Product Spotlight: Post Partum Essentials 4/2

SmashJam

his is a place for FTMs to ask questions and S+TMs to share the wealth of knowledge they've accumulated on baby products. Each week we'll spotlight a new category of product to help streamline and make it easier to refer back. This week it's.... Post Partum Essentials! What items did you find essential to your recovery? Clothes, products, OTC pain meds,foods, exercise/yoga/meditation routines,  etc that made your recovery and first weeks with baby much easier are on spotlight here! 

Please use the prompts below to try to share as much relevant info as you can in a format that is easy for those reading to absorb/respond to. If you'd like to recommend/ask questions about more than one product, please copy/paste the prompts as needed.  

For S+TMs: 

• Any specifics that may differentiate your preferences:
• Favorite [Post Partum Recovery Item]:
• Link/picture:
• Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
• Age appropriate for:
• What you like about it:
• What you don't like about it, if anything:
• Is there a {Post Partum Recovery Item] you don't have but are considering? Why?:
• Is there a [Post Partum Recovery Item] you've tried that you absolutely hate? Why?: 
• Additional thoughts on [Post Partum Recovery Item]?:
• Any topics you'd like to see in the Product Spotlight that aren't there (check the spreadsheet link below!):

For FTMs

• [Post Partum Recovery Item] you're interested in:
• Link/picture:
• Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.):
• Any questions about it/them for S+TMs?
• Any topics you'd like to see in the Product Spotlight that aren't there? (Check the spreadsheet link below!):

Spreadsheet link here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1nhSR3UAwJx8UitC9b2hRx57c4hHkK6BU679FjqXMeHQ/edit?usp=sharing

zande2016

Stool softener!!!! Please, ladies, do not wait for the constipation to start taking it. The nurses gave it to me in the hospital but I didn't bother once I got home, and within a week, I was in agony - the pain of trying to pass a hard poop when you have hemmroids and/or anal fissures (both caused by the whole pushing out a baby thing) is excruciating. Like it was worse than child birth for me, hands down. Take it every single day postpartum no matter what! 

Earth mama angel baby bottom spray. Tucks pads. Numbing spray and peri bottle (hospital gave theseto me). For a couple weeks I would do this every time I went to the bathroom: use peri bottle with fresh warm water to clean off, then change pad, layer a few tucks pads on top of the pad, and spray it all over with the numbing spray. Then I'd spray myself with the earth mama spray before putting the pad on.

Sitz bath if you're lucky enough to have hemmroids/fissures. I would put coconut oil in my sitz bath. 

Take the mesh panties! 

hillbillywife

Agree with what @zande2016 said! I didn’t have an issue with constipation really, but it helps when you’re sore down there to have nice soft poops lol. Peri bottle and tucks pads are also a must! 

I took home the hospital pads with me but much preferred the always infinity pads. They absorbed everything really nicely and didn’t feel as diapery as the hospital ones. 

wildtot

Most of my stuff will be for c sections.
Take all the mesh panties you can!!
Starr your stool softener early especially with a c section. 
Peri bottle since it’s harder to bend over with a fresh cut. 
Wax the cut area and avoid the hospital shave especially if you get razer bumps and want to heal a little cleaner without tangled up hair in your scar.
PP belly support, highly recommended! I got a belly bandit and the hospital have me a regular stretchy one. I didn’t like them but it helped. 
Take your meds in time! Don’t wait to feel the pain.
Ask for Benadryl if you feel itchy from the strong pain meds. 
Walk around as much as you can but take it slow. 
High waisted panties to avoid rubbing on your incision.( plus extra abdominal support)
Dresses Dresses Dresses for the first few days at least. 
Pillow for car rides

my question is what belly supports did you try? I’m looking for something to cover my incision and cover my entire abdominal area. I’m considering the Chongerfei 3 in 1.

11dematosk

You absolutely need a donut filled with ice to sit on for the first few days after delivery. Otherwise it is super painful to sit down. Also a ton of ibuprofen. And I second the always infinity pads, the hospital ones were very bulky to wear.  

acunamatada

Great suggestions ladies! 
I cant recommend the stool softener enough! I didn’t poop for 5 days because I was so terrified of the PP poop, but I took them religiously and it wasn’t an issue at all. 
Peri bottle, and tucks pads over your pads, dermaplast and all the mesh panties. Some people swear by frozen ‘padsicles’ but I never got around to making them. There are lots of interesting recipes on Pinterest. 

kc1293

+1 @zande2016 - numbing spray, tucks pads, peri bottle...yaaaaaaaaaaas. Don't be afraid to ask the hospital for more. I took home so much stuff the first time.

