Postpartum Recovery Must-Haves
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There’s a lot of talk about what items you need for baby, labor & delivery, breastfeeding, and life with a newborn. But people often skip over the postpartum recovery part for mom. Maybe because that’s the time that your needs immediately take a backseat to baby’s (and probably everyone else’s – not that they should), or because it’s an uncomfortable topic to discuss openly (stitches, bleeding, hemorrhoids, oh my!). But it really should get more air time because it’s no joke. You’ve just pushed something like 1,000 times bigger than a tampon out of your vagina and it can take the average new mom at least 3-6 weeks to heal.
Everyone is different and has a different birth experience, so this is my personal list of items I found useful in the days and weeks after bringing my baby born. I had “mild tearing” according to my OB, but in 4 places (not sure how that was considered mild?!), and also got bad hemorrhoids (sooo fun), and bled for about 4 weeks. I was so overjoyed to have my healthy baby home with me that going through the physical recovery wasn’t torture, but there were definitely some things that made me feel more comfortable. I’ve also included a few items for adjusting to breastfeeding, because your nipples will likely get very sore in the first few days as they get used to an adorable parasite sucking the life out of them. There are asterisks next to items the hospital might provide – I still preferred the specific ones I listed and liked having everything ready by the time I got home, but you can always wait and see if you’re fine with what you get during your stay.
Postpartum Must-Haves
Always Discreet Underwear – I thought it would be another 40 years before I needed these, but they were great for the first few days/nights when you’re bleeding more heavily, and surprisingly comfortable to wear.
Maxi pads* – you’ll need these for a few weeks (you can get extras from the hospital but you still may need more, and I prefer the thin but absorbent kind over the old-school thick ones the hospital usually provides).
High-Waisted Postpartum Underwear – these aren’t necessarily a total must-have if you deliver vaginally, but I found them soooo comfortable; and I continued wearing them later on during my period and second pregnancy.
MomWasher Peri Bottle by Fridababy* – the hospital will likely give you a squirt bottle, but I liked how this one is angled to help you really “get up in there” (front and back)
Earth Mama Herbal Perineal Spray* – the hospital should give you Dermoplast, which is stronger and more numbing for the beginning, but I liked this more natural one for the few weeks after
Thayers Alcohol-Free Lavender Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera (see “padsicles” recipe below)
Tucks Cooling Pads* – for those super fun hemorrhoids that 1 out of 3 women get during pregnancy/labor
Doughnut Pillow* – the hospital let me take home a blow-up one, which I used for about 3 weeks (even on the couch!), but a foam one like this looks a lot more comfortable
Motrin/Advil, Tylenol, Colace (check with doc before taking any meds) – the hospital gave me this stuff during my stay, and I found that I needed the meds at home for another few weeks
Motherlove Organic Herbal Nipple Cream* – the hospital had Lansinoh Lanolin Cream that I could use, but I preferred this more natural one since the baby will be sucking on it; and it also seemed to work the best for me
Medela Soothing Gel Pads or Lansinoh Soothies – put them in the freezer and they’re great for sore nipples
Lansinoh Stay Dry Disposable Nursing Pads – I did not turn out to be a leaker, but many women are and find these helpful so you don’t ruin bras/shirts with breastmilk stains and aren’t sporting lovely streak marks in public
Nursing Sleep Bra – this was something I didn’t know I needed until I really needed them, and then they couldn’t come fast enough; in hindsight, I even wished I’d pre-purchased them to wear during pregnancy because they’re so much more comfortable than regular nursing bras – but they still went to very good use during postpartum because I wore them 24/7 for months
Nursing Pajamas – huge fan of all things Kindred Bravely, because they’re great quality, so comfortable, and they have amazing customer service (they’ll take anything back, even if you’ve worn it); I only bought the shorts version of their pajamas but am definitely getting a couple pairs of these long pants one for the next time around, because they look respectable enough to wear even when visitors come over
High-Waisted Leggings – you can get something like this from a bunch of different stores, or even just keep wearing your maternity leggings as long as you like (it feels good to “contain” your stomach while you’re healing, and not to have anything digging into it); I lived in the TNA Atmosphere Pant from Aritzia (this cozy fabric version was perfect for winter, and I can’t get enough of this supersoft legging version is amazing year-round)
Diaper Caddy – to make a portable nursing/feeding station that you can keep near you so you don’t get trapped under a nursing/sleeping baby with no food, water or entertainment; I filled mine with:
Snacks that were easy to eat one-handed (trail mix, granola bars, lactation cookies – see recipe below)
Water bottle – you need to hydrate a ton if you’re breastfeeding and you’ll appreciate one that you can use one-handed like the Thermo Nissan Intak Hydration Water Bottle or Contigo Stainless Steel Water Bottle)
Nipple cream
Nursing pads
Burp cloths
Books/magazines
TV remote control (helllo, Netflix)
*Hospital usually provides these items or something similar; I preferred the specific items I listed, but you could always wait to purchase until after you get home to see if you really need/want them.
