Diapers? Check. Onesies? Check. Car seat? Check. Things to help you take care of your postpartum body? Umm…
When I was pregnant with Grace, I came up with a list of questions for all of my mom friends. I asked for advice about different registry items, handling guests at the hospital, favorite pregnancy books, and more. The very last question was, “What else do I need to know? What did I forget?” Again and again my friends pointed out that I had forgotten about me.
If you are expecting your first baby, don’t forget to add some must needed mommy items to your pre-baby shopping list!
14 Things You Need For Your Postpartum Body
1. Maxi Pads – You’ll bleed for several weeks after having a baby. Go out and buy some pads to have on hand. You can’t use tampons and honestly, you wouldn’t want to anyway. I tried out the newer Always Infinity pads and really liked them. You could also go the cloth route.
2. “Big” Underwear – I had to have a c-section with Noah and my underwear went right across my incision in the hospital. Ouch. I wish that I had bigger underwear that would have been more comfortable for the ride home. Sadly, you don’t always know before hand if you’ll be having a c-section, so plan accordingly.
3. Nipple Cream –If you breastfeed, your nipples will be sore at first. Nipple cream (and a good latch!) will help. With Grace I used lanolin. It worked well, but for Noah I switched to Earth Mama Angel Baby’s natural nipple butter and I liked it even better.
4. Nursing Pads – When you nurse a baby you’ll experience “let down.” That is when the milk is “released” and becomes available to the baby. The tricky thing is that let down happens in both breasts at the same time, not just the one the baby is feeding from. So that means that you’ll leak a little (or for some, a lot) from the breast that the baby isn’t feeding from. A nursing pad will be your friend.
Some women are “leakier” than others. You might leak at night when when your baby starts sleeping longer, if you have pressure on your breasts (like if you are carrying something heavy against your chest), or even from hearing a baby cry. Even if you don’t want to breastfeed, you might want to pick up a small box to use until your milk dries up. There are several different brands and you’ll find out which kind you like the best, but Lansinoh is my favorite because they are thin and discrete.
5. Nursing Bras – My girlfriend used to work in a bra shop and she recommended getting a bra fitting as close to your due date as possible and no sooner than 6 weeks before your due date. Your breasts are going to get bigger when your milk comes in, so leave some extra room in your new bra to accommodate for that! Here are 3 nursing bras that I have and recommend:
Sports Clip Down from Motherhood – This is a nursing sports bra and I liked it because it offered a lot of support. I never did anything athletic in it because I prefer to sit on the couch and eat Oreos, but it offered plenty of support for that. 🙂
Wireless Nursing Bra from Motherhood – This was my go-to bra for when I was leaving the house. It offered enough support for me, I liked that is was lightly padded enough to hide the nursing pads, and it was prettier than my other nursing bras. One thing I didn’t like was that it came up kind of high and sometimes it would peek out of the top of some of my lower cut shirts.
6. Nursing Tanks – Run. Do not walk. Run to the closest store to buy some nursing tank tops today. They make nursing around other people so much easier. I have practically been living in nursing tank tops ever since Grace was born 4.5 years ago. There are two different ones that I recommend:
Essential Nursing Tank from Bravado: This is the Cadillac of nursing tanks. It costs about $50, but the bra support is much better than the Target tanks. I own one and used to save it to wear when I was going out in public.
7. Insulated Cup with Straw – Nursing mothers need to drink a lot of water to keep up with their milk supply. Even if you aren’t breastfeeding, you may find that having an extra large cup of water by your side helps you stay hydrated during this time when you are focused so much on your little one’s needs. My hospital gave me a nice cup with a straw, so you might not need to purchase one yourself. This one is really nice though because it has “freeze stick” in it that will help keep the water cold all night.
8. Special Soap for Your First Shower – Your first shower after giving birth is a big deal. It might be one of the first moments that you are away from your newborn and focusing 100% on you. You will definitely want to freshen up and having special, fun soap makes the experience even nicer. Of course this is totally optional, but why not pamper yourself? You just gave birth after all! My favorite handmade organic soap comes from Sweet Sally Soaps.
9. Breastfeeding Friendly Pajamas – You don’t have to buy official nursing pajamas, but you will want to be sure you are wearing something that is easy to breastfeed in. I own a nursing gown that I wore in the warmer months and in the winter I wore regular pajamas, but I made sure they buttoned down the front.
10. Stool Softener – After my vaginal delivery, I wasn’t too excited about the idea of letting anything else “pass through” down there. Thankfully, the stool softener I took in the hospital was effective enough for me and I didn’t need to take anymore after I got home. If you are prone to getting constipated, I would have some stool softener on hand at home waiting for you. If not, then just make a mental note and have someone run out and get some for you only if needed.
Psst! I want to interrupt just for a moment to let you know about the problem I had breastfeeding my children. The problem is called excess lipase activity and it caused my pumped breast milk to develop a bad taste over time. Because of this my children didn’t like to take a bottle of breast milk until I discovered the problem and was able to fix it.
I encourage all of you to taste your pumped breast milk to make sure you don’t have this problem! And if you do, I wrote an eBook all about my experience. I have all the answers you need to overcome excess lipase activity. I’ve got your back, mama!
11. Tucks Witch Hazel Pads – It is very common for women to get hemorrhoids from all the pushing during labor. Tucks medicated pads are made to help relieve the symptoms of hemorrhoids. It isn’t guaranteed that you will get hemorrhoids (I didn’t), so don’t buy them ahead of time unless you already have hemorrhoids. You can always ask someone to run out and get them for you.
12. Tummy Splint – Some women experience a separation in their abs during pregnancy called, diastasis recti. The separation can make it look like you have a belly pooch that just won’t ever seem to go away. Crunches and sit-ups only makes it worse. I don’t know much about diastasis recti except that it can be corrected and a tummy splint can help.
13. Snacks – Trail mix, granola bars, almonds, chocolate… You’ll be thankful to have some snacks on hand.
14. Convenient Meals – Stock your freezer and fill your pantry with easy, convenient meals! A simple frozen pizza or spaghetti will do, but if you are up for it then I recommend trying to fill your freezer. Here are some of my favorite freezer friendly recipes:
I needed this 2 1/2 year’s ago! But its helpful none the less. All so true! I also would like to add an obseen amount of tissues. I had some serious emotional hormone issues for the first week or so. The tissues were everywhere.
Instead of undies and pads just use depends! They were recommended to me and I doubted them, but they were awesome! I recommend or just buy them for others now!
Lindsay, now that you say that I do remember someone suggesting that to me! I never took the plunge myself. Maybe I’ll be brave enough to try it with #3. If there IS a #3! Ha!
Ok, I have never heard that tip, but after that I just had to share: I had a baby and had given away my maxi pads (tiny apartment, didn’t need them for 9 months, etc.). I had never asked my husband to buy hygiene stuff for me before, but I asked him to then! He asked what kind, I said “Always, it’s green usually, but any brand.” He called from the store, saying he didn’t see it, didn’t see anything I was describing or the brands I was suggesting. I said, “well really anything that says “overnight.”
Now, when he buys baby wipes he buys the case. He buys the diapers in big boxes. So when he came home with a really big bag of pads, I just said “huh,” to myself & didn’t think anything of it, until…I was on the toilet. I reached over, opened it up, saw the behemoth pad-things, and realized where I’d seen the brand “Poise” before….
I started laughing so hard that my sister came in to see why. I had to tell my husband he’d bought me incontinence pads instead. I didn’t use them, but now I guess I can tell him I could have!
