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Do you want to know all the postpartum must haves? This list of postpartum essentials will ensure that you are SUPER prepared.
These postpartum must haves are INSANELY helpful. I can confidently say that they will help you tremendously as you begin your journey as a new mom. When you are healing (whether you had a vagin*l delivery or a C-section), you are without a doubt going to find helpful items that will help you get through it.
There are SO many things that I had NO idea about as a first-time mom. Like how truly difficult the healing process can be. Like the fact that EVERYTHING is a challenge. Going to the bathroom, taking care of your new baby, and the discomfort your breasts will feel from breastfeeding. Especially if you have an oversupply.
Speaking of feeding. The BEST decision you’ll make as a new mama is to buy this breast pump. You may very well spend a lot of time having to pump and being able to do it without being tethered to a wall outlet makes all the difference. I HIGHLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO BUY THIS PUMP. It will make your transition as a new mom SO much easier because you will be able to be hands-free and therefore be able to multitask. Now let’s get into the nitty gritty of postpartum must haves.
This post is all about postpartum must haves.
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Table of Contents
The Best Postpartum Must Haves
As a first-time mom, I was so laser-focused on delivering my baby that I did not give much thought to postpartum must haves. I thought about preparing myself physically and mentally but failed to plan to navigate the fourth trimester. Quite honestly, I wish I prepared more. The last thing you want to do after labor is run out or worry about what to buy to ease the pain. The hospital gave me the following items to take home with me in my hospital bag:
- Ibuprofen
- Pads
- Peri Bottle
- Mesh Underwear
- Diapers for my daughter
Even though the hospital will send you home with some postpartum necessities, you are going to need a little MORE to help you heal. You will find all the postpartum must haves you’ll ever need right here. These items will help you heal, help you with your breastfeeding journey, AND help you tend to your new bundle of joy. Let’s dive right in.
For Healing Mama
1. Frida Mom Witch Hazel Pads
Giving birth takes a MAJOR toll on your body. These medicated witch hazel pads help take care of the swelling and pain that comes along with vagin*l delivery. You NEED these for pain relief. They are seriously the BEST things ever.
If you want these pads to feel cooler, you can keep them in the fridge.
I highly recommend you bring these pads with you to the hospital. This is one of the best postpartum supplies for perineal pain. Without a doubt.
2. Peri Bottle
Even though the hospital will likely send you home with a peri bottle. I recommend buying one or a few of your own. After your beautiful newborn baby has arrived, you are going to QUICKLY need a peri bottle. This is a great product for cleansing your sensitive area after labor. AND it makes using the bathroom after labor SO much easier. You will LOVE this upside down peri bottle.
This is one of those life-changing postpartum products I swear by. Simply use this magical postpartum squirt bottle when you use the bathroom to easily clean yourself. You can even keep your bottles in different bathrooms of your house so you will always have one to reach for. Easy access is crucial.
3. Perineal Spray
Our beautiful babies are totally worth the physical pain of labor. During your postpartum days, you will DEFINITELY experience discomfort. Perineal spray is GREAT for swelling, episiotomies, and even hemorrhoids. Having essentials that will help heal your perineal area is not just a good idea, but a GREAT idea. Especially if you had a vagin*l birth. This perineal spray will help give your downstairs instant relief. There are no harmful chemicals. This bottle even sprays upside down! Let’s dive into more postpartum must haves shall we?
4. Ice Packs
I LOVED these ice cold packs during my early days. They are helpful when they are hot AND when they are cold. Personally, I always kept mine cold. The best part about these ice packs is that they can be reused. Trust me when I say they are so worth it. After using them for the first time, you are going to see what the hype is. A little bit of ice goes a long way and is a GREAT way to heal.
(RELATED POST: 11 Incredible Baby Care Products That All Moms Need To Know About)
Next up on the list of postpartum must haves…
5. Mesh Underwear
New mama, this underwear will be one of your favorite postpartum must haves. After having a baby, mesh underwear is SUPER comfortable! I lived in these after having my first baby and plan to do the same after having my second. These come in a 4-pack and are washable. No need for disposable postpartum underwear. Why buy disposable underwear when you can buy reusable cozy ones?
These are some of the best postpartum essentials ever and NEED to make it on your postpartum list of items to buy. I will admit that I wore mine for many MANY days postpartum. After having a baby, you just want to feel comfortable again. Mesh underwear is a great thing.
6. Maxi Pads
The postpartum recovery period can feel realllllllly long. What helps during recovery, is having GREAT postpartum pads. So make sure that maternity pads are at the top of your shopping list. In my opinion, these are the best postpartum pads. They are ALSO great to have handy when you have your first postpartum period. Your first postpartum period will likely be unexpected and possibly quite heavy. You’ll definitely use them all. Promise. Adding these to your postpartum recovery kit is so important.
BY THE WAY…instant ice maxi pads are so helpful. When I was in a lot of pain, these gave me A LOT of comfort and relief. I know you’ll appreciate these too. In addition to regular maxi pads, it’s a necessity to have ice maxi pads. Try them out. Let’s get to more postpartum must haves that are TOTALLY worth knowing about.