And here are a few additional items that friends who had C-Sections recommended:
High-Waisted Postpartum Underwear – these are apparently a must-have during C-Section recovery because regular underwear can hit right where the scar is; the Mommy Matters Postpartum Underwear would also work well for this
Compression Socks – friends said that your legs can swell after a C-Section and that these helped a lot (you can also use them during pregnancy if you’re getting swelling or taking a long flight)
Abdominal Belly Binder – for me, just the high-waisted leggings were enough but after a C-Section (or even for some vaginal births, e.g., if you had twins or a large baby), you may need something more to “contain”; the Belly Bandit is the one I’ve heard recommended most frequently, or you can check with your OB to see if there’s one they’d recommend
Scar Cream – I’d ask your OB what they’d recommend
Mom Crew has put together a printable Postpartum Supplies Checklist to help you prepare, so that you have everything you need when you get home from the hospital with baby.
Important Notes:
This blog only addresses physical postpartum recovery, but if you’re not feeling so great mentally/emotionally (something beyond the emotional swings or spontaneous tears that the days after birth can bring while your hormones level out), don’t hesitate to seek out professional help. There is absolutely no shame in it and it’s not because anything is wrong with you or the baby – it is only about hormones that are out of your control, and it’s in everyone’s best interest to get help sooner rather than later. If you’re not sure if what you’re feeling is “normal,” it’s still a good idea to talk to someone just in case, because it can be hard to view ourselves objectively, especially when we’re sleep-deprived, emotional, and going through a major life change. In addition to private therapists, there are some great PPD centers and resources here in NYC, including The Motherhood Center and the Seleni Institue. Or you can always call your OB or Pediatrician to help point you in the right direction for the right type of care.
In addition to these useful products, sometimes a little more help is needed for a full recovery if you get diastasis recti (where your ab muscles split a significant amount during pregnancy) or develop pelvic floor issues (which can cause pain or cause you to continue peeing your pants post-pregnancy). If you think you’re experiencing any issues, be sure to ask your OB at the postpartum visit (usually 6-8 weeks after giving birth) and they can help you determine if physical therapy might be needed.
I am not a doctor or medical professional of any kind; these are just my personal thoughts and recommendations based on personal experience. Always be sure to check with your doctor about any health-related issues.
Padsicles Recipe
Take a thick old-school maxi pad out of the wrapper
Pour some Thayers witch hazel on it
Fold it back up and put it back in the wrapper
Stick in a Ziplock and freeze
Put in underwear after getting home from the hospital and say “ahhhh”
Lactation Cookies Recipe
“Major Milk Makin’ Cookies” ~ recipe by Kathleen Major
1-½ cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
¾ cup almond butter or peanut butter
½ cup butter, softened
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 Tbsp brewer’s yeast
1 cup flax
2 large eggs
⅓ cup water
2 cups chocolate chips (or 1 cup chocolate chips + 1 cup raisins)
1 cup chopped nuts of your choice (e.g., walnuts)
1-¾ cup oats
Preheat oven to 350° F. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat almond butter, butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, brewer’s yeast, flax and water until creamy. Mix in eggs. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Mix in nuts and chocolate chips. Add oats slowly, mixing along the way. Place balls of dough onto greased baking sheets. Press down each ball lightly with a fork. Bake 12 minutes.
Whether these actually work in increasing milk supply or not, they are delicious and make a great snack while breastfeeding.