There’s a lot to prepare for when it comes to labor and delivery. Postpartum care is something to prepare for and it can be overwhelming. Everyone’s experiences are different, but below is a list of products that helped me during my postpartum recovery. Here’s a bit of background too. I had a vaginal delivery with a second degree tear. Hopefully what helped me will help you too!
DIY Padsicles – While I was 37 weeks pregnant, my sister and I made padsicles with pads, aloe vera, and witch hazel. We applied the aloe vera first then the witch hazel. We closed them back up and placed them in a ziploc bag to put in the freezer afterwards. These were a great help during postpartum. I wore Depend underwear and placed a padsicle on top. These were so soothing. I could tell the difference when I didn’t wear one. It helped reduce swelling. I believe the aloe vera and witch hazel helped speed my healing process as well.
Depend Underwear – These were incredibly helpful with my bleeding! I loved these. They held up the padsicles well and supported any leakage from them. They were comfortable too, which was great for recovery!
Peri Bottle – I used two different peri bottles. I had the Frida Mom Upside Down Peri Bottle and the one provided by the hospital. During my hospital stay, I used the one that was provided. While at home, I used both. They kept my lower region clean, which I appreciated.
Donut seat – The hospital provided me with an inflatable donut seat. I used this to sit on so that I wouldn’t feel too uncomfortable.
Pads – I wore the Depend underwear for several days after giving birth, then switched to pads. After a month, I continued to wear everyday liners as I did before and during pregnancy.
Nursing pads – Nursing pads were a great help! I leaked lots of breast milk during my postpartum period, so I needed them. I still use them now since I breastfeed. However, I’ve changed to reusable nursing pads!
Support Garments – I wore a stomach support garment after being discharged from the hospital. I wore it for my first month of postpartum. It helped with my mommy pooch as well as support my stomach and back.
MiraLAX – I had a difficult experience with bowel movement during my postpartum period. It took a week for my first bowel movement. MiraLAX did the trick to help me each time!
Hydroflask – I loved having my hydroflask on hand! I was always refilling it. I didn’t drink any cold water during my postpartum period. I drank lukewarm water or hot water. I was nursing too, so drinking lots of water was crucial!
Robes and Button Up Gown – I wore a button up gown the second day after giving birth. I still wear it today. It’s amazing! I love this one specifically because it’s soft. It’s comfortable and makes pumping easier!
Carmex – Lip balms are a game changer! I’m not sure why, but my lips were always dry after nursing or at the end of the day. I used Carmex before having a baby too, but having it postpartum was great.
Baby Tracker App – I’ve always known that I wanted to track my baby’s daily activities. I didn’t want to have to think about when the last time she ate was, got her diaper changed or how long she slept. Tracking her activities would help both my partner and I communicate as well. For instance, we’d ask each other when she last ate, so we weren’t feeding her after she had already eaten.
This app is amazing! I still use it. I tracked her sleep, feedings, diaper changes, and my pumping sessions. This helped me feel less anxious as a first time mom. It’s also great to see any patterns that she has too, which the app shows in graphs. It makes things easier to know what to expect. For example, we knew when she’d wake up or when she’d sleep.
After a little over a month of using all the features, I stopped tracking her sleep and diaper changes. Logging these in takes a bit of time, so I didn’t want to spend time on it anymore. Her sleep and diaper changes are consistent now. I plan to track it only when I notice it starts to change. However, I’m still tracking her feedings and my pump sessions. This way I know how much she’s eating compared to how much I pump.
This is a short list of items that helped me during my recovery. I will write a separate post for breastfeeding related items, but I hope this helps you! I wish you a fast and healthy recovery!
