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Postpartum Essentials 101



I recently met Jenny through a online blogging group. I instantly connected with her blogs and reached out to her. She is the mother of 2 and lover of all things home decor and parenthood. She also loves donuts which is a plus in my book! She has amazing posts about pumping exclusively, must-have items, and DIY how-to's. Check her out over at Paint & Pillows.

I asked her to write about her postpartum experience and list her must-have items for when you bring baby home. Enjoy this "tell it like it is," but very logical list of postpartum supplies you will need after having a baby.

Must-Have's by Jenny 


Despite what those supermodels and celebs show us, your body doesn’t just snap back into place. Things are squishy and leaky and kinda gross. Not knowing what to expect or what can help, can definitely make those first weeks at home harder and more uncomfortable than they need to be. So I’ve compiled a list of postpartum essentials to help ease you into your journey of motherhood.

  1. Maxi Pads – I’m not talking about regular ol’ pads either. You’re going to want the super-duper, ultra-absorbent overnight pads, because after baby, there will be blood. Lots of blood. After all, you haven’t had a period for nine-months, so now your body is going to try and make up for that. Thanks, Mother Nature.

  1. Comfortable Underwear – Forget the skimpy, sexy panties from your pre-baby days . . . at least, for a while. With all the blood and swollen bits that come with birth, you’re going to want something that covers everything up and keeps it all in place. And black. You’re probably going to want to get them in black. Because Mother Nature.
  1. Tucks – You’ve just pushed a human the size of a small watermelon out of a hole the size of a bagel. Things, understandably, are going to be sore after that. The witch hazel in these pads helps cool your swollen lady bits and take some of the sting out of the healing process.

  1. Dermoplast – The hospital gave me some of this after the birth of my first and it was a life-saver! Dermoplast is a pain-relieving spray that’s safe for use on your more delicate areas and can definitely help soothe your tender bits, especially if you’ve had stitches.

  1. Peribottle – The hospital will probably send you home with one of these little squirt bottles to use for hosing yourself off after using the bathroom (because nobody wants to drag toilet paper over a sore bottom). But if you have more than one bathroom in the home, I’d recommend getting one for each. They’re inexpensive and it’ll save you time trekking around the house to locate one whenever you have to answer Nature’s call.

  1. Stool Softener – There’s not much in this world more terrifying than those first few poops after baby, especially if you tore during delivery. They’ll give you some stool softener in the hospital, but you should probably have some one hand at home and take them regularly for a while until you’ve healed a bit. Trust me.

  1. Postpartum Girdle – Your body has spent nine-months with a tiny human stretching your skin and pushing all of your organs out of place. Your after-birth stomach is going to be . . . squishy. It’s going to take a while for everything to return to normal. A postpartum support belt provides support for your tired core as well as holding everything in place while it heals. This can help shrink and tighten your hips, waist, and belly, which is a plus in my book!

  1. Breast Pads – Even if you’re not planning to breastfeed, when your milk comes in, your boobs are going to be engorged and leaky for a while. Unless you want to constantly be changing your top, invest in some breast pads to sop up the mess and prevent embarrassing wet spots from appearing on your clothes (at the worst time, of course).
Bringing home your baby is such a special thing.  Enjoy that little bundle of joy! Soak up every tiny moment. And don’t forget to take care of your postpartum body! Check out our checklist of postpartum supplies to help prepare you for the Fourth Trimester!



I would love to see every woman prepared the best they possibly can be for the postpartum period of having a baby. I'd love to see postpartum care as a preventative measure instead of a reactionary measure. I believe one of the key pieces missing from the maternity care and culture in America is the absence of "the village." No one was meant to raise children alone and yet we try to do it every single day.
Tranquility by HeHe, A Concierge Birthing and Doula Service in Boston, Massachusetts
"We can't wait to pamper you."



Comments

  1. only mom care well their baby, not other like a mom its hard to woke up in night when baby cry
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    ReplyDelete
  2. I wish I would have had postpartum belt years ago. It fits just right for the lower part of my stomach. I have been needing something like this for a long time. I would recommend this product if you have issues with lower stomach flab.simaslim

    ReplyDelete

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