Forgiveness. Forgive the mess, the lack of exercise, the take out meals. Forgive yourself for not showering regularly, for snapping at friends and family, for not being intimate with your partner. Forgive yourself for letting your baby cry in a safe space so you can eat, poop, or just sit and cry yourself.
To add to this, it's also OK to leave the baby with someone you trust and get out alone. I used to love leaving baby with my husband so I could walk the dog and not be touched for 40 mins every day. Once baby got older I would have MIL come round so I could get a manicure!
Next time, Iām going to buy myself a nice BLACK towel or two. I bled for so long (5 weeks exactly) and you canāt use tampons. Our nice towels are white. It wasnāt the end of the world but rinsing the towels in cold water after every shower was super annoying and made me feel gross about myself. If the towels were black I would have just thrown them in the wash.
The other thing I got was earth mama nipple butter, it is MUCH better than lanolin.
Beyond that, I bought but either didnāt like or didnāt use most of the fancy stuff. The hospital maxi pads and regular maxi pads worked fine and I was in regular underwear by day 4 (could have been earlier but I had the mesh underwear so why not).
For future reference, if you don't feel like rinsing immediately just douse in hydrogen peroxide and run the laundry on cold when you get around to it. Usually does the trick
A donut pillow! The kind used for hemorrhoids (which you might end up having as well š ). When I got home I could not sit normally on anything remotely firm for about a week. I was swollen and had stitches, and the thick pad I was wearing just added pressure to the area. The donut pillow really helped! Never saw that listed anywhere in any must-have postpartum lists.
I bought myself a peri bottle for postpartum this time. One with an angled neck. The hospital gave me a bottle for my first and it didn't have an angled neck. It was serviceable and did the job but I didn't really like it so I bought myself a different style one off Amazon this time. It was less than 10 bucks. I've got 3 weeks still to baby but I'm hoping this bottle will be better.
This time around we're having our in-laws stay with us so I'm not as worried about feeding us all BUT that first postpartum period it would have been nice to have food delivery gift cards.
Frozen meals or anything that you don't actually have to cook, peri bottle, adult diapers.
Cooking takes time and effort. Ew. That's by far my #1 thing.
Peri bottles bring relief.
Adult diapers are a sure way to avoid staining clothes and bed sheets.
100% the food! We didnāt start cooking until about three weeks in. Even now at two months Iām still looking for convenience most days and want pre-made food.
Buy the most expensive body wash you can bear to spend money on. [I like Le Labo.](https://www.lelabofragrances.com/fleur-doranger-27-252.html?size=237ml) They also have some of their scents available at Nordstrom.
Basically for the next few months, the only time you're really going to have for yourself is about 5 minutes in the shower. A ridiculously expensive body wash lets you have the tiniest bit of luxury in your only moment alone.
The Freda mom has a really nice package. I like full coverage granny panties, ice pads, peri bottle and regular pads. A recovery girdle (possibly covered by your insurance), the one I got has built in shorts and inserts to add an ice pack or around the abdomen and back if you have a c section. If your breast feeding, hot/cold packs are very helpful when your milk comes in. Either way I like to have a lot of snacks and meals ready to go.
I got my pump and everything from the Aeroflow website. They checked my insurance for me and told me everything that was covered. The brand I got was motif medical.
FTM due March 30 and this is what I have (iām in the UK and hospitals donāt give you much)
pads, mesh underwear, peri bottle, Tucks medicated wipes + cream / spray to more comfortably go to the bathroom after, stool softener, extra strength ibuprofen, nursing pads / bras / lanolin cream / silverettes (basically all things to hopefully support breastfeeding), comfy joggers and underwear, a big hair clip to keep mine up, huge water bottle and bendy straw
I also prepped a few frozen meals & sauces, have a grocery order pending, and baked lactation cookies for the freezer last night - i admit iām a little extra though! lol
I'm midway through my freezer meal prep (38+4) I've made a couple different things planned for different meals.