I second Lindsay with the depends! They cover everything and if you don’t quite “make it” to the bathroom, because you will be sore and achy, you don’t have to be terrified of having an additional potty mess! (I have 4 plus one on the way and have used them for my last 2). Because, let’s face it, everyone forgets to do their kegals! You will only need them for the first 2-3 days and then can switch to pads, but I HIGHLY recommend them for hospital stay!
Secondly I would recommend the coolies gel pads for your nipples!
I second the tissues. I was a hormonal mess after my daughter was born and the tissues at the hospital were like sandpaper. I also needed Chapstick because my lips were dry from labor breathing. I’d also say comfortable clothes for the hospital. I wore the hospital gown day one, but wanted to be in my own clothes day two. It made me feel better to be in my clothes. Great list.
YES!! I felt so much better in my own clothes. My hospital had special nursing gowns that were convenient, but I was always nervous I might slip out of it in the font!
Witch hazel for vaginal birth! Soak a pad or depends and put it in the freezer for cooling relief. Also, I have just been reading that pineapple juice is great for reducing inflammation and helping with breastfeeding so I have been stocking up for my upcoming due date. Lastly, herbal postpartum bath mix. My midwifes drew one for me at the birth center and this time I am stocking it to have again at home because it is so nice.
Totally fair question! 😉 But yes, drink it. I actually broke into my supply early because I am suddenly combatting hemorrhoids in the last few weeks of pregnancy and kids woke with sore throats (its got great enzymes for killing those germs in the throat) so we are all drinking it. If I had the energy, I’d be using it in smoothies right now along with chlorophyll, veggies, fruit and probiotics but lately, its been a drink-straight-from-the-bottle kind of week 😉
Haha! My mom heard the same thing about pineapple – though she herd it was the actual fruit in stead of the juice, and she had me eat tons of pineapple before hacing my wisdom teeth out. Lets just say it didnt help, but I sure enjoyed eating it. I will have try drinking the juice if that makes a difference. I am about to have my first. Sooo excited to be done!
Yes to all of this! (And I will try the pineapple juice!) Just wanted to add that I didn’t get a bath mix, but the midwife said to use rosemary. So I had a couple of rosemary baths, and liked them.
I agree with the tissues!! I cried for several weeks after my son was born.
I also had some prune and apple juice on hand to help with that first bowel movement, and that helped so much! Along with that, I also used baby wipes to clean myself up after that bm. And keep your phone near… I had to call my husband to help me get up from the potty because I was sitting there for so long.
This is a great list. The only thing I can think of is to make sure to have pain medication on hand for the afterbirth pains while you’re nursing. I’m not one for taking pain medication, but this is one time I do. I want to be comfortable and relaxed to help get nursing off to a good start.
YES! I would definitely add that as one of the most important ones. They get worse with each child. With my first i don’t remember having a ton… just the first day or two when i breastfed. Then my second came along and i thought “holy smokes! why didn’t anybody warn me about these” I took an “after ease” tincture my midwife gave me as well as a tylenol every couple of hours… for the first week!
Now i’m sitting here overdue with baby #3 and well armed with my after pain meds.
Actually, what a friend recommended is Lavender and Frankincense essential oils in some warm water and soaking a rag in it. Then wringing out the rag and placing directly on the abdomen to ease the pain. A nice gently natural way to ease the after pains. 🙂 We’ll see how well it works hopefully in the next few days!
(i still have my tincture and tylenol on hand as a back up 😉
Certainly, Sherri! When I nurse my babies I usually lift my shirt up rather than pulling it down under my breast. When I lift my shirt up my stomach and back are exposed. I’m not a fan of showing off my postpartum tummy while I’m breastfeeding. So I like to wear a nursing tank top under my shirts.
I pull my regular shirt up. Then I unclip my nursing tank & bra and pull those down. My little ones latch on and we are good to go without exposing more skin than I feel comfortable with.
With my first born, I used a nursing cover a lot when I breastfed in public. With my second born, I hardly did at all. I felt more comfortable. Plus I realized that my shirt pulled up covered the top part of my breast, my nursing tank covered my back & stomach, and my baby’s head covered the rest of my breast.
Okay! Now it makes sense!!! I’m a “tad” too concrete sometimes and all I could think of was how is wearing that little thing (alone, I thought) going to show less?” Thanks so much! 🙂
This was a great list! I would add ice packs for those mama who do NOT nurse…when your milk supply comes in and it can be painful…so ice packs and the tightest sports bra you can find. 🙂
That is a good point, Christina. I’ve breastfed both of my children and then we weaned so slowly that I never struggled with engorgement. However, I’ve heard it can be quite painful. Did you try cabbage leaves? Does that work or is it just an old wives tale?
My midwife told me about cabbage leaves and I thought she was crazy, but they work! I have used them for my last 3 babies and it felt great. You will smell like salad, but just remember to change them often.
I just found this on pinterest, and usually wouldn’t comment , but this is such a great list I thought I would add my 2cents before perusing some of your other articles…
Get a jar of extra virgin coconut oil, for mom it can be used rather than nipple cream (and doesn’t need to be washed off before nursing like other creams), is great for stretch marks both preventatively and as a treatment, and eases hemorrhoids naturally too. For baby that same oil is the perfect bum cream (that is even cloth diaper safe), after bath lotion, and one of the only all natural cures for both thrush rash(think really bad really stubborn bum rash that makes both your little one and you cry at every change) and cradle cap.
Also use the tummy splint or anything similar (moby wrap or random long piece of cloth) to wrap around your tummy postpartum for the first 1-2 weeks. Eliminates the jelly feeling you get when your organs are trying to get back to their previous homes, and you will be amazed how quickly that one little thing helps slim you down. It’s not all weight some of that postpartum mommy look is simple distribution, and wrapping helps immensely.
Angela
Angela, thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment. I’m a fan of coconut oil, so I especially appreciate you leaving these tips. Thank you!
A great nightlight for late night feedings. Hand soap for you and all your guests, and to pair with that an awesome hand cream. You wash your hands a lot so it is helpful to have those in hand too! Thanks for a great list!
The Tucks pads are really great even if you don’t get hemorrhoids. I didn’t get them, but I did tear and need stitches. These were very soothing to the area.
Also, the nursing tank tops/nursing pads combo was above and beyond the most essential factor in comfortable, convenient breast feeding. The My Breast Friend nursing cushion was far better for me than the Boppy pillow because the MBF cushion goes all the way around and buckles so it stays put.
Additionally, I am allergic to lanolin but definitely needed a cream. I used Dr. Jack Newman’s All-Purpose Nipple Ointment. It requires a prescription, but your baby’s pediatrician will write it for you, no problem. It’s Lanolin-free, medicated to heal your nipples, and totally safe for baby.
The nipple cream from Earth Mama Angel Baby that I mentioned in the post is also lanolin free and it doesn’t require a prescription just incase that ends up being an issue for anyone. I hadn’t even thought of those with lanolin allergies, Aliza. Thanks for adding that!
A woman in my Bible study said “Here, you’ll need these!” and just handed me a half-full tub of Tucks. My goodness, she was right. I did in fact have hemorrhoids but like you said, I was using them because of all the stitches. (I actually wore them over my maxi pads, which probably isn’t what anyone pictured.) I’d recommend them to everyone.
This is exactly why I’ve stocked up on coconut oil, just have to remember to mention it to the nurses & lactation consultant when the time comes. (Due in 12 days)
Ive got a question for all you moms out there… I’m a first time mom at 20 and I’ve been stressing about all the stretch marks that have appeared on my stomach! Ive been using cocoa butter and its not doing too much to prevent them or make them look any better. Is there something I can use while/after I’m pregnant to get rid of them or at least make them not as noticeable?
