Six Minute English from BBC Learning English.com

Hello, this is Six Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Georgie and I'm Beth. Leaving home, getting married, and

apparent dying are three of the most important experiences in many people's lives.

But perhaps the most defining moment in some women's lives is the

miracle of birth. In other words, having a baby.

Throughout pregnancy, a lot of care and attention is given to expecting mums.

But as soon as the baby is born, this attention moves to the newborn baby,

making sure they are healthy, warm and safe.

We talk a lot about baby nutrition, but what the mother eats can be just as important, especially

the first meal after the intense effort of giving birth, whether it's chicken soup, a glass of

champagne or a good old cup of tea. In this program we're talking about what women eat and drink in the first few weeks after having a baby and as usual

we'll be learning some useful new vocabulary as well.

But first I have a question for you Beth. A typical pregnancy lasts about 40 weeks, but when does an unborn baby's stomach start to grow in the mother's womb?

Is it A, at three weeks? B at five weeks or C at eight weeks.

I'll say the baby's tummy starts to grow at about five weeks.

Okay, Beth, we'll find out if that's the correct answer later in the program.

Giving birth is not called labour for nothing.

It's hard work, leaving the new mom physically and emotionally exhausted and in need of food

that's nourishing for both herself and her baby.

Here's Allison O'Man Lowie, Deputy Director of Nutrition to the United Nations World Food

Program, explaining more to BBC World Service Program, the Food Chain.

A woman who is breastfeeding and during that postpartum

...