7. Sitz Bath
With vagin*l birth comes vagin*l bleeding, stitches, and pain. In other words, the pain down there is REAL. Sitz baths SAVED ME. This is something I had no idea about until my nurse mentioned it. All new mothers need to know that this magical shallow bath is amazing because it really does help ease the pain.
A sitz bath is when you sit in water up to your hips for 15-20 minutes. It helps with healing. I LOVED sitz baths during my postpartum days. Warm water does the trick. Epsom salts were a great addition. The most amazing thing about a sitz bath is that it is free and is one of the greatest essentials for a mom after birth. It is also a great way to relax and get some alone time. I learned about this during my first week as a new mama and I was FOREVER grateful. Of course, you’ll want to get cleared by your doctor before trying it. If you want to read more about Sitz baths, check it out here.
Some mamas take an herbal sitz bath. I just sprinkled some Epsom salt in the tub and it worked wonders.
More postpartum must haves please!
8. Delivery
Want to discover even more postpartum must haves? FOOD DELIVERY! The last thing you are going to want to do as new parents is cook. You’re probably not going to have a whole lot of time to cook. Take advantage of your local restaurants and have food delivered. Treat yourself! You deserve it.
If your family lives close, they can always drop off meals that you can easily heat up. My family did that for us and it was the perfect gift. I enjoy eating a home-cooked meal. I just didn’t have a lot of time since taking care of a newborn is a full-time job. Ya know? It was so nice to just pop our dinner in the oven and heat it up. In my honest opinion, this is another one of the greatest postpartum must haves. If you like healthy foods, you can request that your family whip up something nutritious AND delicious.
9. Stool Softener
You may already have this around the house if your doctor okayed it during your pregnancy. Mine did.
The first bowel movement after having your baby can be so painful. Actually, many bowel movements after labor will hurt. For that reason, you’re going to want to have a stool softener in your postpartum kit. This is the best option and I am SURE your nurse will remind you about how helpful this can be.
10. Comfort Clothes
Yep. You are going to want to continue wearing your maternity pants. If you have a c-section incision or super sore lady bits, you are going to NEED comfortable. THESE are super gentle on your lower abdomen. I lived in my maternity leggings for the longest time. These are a great alternative. Why can’t all clothes be that comfortable?
Let’s chat real quick about EASY. Sign up here to try on clothes before you buy. Have clothes sent to your house for you to try on and pick out which looks best fit you. Treat yourself and sign up to have personal shoppers find you EXACTLY what you are looking for.
11. Postpartum Underwear
If you are looking for great options for postpartum underwear, THESE ARE SO GOOD. A good reason to pick these up is that they sit above your c-section line and they won’t dig into your skin. You will be wearing these for a long time. So stocking up on postpartum underwear was important to me.
12. Heating Pad
Getting some time to take care of yourself during those early days can be really challenging, but it is so important. Depending on how you delivered, your abdominal muscles or downstairs area is in need of care. We all want to get our bodies back to our pre-pregnancy state, but that takes time and hard work. So be kind to yourself and treat yourself with a heating pad to ease the pain. Now for even more postpartum must haves you’ll love and appreciate.
13. Ibuprofen
Another essential item on this postpartum must haves list is ibuprofen. When I left the hospital, my doctor prescribed me ibuprofen. Something I was not aware of was that you can still feel contractions after delivery. During those first contractions, I was happy to have ibuprofen.
14. Belly Band
A belly binder is another one of the greatest postpartum must haves. This one is recommended by doctors. It comes with three belts depending on where you are in your recovery. Belly wraps help with core strength, posture, as well as mobility. You’ve GOT to add this to your postpartum recovery checklist. Curious to discover more postpartum must haves?
15. Toiletries & Helpful Household Items
Do yourself a favor before you go into labor and stock up on toiletries and other helpful household items. These items include toilet paper, deodorant, paper towels, paper plates, napkins, etc. The last thing you want to worry about as a new mama is running out of household necessities. Using paper products for meals is INSANELY smart. So of course these are super helpful postpartum must haves.
For Breastfeeding Mama
16. Nursing Pads
You’ve GOT to buy these breast pads. As a first-time mama, I had no idea that I would be leaking milk. Lots of it. Milk production comes with full breasts and who knew how easily they can leak? Definitely not me. I was very happy with these nursing pads. The good news is that you never have to worry about leaking through your shirt with these.
17. Bamboobies Soothing Nursing Pillows
I love the name of this brand, but I love the product even more. My lactation consultant recommended that I buy these and I was SO happy that I did. My daughter was tongue-tied AND lip-tied. So breastfeeding was ROUGH for me. I had sore nipples and sore breasts in general. If you are struggling to breastfeed, add these to your postpartum care kit. These serve as a heating pad or cold compress. They really helped give me relief. I preferred to use them cool and stored them in the freezer.
