal period. CONCLUSION: This study highlighted the significance of understanding the nutritional habits that postnatal women in Puerto Escondido and Oaxaca City practice, as they are driven by customs and focus on the recovery of the mother and the development of the baby. These findings could be used to inform culturally relevant policies. Still, as postnatal care continues to be understudied in Mexico, future research is needed to identify any gaps in the nutrition of the mothers during puerperium.