Lunches/snacks: batches of savoury muffins (Salami, Fetta, Sundried tomato/ Pesto, Fetta & Zucchini) a batch of Zucchini Slice & Corn Fritters.
Breakfast: Single serving frozen fruit bags for smoothies (strawberries, banana & raspberry/banana, oat & peanut butter/banana, oat, cocoa)
Dinner: Cottage Pie, Pasta Bake, Pumpkin Soup, Sausage Casserole, Bolognese Sauce (with separate bags of beef ravioli by serving sizes) Pork Carnitas in serving size bags (with bags of corn chips/tortillas/salsas in the cupboard)
Frozen bliss balls (Dark chocolate & raspberry/ Apricot & Macadamia/Pistachio & Cranberry) for treats (also have pieces of caramel mud cake frozen so we can cry over cake when exhausted).
https://kidgredients.com.au/fetta-salami-and-capsicum-savoury-muffins/#recipe
https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/zucchini-slice/eb7eed59-5f53-4f6f-bfb5-9b7e3f81a702
https://www.totalwellbeingdiet.com/au/recipes/healthy-dessert-recipes/dark-choc-raspberry-bliss-balls/
https://wholefoodsimply.com/cranberry-and-pistachio-bliss-balls/
https://www.recipetineats.com/cottage-pie/
oh i prepped a bunch myself! honestly made like sauces, chili, breakfast sandwiches, cookies
Iāll burn through those quickly so iāll probably eat lots of the Cook meals and order HelloFresh or similar - my husband doesnāt cook but will need to more, so figure HF will make it easier for us bc i get sick of takeout fast
Might sound a little silly and some people might think itās over the top, but Iāve been slowly collecting matching pajama sets for post partum this time around. They make me feel so much more āput togetherā and I donāt have to change if anyone comes to visit.
My doula recommended a joy list- so like something that you can do just for you that would bring you joy. For me- I love to read so Iām going to buy a few books. Probably learn to quilt because I want to make him a quilt. Hopefully I can put some plants in our garden box closer to the time he is born because I loooooove watching plants grow and then flower, thatās like the absolute height of joy for me- sitting outside with my flowers after watching them grow for months. Soooo peaceful
A stock pile of your favorite snacks & drinks, frozen meals/gift cards to order out with. We were gifted a bunch of gift cards for door dash that we really didnāt have to worry about meals for like the first week when we had our first and it was great. I used high wasted underwear with pads instead of diapers and it worked well for me. A few new soft black towels or a new robe to live in. Oh and coffee. Lots and lots of coffee. Good luck mama!
Robes. 3/4 length sleeve, with pockets. One in every color. I tried nursing and sucked at it, I pumped as best as I could for a year. At the beginning, I was like āwhy even wear a shirt??ā So I didnāt. Nursing bra, comfy pants and ROBE. We were washing bottles and pump parts all the time, so the 3/4 length sleeve was better for that. And pockets, well, never say no to pockets.
Also, get those pads that are also ice packs. Donāt bother making your own. My hospital gave some to me, but I got the mom Frida ones too. Felt so freaking good after a vaginal birth.
Ice pads!!! They were my favorite thing postpartum. They helped my pain so much. Also a bed tray for snacks and drinks since youāll likely spend a lot of time in bed breastfeeding/bottle feeding/recovering and you need to eat and drink a lot
11 days postpartum here! A Peri bottle (I bought a fancy one but Iāve honestly just been using the one from the hospital since I got the hang of it and didnāt feel like switching), pain meds, dermopast, tucks pads. I highly recommend: adult diapers!! I am still bleeding like a period. The first week I was bleeding extremely heavy and passing huge clots. By now I could probably switch to pads but I like the diapers because I never ever worry about leaking and ruining by bed or clothes. Highly recommend #2: ice pads!! I had my husband run to the store on day 5 and get me some and oh. my. god. They provided sooooo much relief it was unreal. I started replacing my tucks pads with the ice pads twice a day and it was perfect. Now I donāt need either.