I've heard of people using diapers (Depends, Always Discreet, etc.) instead of the pads. Anyone else tried it? Thinking about it this round.

Also, belly bands/girdles. I know it's best to use after c-section, but a few bloggers I follow used them after a vaginal delivery. Has anyone done this? Did it help? What was the point?

runsomewhere

For S+TMs: 

• Favorite [Post Partum Recovery Item]: wine
• Link/picture:
• Cost (either actual dollar amount, or just $, $$, $$$, etc.): $ to $$$$$ your choice!
• Age appropriate for: 21+
• What you like about it: 
• 
  
• What you don't like about it, if anything: 
• 
  
• Additional thoughts on [Post Partum Recovery Item]?: I'm not actually a drunk or wino lol but man I could go for a good glass of red soon. And really, PP recovery, there are things to celebrate, things you want to forget and pain you want to minimize, so.......

acunamatada

@runsomewhere GOLD. Treat yourself! 

The only part of my birth plan that has/will be planned is an ice cold bubbly something being popped in the PP room.  

wildtot

@kc1293 some pp belly supports are universal for the type of delivery, just depends on what your looking for. It’s very helpful regardless of delivery to help shrink your uterus and waistline faster. Also remember your organs have moved and your muscles have yet to retract so the added support helps keep that “gut falling out” feeling from happening. You have no idea how much you use your abs until you cant use them properly. It also helps if you end up with diastasis recti. 

Eta, i didn’t like mine much as it didn’t stretch much to fit early on. It eventually did for but weeks after.

kc1293

@wildtot thanks! No one ever told me about them after my first two! I'll look into this time.

morethanamama

Awesome advice! Really love this thread.

I'm actually SO EXCITED (which is is dumb...) Because DH is perfectly ok to install a bidet insert into our toilet! I will have a peri bottle but it will be so nice to be able to rinse off. Sorry but being from Europe I still don't understand why Americans think bidets are so weird, I love them! LOL.

I know my doula gave me a "recipe" for icy pads filled with witch hazel and aloe gel. 

I can't wait to have a GIANT poke bowl and a nice Moscow mule.

elizabethrn87

kissableviv said:

Awesome advice! Really love this thread.

I'm actually SO EXCITED (which is is dumb...) Because DH is perfectly ok to install a bidet insert into our toilet! I will have a peri bottle but it will be so nice to be able to rinse off. Sorry but being from Europe I still don't understand why Americans think bidets are so weird, I love them! LOL.

I know my doula gave me a "recipe" for icy pads filled with witch hazel and aloe gel. 

I can't wait to have a GIANT poke bowl and a nice Moscow mule.

We have a diaper sprayer I can use if need be

noideawhatshesdoing

@kissableviv Yes! You're so lucky about the bidet. I've been begging for one for years. Totally spoiled by our time abroad and always feel so dirty here in the US! Maybe I'll start bugging DH about it again, would be good timing.

morethanamama

@noideawhatshesdoing the toilet inserts are really not as expensive as you would think, I think it's doable and very little plumbing work involved!

SmashJam

@elizabethrn87 so funny! Maybe I'll finally attach ours for this LO and use it.

+1 to the stool softeners in the hospital. I asked for it with my first round of Motrin and they forgot so I kept buggin them...I think the nurses and midwives thought I was insane. Also LOVED the numbing spray, it was a life saver.

flockofmoosen3

My favorites after two vaginal births:
The dermablast spray they give you at the hospital is amazing! I used it after every trip to the toilet and felt zero pain during recovery both when I had a tear and when I didn't. I never needed to sit on a donut pillow or use the ice packs. It numbs things down there, for those who aren't familiar.

Colace/stool softener is a must--and start taking it immediately. 

