You’ve endured labor, you’ve delivered, and you’ve met your little one. Now what? Whether you delivered vaginally or via C-section there are some great postpartum must-haves that will help you recover and feel your best post-delivery.
Underwear:
You’ll get all too familiar with mesh underwear at the hospital. You can always grab some extras during your stay for when you get home, but we prefer the Frida Mom disposable underwear options for those post-hospital days. Whether you delivered vaginally or via C-section you’ll experience heavy bleeding for the first few days after birth and from there it will taper off, but you can still expect some bleeding for the next 4-6 weeks. In those first days at home it’s great to have underwear you don’t need to worry about getting ruined and that are designed for use postpartum. Frida Mom makes vaginal delivery boy shorts designed to hold larger pads, ice packs, and all the healing wipes you’ll need. Their C-section line is high waisted, specifically designed to comfortably cover your scar, and won’t roll down and irritate it.
Pads:
You’ll need a good stash of heavy flow pads regardless of how you delivered. It’s great to have a collection of different options so you can adjust as your bleeding slows. Trust us, you won’t want to have to run out to the store for these post-baby!
If you had a vaginal delivery you will be sore, especially if you experienced any tearing or had an episiotomy. Padsicles are a great option! These are pads that double as ice packs and provide great relief! They are instant and don’t require any freezing.
Peri Bottle:
If you had a vaginal delivery going to the bathroom becomes a new sort of challenge. Everything is sore and toilet paper suddenly feels like sandpaper. That’s where the peri bottle comes in! This handy little bottle is designed to use water to clean things up while also providing a little relief. They’ll give you a squirt bottle in the hospital, but the mechanics of pointing it at the right place can be challenging. The Frida Mom peri bottle comes with an angled neck that allows you to comfortably hold the bottle while you use it. C-section moms, this one’s for you too if you had to push!
Witch Hazel:
If you aren’t already familiar with witch hazel, after you deliver you will be. Available in pads, sprays, and foams, this ingredient cools down sore areas and has the added bonus of reducing swelling. It’s also used to help speed up the recovery of hemorrhoids, which are a common postpartum and pregnancy complaint. Pro move? Put your witch hazel in the freezer for added relief!
Lidocaine Spray:
Like witch hazel, lidocaine spray helps ease any postpartum pain and helps with the pain of postpartum hemorrhoids.
Nursing Bras:
Breastfeeding can be challenging, especially at first. Having some good, comfortable nursing bras on hand before baby arrives can ease the transition. There are a lot of different styles, but new moms like comfort, especially in the early days, and prefer to avoid underwire. It’s a good idea to pack one or two of these in your hospital bag. Nursing pads and nipple cream are great items to have on hand as well and can make all the difference in how you feel.
Remember mamas, you’ve got this! Right after birth, it might feel as though you’ll never feel like yourself again, but remember, everyday you’ll feel increasingly better and your body was built to do this!
