I'm due July 3rd and want to get a few things that I will need after the baby is born. Last baby was five years ago so I figure some products might have changed/improved. I also need pad recs as last time the mesh topped kind made my skin raw and that's the last thing I needed! So what worked great for you? Thanks
The target brand pads that were the equivalent to kotex were both soft and super cheap. Some people recommend wearing depends but I needed a little dignity still. Also you'll want to get some summers eve wash, and that angel baby mama bottom spray was lovely. But if you don't want to use that then dermaplast.
I was a major fan of the Stayfree super, long maxi pads with wings. They were so comfortable, even though a bit bulky. I had a c/s and wore those mesh panties from the hospital for about 2 weeks. If you're BFing, I'd also suggest investing in some elastigel or other kind of nipple relief item for those first weeks.
I just had this same chafing issue with Always pads -- but the always INFINITY pads are not mesh topped and I found them to work great.
I had a c section so I ended up not needing all of the personal care items I bought,but the list I compiled from girlfriends was: Tucks pads Prep H Witch hazel to make "padsicles" Depends (the Lisa Rinna kind, just to wear instead of pads) Big cheap granny panties that you don't care about just tossing advil / tylenol ice packs Heating pad
I liked the Kotex brand maxi pads best. I tried the always infinity and they irritated me. Witch hazel pads and those ice packs you get from the hospital were the best when things started healing and itched. Also eating Fiber One granola bars really helped.
If you have more than one bathroom get some extra peri bottles, enough for each bathroom. You can get them on amazon. I liked the always infinity pads but I've never had any issues with pads.
The best things for me were things I got from the hospital, the big soft pads, the mesh underwear, and the peri bottle. Preparation H wipes also came in very handy, but you can just get witch hazel, same effect.
I took this stuff home from the hospital and didn't need to buy:
Peri bottle
Peri care ice packs
Dermaplast spray
Big cotton granny panties to toss after
Always infinity pads
Witch hazel to mix with water in the peri bottle
Stool softeners for sure!
Nipple balm: I used motherlove and really liked it. It's made with olive oil so it spreads without any difficulty on sore nipples
Comfy sleep nursing bras: I lived in these and still wear them all the time. Mine are from target.
Nursing pads
Tubes of Vaseline and gauze pads if you're having a boy and circumsizing
My top three things were my peri bottle (I was terrified to pee without it for quite some time), Dermoplast spray, and Colace!
The hospital sent me home with two packs of pads and I just used them. They lasted pretty long. After they ran out, I think I used Stayfree pads. I didn't have any problem with raw skin.
PCOS with long, irregular cycles First round of Clomid in May 2012= BFP #1, DD born January 2013 BFP #2 in January 2014, DS born September 2014
2. Always Over-Night Maxi. It comes in a purple package. I'm not sure if they have the mesh in them or not. I wish I would have brought some to the hospital because after the first 24 hrs the nurses swapped out my big diaper sized pads for normal sized pads, and I was still bleeding a lot (sorry if TMI) so at night I'd have to get up every two or three hours to change them.
3. Peri Bottle. I was sent home with two from the hospital, but for the first two weeks they felt amazing, and the thought of using anything else was a bit scary.
Always thin super pads ad overnight pads. I tried some bulky ones and they just kinda hurt me.
Underwear a size up than what you are wearing the last month of pregnancy. Things were swollen and I still dont want anything fitting snug down there
Marernity Yoga pants or sweatpants. I only have one pair and wore them everyday for 2 weeks. I'm just now in my regular sweats. I wish I had at least one extra pair.
Ice packs have 2 cause the first few days youll want one out every hour Im still using them almost daily
Epsom saltthose hot soaking bathes really helped with some immediate relief.
Thanks so much ladies! Now I have a clue what direction to go. I never had ice packs last time so that is totally new, but makes all the sense in the world to me. Thanks again!
I had an emergency csection so the pads and witchhazel stuff I bought went to waste, but I was glad I had pany liners.
I'd suggest getting a binder or a fewnpairs of yoga pants with the fold over waist from Target that are popular. I loved mine and got a few more. It was so helpful right after when you have no core muscles. Something to tuck you in until you get your muscles to work again.
Snacks. I know it sounds dumb, but get some good snack foods. You aren't going to want to sit down with a fork and knife for every meal, I didn't want to eat meals at all. And I didn't put my son down often so i had to do a lot one handed. Cheese sticks, deli trays, fruit cut up, crackers, etc. All good. More protein the better.
Bonus: Stool Softener!!!! Trust me on this one. Anyone PP will tell you that first bowel movement is worse than any labor and pushing!
Warning
No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
I had an emergency csection so the pads and witchhazel stuff I bought went to waste, but I was glad I had pany liners.
I'd suggest getting a binder or a fewnpairs of yoga pants with the fold over waist from Target that are popular. I loved mine and got a few more. It was so helpful right after when you have no core muscles. Something to tuck you in until you get your muscles to work again.
