In Today's Issue:
- The microbiome conversation that's missing something critical
- What my grandmother knew that modern nutrition forgot
- Something big is coming (what's your guess?!)
I've been hearing this advice everywhere lately: "Postpartum mothers need more fiber for microbiome diversity."
And here's the thing... I don't disagree that microbiome health matters. The research is clear and we speak on this in depth in our Postpartum Nutrition Certification. Gut diversity affects mood, immunity, inflammation, everything.
But I keep thinking about my great grandmother. And every traditional postpartum protocol I've studied across dozens of cultures. And what I've seen clinically with thousands of mothers.
And none of it includes high fiber in early postpartum.
Listen: The Microbiome Conversation →
What Traditional Cultures Actually Fed New Mothers
Bone broth. Warming soups. Well-cooked meats. Soft, easily digestible foods.
Not raw vegetables. Not beans and lentils. Not high-fiber anything.
This wasn't because they didn't have access to these foods. It's because they understood something we've forgotten:
You can't restore a microbiome in an inflamed gut.
And postpartum guts are inflamed. Universally. It's part of the biological process of HEALING.
When I see advice to "increase fiber for gut health" in early postpartum, I think about the mom with:
- Increased intestinal permeability (so common postpartum it's practically universal)
- Sleep deprivation tanking her digestive capacity
- Stress hormones wreaking havoc on gut motility
- Maybe hemorrhoids or tears that make any bowel movement excruciating
And we're telling her to eat more fiber?
She's going to be bloated, gassy, uncomfortable, and potentially making her inflammation worse.
Then she'll feel like she's failing at "healthy eating" when really, the advice was wrong for where her body actually is.
The Sequence Nobody Teaches
Phase 1 (first 6-12 weeks): Heal the gut
Bone broth. Easy proteins. Warming foods. Nothing raw, nothing hard to digest. Let the gut lining repair. Let inflammation calm down.
This is what every traditional culture did. They weren't stupid.
Phase 2 (as symptoms improve): Gradually introduce diversity
Slowly. Well-cooked vegetables. Maybe some fermented foods if she tolerates them. Watch for reactions.
Phase 3 (once gut is actually stable): Build that microbiome
Now we can talk fiber. Now we can talk diversity. Now her gut can actually handle it.
But you cannot skip healing and jump to diversity. I've watched too many mothers try and suffer for it.
Why This Keeps Me Up at Night
Because well-meaning providers are giving generic "gut health" advice without assessing where that specific mother's gut actually is.
And mothers are suffering, thinking something's wrong with them when really, they just got advice for Phase 3 when they're still in Phase 1.
The Postpartum Restoration Method asks about digestive symptoms, inflammatory markers, gut function—because we need to know what phase she's in before we recommend anything.
The right intervention at the wrong time can set healing backward months.
I'm not against fiber. I'm not against microbiome diversity. I'm against one-size-fits-all advice that ignores biological reality and centuries of traditional wisdom.
Your clients deserve better.
Something Big Is Coming!
After months of praying, journaling, and deliberating, I'm changing how I create and deliver value to you.
I've been feeling it... the gap between what you need and what I've been creating. The depth you deserve versus the constraints I've been working within.
The mission hasn't changed. But how I reach you is evolving.
Stay tuned. The announcement is coming soon.
Any guesses what's coming? Seriously, hit reply. I want to know what you think.
Stay fierce, stay rooted,
Maranda Bower
CEO & Founder of Postpartum University®
www.PostpartumU.com
