There are an infinite number of blogs posts and resources on what gear a new baby needs. But when I was preparing to give birth to my son, I was shocked at how little information there was on new mama care or what I might need or want postpartum. And the media would rather not talk about what happens to a mother’s body in the early days after birth. I had no idea what to expect or how to prepare.
Yes, baby has needs. But mom just pushed a watermelon out of her body. I am no expert on postpartum care, but I recently made a list of postpartum essentials for a first-time mama-to-be friend, and I figured it was worth seeing the light of day for a broader audience.
Here’s what I considered essential in the early postpartum days…
For using the restroom
- The Frida mom Peri Bottle, which is a FAR upgrade from the glorified ketchup bottle that they give you at the hospital.
- Witch hazel
- Lavender essential oil
Mix room temperature water + 1 drop lavender EO and a squirt of witch hazel in your peri bottle. Use it everytime you use the bathroom. Best practice would be to re-make the bottle as soon as you use it so it gets to room temperature. If it’s too cold, you’ll jump off the toilet.
Non-restroom related vaginal care
- Frida mom Postpartum Perineal Ice Maxi Pads are perfection. One box contains eight pads. I bought two boxes and it was just enough. They provide much needed cold-therapy + protection in one perfect product.
- Frida mom Witch Hazel Wipes are, like the peri bottle, superior to what the hospital gives you. The witch hazel wipes the hospital provides are tiny. If it’s in your budget, snag these instead. Put a wipe on top of your Ice Maxi for an ideal pairing.
- Diapers for mom. Make sure you get the right size. You’ll be living in them for about two weeks.
Nursing/Pumping
- Ice packs. There are plenty that are designed specifically for this purpose, but you could also get some that you can use again, later.
- A hands-free pumping bra was a game-changer for me. A friend gave me one and I snagged several more. The strapless design is perfect because you can pull down or up whatever you’re wearing and pump without having to totally change. How many you need/want will depend on how often you pump and how much you like doing laundry.
- Nuun electrolytes help keep you hydrated, which is absolutely key for milk production.
- A closed-top cup with a straw is clutch. You will be so glad you got one with all that you’ll be doing one-handed. It is impossible to unscrew a water bottle, and so very easy to spill something without a lid. I also found this purchase to be very helpful while I was in labor!
- Beer, especially darker beer. Darker beer is filled with extra barley and hops (both of which are galactagogues, which stimulate the hormone prolactin, which increases supply). Specifically, a milk stout is one of the best beers to indulge in while producing milk.
General comfort
- I wore Lululemon align shorts over a diaper (because, surprise – maybe no one told you – you are going to be bleeding heavily for a while) and under everything else for the first full month. And, for that month, “everything” was mostly limited to…
- Flowy dresses. I had a lot of luck at Aerie (which used to have loads of options with buttons or peekaboo panels that were really compatible with breastfeeding), but unfortunately it seems they’ve changed their product line a bit. But in general, I felt comfortable in light, flowy clothing. I did give birth at the end of August, so the Tennessee summer heat might have something to do with my clothing choice.