I’m sorry about the stretch marks, Rebekah. Sadly, getting (or not getting) stretch marks as a lot to do with genetics and luck. I don’t have any personal experience with a product that reduces the look of stretch marks, but hopefully another mom will have some advice for you. Give it some time though. After awhile the redness of the stretch marks will fade. They will turn white/silvery. They probably won’t ever go away, but they will be less noticeable.
I highly recommend Earth Mama Angel Baby Natural Stretch Oil (don’t get it confused with their baby oil)
I’ve been using it this time around (3rd pregnancy) and so far I don’t have any new stretch marks at 35 weeks. I also think it’s slowly fading the old stretch marks I have from my previous pregnancies…plus it feels and smells wonderful!
Rebekah,
I use almond oil, you can buy it at GNC stores for like $10 a bottle. Apply it after you get out of the shower (on the mat so you don’t slip) with your skin wet. I’ve applied it religiously everyday. I gained and then lost 30 pounds (not being pregnant) and it worked. Now I’m due next week with my first baby and not a single stretch mark! I might have good skin, but is all about keeping your skin hydrated. Stretch marks will fade easier when they are pink so you still have time to help your skin. Good luck!
Rebekah, I have used Bio-Oil and its worked wonders for me. When I was younger I grew pretty much over night and had really bad stretch marks on my chest and thighs. I tried tons of things to get rid of them… It really helped to fade the marks. They aren’t completely gone but look MUCH better. I have been putting it on my preggo belly now and no stretch marks yet. Hopefully it works for you too!
I am a first time mom too – due in about 3 weeks – and I have been using Organic Jojoba Oil by Desert Essence on my stomach. It is super hydrating and rubs in really nicely and doesn’t leave an oily residue (it does for about 5 min – but soaks in real quick). I never got stretch marks, but I am believing its because I have used this everyday when I get out of the shower. It could be worth a shot to help your skin repair itself! I get it cheapest on iherb.com where one bottle is $11. The bottle is little and might seem expensive, but it lasts FOREVER because a little bit goes a long way! I use it on my face as a moisturizer and it only takes 2-3 drops. For my stomach I just put about a dime-nickel size amount in my hand and rub it in!
Bio oil is what i used. And just an addition personal thought, during pregnancy I went up a band size but not a cup size (ex. 36 D to 38 C) after the birth my band size immediately dropped back down but because of the milk coming in the cup size increase (36 DD) so buying a nursing bra can be complicated if youre unsure your original size, or have never been measured. Every brand and store may vary in their techniques as well. I would have been swamped had i not known from previous job experience.
One thing I would change is the recommendation robot get tucks pads before if you don’t have hemrhoids. I had an absolutely horrible experience with them and it is worth it to have them on hand for immediate use in case you need them. Also one other thing I’m not sure if anyone else mentioned is frozen pads my midwife actually filled a baby diaper with ice for me and it made a world of difference!!
Also I see something that hasn’t been mentioned but I could have not lived without for all three of mine is the lil squirt bottle they give you at the hospital to help you clean yourself and lots of wipes. No way I wanted to be wiping with reg toilet paper to get myself clean plus I always felt cleaner when I used wipes & I would fill the squirt bottle with warm water and it eased the pain for me.
YES. Peri bottles are ESSENTIAL!!!!!! (I have a friend who said she swiped as many from the hospital as she could for fear she’d have to be without one! Just having one worked for me.)
I appreciate this list! Thank you also for everyone who commented, too! I had a horrible time with soreness from breast feeding after having my first baby. The lactation nurse at the hospital had told me about using cabbage leaves, so I tried it when nothing else worked. I was amazed! It actually worked! I just place a cold cabbage leaf or two on each breast in my nursing tank (sometimes paired with nursing pads-cabbage closest to my skin) and in about 10 minutes the intense pain subsided. I removed the leaves once they became wilted – about 20 minutes or so. One thing I would mention about the stool softeners is that I felt comfortable taking them for a couple weeks following my c-section. They just seemed to help. But I found out later from my daughter’s pediatrician the stool softener I was taking travels through breast milk. This ended up being a detriment to my daughter who lost too much weight from nursing alone. I ended up having to suppliment with formula to boost her weight from the effect the stool softener had on her body. So I would say, stool softener is your friend, but don’t rely on it too long like I did. I think the prune juice sounds like an excellent alternative, since it is fiber based and I don’t believe it will travel through breast milk.
Lisa, thank you so much for that word of caution about the stool softeners. It is so important to be careful about what we put in our bodies when we are breastfeeding. Thank you!
Awesome list… Don’t know if I had just an awesome hospital but they sent me home with almost everything on the list… Maxi pads, stool softner script, tucks and best of all and not on the list Dermoplast to go along with the tucks. It keeps the stitches numb along with tucks and is 100% okay in vaginal area… Hospital supplied mine and the can lasted as long as my stitches did…. I loved it!
Ladies! Thank you so much for this list and your helpful suggestions. This is my first and I always like to be prepared, some of this stuff I didn’t even think of!
Thanks again!
Sorry, I didn’t read all of the comments, but did anyone mention cabbage for when your milk comes in? We also used it on our daughter who had little inflamed nipple buds.
Thank you so much for this list and for the additional comments to supplement! I’m pregnant with my first baby and this will come in very handy for the planner in me!
Target now has nursing tanks made by Bravado for $25 dollars plus they have light tummy compression to make things look smoother. Also i lived in depends after Having both of my babies, it saved a lot of my pants and I didn’t have to ruin any underwear, they make them a lot thinner now so you really couldn’t tell even un tighter yoga pants!
It’s a shelf bra which I usually don’t like but it’s actually pretty supportive. I’m a G cup and they way They are designed surprisingly gives me some support. I literally live in them everyday and they wash well too!
A dear friend whose baby is about 6 months older than my twins gave me an assortment of things at my baby shower, including a snap-clip nursing tank (the Gillian and O’Malley brand from Target), some Lansinoh gel nipple pads, and a bottle of fenugreek capsules. One of the first things I did when I finally left the house at 3 weeks was to buy 2 more of those nursing tanks, and I need to buy a few more. The gel pads are absorbent and cooling, and can be used over and over. I don’t leave the house without them. They are both ESSENTIAL for breastfeeding mamas, IMHO. Also, I was trying to essentially exclusively breastfeed twins, which is a heavy load, and my nipples got very sore and I got clogged ducts. I replaced 2 feedings a day with formula and pumped, and started taking fenugreek and lecithin – no more clogged ducts, my supply seems to be keeping up, and I no longer swear like a longshoreman when my sweet angels latch. 🙂
I had an abdominal binder after my c-section, but I wish someone had told me to wear it ongoing to help get my tummy back in place. At 3 months out, is it too late?
Thanks for the list — wish I had had it 6 months ago. 🙂
Karla, congrats on having a positive nursing relationship with twins! That is impressive!
I’m not sure about the abdominal binding if that would still be helpful at this point or not. I’ve never used one myself and I don’t know that much about them.
Honestly, for me I needed extra sets of sheets and a BUNCH of v neck shirts for sleeping (old navy). I had serious sweating issues while sleeping after the births of my daughters…gross, but apparently pretty common. Did anyone else have night sweats?
Lauren, I’m a very cold natured person with a human heater of a husband, but for the last few weeks I’ve been having to ask him to turn the air down! I absolutely hate night sweats! Gross. I only hope it goes back after I give birth in 4-5 weeks. I never thought I’d miss being cold!
This post was also perfect for me! At almost 35 weeks I’m wrapping up my baby purchases and only just now starting to think “Oh yeah, I might need a few things, too!” Thanks so much for the post and all the great comments! This is my first and I’m a planner, so it’s right up my alley!