18. TheraPearl 3-in-1 Breast Therapy Packs
Next on the list of postpartum must haves are these breast therapy packs. For extra relief, I alternated icing my breasts between the bamboobies and these. If you suffer from engorgement, these are so good. I had an oversupply and these therapy packs were amazing. They can also be used hot to help with plugged ducts. If you need to signal your body to let down more milk, these will partner with a pump to help your body do that.
19. Nursing Bra
A good nursing bra is one of the most obvious postpartum must haves. A great nursing bra goes a long way. Especially since you’ll be doing a lot of feeding! Being able to quickly feed your new baby is crucial. This bra will help you feed on demand AND be comfortable.
20. Nipple Cream
If you are a breastfeeding mama, you are going to want to buy nipple cream. Trust me, you will need it. Regardless of whether or not your baby gets the hang of latching, your nipples will be a little sore at first. A family member recommended this cream and it is really great.
Having nipple cream takes away the discomfort. This cream is safe for you and your baby. No need to wipe your nipple before feeding. It does not contain petroleum, preservatives, and lanolin. This is one of those postpartum care products that people often forget about.
My daughter had difficulty latching due to having a tongue tie and a lip tie. So I had VERY SORE NIPPLES. This nipple cream was a HUGE help.
FYI: The other amazing thing about this product is that it can also be used on lips, cuticles, or dry skin.
Are you ready for more postpartum must haves?
(RELATED POST: 23 Breastfeeding Must Haves Every Mama Should Own)
21. Water Bottle
If you are a breastfeeding mama, you know how important it is to drink your water! Breastfeeding makes a lot of mamas so incredibly thirsty. This water bottle was a great reminder for me to stay hydrated.
Even if you are not breastfeeding, getting your recommended water intake is always important!
Take care of yourself. You deserve it, mama.
Keep reading for even more postpartum must haves.
22. Breast Pump
I could go on and on about my love for this breast pump. Being able to pump breast milk without being chained to an outlet was EVERYTHING. I loved being able to multitask while pumping. I could get through diaper changes, do dishes, vacuum, you name it. You will love this pump as much as I did. It is totally worth the investment. I was so sorry I didn’t pull the trigger and buy this sooner. Honestly.
23. Milk Storage Bags
Next on the list of postpartum must haves are breast milk storage bags. Even though I was nursing around the clock, I still had to pump a few times a day to relieve engorgement. These bags were incredibly helpful and helped me build my freezer stash.
24. Milk Production Snacks
Healthy snacks are essential. If you are breastfeeding, there are certain snacks that will help you with milk production. These snacks include nuts, protein, oats, and veggies just to name a few. Snacks are one of the more obvious postpartum must haves!
25. Nursing Pillow
Now for one of my absolute favorite postpartum must haves. A nursing pillow is so necessary. This one was so good to us. Your baby will even grow with this nursing pillow. Don’t you just love when you can get so much use out of a product?
26. Prenatals
If you are a breastfeeding mama, the World Health Organization recommends to continue taking your prenatal vitamins.
27. Water
Water, water, and more water! Breastfeeding makes you SO thirsty. Staying hydrated is important.
For Baby
28. Baby Carrier
You will LOVE having the luxury of carrying your sleepy little one around while getting things done around the house. I sure did. This carrier will grow with your baby as he or she grows into a toddler. Are you ready for more postpartum must haves for baby?
29. Car Seat
Safety is everything. Feel comfortable that your precious baby is in great hands with this car seat.
30. Onesies
This couldn’t be left off the list of postpartum must haves. Your baby will live in these during the early days. These are my absolute FAVORITE clothes for my little darling. They are quality made AND gentle on your baby’s skin. GRAB YOUR 15% OFF WITH THE PROMO CODE “LUCKY15”.
31. Butt Spatula
Here’s a baby postpartum must have you may not know about. It is super duper helpful during diaper changes. I suggest grabbing a few of these!
32. Swaddles
Here is ANOTHER item you’ll use regularly. These swaddles have been so great. I am sure you will love them too.
33. Sleep Sack
Keep your newborn comfy cozy with this sleep sack. This sleep sack is great for any climate, no matter where you live.
Now for the last item but certainly not least important on the list of postpartum must haves.
34. Burp Cloths
You’re going to need TONS of these. No doubt!
What do you put in a postpartum care package?
Let’s chat some more about postpartum must haves. I think the best postpartum care package consists of:
- A big water bottle. I was thirsty literally all the time!
- Gift cards to local restaurants or DoorDash gift cards.
- Some healthy snacks.
- A bottle of champagne to celebrate the new bundle of joy.
- A gift card to watch the baby while mom relaxes or naps.
Postpartum Needs Checklist
This postpartum checklist will help make sure your recovery is well-planned and easy. I recommend having these postpartum necessities BEFORE your due date.
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Postpartum Must Haves For Second Time Moms
If you are looking for a list of postpartum must haves for second-time moms, check out this genius post Just Jass wrote here. I will be giving this another read before having my second baby.
This post was all about postpartum must haves.
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