Pregnancy can be such a magical time. We are so excited to meet our new little bundles of joy, and we begin preparing for their arrival by purchasing our newborn essentials. Sometimes we don’t stop to think about what we will need to recover from childbirth as well. We are so fragile after delivery. We need care and support just like our new babies need care. I found these amazing products to help support postpartum recovery.
First, I want to divide these products into categories of internal support and external support. A lot is changing and healing after having a baby. From your hormones to your belly, you will feel these shifts, and they aren’t always pleasant. Looking back on my first time delivering a baby, I wasn’t ready for postpartum care. No one told me about the pains of the uterus contracting back down after having the baby. No one told me that I would experience bleeding longer than a normal period (TMI, but we are talking about postpartum recovery here). However, after experiencing birth multiple times within a fairly short period, I know what postpartum feels like. I know what I need to have on hand as essential items for postpartum recovery. Of course, there are additional items that we can get for support, but this list is all about the must have items.
Internal Support
If you deliver a baby vaginally then you may experience discomfort or even fear when it comes to using the bathroom for the first time after delivery. Using a stool softener to prepare your body for this natural task that it will eventually undertake post delivery is important. You do not want to strain yourself, especially if there was any tearing.
After delivering your baby the uterus begins to contract back down. This can be extremely painful and feel as if you are beginning a second labor. For some moms, it gets worse after each baby. Also, breastfeeding increases these contractions because it causes your body to release oxytocin, which encourages these contractions. Ibuprofen is very effective in minimizing this pain.
Herbal/Vitamin
Your hormones are readjusting after your baby’s arrival and there are some herbs that can help you during this process. For mood support, I used Pink Stork’s Mood Support supplements which has ashwagandha in it. This is an herb that is known for helping you to stay calm. This supplement is compatible with breastfeeding as well. On the subject of breastfeeding, the herb Shatavari helps support postpartum recovery as well as breastfeeding. I would place a scoop of powdered Shatavari in my smoothies. I found that these 2 herbal supplements helped me to feel more balanced and supported in my postpartum recovery. Prenatal vitamins should also be continued during the postpartum period as your body seeks to recover nutrients and support lactation.
I continue to be a fan of raspberry leaf tea after pregnancy. As your uterus contracts back to its normal size, raspberry leaf tea helps those contractions do its job. Who doesn’t want to help their body get a flatter tummy postpartum! I definitely drink this tea as a postpartum support drink.
External Support
Witch Hazel
Witch Hazel is very soothing after a vaginal delivery. I used the Tucks pads as well as Frida Mom’s Healing Foam. There is a lot of soreness that will make you feel uncomfortable. These witch hazel products help to soothe this soreness. Many times I would place the Frida Mom’s Healing Foam directly onto a regular pad.
If soreness is intense, Dermaplast can help numb the sore feeling around the vaginal area. You can spray directly after using the bathroom or whenever necessary.
Many moms experience hemorrhoids, especially after pushing out a baby vaginally. Sometimes this can be very painful and uncomfortable. It is better to be prepared than unprepared. Make sure you have Preparation H on hand just in case you need relief from hemorrhoids.
It can be very uncomfortable to wipe like you previously did when you are in the early stages of postpartum. In the hospital, you are usually supplied with a peri bottle to rinse clean the vaginal area after using the bathroom. However, I found the Frida Mom’s Peri Bottle and it is a game changer! It is uniquely shaped to squirt out upside down. Genius! This is the perfect angle for easy usage. I brought mine to the hospital with me because it was so much better.
Another Frida Mom product that I used, and absolutely loved, was the Frida Mom’s Absorbent Cooling Pads. This was my favorite product! I wish I had these after my previous baby deliveries. They are pretty big, but they absorb well and they are cool to the touch. You simply bend them in half until they make a “pop” noise. After that you have a cool feeling pad that feels so soothing! The cool feeling is the main key to postpartum relief. I highly recommend getting these. It was a game changer for me. I can’t express enough how much I loved using these pads.
Another cooling effect that feels amazing postpartum is the cooling nipple pad. I had both the Medela and the Lansinoh cooling gel pads. They are adhesive, but not so aggressive that they hurt your nipples. I liked to keep them in the fridge to make them extra cool. I did this because my breasts after having the baby were large, engorged and hot. The first week of breastfeeding can be really intense if there are any latching issues. You may experience bleeding and cracked nipples. The cooling effect counteracts the hotness from the engorgement. These were also very important to have on hand as I embarked on my newest breastfeeding adventure.
This is another classic way to help heal your nipples when breastfeeding postpartum. I used nipple cream the most with my two daughters. For some reason they had the most intense latch issues. Nipple cream helps to soothe the pain as you and baby adjust to nursing.
Another postpartum item that I needed was a breast pump. Since I was breastfeeding there were many moments where my breasts were still engorged even after the baby was finished nursing. Sometimes the engorgement was so intense that I was unable to lift my arm on the side of the engorged breast. Also, you could always tell that there was an issue, because I would walk around with one breast that was smaller than the other. This is when breast pumps assisted me. Also, they are helpful in storing milk for later just in case you ever need it. I will post separately about breastfeeding essentials.
Breastfeeding can lead to moments where you are walking around with a completely wet shirt, and you don’t even know it. This is where nipple pads inserted into your nursing bra can be helpful.
Nursing bras are great postpartum, because they are easy to use when dealing with all the breastmilk, engorgement and breastfeeding overall. Plus, they are usually cotton and breathable.
If you have discussed postpartum with a mom who recently had a baby, she may have mentioned to you that the hospital gives you a pad and mesh disposable underwear. Many moms love the idea of having disposable underwear post-birth. I am not a really big fan. I prefer high waisted cotton underwear because they feel more supportive to me. They support my soft stomach area.
Speaking of soft stomach area, a belly band (or girdle) is extremely helpful in supporting your stomach as your uterus shrinks back to its pre-baby size. In the beginning, it is important to find a belly band that is supportive, but not too restrictive.
These are the items I used to help support me through my most recent delivery. I continue to use some of them 2 month postpartum as I write this post. Share in the comment section any products that you found extremely helpful or share anything that you learned from this post.
Also, here is the entire list with links! Enjoy!
- Miralax
- Motrin (Ibuprofen)
- Pink Stork Postpartum Mood Support
- Shatavari
- Raspberry Leaf Tea
- Frida Mom Healing Foam
- Tuck’s Witch Hazel Pads
- Dermaplast
- Preparation H
- Peri Bottle
- Frida Mom Cooling Pads
- Nipple Cream
- Soothing Gel Pads
- Breast Pump
- Postpartum Underwear
- Pads
- Nipple Pads
- Nursing Bra
- Belly Band