26 yr old first time mom here sitting pretty at 35 weeks. I clicked on this by chanceand now I feel almost dumb. I have everything I need for the baby (it’s my husband’s third so getting everything was easy) but never ONCE did I think that maybe I needed something too. I’m the type person that has always trucked through everything and taken care of others until something broken put me in the hospital. Lol! My track record for caring for myself is pretty horrendous. Thank you so much for this list and the rest of you ladies for all the comments. My husband is worried I’ll over do it and hurt myself by not paying attention to myself or what I need. Now maybe I can put his mine at ease. 😉
Kiea, I am so glad you found this post! After the baby is born, you’ll have to come back and report which items were the most helpful to you. Good luck!
Saw this on Pinterest and it has been a true blessing. I just hit 36 weeks today and doctors are going to strip my membranes in two weeks if I’ve started dialating. (Fingers crossed) I need to go grab just a few more things now because of all the suggestions in the comments and this list. Thanks for taking the time to share with the rest of us.
Hi! Regarding what some of you have commented on stool softener and prune juice, I would really like to add my two cents since this did wonders for me. I tore BADLY all the way to the anorectal area (inside and out) so you can imagine all the stitches. It took me 6-8 weeks to get healed and breasted all that time (and up to my baby’s first year). My SAVIOR was papaya in the blender, a big tumbler cup, twice a day. Religiously. In all that time, I never had to push once when in the toilet. I felt I needed to go, I sat down, released a bit and everything was out no problem. Really. AMAZING.
I’ve never been pregnant, but could I also recommend probiotics for mom? Some research (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S104366181200165X) suggests that these probiotics can prevent or treat mastitis, make mom a little more “regular” and begin to develop your baby’s immune system and digestion…
My MIL laughed at me for wanting to buy clothes for post partum she told me not to bother because I would be too fat! I wanted to smack her- nursing bras, nursing tanks, and comfy button up shirts are great. I had a c-section and the best thing I owned was a zip up robe my mom got me from Wal-Mart. A comfy button up dress is a great idea.
Sorry about the insensitive comments you got, Emily. It really is nice to invest in your postpartum body. It makes the extra baby weight easier to deal with and breastfeeding is so much easier!
The best thing for stretch marks is earth mama angel baby stretch oil. I got a few stretch marks with my son they pretty much faded away. However I just had my daughter 7 years later and used this oil almost everyday and did not get any more at all and I gained the same amount of weight. The mama butt balm is awesome too for post partum. I bought some for my SIL. Wonderful for mom!
For those moms who don’t have long hair you can put up, try to get a haircut shortly before baby is born… you won’t need as much time to do your hair in those first few weeks and good hair days help in those first few weeks too.
Lad I stumbled across this.. This is not my first pregnancy but i had a c-section with my first and will be trying VBAC this time. Upon reading this apparently I was not prepared at all to take care of myself if I had had a vaginal delivery the first time! Hopefully, I will be more prepared this time! Better get to the store.. I’m being induced in less than a week!
Thank you so much for this post I am a first time mom due April 21st 2015 with a little girl.:) I’m 22 and don’t have a huge support system of women to provide me with information on postpartum and just like any first time mom I am super anxious about labor and delivery and what happens after that so this has eased my mind a lot and has helped me to prepare. I am a super over préparer so this fills my desire to prepare. Thanks so much!
I here so much about nipple creams and soreness. Maybe I had good latchers which it a big help but I took a breast feeding class with my first and was told to use a wash cloth in the shower to rub my nipple area when I washed. I did use that advice and had some minor “tenderness” the first couple days but never needed creams or ointments. I share this because I believe it helped in preparation for some of the sweetest moments I shared with my babies.
I’m an old (40+ years of practise) RN and our advice in the “old days” was to go bra-less during your last trimester, as much as possible. This will toughen up the nipples nicely. I did it with both (I only had to wear a bra once the milk started coming in because my breasts are small) so breastfeeding was very natural and easy for me. No cracks or soreness. I concur with the face cloth but I think it takes a bit more than that. Also, the best nipple cream is one you make yourself. 1/3 Beeswax, 2/3 extra virgin olive oil and a few drops of lavender essential oil. Melt together in a double boiler and add the drops of lavender at the end. Pour into a jar. This makes a good bum balm as well.
Sheila
Thanks for the post!!! I totally agree with needing a good or rather great bra! A friend told me about http://www.hotmilklingerie.com hands down most comfortable bras EVER!!!!!
I have two words: Yoga . Pants. I wrote on this topic on my blog as well, and trying to wear something like jeans after having a baby is painful!! (Yes, even the maternity jeans) I highly recommend a yoga pant or stretch lounge pants for vaginal AND c section mamas!
This is a really helpful list, thanks! I am going to recommend Earth Mama Bottom Spray. I had a baby last month and it helped my (painful) recovery so much! All of their products are great.
Alisha, Earth Mama Angel Baby sent me some of their products to try when I was pregnant with my son. I ended up having a c-section and didn’t need to use their Mama Bottom Spray. It was disappointing. I’m glad to hear you loved it. I’m not too surprised. I love their stuff!
The bottle says you can use it as a toner too =) I just looked at their website and it says you can use it for puffy eyes, bug bites, sunburn and so on. I love that their products are multi-use! I used the nipple butter to get rid of the rash on my newborn’s cheeks. I am a huge fan now!
Great list! I’m expecting #2 in a little over a month and the one recommendation I would add for nursing tanks would be undercover mamas. They are a nursing tank that actually attach to your nursing bra to turn any nursing bra into a nursing tank. I am in no way affiliated with them, but they are a GREAT product!
Thanks for the reminder – my son is almost 3.5 so it’s been awhile. I need to make my shopping list!
I feel like I was not equipped enough to Handel myself after my first 2 pregnancies. So this time I have added a sitz bath and dermatological numbing spray and self cooling pads. Also tupper ware. So many times I was stuck starving and unable to get up to feed myself. Due to being too tired, too sore, too dizzy, stuck nursing so stocking the fridge with individual mini meals saved me. Cut fruit cut veggies cheese turkey pepperoni or other deli meat 1/2 a sandwich. Anything that I could litterally grab in a second and sit and eat safely over the baby while he ate was a life saver.
I’m having #2 in a few months and even though #1 is only 2, now, i wanted to “refresh” my memory on what i need for me. This list was exactly what i was looking for! even though i read all sorts of lost the first time around, i was simple not prepared for the post-partum phase. Something that i thought of is to not be afraid to use the nurses to your advantage when in the hospital. since i opted for baby to room in with me, i felt like i was imposing to have the nurses take her to the nursery so i could sleep. my biggest advice for the hospital birth, and something i am going to do this time, is to make sure you get to sleep/ rest (its hard because youre so excited after the birth) while in the hospital. so stock up on pads and get some rest!
I purchased some nursing tanks from H&M with my first child, they come in a two pack on sale now for $15!! They actually make them in two color options so I have four pair for $30. They only have a standard shelf bra liner but I’m not big and dont require a ton of support and I always used my merino wool nursing pads with these tanks. I pinned it on pinterest and I bet in a year and a half I have had it re-pinned close to 500 times! http://www.hm.com/us/product/23558?article=23558-A&cm_mmc=pla-_-us-_-ladies_maternity_wear_nursing-_-23558&gclid=CIX8u6nB-b0CFbFFMgod-gIAOA
Omg thank you so much for this list 😉 I’m in my third trimester and I’ve been doing research from how to calm a fussy baby to freezer meals but I haven’t exactly thought of my postpartum body. So this really helped.