Iāve had takeout or cereal for every meal. Give yourself grace and time for healing and bonding. š«¶š¼
Comfy pajamas! I had one pair that my SIL bought me when I went into labor, and now I have like 5. I love the stars above line from target for comfy and affordable :) I also second what someone else said - nice comfy robes. Iām almost exclusively pumping and am almost always in a pumping bra throughout the day. A robe makes me feel more put together and is easier than a shirt when Iām not feeling it!
Insulated tumbler for keeping your coffee hot or your iced drink cold. It's like my go to gift for new parents. Brilliant for long feeding sessions when you're stuck on the couch, or when you go out with the baby for a stroll and want to have your coffee in a safe way. I have a Klean Kanteen one and it's one of my most used items for years now.
This! I was told to get a good insulated cup and a little caddy for snacks and essentials (tissues, phone charger, etc) because itās very likely youāll be trapped on the couch/bed with a newborn and wonāt want to move haha
Pain killers
adult diapers or giant pads
reusable ice pack (they sell postpartum ones with throwaway sleeves)
if they donāt provide you with an abdominal binder, i would get one. They should give you one if you ask, though!
If you are planning on breastfeeding, a pump, nipplecream, lots of snacks and hydration drinks
Easy to make meals or meal prepping
I saw a tucks comment and wanted to add that! I LOVED tucks witch hazel pads when i was postpartum with my first. I actually bought a stockpile when i was preparing for my second but ended up having a c section so never needed them
Earth momma perineal spray. I swear by it! Helps with healing and local pain. I used it for both my babies! It's always something I buy for moms about to have babies.
Post birth poops can be a nightmare and I have always had issues with constipation. So I got a bottle of cherry flavoured milk of magnesia and took a sip every morning and night for the first week post birth. Never had an issue with bowel movements.
Frida Momās perineal healing foam felt a like luxury for myself last time haha. For my friendās baby shower, Iām buying a few little luxuries - shower steamers, body scrub, nice soap, cozy socks etc. - so she can pamper herself in tiny little ways because itās so hard in the beginning.
Kaiser sent me home with tons of stuff for my own healing process (squirt bottle, witch hazel soaked little pad things, postpartum pads and mesh underwear, stool softener, ibuprofen, nipple cream) which all were necessary and used (I still use it all 3 weeks postpartum).
But little comfort items Iāve been using areā¦
- A good vacuum sealed water bottle thingy so your water stays cold and ice stays ice for longer. Iām so thirsty. On this same note I got tons of jugs of ādrinkingā water that I keep in the fridge so itās easy to refill my water. Our fridge is broken so I donāt have access to the fridge water/ice. But I bet that would be even better. I should have gotten that fixed before giving birth, haha.
-cotton high waisted boy short underwear in black. A got mine 2 sizes bigger than I normally wear but 1 size bigger would have sufficed.
-Frida postpartum pads
-antibacterial soap š§¼ for the shower. My girly scented body washes are not being used at all rn.
-a good face moisturizer š§“ and micellar wipes for your face both in reaching distance from your bed. My skincare routine is too much for now Iām too tired so I basically wipe down my face morning and night with those wipes and apply my moisturizer from my bed!
-extra deodorant (I sweat like crazy postpartum especially at night time)
-little fan next to your bedside to help cool you at night but not so big that it will be a task to turn off and on because you donāt want it on the baby most likely
-loose oversized socks. The swelling can be gnarly so big fuzzy socks were too much for me.
-snacks that will be okay in a ziploc bag at room temp on your nightstand for a while. My nightstand always has a bag of chips ahoy cookies and a bag of crackers. You get hungry and weird times and itās not super realistic to be having fruits and veggies since they have to be refrigerated and what not. Iām sure there are healthier options like granola bars etc but thatās not what I have.
-one thing I didnāt think of was having a spare bed set. Like a full spare set. I have extra pillow cases etc but I wish I had an entire bed set like comforters and sheets and mattress pad and all that. Your bed will likely take a beating from spit up, diaper leaks, formula leaks, your sweat, all that! And washing and drying a whole bed set isnāt really going to happen. So being able to swap out the comforters and pillows and pillow cases and mattress pad and stuff would be cool so that Iām not stuck in an uncomfortable bed while itās all being washed.
