Product Spotlight: Postpartum Mom Essentials

Avrilmai

As others have mentioned elsewhere this board is a bit quiet, so I've combined the next 2 product spotlights into one. We've already covered some of this in previous spotlights . 

Share any and all "essentials" that you needed in the postpartum from recovery to daily living what were the things you needed for YOU. clothing, nursing, production, making it through the day and night. 

What were some things that were staples? what was recommended and not really a necessity?

monstera13

My number one recommendation (if having a vaginal birth) is Dermoplast. That stuff made such a difference with the stitches and pain and whatever else was happening down there after birth 😂

Also:

-Tucks medicated pads for hemorrhoids
-Stool softener for the first PP poop 
-Peri bottle for rinsing (I think the hospital gave me one)
-Big thick pads for the bleeding
-If you are a thong person like me, get a pack of big granny panties 
-Nursing pads for leaky boobs
-Nipple cream for chapped nips
-Fenugreek for breast milk production 
-As many freezer meals as you can make ahead of time (so you don’t need to cook) 

aloha_mama

Omg yes to the stool softener, you should get one if you deliver in the hospital and most OBs and CNMs will prescribe it for you when you leave, but don’t be embarrassed to ask for it— that first PP poop feels like giving birth all over again -_-

aloha_mama

I’ve found coconut oil works best for sore nipples. Forget the expensive creams and don’t even touch lanolin.

Peri bottle, Tucks pads, and Dermoplast are all lifesavers and most hospitals will send you home with some— don’t be shy to ask for extra! 

Giant water bottle

Baby wipes or cleansing wipes for yourself on the back of your toilet so you don’t have to scrub those tender parts too much

Nursing pillow(s) if you’re breastfeeding 

I made myself a little “mama basket” that I put next to my couch because that was where I nursed and pumped most of the time (it will consume your life until you get a good schedule down). It had a little jar of coconut oil, snacks, breast pads, burp cloths, travel-sized deodorant, a nail file, and baby wipes in it. 

Maybe TMI but I didn’t have sex for a few months after I delivered because first of all, I just didn’t feel like it, and secondly it was super painful, but when we did start having sex again we needed way more lube than we thought we would. We had to keep a washcloth nearby too because my breasts leaked every single time. 

bluecampanula

A water bottle with a straw! I had a nice insulated water bottle before DS8 was born but it became such a pain to use one handed because of the screw top. Having a water bottle with a straw that’s also not going to leak is super helpful.

doxiemoxie212

I'm actually on team no stool softener if you don't usually struggle with any kind of constipation. I took one dose and it was like I was a poop faucet. Really not fun lol 

kiwi2628

- Extra large underwear to fit the pads, or something like adult diapers or thinx underwear. Just don’t plan on wearing your normal underwear for at least a week, more commonly more like 2-4 weeks. 

- lactation cookies because they help supply and are delicious. I made them ahead of time in my last month, froze the dough balls and would pop 2-3 in the oven at a time. 

- water. Water everywhere. Chapstick for the same reason. 

-ear pods so you can listen to podcasts or music or Netflix while baby is sleeping on you at night and you want to keep noise low since it’s night time (day time keep the noise levels high!)

- a plan for self care. Have a plan- a night nurse, mom, friend- someone that you have no urge to entertain that can come over that first week and give you 30-60 minutes to just…be. Sleep or shower or eat in peace or something. Having a small bit of just you time in that first week or two is amazing. 

doxiemoxie212

I loved nursing tanks when I was pp. My boobs got ENORMOUS like bigger than my head, and I hated how they rested on my skin, but I didn't love sleeping in nursing bras for some reason? I don't know. It was just a lot more comfortable for me. 

The rest, yeah, peri bottle, giant pads, tucks, dermaplast? Is that what it's called? Or dermablast? I don't know. The like menthol numbing spray lol. 