Get the tucks pads anyway it helps with swelling down there. Also a can of dermaplast for any open cuts to keep it clean you don’t want an infection there. Get a good supply of tyneol and iubrophen as your going to need it and you don’t want to run out. So I buy the really big bottles. Therma care menstruals are great for after birth cramps. You walk around with your own private heating pad. For Pads Tena overnights are better. they are just like those super big hospital ones. Also great for that first cycle following baby when it is HEAVY!!! Some people swell bad after birth. it’s from the iv fluids I always make sure I have a water pill even the over the counter brand just in case. I would say those are my top must haves that weren’t on your list. Oh plan to be very hungry and thirsty I was. I out ate hubs for about 2 weeks. Source :I’m a mom to many!!!!
The part about nursing bra sizing was not true for me at all. If I had been fitted at the time you suggest in this post, I would have been very upset to find that my new bras would not have fit at all! The best advice I received came from my friend/doula, who suggested I wait about 2 weeks postpartum (or whenever any engorgement had gone down) to determine what size I needed. My sizes changed like this: “A” pre-pregnancy, “B” during pregnancy, “DDD” (or maybe larger – I was outrageously engorged!!!) for about 2 weeks postpartum, then things finally settled down to a “C.” For those 2-3 weeks of engorgement I couldn’t even wear bras. I just had to wear camisoles all the time to hold my nursing pads in place.
All of the other suggestions are very helpful though! I’ve also been thinking of trying Earth Mama this time around. What did you like better about that compared to the lanolin?
[…] to cook right away will save me a lot of hassle in the first few weeks! 8. Although this list of 14 Things You Need for Your Postpartum Body bums me out (and scares me a little to be honest!) I know that post-birth, I will appreciate being […]
[…] Too many people prepare for the baby, but don’t think to prepare for what mom will need postpartum: 14 Things You Need for Your Postpartum Body […]
I needed this 2 1/2 year’s ago! But its helpful none the less. All so true! I also would like to add an obseen amount of tissues. I had some serious emotional hormone issues for the first week or so. The tissues were everywhere.
Haha! So true!! I cried about everything after having Grace.
Instead of undies and pads just use depends! They were recommended to me and I doubted them, but they were awesome! I recommend or just buy them for others now!
Lindsay, now that you say that I do remember someone suggesting that to me! I never took the plunge myself. Maybe I’ll be brave enough to try it with #3. If there IS a #3! Ha!
Ok, I have never heard that tip, but after that I just had to share: I had a baby and had given away my maxi pads (tiny apartment, didn’t need them for 9 months, etc.). I had never asked my husband to buy hygiene stuff for me before, but I asked him to then! He asked what kind, I said “Always, it’s green usually, but any brand.” He called from the store, saying he didn’t see it, didn’t see anything I was describing or the brands I was suggesting. I said, “well really anything that says “overnight.”
Now, when he buys baby wipes he buys the case. He buys the diapers in big boxes. So when he came home with a really big bag of pads, I just said “huh,” to myself & didn’t think anything of it, until…I was on the toilet. I reached over, opened it up, saw the behemoth pad-things, and realized where I’d seen the brand “Poise” before….
I started laughing so hard that my sister came in to see why. I had to tell my husband he’d bought me incontinence pads instead. I didn’t use them, but now I guess I can tell him I could have!
Oh my word! What a hilarious story!!!
I second Lindsay with the depends! They cover everything and if you don’t quite “make it” to the bathroom, because you will be sore and achy, you don’t have to be terrified of having an additional potty mess! (I have 4 plus one on the way and have used them for my last 2). Because, let’s face it, everyone forgets to do their kegals! You will only need them for the first 2-3 days and then can switch to pads, but I HIGHLY recommend them for hospital stay!
Secondly I would recommend the coolies gel pads for your nipples!
Any guess what I started doing right after reading this, Cortney? 😉
Me too! LOL
I second the tissues. I was a hormonal mess after my daughter was born and the tissues at the hospital were like sandpaper. I also needed Chapstick because my lips were dry from labor breathing. I’d also say comfortable clothes for the hospital. I wore the hospital gown day one, but wanted to be in my own clothes day two. It made me feel better to be in my clothes. Great list.
YES!! I felt so much better in my own clothes. My hospital had special nursing gowns that were convenient, but I was always nervous I might slip out of it in the font!
Witch hazel for vaginal birth! Soak a pad or depends and put it in the freezer for cooling relief. Also, I have just been reading that pineapple juice is great for reducing inflammation and helping with breastfeeding so I have been stocking up for my upcoming due date. Lastly, herbal postpartum bath mix. My midwifes drew one for me at the birth center and this time I am stocking it to have again at home because it is so nice.
Bek, this might be a dumb question. Are you drinking the pineapple juice? Is that how you use it?
Totally fair question! 😉 But yes, drink it. I actually broke into my supply early because I am suddenly combatting hemorrhoids in the last few weeks of pregnancy and kids woke with sore throats (its got great enzymes for killing those germs in the throat) so we are all drinking it. If I had the energy, I’d be using it in smoothies right now along with chlorophyll, veggies, fruit and probiotics but lately, its been a drink-straight-from-the-bottle kind of week 😉
Haha! My mom heard the same thing about pineapple – though she herd it was the actual fruit in stead of the juice, and she had me eat tons of pineapple before hacing my wisdom teeth out. Lets just say it didnt help, but I sure enjoyed eating it. I will have try drinking the juice if that makes a difference. I am about to have my first. Sooo excited to be done!
Best of luck to you with your first baby! What an exciting time in life!!
Yes to all of this! (And I will try the pineapple juice!) Just wanted to add that I didn’t get a bath mix, but the midwife said to use rosemary. So I had a couple of rosemary baths, and liked them.
I agree with the tissues!! I cried for several weeks after my son was born.
I also had some prune and apple juice on hand to help with that first bowel movement, and that helped so much! Along with that, I also used baby wipes to clean myself up after that bm. And keep your phone near… I had to call my husband to help me get up from the potty because I was sitting there for so long.
Haha! Yes! Cell phones are also a must!
This is a great list. The only thing I can think of is to make sure to have pain medication on hand for the afterbirth pains while you’re nursing. I’m not one for taking pain medication, but this is one time I do. I want to be comfortable and relaxed to help get nursing off to a good start.
Good point, Jennifer. After birth pains can be really tough for some women!
YES! I would definitely add that as one of the most important ones. They get worse with each child. With my first i don’t remember having a ton… just the first day or two when i breastfed. Then my second came along and i thought “holy smokes! why didn’t anybody warn me about these” I took an “after ease” tincture my midwife gave me as well as a tylenol every couple of hours… for the first week!
Now i’m sitting here overdue with baby #3 and well armed with my after pain meds.
Actually, what a friend recommended is Lavender and Frankincense essential oils in some warm water and soaking a rag in it. Then wringing out the rag and placing directly on the abdomen to ease the pain. A nice gently natural way to ease the after pains. 🙂 We’ll see how well it works hopefully in the next few days!
(i still have my tincture and tylenol on hand as a back up 😉
Can you please explain how the nursing tank tops make nursing easier around other people? I think I’m missing something. Thanks!! 🙂 Great article!!!
Certainly, Sherri! When I nurse my babies I usually lift my shirt up rather than pulling it down under my breast. When I lift my shirt up my stomach and back are exposed. I’m not a fan of showing off my postpartum tummy while I’m breastfeeding. So I like to wear a nursing tank top under my shirts.
I pull my regular shirt up. Then I unclip my nursing tank & bra and pull those down. My little ones latch on and we are good to go without exposing more skin than I feel comfortable with.
With my first born, I used a nursing cover a lot when I breastfed in public. With my second born, I hardly did at all. I felt more comfortable. Plus I realized that my shirt pulled up covered the top part of my breast, my nursing tank covered my back & stomach, and my baby’s head covered the rest of my breast.