I found the thin overnight, super flow pads with wings were the best at catching stray PP bleeding leaks. You may still leak if you're not quick enough to change or reclining, so be prepared. Have plenty of period panties handy and extra pants if needed and stock up on the pads ahead of time. FTMs, you can't use tampons until after your Dr. clears you so don't bother. Also, I didn't stop bleeding/spotting for a full 6 weeks with both kids, but I've heard some women only bleed/spot for a couple of weeks. Not sure why the difference but don't be alarmed UNLESS it suddenly gets heavier than lighter--call your doctor right away!

I love the peri bottle.

A PP cleaning person is essential, whoever that may be. When you're stuck on the couch feeding or cuddling a sleeping baby you don't want to have chores nagging on your conscience and disturbing your baby time. I didn't have a designated cleaning person with the first two but I think my mom plans to be here and she loves to clean.

My most favorite post-baby recovery "thing" was also my local mom's group. As a FTM with DD1 I knew nothing about what was out there to do with babies and the ladies I met were/are great and I credit that group for keeping me mentally healthy. It was really hard to put myself out there but I did it and it was just what I needed. It was also great to have activities outside of the house for a purpose besides just errands. I hear about a lot of bad mommy groups, so you might just have to shop around to find your crew. I found mine on MeetUp.

What's not great for PP recovery is a needy pet. I want a maternity leave this time from my dog and I'm 100% serious. 

BrittG13

@kc1293 I used one after my vaginal delivery for the same reasons @wildtot mentions above. I believe it was the belly bandit brand but I can’t remember. I did not use it for the entire recommended time, it was very much like a corset made my ribs sore *but it did improve my shape for the time that I did wear it and Iwill definitely be doing so again after this one! 

I also recommend Mederma or the like and get started with that routine right away. It did not get rid of all my stretch marks but it did drastically reduce their appearance! 

emzie54

Mesh hospital underpants!  Take home as many as you can get your hands on.  There is nothing better than just being able to take them off (full of pads and tucks and blood) and just throw them in the trash and start over with a fresh pair.  In the hospital the nurse showed me how to make a padsicle with two regular pads on the bottom, followed by an ice pack pad on top, then 2-3 tucks pads, topped with a spray of dermoplast.  It felt very soothing, but it’s also a lot of stuff to deal with particularly when full of blood.  I thought the mesh underpants were the greatest!

@flockofmoosen3 a cleaning person is a great tip!  Ours came while I was in the hospital and then we had them come more frequently for the first month home.  A pristine, lovely smelling house, that you didn’t have to make that way, during the chaos and adjustment period was such a gift!

My daughter and I struggled with breastfeeding and I don’t know what I would have done without my LC and the breastfeeding support group she ran.  I also love my daughter’s pediatrician.  I feel like that group of people saved me in some way.  

hillbillywife

@emzie54 I forgot about mesh underwear. I loved them for hat exact reason too. They’re comfortable and you can just take them off-nasties and all and not have to worry about them again! 

SmashJam

If I remember correctly, I bled for many weeks, maybe 4 or 5, and they did not give me that many underpants. I just googled it and it looks like they cost $2 each! I feel like that's a lot for disposable underpants

ETA: It looks like they come with the pad attatched, which I guess is better.

morethanamama

@SmashJam that is a lot... I guess if they have the pad you save on that? Still a lot for a disposable pair

bearmomma1

This stuff is very useful, although quite alarming as well! it's the part of pregnancy I'm trying not to think about to not scare myself. But reading all these tips got me thinking: We have a really high bed. Like I almost have to jump up to get in. Will that be impossible post-birth? Should I plan on sleeping in the guest room (which has a lower bed) or on the couch? Or get a little step to step up on?

wildtot

@rachelsogo i just used a step stool. Our guest bed is much lower and i figured it’s easier to step up and slid down vs bending forward and forcing my muscles to pull myself up. 

stlmegs

@runsomewhere I had the same thought   I was going to post a picture of a bottle of Jameson. lol

bearmomma1

@acunamatada Do people really do that? or is that frowned upon? Because DH and I keep joking about doing that..wondering if it actually is a thing?

noideawhatshesdoing

I shared some of the tips from this thread with DH, he's pretty horrified at the idea of that much pp bleeding. I think he thought it would be a little for a day or two. I'm trying to help prepare him with what to expect and what is normal because he tends to pop back into his old first responder mode around me when I have anything more than a headache. That will make me insane. Needless to say, he's pretty thankful for this list of tips and recommended items. He's started a list

hillbillywife

@SmashJam are you talking about the depends ones or the hospital ones? Hospital ones were “free” for me so I just grabbed as many as I could and by the time I ran out I was okay with just my normal period undies. 

