13 Best Postpartum Essentials You Haven’t Thought About
Disclaimer: I am in no way a medical professional; the advice on this blog is to be viewed as opinion only and NOT to be used in place of a medical professional. Please – consult your medical provider for any and all health needs or questions
Your little one has finally arrived or will be soon, and you have planned diligently for your baby, but what about you?! Yes, you now have a sweet baby who relies on you for everything, so you may think that is where all your time and attention must go. However, you would be wrong. You have added to your family - who else is an essential part of that family? You! You have to take care of yourself as a mom to give all you need to your family. All that being said, the newborn stage of motherhood can be the most challenging time to take care of yourself. You are tired, you may never want to leave your baby, or you don't see the importance of showing up for yourself. Here are simple yet effective ways you can take of yourself that you may not have even thought about!
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Postpartum kit
This is something you will want to have ready and prepared before you go into labor suggest putting this together Around your 35th week of pregnancy. Baby could arrive early, so you want to be prepared and have this ready to go. Trust me; this is not something you want to be stressing about when you know your baby is all the way. Below is what I had and used in my postpartum kit both times around.
Your Bathroom Postpartum Kit
Stool softener
Upside down peri bottle
Large & Medium-sized maxi pads
(The HoneyPot brand is phenomenal - be sure to get a few different absorbency options as bleeding will taper off usually over an average of 6 weeks)
Perineal cooling spray
Disposable postpartum underwear
Tucks cooling pads
Mom hack: I didn't take a stool softener after I left the hospital with my son. BIG MISTAKE. Trust me, talk to your doctor about what they recommend, but I used Miralax, and it works with the water in your stomach, so it's very gentle. After I had my daughter, I took this every morning religiously, and it was a night and day difference.
Postnatal Vitamins
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends taking postnatal vitamins for as long as you are breastfeeding. And some experts say that the best practice is to keep going beyond that, especially if you're planning on having another baby. Even if you are not breastfeeding, vitamins are a great way to keep your hormones and energy levels balanced, especially if you are not getting the vitamins and minerals from your diet. I found these postnatal vitamins after my daughter, and I wished I had seen this company earlier. Their postnatal vitamins have a light fruity taste that makes them a breeze to take every day! Check out all their postpartum goodies!
Quick and Easy Snacks/Meals
You will be busy, low on energy, and taking care of a sweet tiny human. One thing that you may not have the energy or time for is eating! You may think that sounds unlikely, but it happens. You will need easy meals and snacks to keep you fueled up and ready to go. Go ahead and stock up on quick and easy recipes for dinner, budget for take-out for a few nights a week or plan for friends or family bringing a meal or two. My mother-in-law would bring us premade meals from Costco that we could make at home. I loved them! It was a great variety, and we could cook them when we needed them. My favorite snacks on hand were healthy granola bars, oatmeal balls, and different snacks that also helped with my milk supply. These are a few of my favorite snacks!
Belly wrap (Belly Bandit)
At first, I thought this was a vanity item. It not! I had horrible back pain a few weeks into my postpartum recovery and couldn't figure out why. I needed more core support! Your core is entirely out of whack after pregnancy, and you need extra help during your recovering. After a few days using this wrap, I felt 100xs better. It is adjustable, breathable, and promotes mobility so you can get stuff done
Belly bandit has excellent, high-quality products for every stage of your pregnancy; check out their store here
Caffeine
Having a limited amount of sleep or constantly disrupted sleep is tough. Now combining that with taking care of a tiny human being that you are entirely responsible for is not only challenging but can be nerve-wracking. Before I had my kids, I was not an avid caffeine drinker; however, after kids, that changed. Coffee is still not my choice for my caffeine; it is tea for me. Below is my absolute favorite tea that I drink every morning
Teas ( Yogi & Pink Stork)
Speaking of tea, I drink a lot of it, and I use it for many different reasons, whether it's stress, sleep, or a stomach ache. I love drinking hot tea. But the reason I have this for an essential for a new mom is that when you get the chance to sit down or have only 5 minutes to yourself finally, delicious tea is a great way to rejuvenate yourself and give you a great pick me up for the rest of your day or night. These sets are awesome - a great way to find which you love the most! These also make great gifts for a mama-to-be!