I hope this clears things up!
Okay! Now it makes sense!!! I’m a “tad” too concrete sometimes and all I could think of was how is wearing that little thing (alone, I thought) going to show less?” Thanks so much! 🙂
No problem, Sherri!
This was a great list! I would add ice packs for those mama who do NOT nurse…when your milk supply comes in and it can be painful…so ice packs and the tightest sports bra you can find. 🙂
That is a good point, Christina. I’ve breastfed both of my children and then we weaned so slowly that I never struggled with engorgement. However, I’ve heard it can be quite painful. Did you try cabbage leaves? Does that work or is it just an old wives tale?
My midwife told me about cabbage leaves and I thought she was crazy, but they work! I have used them for my last 3 babies and it felt great. You will smell like salad, but just remember to change them often.
I just found this on pinterest, and usually wouldn’t comment , but this is such a great list I thought I would add my 2cents before perusing some of your other articles…
Get a jar of extra virgin coconut oil, for mom it can be used rather than nipple cream (and doesn’t need to be washed off before nursing like other creams), is great for stretch marks both preventatively and as a treatment, and eases hemorrhoids naturally too. For baby that same oil is the perfect bum cream (that is even cloth diaper safe), after bath lotion, and one of the only all natural cures for both thrush rash(think really bad really stubborn bum rash that makes both your little one and you cry at every change) and cradle cap.
Also use the tummy splint or anything similar (moby wrap or random long piece of cloth) to wrap around your tummy postpartum for the first 1-2 weeks. Eliminates the jelly feeling you get when your organs are trying to get back to their previous homes, and you will be amazed how quickly that one little thing helps slim you down. It’s not all weight some of that postpartum mommy look is simple distribution, and wrapping helps immensely.
Angela
Angela, thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment. I’m a fan of coconut oil, so I especially appreciate you leaving these tips. Thank you!
A great nightlight for late night feedings. Hand soap for you and all your guests, and to pair with that an awesome hand cream. You wash your hands a lot so it is helpful to have those in hand too! Thanks for a great list!
I remember buy a “natural” hand sanitizer and having it close by for guests. Good tip, Stacy!
The Tucks pads are really great even if you don’t get hemorrhoids. I didn’t get them, but I did tear and need stitches. These were very soothing to the area.
Also, the nursing tank tops/nursing pads combo was above and beyond the most essential factor in comfortable, convenient breast feeding. The My Breast Friend nursing cushion was far better for me than the Boppy pillow because the MBF cushion goes all the way around and buckles so it stays put.
Additionally, I am allergic to lanolin but definitely needed a cream. I used Dr. Jack Newman’s All-Purpose Nipple Ointment. It requires a prescription, but your baby’s pediatrician will write it for you, no problem. It’s Lanolin-free, medicated to heal your nipples, and totally safe for baby.
Good luck, new mamas!
The nipple cream from Earth Mama Angel Baby that I mentioned in the post is also lanolin free and it doesn’t require a prescription just incase that ends up being an issue for anyone. I hadn’t even thought of those with lanolin allergies, Aliza. Thanks for adding that!
A woman in my Bible study said “Here, you’ll need these!” and just handed me a half-full tub of Tucks. My goodness, she was right. I did in fact have hemorrhoids but like you said, I was using them because of all the stitches. (I actually wore them over my maxi pads, which probably isn’t what anyone pictured.) I’d recommend them to everyone.
I found out the hard way that anyone allergic or sensitive to WOOL, will also have problems with lanolin! It’s because lanolin is a wool derivative.
Just want to give everyone a heads up to avoid making a bad situation (sore nipples) much worse!
This is exactly why I’ve stocked up on coconut oil, just have to remember to mention it to the nurses & lactation consultant when the time comes. (Due in 12 days)
Ive got a question for all you moms out there… I’m a first time mom at 20 and I’ve been stressing about all the stretch marks that have appeared on my stomach! Ive been using cocoa butter and its not doing too much to prevent them or make them look any better. Is there something I can use while/after I’m pregnant to get rid of them or at least make them not as noticeable?
I’m sorry about the stretch marks, Rebekah. Sadly, getting (or not getting) stretch marks as a lot to do with genetics and luck. I don’t have any personal experience with a product that reduces the look of stretch marks, but hopefully another mom will have some advice for you. Give it some time though. After awhile the redness of the stretch marks will fade. They will turn white/silvery. They probably won’t ever go away, but they will be less noticeable.
My stretch marks never got bad, but tanning (in the sun, not in a salon)can help reduce the appearance of stretch marks and scars.
I highly recommend Earth Mama Angel Baby Natural Stretch Oil (don’t get it confused with their baby oil)
I’ve been using it this time around (3rd pregnancy) and so far I don’t have any new stretch marks at 35 weeks. I also think it’s slowly fading the old stretch marks I have from my previous pregnancies…plus it feels and smells wonderful!
Emily, I’ve used it and it IS wonderful! It smells fantastic.
Rebekah,
I use almond oil, you can buy it at GNC stores for like $10 a bottle. Apply it after you get out of the shower (on the mat so you don’t slip) with your skin wet. I’ve applied it religiously everyday. I gained and then lost 30 pounds (not being pregnant) and it worked. Now I’m due next week with my first baby and not a single stretch mark! I might have good skin, but is all about keeping your skin hydrated. Stretch marks will fade easier when they are pink so you still have time to help your skin. Good luck!
Rebekah, I have used Bio-Oil and its worked wonders for me. When I was younger I grew pretty much over night and had really bad stretch marks on my chest and thighs. I tried tons of things to get rid of them… It really helped to fade the marks. They aren’t completely gone but look MUCH better. I have been putting it on my preggo belly now and no stretch marks yet. Hopefully it works for you too!
I am a first time mom too – due in about 3 weeks – and I have been using Organic Jojoba Oil by Desert Essence on my stomach. It is super hydrating and rubs in really nicely and doesn’t leave an oily residue (it does for about 5 min – but soaks in real quick). I never got stretch marks, but I am believing its because I have used this everyday when I get out of the shower. It could be worth a shot to help your skin repair itself! I get it cheapest on iherb.com where one bottle is $11. The bottle is little and might seem expensive, but it lasts FOREVER because a little bit goes a long way! I use it on my face as a moisturizer and it only takes 2-3 drops. For my stomach I just put about a dime-nickel size amount in my hand and rub it in!
Thanks for the tip!
Bio oil is what i used. And just an addition personal thought, during pregnancy I went up a band size but not a cup size (ex. 36 D to 38 C) after the birth my band size immediately dropped back down but because of the milk coming in the cup size increase (36 DD) so buying a nursing bra can be complicated if youre unsure your original size, or have never been measured. Every brand and store may vary in their techniques as well. I would have been swamped had i not known from previous job experience.
One thing I would change is the recommendation robot get tucks pads before if you don’t have hemrhoids. I had an absolutely horrible experience with them and it is worth it to have them on hand for immediate use in case you need them. Also one other thing I’m not sure if anyone else mentioned is frozen pads my midwife actually filled a baby diaper with ice for me and it made a world of difference!!
Also I see something that hasn’t been mentioned but I could have not lived without for all three of mine is the lil squirt bottle they give you at the hospital to help you clean yourself and lots of wipes. No way I wanted to be wiping with reg toilet paper to get myself clean plus I always felt cleaner when I used wipes & I would fill the squirt bottle with warm water and it eased the pain for me.
YES. Peri bottles are ESSENTIAL!!!!!! (I have a friend who said she swiped as many from the hospital as she could for fear she’d have to be without one! Just having one worked for me.)
