Eco-Friendly Family
daenikoffre
member
"4th Tri" / mama care / Okay, ladies.. what will I NEED?
daenikoffre
member
MIL just gave me a bunch of cash and said, "This is for all that stuff for your you know where.. and nursing pads." She's so cute. haha!
So, what did you worship most after your LO arrived?
Any recommendations about certain brands or shops?
I know there's some spray bottle thing, and nipple stuff, and I've heard mixed reviews on sitz baths.. what was your experience with that?
Thanks, ladies 
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Re: "4th Tri" / mama care / Okay, ladies.. what will I NEED?
my hospital provided most of the stuff i needed...they gave me the peri bottle, the giant diaper pads, a tube of lansinoh, and good pain meds.
the only thing i really bought was a giant water bottle (b/c nursing makes you super thirsty), and some milkmaid nursing pads...good luck with those though, they're like gold around here.
I ended up with a c/s, so never needed/had the peri bottle (which from what I understand usually you can just get at the hospital, so I wouldn't buy, necessarily).
I'm afraid I used disposable pads for pp bleeding, and probably will again (I'm not a mamacloth gal - DC, which won't be an option, of course, pp). Lansinoh lanolin is perfect for sore nipples. If you don't have any, I'd recommend some nice yoga/sweat pants that you feel human in but are uber comfortable. Nursing tanks are a must for the first few week(s) while your supply regulates. I just did Target ones, as I am cheap and it was what I could find. Nursing pads, I couldn't find any reusable locally that I liked, but will be trying my AFFF ones this time around. I've also heard fairly good things about some other that a friend got off of one of the CD websites - sadly I don't remember which brand. I did the lansinoh disposable ones, since I couldn't find anything else back then.
I agree with PP. Grab everything from the hospital!! The diaper pads were great, but I really only needed what they provided and not much more. I needed stool softener for longer than I thought, I went through 2 bottles until I became more "regular". And I lived in a nursing cami for the first month (granted it was the summer so I just wore that and sport shorts every day).
Good luck!
I really liked all the Earth Mama Angel Baby post partum products. I really liked the Bottom Balm. I was really bruised, and it did seem to help. I also really liked the Post Partum Bath herbs,. I used the poltice and then put the left over liquid in my peri-bottle. The hospital should be sending you home with a peribottle or it should be on your supply list from your midwife for a homebirth. I also thought their Post-partum tea (they now call is monthly comfort tea) was wonderful. https://www.mothernature.com/search/index.cfm?query=Earth+Mama+&Type=Products&page=1
I also really liked these pads for the first few really icky days: https://www.mothernature.com/p/Natracare-New-Mother-Maternity-Pads-10-pad/197973.html
They didn't seem to stick to me (OUCH) like others did.
I've already stocked up on all that stuff from Mothernature.com They have the best prices by far on those items.
As far as nipple cream, I don't really think any brand is better. Just get a lanolin cream.
I would also suggest ice packs. You can also soak pads and freeze them.
Wow, thanks for all of that! I've used Natracare before and planned on continuing to.. I'm surprised they're so cheap on here! Holy cow. Oh, and thanks for the freezer tip! I'm already preparing myself to shed all modesty. ha!
Definitely a peri bottle. (I had gotten 2 in my homebirth kit. It was nice to have one in each bathroom.) Ditto the pp who hated the giant pads. I actually used Depends.
Is it bad that I thought they were wonderful? For nursing pads I've used disposables and some made by a local WAHM. I, personally, go through tons of them!
I needed a c-section and I guess due to the drugs they make you very irregular, and I had very hard poop. And even with the c-section, it hurt to push hard to poop.
They're, like, 10"x14" - massive! I guess they are supposed to be one size fits all, but I'm pretty petite so they got all bunch and shifted around a lot.
As far as the spray, peri bottle, ice packs, pads, etc... they gave me ALL of that stuff at the hospital - including the stool softener. You can probably call the hospital and find out what will be provided to you. You'll be charged for them in the end anyway so there is no sense in buying your own.
As far as the stool softener, I suppose you might be a bit more constipated after birth, but it's more because your perineum will be sore (an possibly stitched up) so the easier you can make things for yourself, the better.
This exactly! I am secretly excited to try this next time!
As for a donut...I sat on the boppy pillow alot. It helped so much.
Hospital strength dermoplast
I bought small gel icepacks and they were pretty comfortable.
I also hated the huge pads from the hospital. I bought some regular ones for nighttime heavy use and they were much better. The peri bottle I got from the hospital helped a lot. I use mine now to wet homemade wipes before use.A water bottle is a definite must too. I have one that has a top which is leak-proof and releases water with pressure, so I can drink while lying down. I love it.
I actually got a whole bunch of different nursing pads to try and never really needed them. I nurse quite often usually and only need them when I can't do it for a while, like when traveling but everyone is different.
I tore but only a little and never needed a donut either but I did like sitz baths. Actually, I like any bath I can get. I just get in the bath with my son to give him his and it's a fun time for both of us.
You will want some comfy new clothes in bigger sizes that are cute because you are probably going to feel not cute.
Do you have a pre-baby appt at the hospital? We met with the maternity care coordinator and I asked what I was going to be provided with for Ryan and myself.
They gave me the giant diaper pads (which I loved, because I always felt like I was going to leak when I wore real pads in junior high), cooling pads (twist, shake and it gets cold), witch hazel pads, dermoplast, peri bottle, and they offered me lanolin but I had my own with me. The best thing about the giant pads is that you can tear one end open and stuff it with ice. They'll show you how to make a giant sub sammich out of your pad.
What I bought for myself: Kotex overnight pads (purple package), more witch hazel pads, adult wet wipes (the wet cottonelle stuff, but target brand), more dermoplast (which I never needed) and dulcolax. Not because my poo was hard but because I think the dr on call got a bit too enthusiastic while stitching me up. Pooing hurt my girl bits, but the sooner you get it over with the better. They let me go home even though I hadn't pooped yet.
I wasn't allowed to have any baths until my 4 week pp check up, so the peri bottle was my best friend.
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I did well with the regular Always Overnight pads. The big ones they sent from the hospital? I soaked them in witch hazel and froze them. They were heavenly to sit on a few times a day for a week or two.
A lot of mamas put cold water in their peri-bottle (hosp. provided mine.), but I thought warm water felt better.
Ibuprofen. It was a godsend.
Whatever pads you decide to go with (hospital or something you buy) make sure they don't have a plastic-y "stay dry" layer. I wound up with an AWFUL vag infection that I swear was from the Always pads I was using. Once I switched to the big, puffy cloth-like Stay Free pads I felt much better and the infection cleared up really quickly.