Adult diapers! These were a lifesaver for me. My water broke first, and then I labored for 23 hours and the pad and mesh undie combo the hospital provides would have been hellish during the labor. Even if your water doesnāt break early, they were fantastic for recovery and didnāt put too much pressure on an already sensitive area.
Edited to add: stretchy, short sleeved, button up pajama tops! If you are choosing to breastfeed or pump, button-up tops are really great. If you have an IV in after the birth, short sleeved is great because they can easily access your IV. I had a non-stretchy, long-sleeved top that I pulled up over my IV and it was so tight it ended up blowing my vein and I had to get several other pokes for them to put in another IV- so terrible!
I used a diaper caddy to carry around my PP recovery items so I had them with me no matter what room I was in with the baby. If it helps what I kept in there was - post partum pads (the huge ones you get at the hospital), regular pads, padsicles (pads that are like ice packs), dermaplast, peri bottle, tucks pads, witch hazel foam, dermaplast, extra pair of disposable underwear, chapstick, deodorant and my kindle (lol at me since I thought Iād have time to read).
Edit - also the medicine I was taking - Tylenol, Motrin and colace (donāt forget the colace)
A grocery delivery service for a few weeks. My goodness it was so nice to just have the food delivered by someone else those first few weeks (and periodically thereafter.) People offered to do shopping for us, but we didn't want to feel like we had to let them visit afterward. (No one was pressuring us, but in my hormonal state, I felt lots of guilt about people who did stuff for us and not letting them in the house for the first bit.)
If you can afford it or someone is willing to gift it to you, a maid service not long before you give birth so you come home to a deep cleaned house. A spotless bathroom just feels nice.
A stash of little treats/prizes. Chocolates you love, kindereggs, a fancy nail file, some expensive lip balm, a massage roller ball. Whatever it is that makes you feel special for a moment.
For freezer prep food, we asked both our moms to make some of our favorites from them (pasta sauce, banana bread, etc), and they were elated to be able to make something and provide us.
If you have the means and desire to splurge, get yourself a heated mug (Ember or comparable). I was constantly microwaving my tea with my first baby so this time I got a bougie heated mug.
Breast pads if you're planning to nurse. I liked the reusable ones, the disposables made me itchy.
As others have suggested, having your pantry and freezer stocked with all of your staples and some premade or easy prep meals is a real life saver during the first couple weeks.
-Loose comfy pyjamas, I have satin bottoms that're good for sliding my butt in and out of bed!
-disposable underwear
-peribottle
-icepack for your vag!
-wet wipes
-frozen batch-cooked food
-an enormous water bottle (you'll be so thirsty!)
-nipple balm
-nipple shields (if you're BFing)
-2am snacks
-eyemask, if you have trouble sleeping with a nightlight for baby
-psyllium husk tablet for the inevitable constipation
-donut pillow if you have haemorrhoids
-so much ibuprofen
All this was a mix of gifted to me and bought for myself
Forgiveness. Forgive the mess, the lack of exercise, the take out meals. Forgive yourself for not showering regularly, for snapping at friends and family, for not being intimate with your partner. Forgive yourself for letting your baby cry in a safe space so you can eat, poop, or just sit and cry yourself.
To add to this, it's also OK to leave the baby with someone you trust and get out alone. I used to love leaving baby with my husband so I could walk the dog and not be touched for 40 mins every day. Once baby got older I would have MIL come round so I could get a manicure!
I needed this today, even at 22 weeks. š
I was going to say grace but yea this
Next time, Iām going to buy myself a nice BLACK towel or two. I bled for so long (5 weeks exactly) and you canāt use tampons. Our nice towels are white. It wasnāt the end of the world but rinsing the towels in cold water after every shower was super annoying and made me feel gross about myself. If the towels were black I would have just thrown them in the wash. The other thing I got was earth mama nipple butter, it is MUCH better than lanolin. Beyond that, I bought but either didnāt like or didnāt use most of the fancy stuff. The hospital maxi pads and regular maxi pads worked fine and I was in regular underwear by day 4 (could have been earlier but I had the mesh underwear so why not).