I appreciate this list! Thank you also for everyone who commented, too! I had a horrible time with soreness from breast feeding after having my first baby. The lactation nurse at the hospital had told me about using cabbage leaves, so I tried it when nothing else worked. I was amazed! It actually worked! I just place a cold cabbage leaf or two on each breast in my nursing tank (sometimes paired with nursing pads-cabbage closest to my skin) and in about 10 minutes the intense pain subsided. I removed the leaves once they became wilted – about 20 minutes or so. One thing I would mention about the stool softeners is that I felt comfortable taking them for a couple weeks following my c-section. They just seemed to help. But I found out later from my daughter’s pediatrician the stool softener I was taking travels through breast milk. This ended up being a detriment to my daughter who lost too much weight from nursing alone. I ended up having to suppliment with formula to boost her weight from the effect the stool softener had on her body. So I would say, stool softener is your friend, but don’t rely on it too long like I did. I think the prune juice sounds like an excellent alternative, since it is fiber based and I don’t believe it will travel through breast milk.
Lisa, thank you so much for that word of caution about the stool softeners. It is so important to be careful about what we put in our bodies when we are breastfeeding. Thank you!
Awesome list… Don’t know if I had just an awesome hospital but they sent me home with almost everything on the list… Maxi pads, stool softner script, tucks and best of all and not on the list Dermoplast to go along with the tucks. It keeps the stitches numb along with tucks and is 100% okay in vaginal area… Hospital supplied mine and the can lasted as long as my stitches did…. I loved it!
Amber, I used Dermoplast with after my first birth. It was very helpful. Thanks for the reminder!
Ladies! Thank you so much for this list and your helpful suggestions. This is my first and I always like to be prepared, some of this stuff I didn’t even think of!
Thanks again!
Hannah, you are the EXACT reason why I wrote this post! I am so glad it was helpful for you!!
Sorry, I didn’t read all of the comments, but did anyone mention cabbage for when your milk comes in? We also used it on our daughter who had little inflamed nipple buds.
Instead of nipple cream, you can express breast milk and rub it on your nipple after each feeding. It heals fast and is all natural!
Good tip, Karen. I did that from time to time.
Thank you so much for this list and for the additional comments to supplement! I’m pregnant with my first baby and this will come in very handy for the planner in me!
Best of luck to you with your pregnancy, Rebecca!
Target now has nursing tanks made by Bravado for $25 dollars plus they have light tummy compression to make things look smoother. Also i lived in depends after Having both of my babies, it saved a lot of my pants and I didn’t have to ruin any underwear, they make them a lot thinner now so you really couldn’t tell even un tighter yoga pants!
Rebecca, do Target’s Bravado nursing tanks have a shelf bra in them or a regular bra?
It’s a shelf bra which I usually don’t like but it’s actually pretty supportive. I’m a G cup and they way They are designed surprisingly gives me some support. I literally live in them everyday and they wash well too!
I think Bravado’s big thing is providing support. I’m not too surprised that their shelf bra is better than most. Thanks for the tip!
A dear friend whose baby is about 6 months older than my twins gave me an assortment of things at my baby shower, including a snap-clip nursing tank (the Gillian and O’Malley brand from Target), some Lansinoh gel nipple pads, and a bottle of fenugreek capsules. One of the first things I did when I finally left the house at 3 weeks was to buy 2 more of those nursing tanks, and I need to buy a few more. The gel pads are absorbent and cooling, and can be used over and over. I don’t leave the house without them. They are both ESSENTIAL for breastfeeding mamas, IMHO. Also, I was trying to essentially exclusively breastfeed twins, which is a heavy load, and my nipples got very sore and I got clogged ducts. I replaced 2 feedings a day with formula and pumped, and started taking fenugreek and lecithin – no more clogged ducts, my supply seems to be keeping up, and I no longer swear like a longshoreman when my sweet angels latch. 🙂
I had an abdominal binder after my c-section, but I wish someone had told me to wear it ongoing to help get my tummy back in place. At 3 months out, is it too late?
Thanks for the list — wish I had had it 6 months ago. 🙂
Karla, congrats on having a positive nursing relationship with twins! That is impressive!
I’m not sure about the abdominal binding if that would still be helpful at this point or not. I’ve never used one myself and I don’t know that much about them.
Regarding the binding and restoring core health, the absolute best information ever is at the site fit2b.us !!!! 🙂
Honestly, for me I needed extra sets of sheets and a BUNCH of v neck shirts for sleeping (old navy). I had serious sweating issues while sleeping after the births of my daughters…gross, but apparently pretty common. Did anyone else have night sweats?
I had bad night sweats after my second baby, but I didn’t experience that at all the first time around. I was really surprised by it!
Lauren, I’m a very cold natured person with a human heater of a husband, but for the last few weeks I’ve been having to ask him to turn the air down! I absolutely hate night sweats! Gross. I only hope it goes back after I give birth in 4-5 weeks. I never thought I’d miss being cold!
This post was also perfect for me! At almost 35 weeks I’m wrapping up my baby purchases and only just now starting to think “Oh yeah, I might need a few things, too!” Thanks so much for the post and all the great comments! This is my first and I’m a planner, so it’s right up my alley!
Anna, I am so glad this post was helpful to you! You are exactly the type of mom I was hoping to help. Best of luck with your little one!
26 yr old first time mom here sitting pretty at 35 weeks. I clicked on this by chanceand now I feel almost dumb. I have everything I need for the baby (it’s my husband’s third so getting everything was easy) but never ONCE did I think that maybe I needed something too. I’m the type person that has always trucked through everything and taken care of others until something broken put me in the hospital. Lol! My track record for caring for myself is pretty horrendous. Thank you so much for this list and the rest of you ladies for all the comments. My husband is worried I’ll over do it and hurt myself by not paying attention to myself or what I need. Now maybe I can put his mine at ease. 😉
Kiea, I am so glad you found this post! After the baby is born, you’ll have to come back and report which items were the most helpful to you. Good luck!
Saw this on Pinterest and it has been a true blessing. I just hit 36 weeks today and doctors are going to strip my membranes in two weeks if I’ve started dialating. (Fingers crossed) I need to go grab just a few more things now because of all the suggestions in the comments and this list. Thanks for taking the time to share with the rest of us.
Best of luck to you, Jennifer! I hope you have a safe and healthy delivery. Enjoy your new little one!
Hi! Regarding what some of you have commented on stool softener and prune juice, I would really like to add my two cents since this did wonders for me. I tore BADLY all the way to the anorectal area (inside and out) so you can imagine all the stitches. It took me 6-8 weeks to get healed and breasted all that time (and up to my baby’s first year). My SAVIOR was papaya in the blender, a big tumbler cup, twice a day. Religiously. In all that time, I never had to push once when in the toilet. I felt I needed to go, I sat down, released a bit and everything was out no problem. Really. AMAZING.
I’ve never heard of using papaya as a stool softener! Thanks, Claudia!
That’s what we use in the whole of Latin America. More than prunes, meds, etc. it’s our number one go-to remedy for this!
I’ve never been pregnant, but could I also recommend probiotics for mom? Some research (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S104366181200165X) suggests that these probiotics can prevent or treat mastitis, make mom a little more “regular” and begin to develop your baby’s immune system and digestion…
Honestly, I think everyone could probably benefit from some probiotics. Good suggestion.
My MIL laughed at me for wanting to buy clothes for post partum she told me not to bother because I would be too fat! I wanted to smack her- nursing bras, nursing tanks, and comfy button up shirts are great. I had a c-section and the best thing I owned was a zip up robe my mom got me from Wal-Mart. A comfy button up dress is a great idea.
Sorry about the insensitive comments you got, Emily. It really is nice to invest in your postpartum body. It makes the extra baby weight easier to deal with and breastfeeding is so much easier!