Snacks. I know it sounds dumb, but get some good snack foods. You aren't going to want to sit down with a fork and knife for every meal, I didn't want to eat meals at all. And I didn't put my son down often so i had to do a lot one handed. Cheese sticks, deli trays, fruit cut up, crackers, etc. All good. More protein the better.
Bonus: Stool Softener!!!! Trust me on this one. Anyone PP will tell you that first bowel movement is worse than any labor and pushing!
All of this. I ended up in the same boat, but my must haves were "comfort" things. Soft yoga pants, good nursing bra (I hate the Target brand underwire nursing bras, btw), and comfy t-shirts were a must for me.
6th cycle of meds/iui combos = BFP!! - EDD 1/21/13 Born via emergency c-section - 8lb, 19.75 in, 100% stubborn
BFP Chart 8 cycles of unmedicated trying = BFP!! - EDD 1/10/18 *Waiting for Baby Eags 2.0*;
I went out and bought a bunch of stuff before giving birth because I read about it... witch hazel pads, the numbing/cooling spray, etc... and ended up returning a bunch of it.
The only things I used... Pads. I used Target brand pads the whole time. I started with the super heavy overnight ones and then slowly moved down, now I'm on "regular" pads at almost 3 weeks PP. I had a few with wings that I HATED, so I only buy the ones without wings. I ran out of pads really quickly in the beginning, so I would have bought more in retrospect.
I also took Ibuprofen for the first week and a half or so out of the hospital for the pain and swelling with my stitches, as per the nurse's instructions.... I went through 50!! So for me those were a must-have.
Annnd stool softener. I bought the Target-brand Colace equivalent. It took me about 5 days to go #2 after birth, and I kept taking the stool softeners twice a day (morning and night) again for about a week and a half until I got back to normal.
I had an episiotomy and stitches and honestly the recovery wasn't that painful or bad for me. I was prepared to need ice and all of the other things to soothe "down there," but I really didn't need it all personally.
Amanda
******************************
Nov siggy challenge: animals eating Thanksgiving food
If you have more than one bathroom get some extra peri bottles, enough for each bathroom. You can get them on amazon. I liked the always infinity pads but I've never had any issues with pads.
This is really good advice, I was always forgetting my peri bottle and running up and down the stairs looking for it while about to pee my pants.
Also I saw someone mentioned nipple cream... I applied Lanisoh constantly in the hospital like it was going out of style. Luckily my nips have toughened up now.
Amanda
******************************
Nov siggy challenge: animals eating Thanksgiving food
My top three things were my peri bottle (I was terrified to pee without it for quite some time), Dermoplast spray, and Colace!
Hah, I was also terrified to pee without my bottle handy! Definitely couldn't have done without it.
I went out and bought a big ol' bottle of witch hazel and sourced Tucks pads too. Ended up I didn't need any of it as I tore "sideways" and I didn't think it would have helped as I had no damage to my perineum and no haemorrhoids.
The Stayfree pads with wings (overnight, then just long) were comfortable and not bulky. I found the problem with traditional maxi pads was the bulk, which then got bunched up against my tender parts.
Also, stool softeners. I took these for about three weeks post partum. Once I quit BF and stopped taking prenatal vitamins, bowel movements became a lot more comfortable.
I wish I had thought more about icing that area too, I didn't have a bag of frozen peas on hand which would have been smart.
Re: Three best personal care products postpartum?
I just had this same chafing issue with Always pads -- but the always INFINITY pads are not mesh topped and I found them to work great.
I had a c section so I ended up not needing all of the personal care items I bought,but the list I compiled from girlfriends was:
Tucks pads
Prep H
Witch hazel to make "padsicles"
Depends (the Lisa Rinna kind, just to wear instead of pads)
Big cheap granny panties that you don't care about just tossing
advil / tylenol
ice packs
Heating pad
Kotex pads for sure (no weave), dermoplast (the blue can), witch hazel pads, a bottle of Colace stool softeners (you will really need these!)
The hospital will give you a peri bottle that you should lose!
I love this list! https://www.sonofmax.com/movable/archives/000110.html
Oops - edit: should NOT lose the peri bottle!
Peri bottle
Peri care ice packs
Dermaplast spray
Big cotton granny panties to toss after
Always infinity pads
Witch hazel to mix with water in the peri bottle
Stool softeners for sure!
Nipple balm: I used motherlove and really liked it. It's made with olive oil so it spreads without any difficulty on sore nipples
Comfy sleep nursing bras: I lived in these and still wear them all the time. Mine are from target.
Nursing pads
Tubes of Vaseline and gauze pads if you're having a boy and circumsizing
My top three things were my peri bottle (I was terrified to pee without it for quite some time), Dermoplast spray, and Colace!