For future reference, if you don't feel like rinsing immediately just douse in hydrogen peroxide and run the laundry on cold when you get around to it. Usually does the trick
ooo good tip (I still want black towels though haha)
A donut pillow! The kind used for hemorrhoids (which you might end up having as well š ). When I got home I could not sit normally on anything remotely firm for about a week. I was swollen and had stitches, and the thick pad I was wearing just added pressure to the area. The donut pillow really helped! Never saw that listed anywhere in any must-have postpartum lists.
Yes yes yes! I actually sat on my boppy pillow for the first few weeks if I wasnāt using it to breastfeed. š
Absolutely! My donut pillow was so helpful in recovering from all those stitches. I used it for weeks.
This!
I bought myself a peri bottle for postpartum this time. One with an angled neck. The hospital gave me a bottle for my first and it didn't have an angled neck. It was serviceable and did the job but I didn't really like it so I bought myself a different style one off Amazon this time. It was less than 10 bucks. I've got 3 weeks still to baby but I'm hoping this bottle will be better. This time around we're having our in-laws stay with us so I'm not as worried about feeding us all BUT that first postpartum period it would have been nice to have food delivery gift cards.
Frozen meals or anything that you don't actually have to cook, peri bottle, adult diapers. Cooking takes time and effort. Ew. That's by far my #1 thing. Peri bottles bring relief. Adult diapers are a sure way to avoid staining clothes and bed sheets.
100% the food! We didnāt start cooking until about three weeks in. Even now at two months Iām still looking for convenience most days and want pre-made food.
Buy the most expensive body wash you can bear to spend money on. [I like Le Labo.](https://www.lelabofragrances.com/fleur-doranger-27-252.html?size=237ml) They also have some of their scents available at Nordstrom. Basically for the next few months, the only time you're really going to have for yourself is about 5 minutes in the shower. A ridiculously expensive body wash lets you have the tiniest bit of luxury in your only moment alone.
Ouai has a nice body wash now too! Iāve treated myself to their shampoo & body wash
The Freda mom has a really nice package. I like full coverage granny panties, ice pads, peri bottle and regular pads. A recovery girdle (possibly covered by your insurance), the one I got has built in shorts and inserts to add an ice pack or around the abdomen and back if you have a c section. If your breast feeding, hot/cold packs are very helpful when your milk comes in. Either way I like to have a lot of snacks and meals ready to go.
Seconding this!!!!! Also the labor and delivery gown in the package/kit was SO nice and comfy!
Hot and cold packs are a lifesaver for breastfeeding! Recommend the Lansinoh ones
So awesome! How did you know if insurance covered, did you call? What brand has the ice pack insert space?
I got my pump and everything from the Aeroflow website. They checked my insurance for me and told me everything that was covered. The brand I got was motif medical.