The best thing for stretch marks is earth mama angel baby stretch oil. I got a few stretch marks with my son they pretty much faded away. However I just had my daughter 7 years later and used this oil almost everyday and did not get any more at all and I gained the same amount of weight. The mama butt balm is awesome too for post partum. I bought some for my SIL. Wonderful for mom!
haha forget big underwear. I just wear depends lmao
I’ve heard of that! It is a great tip.
For those moms who don’t have long hair you can put up, try to get a haircut shortly before baby is born… you won’t need as much time to do your hair in those first few weeks and good hair days help in those first few weeks too.
Lad I stumbled across this.. This is not my first pregnancy but i had a c-section with my first and will be trying VBAC this time. Upon reading this apparently I was not prepared at all to take care of myself if I had had a vaginal delivery the first time! Hopefully, I will be more prepared this time! Better get to the store.. I’m being induced in less than a week!
Thank you so much for this post I am a first time mom due April 21st 2015 with a little girl.:) I’m 22 and don’t have a huge support system of women to provide me with information on postpartum and just like any first time mom I am super anxious about labor and delivery and what happens after that so this has eased my mind a lot and has helped me to prepare. I am a super over préparer so this fills my desire to prepare. Thanks so much!
I am happy to help! Best of luck with your new little one.
I here so much about nipple creams and soreness. Maybe I had good latchers which it a big help but I took a breast feeding class with my first and was told to use a wash cloth in the shower to rub my nipple area when I washed. I did use that advice and had some minor “tenderness” the first couple days but never needed creams or ointments. I share this because I believe it helped in preparation for some of the sweetest moments I shared with my babies.
That is such an interesting tip, Teressa. I’ve never heard that before, but it makes sense. Thank you so much for sharing it!
I’m an old (40+ years of practise) RN and our advice in the “old days” was to go bra-less during your last trimester, as much as possible. This will toughen up the nipples nicely. I did it with both (I only had to wear a bra once the milk started coming in because my breasts are small) so breastfeeding was very natural and easy for me. No cracks or soreness. I concur with the face cloth but I think it takes a bit more than that. Also, the best nipple cream is one you make yourself. 1/3 Beeswax, 2/3 extra virgin olive oil and a few drops of lavender essential oil. Melt together in a double boiler and add the drops of lavender at the end. Pour into a jar. This makes a good bum balm as well.
Sheila
Thanks for the post!!! I totally agree with needing a good or rather great bra! A friend told me about http://www.hotmilklingerie.com hands down most comfortable bras EVER!!!!!
I have two words: Yoga . Pants. I wrote on this topic on my blog as well, and trying to wear something like jeans after having a baby is painful!! (Yes, even the maternity jeans) I highly recommend a yoga pant or stretch lounge pants for vaginal AND c section mamas!
Yes, yes, yes. New mamas should LIVE in comfy pants!
This is a really helpful list, thanks! I am going to recommend Earth Mama Bottom Spray. I had a baby last month and it helped my (painful) recovery so much! All of their products are great.
Alisha, Earth Mama Angel Baby sent me some of their products to try when I was pregnant with my son. I ended up having a c-section and didn’t need to use their Mama Bottom Spray. It was disappointing. I’m glad to hear you loved it. I’m not too surprised. I love their stuff!
The bottle says you can use it as a toner too =) I just looked at their website and it says you can use it for puffy eyes, bug bites, sunburn and so on. I love that their products are multi-use! I used the nipple butter to get rid of the rash on my newborn’s cheeks. I am a huge fan now!
Great list! I’m expecting #2 in a little over a month and the one recommendation I would add for nursing tanks would be undercover mamas. They are a nursing tank that actually attach to your nursing bra to turn any nursing bra into a nursing tank. I am in no way affiliated with them, but they are a GREAT product!
Thanks for the reminder – my son is almost 3.5 so it’s been awhile. I need to make my shopping list!
I’ve never tried that kind of nursing tank. Thanks for the tip!
I feel like I was not equipped enough to Handel myself after my first 2 pregnancies. So this time I have added a sitz bath and dermatological numbing spray and self cooling pads. Also tupper ware. So many times I was stuck starving and unable to get up to feed myself. Due to being too tired, too sore, too dizzy, stuck nursing so stocking the fridge with individual mini meals saved me. Cut fruit cut veggies cheese turkey pepperoni or other deli meat 1/2 a sandwich. Anything that I could litterally grab in a second and sit and eat safely over the baby while he ate was a life saver.
Mini meals in the fridge is a brilliant idea!
I’m having #2 in a few months and even though #1 is only 2, now, i wanted to “refresh” my memory on what i need for me. This list was exactly what i was looking for! even though i read all sorts of lost the first time around, i was simple not prepared for the post-partum phase. Something that i thought of is to not be afraid to use the nurses to your advantage when in the hospital. since i opted for baby to room in with me, i felt like i was imposing to have the nurses take her to the nursery so i could sleep. my biggest advice for the hospital birth, and something i am going to do this time, is to make sure you get to sleep/ rest (its hard because youre so excited after the birth) while in the hospital. so stock up on pads and get some rest!
I am glad you found my list so helpful! You are exactly the type of mom that I wrote it for. 🙂
I purchased some nursing tanks from H&M with my first child, they come in a two pack on sale now for $15!! They actually make them in two color options so I have four pair for $30. They only have a standard shelf bra liner but I’m not big and dont require a ton of support and I always used my merino wool nursing pads with these tanks. I pinned it on pinterest and I bet in a year and a half I have had it re-pinned close to 500 times!
http://www.hm.com/us/product/23558?article=23558-A&cm_mmc=pla-_-us-_-ladies_maternity_wear_nursing-_-23558&gclid=CIX8u6nB-b0CFbFFMgod-gIAOA
Wonderful! Thanks, Kelly.
Omg thank you so much for this list 😉 I’m in my third trimester and I’ve been doing research from how to calm a fussy baby to freezer meals but I haven’t exactly thought of my postpartum body. So this really helped.
Best of luck to you with your new little one. I’m glad this post was helpful.
Get the tucks pads anyway it helps with swelling down there. Also a can of dermaplast for any open cuts to keep it clean you don’t want an infection there. Get a good supply of tyneol and iubrophen as your going to need it and you don’t want to run out. So I buy the really big bottles. Therma care menstruals are great for after birth cramps. You walk around with your own private heating pad. For Pads Tena overnights are better. they are just like those super big hospital ones. Also great for that first cycle following baby when it is HEAVY!!! Some people swell bad after birth. it’s from the iv fluids I always make sure I have a water pill even the over the counter brand just in case. I would say those are my top must haves that weren’t on your list. Oh plan to be very hungry and thirsty I was. I out ate hubs for about 2 weeks. Source :I’m a mom to many!!!!
Thank you, Shelly, for sharing all of your wisdom!!
The part about nursing bra sizing was not true for me at all. If I had been fitted at the time you suggest in this post, I would have been very upset to find that my new bras would not have fit at all! The best advice I received came from my friend/doula, who suggested I wait about 2 weeks postpartum (or whenever any engorgement had gone down) to determine what size I needed. My sizes changed like this: “A” pre-pregnancy, “B” during pregnancy, “DDD” (or maybe larger – I was outrageously engorged!!!) for about 2 weeks postpartum, then things finally settled down to a “C.” For those 2-3 weeks of engorgement I couldn’t even wear bras. I just had to wear camisoles all the time to hold my nursing pads in place.
All of the other suggestions are very helpful though! I’ve also been thinking of trying Earth Mama this time around. What did you like better about that compared to the lanolin?
Paper plates/cups/bowls/napkins/cutlery! You do not want to have to do dishes after birth!