Mom Hack: Peppermint tea! Did you know peppermint tea has also been shown to be effective at giving you a boost of energy when you're feeling sluggish? This is a great way to get a boost any time of day without using caffeine.
Leggings (Fenbay & Heathyoga)
Also known as the mom uniform, leggings are great for your newborn life. It takes a little while for your body to go from a 7-pound human incubator to now feeling “normal” again. The best leggings are forgiving, give you great support and pockets, yes pockets. These are my absolute favorite And have held up well.
These are fleece lined perfect for winter!
Micellar water wipes
As much as you would like to take care of yourself, sadly, that goes on the back burner, especially when you have a newborn in the house. As a licensed esthetician, I know how important it is for me to wash my face before I go to bed. However, when I could barely have the energy to walk from the bathroom to my bed, my regular skincare regimen care regimen just wasn't not going to happen. I discovered these and loved them. They remove dirt, and you're makeup but leave your skin well hydrated.
Mom hack: Most people don't need to wash their face in the morning. Use these instead of just rinsing with water that can cause your skin to be dry.
Nursing bras
Technically just like PJs, you could nurse with a traditional bra. However, to me not at all worth irritation. You most likely are not your normal bra size anyway, not to mention the leaking and other random messes you will encounter. You can find well-priced nursing bras that are well worth it. The clips worked much better for me than the pull-down types. The 5 pack was my everyday bra. The kindred Bravely all-in-one is great for pumping and nursing at the same time! The best-fitting nursing bra with an underwire - I found here.
Nursing PJs/Robe
I'm all about things that make my life as a mom easier! Yes, you can attempt to make your current PJs work for nursing but having PJs designed for that reason is fantastic. I've found all those minor irritations add up to one giant meltdown. I love these! They are soft, super cute, work for pregnancy and postpartum. The snaps make nursing when you can't even open your eyes a breeze. Not to mention you match your bubba!
The 3 priceless things you MUST have during your postpartum journey
30 minute Mama Treat
Chocolate, tea, chocolate tea! Bubble bath or a shower! Find something that can relax and rejuvenate you. Keep in mind it's something you can do in 30 minutes or less. Why? Because realistically, that's what you can do and what you will have time to do. Yes, please sleep whenever you have the chance too. But sometimes, you need something other than sleep to give you the reset you need. Plan for it before the baby comes.
Patience
You will need patience for your baby, patience for yourself, patience for your new life. Being a new mom is exciting. It's incredible, but it is hard. You are being thrown into a brand new world with no experience. Whether it's your first baby, your second or fifth baby, you are entering uncharted territory. So you will need patience and a lot of it. Give yourself a break and grace; the learning curve will be quick. Trust yourself; you got this, mama!
Support Team
There is no price that you can put on support during this time. Support comes in various forms. We tend to think of needing support when we are struggling. That's not the only time you need a "mom tribe." You also need someone there to share in your joys and excitement! I was in pure Bliss when I had my son. I was so in love, and I just wanted to share it with people I knew I wasn't irritating with my 10th photo of the day. When I had so many random questions or concerns and when I had those tough days too. Keep in mind this support doesn't necessarily need to be fellow moms. Even though my sister and a few dear friends didn't have children at the time, they were a HUGE support. They may have more flexibility and energy that your mom friends may not. When my son was just a few weeks old, I had a corneal abrasion. It hurt so bad; I couldn't open my eyes nevertheless see! My sister came to my house, drove my son and me to the eye doctor, and helped me get the medication I needed. She was a lifesaver and continues to be still. Find your people who can cry, scream, laugh and fawn over your baby with you.