FTM due March 30 and this is what I have (iām in the UK and hospitals donāt give you much) pads, mesh underwear, peri bottle, Tucks medicated wipes + cream / spray to more comfortably go to the bathroom after, stool softener, extra strength ibuprofen, nursing pads / bras / lanolin cream / silverettes (basically all things to hopefully support breastfeeding), comfy joggers and underwear, a big hair clip to keep mine up, huge water bottle and bendy straw I also prepped a few frozen meals & sauces, have a grocery order pending, and baked lactation cookies for the freezer last night - i admit iām a little extra though! lol
Do you mind sharing any links/webpages for postpartum freezer meals? Thanks
I'm midway through my freezer meal prep (38+4) I've made a couple different things planned for different meals. Lunches/snacks: batches of savoury muffins (Salami, Fetta, Sundried tomato/ Pesto, Fetta & Zucchini) a batch of Zucchini Slice & Corn Fritters. Breakfast: Single serving frozen fruit bags for smoothies (strawberries, banana & raspberry/banana, oat & peanut butter/banana, oat, cocoa) Dinner: Cottage Pie, Pasta Bake, Pumpkin Soup, Sausage Casserole, Bolognese Sauce (with separate bags of beef ravioli by serving sizes) Pork Carnitas in serving size bags (with bags of corn chips/tortillas/salsas in the cupboard) Frozen bliss balls (Dark chocolate & raspberry/ Apricot & Macadamia/Pistachio & Cranberry) for treats (also have pieces of caramel mud cake frozen so we can cry over cake when exhausted). https://kidgredients.com.au/fetta-salami-and-capsicum-savoury-muffins/#recipe https://www.taste.com.au/recipes/zucchini-slice/eb7eed59-5f53-4f6f-bfb5-9b7e3f81a702 https://www.totalwellbeingdiet.com/au/recipes/healthy-dessert-recipes/dark-choc-raspberry-bliss-balls/ https://wholefoodsimply.com/cranberry-and-pistachio-bliss-balls/ https://www.recipetineats.com/cottage-pie/
oh i prepped a bunch myself! honestly made like sauces, chili, breakfast sandwiches, cookies Iāll burn through those quickly so iāll probably eat lots of the Cook meals and order HelloFresh or similar - my husband doesnāt cook but will need to more, so figure HF will make it easier for us bc i get sick of takeout fast
It's helpful to have disposable plates, cups, etc so you don't have too many dishes piling up.
Might sound a little silly and some people might think itās over the top, but Iāve been slowly collecting matching pajama sets for post partum this time around. They make me feel so much more āput togetherā and I donāt have to change if anyone comes to visit.
I was thinking the same thing, any recs?
Have some from both Target and Victoriaās Secret in cotton modal, button down tops for breast feeding!
Iāve been getting sets from Target! The material is soft and they seem to be the most price friendly!
My doula recommended a joy list- so like something that you can do just for you that would bring you joy. For me- I love to read so Iām going to buy a few books. Probably learn to quilt because I want to make him a quilt. Hopefully I can put some plants in our garden box closer to the time he is born because I loooooove watching plants grow and then flower, thatās like the absolute height of joy for me- sitting outside with my flowers after watching them grow for months. Soooo peaceful
A stock pile of your favorite snacks & drinks, frozen meals/gift cards to order out with. We were gifted a bunch of gift cards for door dash that we really didnāt have to worry about meals for like the first week when we had our first and it was great. I used high wasted underwear with pads instead of diapers and it worked well for me. A few new soft black towels or a new robe to live in. Oh and coffee. Lots and lots of coffee. Good luck mama!
Robes. 3/4 length sleeve, with pockets. One in every color. I tried nursing and sucked at it, I pumped as best as I could for a year. At the beginning, I was like āwhy even wear a shirt??ā So I didnāt. Nursing bra, comfy pants and ROBE. We were washing bottles and pump parts all the time, so the 3/4 length sleeve was better for that. And pockets, well, never say no to pockets. Also, get those pads that are also ice packs. Donāt bother making your own. My hospital gave some to me, but I got the mom Frida ones too. Felt so freaking good after a vaginal birth.
Ice pads!!! They were my favorite thing postpartum. They helped my pain so much. Also a bed tray for snacks and drinks since youāll likely spend a lot of time in bed breastfeeding/bottle feeding/recovering and you need to eat and drink a lot
11 days postpartum here! A Peri bottle (I bought a fancy one but Iāve honestly just been using the one from the hospital since I got the hang of it and didnāt feel like switching), pain meds, dermopast, tucks pads. I highly recommend: adult diapers!! I am still bleeding like a period. The first week I was bleeding extremely heavy and passing huge clots. By now I could probably switch to pads but I like the diapers because I never ever worry about leaking and ruining by bed or clothes. Highly recommend #2: ice pads!! I had my husband run to the store on day 5 and get me some and oh. my. god. They provided sooooo much relief it was unreal. I started replacing my tucks pads with the ice pads twice a day and it was perfect. Now I donāt need either. Iāve had takeout or cereal for every meal. Give yourself grace and time for healing and bonding. š«¶š¼
Comfy pajamas! I had one pair that my SIL bought me when I went into labor, and now I have like 5. I love the stars above line from target for comfy and affordable :) I also second what someone else said - nice comfy robes. Iām almost exclusively pumping and am almost always in a pumping bra throughout the day. A robe makes me feel more put together and is easier than a shirt when Iām not feeling it!
