The moment you become a mother is an exciting and overwhelming experience, especially if it’s your first child. In the early days after birth, whether you’re a first-time mom or you already have a baby at home, you may be wondering: “What are the postpartum essentials I need to buy?” With so much focus on the baby, preparing for postpartum recovery can seem overwhelming, but having the right essentials on hand can make all the difference.
While most of the focus during pregnancy is on the baby, you should also focus on your own recovery. Postpartum essentials can make a world of difference in the first few weeks following a baby’s birth, from bleeding and swelling to breastfeeding and emotional swings.
Let’s break down the postpartum essentials every mom needs to make postpartum life as comfortable as possible. Whether you have postpartum bleeding or swollen feet, we’ve got you covered.
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New mothers are often surprised at how challenging postpartum recovery can be. Planning ahead is essential during pregnancy and birth since your body undergoes major changes. Taking care of your mental and emotional well-being is just as important as caring for your physical well-being. It can be helpful to have the right supplies to ease this transition and ensure you’re able to bond with your newborn.
Whether you have a vaginal birth or a C-section, your body will need time to heal. Aside from bleeding, you may experience discomfort in your perineal area, as well as sore breasts. Postpartum essentials make this time easier to manage, ensuring you’re not scrambling for solutions when you should be resting.
Before giving birth, you should start preparing for postpartum. You should gather supplies for postpartum bleeding, pain relief, breastfeeding, and comfort, including maternity pads and nursing bras. Here’s a complete list of must-haves to stock up on:
It is common for new moms to experience postpartum bleeding after giving birth, also known as lochia. The period can last for several weeks and is heavier than your period, so you need to prepare with the right products. To manage this:
Maternity Pads: Compared to regular pads, maternity pads are thicker and more absorbent. During the first few weeks, you’ll need plenty of these.
Bed Pads: During the night, bed pads protect your bedding from leaks.
Perineal Cold Packs: Perineal swelling can be reduced and pain relieved by using cold packs.
Comfort is essential after giving birth. Tight clothing can cause unnecessary discomfort because your body will feel different. Here’s what you’ll need:
Loose, Comfortable Clothing: It is best to choose clothes with elastic waistbands, soft fabrics, and breathable materials such as cotton or bamboo.
Nursing Bras: Designed to support sensitive breast tissue, these are easy to access when breastfeeding.
Robes and Nightgowns: For nighttime feedings, loose-fitting robes and nightgowns provide comfort and convenience.
For healing and comfort, taking care of your perineal area is crucial, especially after a vaginal birth. To help you with this, you’ll need a few specific items.
Peri Bottle: In case you have stitches, this is a must for cleaning your perineal area after using the bathroom.
Sitz Baths: Healing can be promoted by soaking in a sitz bath to soothe pain, reduce swelling, and relieve stress.
Witch Hazel Pads: Witch hazel pads can relieve swelling and hemorrhoids that may occur after childbirth.
Many new moms are unaware that postpartum incontinence is more common than they think. The pelvic floor muscles can become weak during pregnancy and delivery, causing bladder leaks. Here’s what you need:
Incontinence Pads: They are designed to absorb bladder leaks and are more absorbent than regular menstrual pads.
Pelvic Floor Exercises: Whenever you are ready to strengthen your pelvic muscles and reduce incontinence, begin Kegel exercises.
Postpartum Girdles or Belly Bands: Your pelvic region can be gently supported and you may feel more support with a belly band.
After birth, regardless of whether you had a vaginal delivery or a C-section, you’ll experience pain and discomfort. Here’s how to manage pain:
Ice Packs: Soreness and swelling in the vaginal area can be relieved immediately with perineal ice packs.
Numbing Spray: Taking a numbing spray over the counter can help reduce pain in the perineal area due to stitches, swelling, and inflammation.
It can be challenging for both you and your baby to breastfeed in the early days, but with the right tools, it can be much easier.
Nursing Pads: During the first few days after you receive your milk, leakage is common. If you use nursing pads (disposable or reusable), you can avoid embarrassing situations.
Nipple Cream: In the early days of breastfeeding, nipple cream is essential for soothing cracked, dry, or sore nipples.
Nursing Pillow: You can reduce the strain on your back and arms by positioning the baby for a comfortable feed with the support of a nursing pillow.
It is common for women to experience swelling in the legs and feet after giving birth due to fluid retention and labor demands.
Compression Socks: In particular, women who have had C-sections or who have been in labor for a prolonged period of time can benefit from these socks, which reduce swelling, improve circulation, and prevent blood clots.
Women who have given birth often wear belly bands and girdles after delivery to provide extra support to their bodies.
Postpartum Belly Bands: After delivery, the abdominal area can feel weak, so these products provide gentle support. Back pain and posture may also be helped by them.
Girdles: Postpartum girdles can provide more structured compression if you prefer firmer support.
Especially if you’re breastfeeding, hydration and nutrition are crucial during postpartum recovery.
Water Bottles: Always keep a large, easy-to-use water bottle nearby. Drinking plenty of water aids in the production of milk and promotes healing overall.
Healthy Snacks: You can keep yourself fueled without cooking by stocking up on convenient, nutritious snacks like nuts, granola bars, and fruit.
A postpartum recovery doesn’t just involve physical healing, but also emotional and mental wellbeing.
Self-Care Items: When life becomes overwhelming, it is helpful to keep a journal, to use affirmation cards, and to drink calming tea.
Emotional Support: If you are feeling low or overwhelmed, don’t hesitate to speak to someone. To prevent postpartum depression, emotional support is essential, whether it comes from a therapist, a partner, or a close friend.
When you have a newborn, it can be difficult to get enough sleep, but creating a sleep-friendly environment can help you get the most out of those short naps.
Eye Masks and Earplugs: These can help block out light and noise during daytime naps.
Comfortable Pillows: Invest in a supportive pillow, whether for sleep or breastfeeding, to enhance your comfort during recovery.
Taking care of yourself after a baby is more than just meeting basic needs – treat yourself to small luxuries that will make you feel more like your old self again.
Massage Oils: A gentle postpartum massage can relieve sore muscles and help you relax.
Skincare Routine: Keep a simple but soothing skincare routine in place. Your changing hormones may change your skin, so taking care of your skin can provide a sense of normalcy and comfort during a hectic time.
Postpartum recovery is a deeply personal journey, and every mom’s needs are different. However, the essentials listed here-maternity pads, perineal care products, pain relief options, comfortable clothing, and breastfeeding supplies-will ease your recovery. Before giving birth, make sure you stock up on these items so you can focus on what matters most: bonding with your new baby and taking care of yourself. If after immediate postpartum period, you don’t feel like your pelvic floor is still back to where it was, or you have some incontinence, consider some external (non-vaginal) help such as Elitone to speed recovery
FAQs
Do you feel overwhelmed with postpartum life and have little time to practice pelvic floor exercises? You want your old body back and just want everything to recover faster down there.
Elitone provides women experiencing postpartum incontinence with a simple, non-vaginal solution. Using gentle electrical stimulation, our FDA-cleared device does the Kegel contractions for you to tone the pelvic floor muscles, reducing leaks and supporting your body’s natural recovery.
Using Elitone, you can regain confidence and control without having to perform time-consuming exercises. Let go of leaky worries and get back to feeling like yourself faster.
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