Postpartum “Must Haves”
Last week I shared how we prepared our home and our hearts for postpartum and this week I’m sharing the must-have products that made recovery and the transition to motherhood easier for me. Everyone has their own experience and while I’ve only done this once, I do think there were some key things that were worth the hype and helped me feel more supported and recover quicker. While there are an amplitude of products available and marketed towards pregnancy I tried to keep it as minimal as possible and have noted a few items that I was either gifted or purchased myself that I would skip next time around. My sister-in-law gifted me with a basket full of these essentials which got me started and then I made a second one to keep in both bathrooms of our home.
Perineal Recovery “Must-Haves”
Frida Mom Peri Bottle - Worth the hype! The birth center sent me home with a traditional peri bottle which I also used but this one was far superior. I found that filling this with warm water felt the best.
Frida Mom Disposable Underwear - These are so comfortable and were so easy to use. I wore these for the first month postpartum.
Frida Mom Ice Pads - I don’t know why I didn’t use this until the second week postpartum because these were amazing! So easy to use, super soft, and felt so good!
“Padsicles” - Our birth center sent me home with several of these which are basically frozen pads with witch hazel and aloe vera and I used these along with the Frida Mom Ice Pads and again, loved them. Next time around, I would make a batch myself and keep them in our freezer for quick access.
Colace - Stool softener, I don’t think I need to elaborate here. I took this for the first two weeks postpartum.
Earth Mama Perineal Spray - I tried a few sprays and perineal treatments and found that I liked this one the best!
Maxi Pads - Stock up on these, you’ll use them.
Tucks Pads - These felt really good layered on top of the pads.
Perineal Recovery Products I Would Skip
There were a few products that I was gifted and purchased that I didn’t end up loving and feel like I would skip next time around:
Adult diaper - these just felt so bulky and weren’t super comfortable
Frida Mom Perineal Foam - I honestly didn’t like the sensation of this
Hospital Underwear - if you deliver in the hospital they will send you home with these, I didn’t but was gifted them and just found them to be super flimsy and scratchy
Postpartum “Must-Haves”
In addition to all of the perineal recovery products there are a few stand out items I used as I adjusted to motherhood and feel like these were really helpful to have:
Silverettes Nipple Covers - If you’re going to breastfeed, I highly recommend these! They help keep your nipples from getting chapped and protect them from chaffing. I would apply a bit of nipple butter and then place these on top in between feeds.
Mother Love Nipple Cream - I tried a few different types but this hands down was my favorite. I feel great about the simple ingredients and felt like it worked really well.
Hot Water Bottle - My mom got this for me and I ended up using it a ton during the first week for feeds to assist with cramping and also used it when my milk came in to ease some discomfort in my breasts.
Coconut Water - We had several of these on hand and I found these to be a quick and easy way to hydrate and replenish lost electrolytes
Auden Pullover Seamless Sleep Bra - These are by far my favorite nursing bras that I’ve found so far. They are super comfortable and lightweight.
Hand Pump - This has been essential now that my milk has come in and I end up using this pretty much daily
Haaka Ladybug Milk Collector - This is great to have while nursing. You just pop it on the breast you’re not nursing from and it collects any “run-off”. Keep in mind that if you keep the plug in there is a little bit of suction so just be aware of this if you’re trying not to increase your supply.
Letters To My Child Journal - This has been a great way to collect and savor the small moments! My mom got this for us and I have loved filling it out each month as well as following special moments with our baby.
Chucks Pads - We used these a ton right away and have continued to use them on a daily basis. I leak a lot during the night so I have these under our fitted sheet in our bed. We also have these in our baby’s bassinet under the fitted sheet and have used them for diaper changes.
Overall, you can certainly live without all of these products but I felt like they helped make our transition easier and many of these products are still apart of our daily routine. In addition to these items, we set up a few stations around our house that I’ll be sharing soon so stay tuned! If you haven’t had your baby shower yet, I highly recommend registering for some of the perineal recovery items, it doesn’t all have to be about baby, your health and wellness matter immensely too! Hang in there mama, you’re doing great!