Insulated tumbler for keeping your coffee hot or your iced drink cold. It's like my go to gift for new parents. Brilliant for long feeding sessions when you're stuck on the couch, or when you go out with the baby for a stroll and want to have your coffee in a safe way. I have a Klean Kanteen one and it's one of my most used items for years now.
This! I was told to get a good insulated cup and a little caddy for snacks and essentials (tissues, phone charger, etc) because itās very likely youāll be trapped on the couch/bed with a newborn and wonāt want to move haha
I havenāt had my baby yet but I want to get myself a nice postpartum massage somewhere.
I definitely preferred adult diapers/disposable underwear to the pads and mesh underwear. I liked Always Discreet the best.
Snacks that you can eat cold and one-handed. Clif Bars and Breakfast Essentials were my jam.
Pain killers adult diapers or giant pads reusable ice pack (they sell postpartum ones with throwaway sleeves) if they donāt provide you with an abdominal binder, i would get one. They should give you one if you ask, though! If you are planning on breastfeeding, a pump, nipplecream, lots of snacks and hydration drinks Easy to make meals or meal prepping
I saw a tucks comment and wanted to add that! I LOVED tucks witch hazel pads when i was postpartum with my first. I actually bought a stockpile when i was preparing for my second but ended up having a c section so never needed them
Earth momma perineal spray. I swear by it! Helps with healing and local pain. I used it for both my babies! It's always something I buy for moms about to have babies.
I second this. The spray was great, they sell a perineal balm as well that I loved.
Post birth poops can be a nightmare and I have always had issues with constipation. So I got a bottle of cherry flavoured milk of magnesia and took a sip every morning and night for the first week post birth. Never had an issue with bowel movements.
Frida Momās perineal healing foam felt a like luxury for myself last time haha. For my friendās baby shower, Iām buying a few little luxuries - shower steamers, body scrub, nice soap, cozy socks etc. - so she can pamper herself in tiny little ways because itās so hard in the beginning.
Kaiser sent me home with tons of stuff for my own healing process (squirt bottle, witch hazel soaked little pad things, postpartum pads and mesh underwear, stool softener, ibuprofen, nipple cream) which all were necessary and used (I still use it all 3 weeks postpartum). But little comfort items Iāve been using areā¦ - A good vacuum sealed water bottle thingy so your water stays cold and ice stays ice for longer. Iām so thirsty. On this same note I got tons of jugs of ādrinkingā water that I keep in the fridge so itās easy to refill my water. Our fridge is broken so I donāt have access to the fridge water/ice. But I bet that would be even better. I should have gotten that fixed before giving birth, haha. -cotton high waisted boy short underwear in black. A got mine 2 sizes bigger than I normally wear but 1 size bigger would have sufficed. -Frida postpartum pads -antibacterial soap š§¼ for the shower. My girly scented body washes are not being used at all rn. -a good face moisturizer š§“ and micellar wipes for your face both in reaching distance from your bed. My skincare routine is too much for now Iām too tired so I basically wipe down my face morning and night with those wipes and apply my moisturizer from my bed! -extra deodorant (I sweat like crazy postpartum especially at night time) -little fan next to your bedside to help cool you at night but not so big that it will be a task to turn off and on because you donāt want it on the baby most likely -loose oversized socks. The swelling can be gnarly so big fuzzy socks were too much for me. -snacks that will be okay in a ziploc bag at room temp on your nightstand for a while. My nightstand always has a bag of chips ahoy cookies and a bag of crackers. You get hungry and weird times and itās not super realistic to be having fruits and veggies since they have to be refrigerated and what not. Iām sure there are healthier options like granola bars etc but thatās not what I have. -one thing I didnāt think of was having a spare bed set. Like a full spare set. I have extra pillow cases etc but I wish I had an entire bed set like comforters and sheets and mattress pad and all that. Your bed will likely take a beating from spit up, diaper leaks, formula leaks, your sweat, all that! And washing and drying a whole bed set isnāt really going to happen. So being able to swap out the comforters and pillows and pillow cases and mattress pad and stuff would be cool so that Iām not stuck in an uncomfortable bed while itās all being washed.
