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Postpartum is no joke. With these postpartum must-haves, you will be able to focus on your recovery and your new baby!
There were a lot of things about pregnancy that I was not prepared for, and postpartum recovery was one of them! I had no idea that it really does take several weeks (*cough* months to years) to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight. Don’t even get me started on that first bowel movement either! Or the night sweats. What a journey. We had a trip booked about a month after I had my son and I am so glad that we canceled it because that time at home to heal was just what the doctor ordered. Literally.
Because postpartum can be crazy, I made a list of postpartum essentials that I wanted to make sure I had for future pregnancies that are too good to not share. It’s got all the things needed for recovery and self-care. You just birthed a human child, you beautiful warrior woman. You deserve all the best as you recover from that and care for the little human you created!
This post is all about postpartum must-haves all moms need.
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All of the Postpartum Must-Haves You Will Need
Comfortable Underwear
The first thing you should have in your postpartum survival kit is comfortable underwear. When I got home from the hospital, I tried to put on some brief underwear that I had. Bad idea. Your body is still changing and shrinking and trying to put on anything that you wore pre-pregnancy will not do any good for your self-esteem! Instead, find comfortable underwear that fits your body NOW. Whether this is hospital underwear (take as much as you need before you leave!) or even some Depends. Find something that will give you support and be comfortable as you recover.
Pads
When I say pads, I don’t mean the cute little pads you may have used during your period while you may have had a tampon in. I’m talking about those giant, nighttime pads you see in the store that feel like they are larger than life. You tend to bleed a lot and having these pads will help contain all of that, especially since you can’t wear tampons for a while.
Peri Bottle
Toilet paper is not a friend after vagin*l birth. In fact, it’s like a friend who pretends that they want to help but then leaves you all scratched and crying from pain. Haha but in all seriousness, you won’t want to use toilet paper for a while. Instead, you should use a Peri Bottle during your postpartum recovery. The hospital will give you one, but I found this one on Amazon that is amazing and so much easier to use.
Perineal Spray
You’ve seen a tiny newborn head, right? If you had a vagin*l delivery, that tiny head came out of you. You can imagine the stretching that occurred down there and the need for a good recovery. Since you can’t use regular medicine down there to help with healing, that’s where a perineal spray comes in. It helps reduce inflammation and helps with healing. The hospital will usually give you some to take home!
Peri Cold Pack
I thought this was the weirdest thing, but it felt so amazing! It’s like a pad, but it’s also a cold pack. You can just attach it to your underwear and get relief while you sit there.
Peri Witch Hazel Cooling Pads
Witch Hazel will be your friend after delivery. These little cooling pads can be put on your underwear/pad and will help you with any burning and itching you may feel as you recover. The hospital will also give you some of these!
Epsom Salts for Bath
I didn’t take as many baths as I should have after giving birth, but when I did, having Epsom salts was so nice. It not only calmed me but it also felt good.
Stool Softener
I’m convinced that not enough people talk about the first postpartum bowel movement and it is a travesty. For me, it was more painful than labor (thank you epidural). And that was with me drinking a ton of water! I wish I had taken a stool softener to help. I’ve talked to many moms who have taken some after giving birth, and it made a world of difference. Check with your doctor first though to make sure that this won’t interfere with anything.
Pain Reliever
This one is up to you, but don’t be afraid to take it if you need it! You just birthed a human for heaven’s sake! I took a pain reliever religiously after trying to go without it and realizing how little I could function because of it.
Postnatal vitamins
You thought you were done taking vitamins? Think again! Taking postnatal vitamins (or just continuing to take the prenatal vitamins after the baby is born) will provide your body with some serious help as it tries to heal. If you are breastfeeding, this is a huge help too.
Comfortable Nursing Bra for Sleeping and Pumping
Spoiler alert. You will be up in the middle of the night nursing your baby or you may need to pump. Having a comfortable nursing/pumping bra to sleep in that can provide support and coverage while you sleep between feedings will come in clutch! I wore mine during the day because it was comfortable.
Boob pads
Want another spoiler? Your boobs will leak. I had some shirts I had to get rid of because of milk stains. Boop pads will help keep your clothing clean by catching any milk that may leak, especially when you sleep.
Boob cooling pads
I didn’t really use these a ton, but I’ve had friends swear by them, especially when they had clogged ducts. These cutie little cooling pads are just the right size to slip into your bra and will provide you with a ton of comfort if you are ever sore.
Nipple Butter
Nipple butter was my postpartum must-have for sure. It’s like chapstick for your nipples and helps keep them from getting too dry and cracking. (yikes!)
Nipple Shield
When I first had Ollie, I had no idea what a nipple shield was. Now, I don’t know what I would have done without it! I may have mentioned that Ollie had a rough time latching on when nursing. Using the nipple shield helped him latch on so much better!
Belly Cream
If you haven’t already, be sure to continue to put lotion on your belly. It stretched a ton during pregnancy so the lotion will help with elasticity and any stretch marks you may have gotten.
Belly Wrap
I will never forget the nurse massaging my belly after I had Ollie like it was a bowl of jello while she tried to find my uterus and make sure it was in the right place. Yeah, that did it for me. I ordered myself a belly wrap that day. I was not about to let my uterus float around in my tummy jello and find a new home!
Water
I mentioned this before, but you will want to be drinking a ton of water! Not just to help with your bowel movement, but because you sweat so much after having a baby that you will need to replenish the water you are losing as well! I recommend a water bottle that won’t spill and that you can use one-handed.
Healthy Snacks
Nursing makes you HUNGRY! Keeping healthy snacks easily available will help you stay full and happy while also providing you with the nutrition you need during your postpartum recovery.
Comfortable Loungewear
I didn’t go many places during the first few weeks of Ollie’s life so having comfortable lounging clothes to hang out in around the house is key!
Seat Cushion
You know those cute little donut pillows you see some people use? Get one. I used mine for almost two weeks after giving birth because I couldn’t sit on hard surfaces without getting up one minute later from discomfort.
AirPods
This is kind of a funny one for me to add, but I’m adding it because of the overwhelming response I’ve gotten about how clutch these are if you have multiple kids. If you have a kid or two floating around and are trying to recover from childbirth, you don’t always want to be watching all of the kids’ shows and movies as you lay on the couch. Sometimes you just need to rewatch Parks and Rec or the Office or Brooklyn Nine-Nine. Having AirPods allows you to do that without having your tiny kids listening in. It’s also nice for late-night nursing sessions if you want to be listening to a book or watching something.
Books/Shows
I recommend getting a book or two (hard copy or audiobook) that you can read/listen to and some shows that you want to watch during your postpartum recovery. You will have a lot of time to yourself, especially late at night that you may want to fill! Having these things ready before you go into labor can help keep you sane and happy during your postpartum recovery.
There you have it! That was a list of my postpartum must-haves for all mamas, especially you new mamas. There are so many things I wish I had known before going into this fourth trimester as some people call it, and I hope that this helps you as you prepare your postpartum survival kit.