@rachelsogo our bed is pretty high too and I haven’t had any problems getting in or out. I’m pretty averageish height though so I can lay down and stand up with pretty much zero effort. I like @wildtot s idea to use a foot stool or something to help you get in if you’re short. Idk that I’d recommend the couch. Even if you have an amazingly comfy couch that’ll get old really fast. 

zande2016

@rachelsogo yes definitely! The first thing my dad did was barge into my room with a bottle of champagne and start passing cups around. I took one sip and thought I was going to pass out - I advise drinking water and having a meal, THEN opening the bubbly. I don't think it's frowned upon at all, but that could vary by hospital. 

acunamatada

@rachelsogo totally! It might differ by hospital, but mine didn’t care at all 

@noideawhatshesdoing A DAY OR TWO  
I. Wish. Lol he’s going to be in for quite a shock! 

noideawhatshesdoing

@acunamatada I know, it was cute. I'm trying so hard to prepare him so he isn't freaking out thinking I'm dying or something. He was like "but where does it all come from?!" LOL. We have a collapsible duffel bag we usually travel with because it folds super small and it sounds like he's already determined that's going in the hospital bag so he can shove as much as possible from there into it.

bearmomma1

@acunamatada @zande2016 Definitely going to inquire about that at our hospital tour next weekend! 

emzie54

@hillbillywife, yes free from the hospital!  Take as many as you can, ladies.  When they give you a stash put most of them in your bag and leave a few out and then ask for a restock as soon as you feel comfortable asking then repeat!  I think I got 2 weeks worth and while I bled for probably more than 6, it was manageable with regular undies and pads after the 2.  Basically, I think I took everything that wasn’t nailed down from my hospital room: diapers, wipes, onesies, receiving blankets, a small basin for bathing baby with, ice pads, regular pads, mesh undies, dermoplast, tucks, bulb syringe etc.

If if we are gearing up to discuss the horrors of PP, the smell is also weird and gross, my nipples became giant and almost black (apparently a hormonal evolutionary adaptation meant to help newborns find nipples), I felt the weight of my uterus in my vagina (I didn’t have a prolapse or anything it just takes a while for things to move back where they belong), and I’ll stop there...everything did return to normal for the most part, eventually.

acunamatada

@emzie54 ugh the smell.. 4 weeks PP I was convinced I must have an infection, but it’s apparently normal.. Not looking forward to that again. 

zande2016

Speaking of the horrors of pp - did anyone else get horrible chills? For like 2 weeks, every night at a certain time, I was freezing and shivering uncontrollably. 

kc1293

@emzie54 are you MH??? haha he did the exact same thing with our first one.

Also the nurse the second time told us to take stuff because once they open it, they have to throw it away. Even things like the bathing bowl things they use. Came in handy for a bout of food poisoning later on. So yes please do not be afraid to ask for/take things!

wildtot

@zande2016 yes to the chills. I had night sweats and all the wonderful hormonal stuff. 

runsomewhere

Sorry if I missed it but has anyone just used depends underwear instead of giant pads PP? They have some now that aren't as thick but are supposed to be super absorbent.

Also the postpartum uterus "massage" that the nurses do after birth is amazing at minimizing pp bleeding, it hurts horribly but it's so worth it.

acunamatada

@zande2016 yes! Chills and night sweats! 

SmashJam

@hillbillywife my hospital was stingy on the undies so I just googled quick to see about getting the same undies the hospital has for myself. They are $2 ! Piece almost, but some have pads. 

And846

This has been the most helpful and eye opening thread. I had no clue bleeding lasted for weeks post birth until i started to read my book. The pain, the sprays, pads...oh my! I’ll need a separate checklist for post hospital supplies! Do you still bleed with a c-section? 

I totally can see my sister bringing bubbles to the hospital. First grand baby for both sides and everyone is pretty excited.