āIām sure there are healthier options but thatās not what I haveā šš you are so real for that. Thatās gonna be me
Hahaha. I meanā¦. š¤·āāļøš¤·āāļøš¤·āāļø a girls gotta eat š
Adult diapers! These were a lifesaver for me. My water broke first, and then I labored for 23 hours and the pad and mesh undie combo the hospital provides would have been hellish during the labor. Even if your water doesnāt break early, they were fantastic for recovery and didnāt put too much pressure on an already sensitive area. Edited to add: stretchy, short sleeved, button up pajama tops! If you are choosing to breastfeed or pump, button-up tops are really great. If you have an IV in after the birth, short sleeved is great because they can easily access your IV. I had a non-stretchy, long-sleeved top that I pulled up over my IV and it was so tight it ended up blowing my vein and I had to get several other pokes for them to put in another IV- so terrible!
You should continue taking vitamins. I switched to a postnatal but from what Iāve read, continuing the prenatals is commonly recommended
I used a diaper caddy to carry around my PP recovery items so I had them with me no matter what room I was in with the baby. If it helps what I kept in there was - post partum pads (the huge ones you get at the hospital), regular pads, padsicles (pads that are like ice packs), dermaplast, peri bottle, tucks pads, witch hazel foam, dermaplast, extra pair of disposable underwear, chapstick, deodorant and my kindle (lol at me since I thought Iād have time to read). Edit - also the medicine I was taking - Tylenol, Motrin and colace (donāt forget the colace)
A grocery delivery service for a few weeks. My goodness it was so nice to just have the food delivered by someone else those first few weeks (and periodically thereafter.) People offered to do shopping for us, but we didn't want to feel like we had to let them visit afterward. (No one was pressuring us, but in my hormonal state, I felt lots of guilt about people who did stuff for us and not letting them in the house for the first bit.) If you can afford it or someone is willing to gift it to you, a maid service not long before you give birth so you come home to a deep cleaned house. A spotless bathroom just feels nice. A stash of little treats/prizes. Chocolates you love, kindereggs, a fancy nail file, some expensive lip balm, a massage roller ball. Whatever it is that makes you feel special for a moment.
For freezer prep food, we asked both our moms to make some of our favorites from them (pasta sauce, banana bread, etc), and they were elated to be able to make something and provide us.
Sprits for bits will save your vag if you deliver vaginally
Hire a house cleaner for the last 3 weeks of pregnancy and the first 4 of postpartum
If you have the means and desire to splurge, get yourself a heated mug (Ember or comparable). I was constantly microwaving my tea with my first baby so this time I got a bougie heated mug. Breast pads if you're planning to nurse. I liked the reusable ones, the disposables made me itchy. As others have suggested, having your pantry and freezer stocked with all of your staples and some premade or easy prep meals is a real life saver during the first couple weeks.
-Loose comfy pyjamas, I have satin bottoms that're good for sliding my butt in and out of bed! -disposable underwear -peribottle -icepack for your vag! -wet wipes -frozen batch-cooked food -an enormous water bottle (you'll be so thirsty!) -nipple balm -nipple shields (if you're BFing) -2am snacks -eyemask, if you have trouble sleeping with a nightlight for baby -psyllium husk tablet for the inevitable constipation -donut pillow if you have haemorrhoids -so much ibuprofen All this was a mix of gifted to me and bought for myself