I would also recommend getting a little portable thermostat thing if you don't have one in every room. I was so incredibly unbelievably hot postpartum that I nearly froze DD3 because I was convinced it was a sauna. DH got a little portable thermostat thing and It was like 57 in the house. So just lol don't trust yourself about temperature. 

monstera13

@aloha_mama I forgot about the leaky boobs during sex! I’m pretty sure I wore a bra during sex for like 6 months lol

SmashJam

I second and third and fourth the dermoplast...amazing! For the short time I nursed I loved the gel cooling nipple thingies...I had some bad latch sore spots and those helped. 

Easy non crumby snacks, lol. 

@bluecampanula My water bottle is an insulated screw top but it's so heavy...good idea to get one with a straw that doesn't leak! 

I have been pregnant 4 times but this gap between my last and this one is big enough that I'm having trouble remembering what I loved!

doxiemoxie212

...I didn't even have sex at all until 6mo pp lolol I was too afraid it would hurt I wouldn't even try, and DH didn't care soooo.... but my boobs never leaked at all for anything so 

robbenson

@SmashJam I love the non crumby snacks lol. I'll add that the packaging shouldn't be incredibly loud.

queenklau

Frida mom has a really nice set of postpartum stuff. I never used it too much because I ended up with CS. The frida peri bottle is so much better than any others though!

aloha_mama

@queenklau I’ve got my eye on their kit! It looks awesome. Especially the ice packs. My postpartum nurses made me what was essentially baby diapers filled with ice to put in my sexy postpartum undies and it was amazing, I missed it when I went home.

lemonlove86

Depends were my absolute favorite. The overnight kind. Just throw them out with your big pad, and the big pad doesn't weigh down the Depends like it does underwear. I took the big water jug they gave me at the hospital and that was perfect for the nursing thirst/hydration.

@SmashJam totally agree about those soothing nipple things. I forgot about that! My hospital gave me some and they really helped with the latching pain.

If you're planning on nursing, make an appointment with a lactation consultant soon after PP. That was so helpful and covered by insurance.

doula-mama

I highly recommend a water bottle that closes (sorry, I know people love straws, but knock that thing over just once when you have a sleeping baby on you and you'll never use it again lol) but that you can open with one hand (I like using an insulated coffee cup; keeps my water chilled, leak proof and easy to use one-handed).

Also, like @aloha_mama said - coconut oil is amazing for sore nipples

Keep a phone cord plugged in by any spot that you might nurse (couch, arm chair, bed, nursery, etc.) so that you are never faced with a dying phone battery in the middle of the night

boymom312

All of what @monstera13 said.

Make sure to have the fenugreek on hand before baby comes. Nothing is worse than being in Walgreens with the judgey mcjudgertons scowling and eye rolling you as you frantically search in a sleep deprived state, all while in tears with a starving screaming newborn and no milk, ….only to find out they don’t carry it. (Walmart does, but they’re often out of stock. Just buy it. Trust me.) Anyway, this is just what I’ve heard. Definitely not speaking from experience or anything. 

dermoplast and the tucks pads, YES! Also the hemeroid cream or whatever it is, maybe therocane or something like that. I can’t quite remember the name. It’s amazingly soothing on pads for tears & stitches. The hospital will offer it to you. Get as much of that as possible! Take an extra empty bag to the hospital with you and clean out the supply closet in your room each night. A good nurse will suggest it or at least look the other way. Take all the mesh panties, massive pads, ice packs, etc that you can! Ask for more if it doesn’t seem like enough to get you through 5-7 days after your hospital stay. Also take the diapers and, mom’s of circumcised boys, take all of the petroleum jelly they’ll give you for the wee little willy that will be healing. It always helps to have extra petroleum jelly IN THE TUBE, this is very important, on hand with circumcised boys in general. Also take any formula samples the hospital will give you. Even if you plan to BF or EP, it’s always good to have it on hand at home in case you can’t keep up with demand or it doesn’t work out the way you planned. You do not want to be without with empty breasts and a hungry baby in the middle of the night. There’s no shame in FF or supplementing.

For breastfeeding, a big water bottle for each level of your home. The Lansenoh ice/heat pads, lanolin or something similar, breast pads for comfort even if you don’t leak, fenugreek, pump cleaning wipes if you pump, lots of extra pump parts, and a couple hands free pump bras.