The hospital sent me home with two packs of pads and I just used them. They lasted pretty long. After they ran out, I think I used Stayfree pads. I didn't have any problem with raw skin.
First round of Clomid in May 2012= BFP #1, DD born January 2013
BFP #2 in January 2014, DS born September 2014
1. Colace.
2. Always Over-Night Maxi. It comes in a purple package. I'm not sure if they have the mesh in them or not. I wish I would have brought some to the hospital because after the first 24 hrs the nurses swapped out my big diaper sized pads for normal sized pads, and I was still bleeding a lot (sorry if TMI) so at night I'd have to get up every two or three hours to change them.
3. Peri Bottle. I was sent home with two from the hospital, but for the first two weeks they felt amazing, and the thought of using anything else was a bit scary.
Always thin super pads ad overnight pads. I tried some bulky ones and they just kinda hurt me.
Underwear a size up than what you are wearing the last month of pregnancy. Things were swollen and I still dont want anything fitting snug down there
Marernity Yoga pants or sweatpants. I only have one pair and wore them everyday for 2 weeks. I'm just now in my regular sweats. I wish I had at least one extra pair.
Ice packs have 2 cause the first few days youll want one out every hour Im still using them almost daily
Epsom saltthose hot soaking bathes really helped with some immediate relief.
Meds: colace, prep H, tucks pads, nipple cream, Motrin and Tylenol.
Kotex pads no wings
Tucks pads witch hazel
Peri bottle with warm water
I had an emergency csection so the pads and witchhazel stuff I bought went to waste, but I was glad I had pany liners.
I'd suggest getting a binder or a fewnpairs of yoga pants with the fold over waist from Target that are popular. I loved mine and got a few more. It was so helpful right after when you have no core muscles. Something to tuck you in until you get your muscles to work again.
Snacks. I know it sounds dumb, but get some good snack foods. You aren't going to want to sit down with a fork and knife for every meal, I didn't want to eat meals at all. And I didn't put my son down often so i had to do a lot one handed. Cheese sticks, deli trays, fruit cut up, crackers, etc. All good. More protein the better.
Bonus: Stool Softener!!!! Trust me on this one. Anyone PP will tell you that first bowel movement is worse than any labor and pushing!
All of this. I ended up in the same boat, but my must haves were "comfort" things. Soft yoga pants, good nursing bra (I hate the Target brand underwire nursing bras, btw), and comfy t-shirts were a must for me.
Born via emergency c-section - 8lb, 19.75 in, 100% stubborn BFP Chart
8 cycles of unmedicated trying = BFP!! - EDD 1/10/18
*Waiting for Baby Eags 2.0*;
I went out and bought a bunch of stuff before giving birth because I read about it... witch hazel pads, the numbing/cooling spray, etc... and ended up returning a bunch of it.
The only things I used... Pads. I used Target brand pads the whole time. I started with the super heavy overnight ones and then slowly moved down, now I'm on "regular" pads at almost 3 weeks PP. I had a few with wings that I HATED, so I only buy the ones without wings. I ran out of pads really quickly in the beginning, so I would have bought more in retrospect.
I also took Ibuprofen for the first week and a half or so out of the hospital for the pain and swelling with my stitches, as per the nurse's instructions.... I went through 50!! So for me those were a must-have.
Annnd stool softener. I bought the Target-brand Colace equivalent. It took me about 5 days to go #2 after birth, and I kept taking the stool softeners twice a day (morning and night) again for about a week and a half until I got back to normal.
I had an episiotomy and stitches and honestly the recovery wasn't that painful or bad for me. I was prepared to need ice and all of the other things to soothe "down there," but I really didn't need it all personally.
******************************
Nov siggy challenge: animals eating Thanksgiving food
Rhys - born 04.17.2013
Harry - born 04.18.2016
This is really good advice, I was always forgetting my peri bottle and running up and down the stairs looking for it while about to pee my pants.
Also I saw someone mentioned nipple cream... I applied Lanisoh constantly in the hospital like it was going out of style. Luckily my nips have toughened up now.
******************************
Nov siggy challenge: animals eating Thanksgiving food
Rhys - born 04.17.2013
Harry - born 04.18.2016
Hah, I was also terrified to pee without my bottle handy! Definitely couldn't have done without it.
I went out and bought a big ol' bottle of witch hazel and sourced Tucks pads too. Ended up I didn't need any of it as I tore "sideways" and I didn't think it would have helped as I had no damage to my perineum and no haemorrhoids.
The Stayfree pads with wings (overnight, then just long) were comfortable and not bulky. I found the problem with traditional maxi pads was the bulk, which then got bunched up against my tender parts.
Also, stool softeners. I took these for about three weeks post partum. Once I quit BF and stopped taking prenatal vitamins, bowel movements became a lot more comfortable.
I wish I had thought more about icing that area too, I didn't have a bag of frozen peas on hand which would have been smart.