As a FTM, I have ? about postpartum care items..

doggiemom4 · October 2012

What postpartum items did you have for yourself in order to be prepared for when you got home form the hospital that made life a little easier?

I am looking to be stocked and ready with items for myself for when baby and I come home.

TIA!

LSU628 · October 2012

Big huge pads. Nursing tanks and bras, nipple cream, the hospital sent me home with some Lansinoh gel pads that were a god send for sore, cracked nipples. I wish I had purchased a pump sooner b/c I had my poor DH driving around town on a Sunday trying to find someplace to rent one until I decided which one I wanted to buy.

edilo · October 2012

agis:
Tucks pads, dermoplast spray, pads.

This plus lansinoh cream and witch hazel (poured on the pads and froze them). I must say though that the dermoplast spray was my favorite. I also used the peri bottle from the hospital all the time.

bearkatjen · October 2012

agis:
Tucks pads, dermoplast spray, pads.

This. Plus colace, and I tried to get extra ice pads and mesh undies from the hospital.

mopsie · October 2012

I made pre-soaked jumbo pads with witch hazel and had them in my freezer, but they never really worked well for me, so those were a waste. The ice pack pads the hospital had were AMAAAAAZING (imagine a jumbo overnight pad with an ice pack built in - you pop the ice pack, put it in your underwear, lay some Tucks pads on top like cheese on a sub, then pull your undies up. Ahhhh...)

Lansinoh Soothies gel pads were HEAVEN when my nipples were sore. Even just an ice pack would've been good. Steal lanolin from the hospital, too - it's good for cracked nipples. I ended up needing a Rx for APNO (all purpose nipple ointment) because I had thrush, but lanolin would've been fine otherwise.

I'm going to start taking Colace this week in preparation. I had so much trouble pooping after delivery, my FIL (a gastroenterologist) ended up forcing me to take Miralax to get my bowels moving and while it worked like a charm, it hurt SO bad!!!

PeonyPumps · October 2012

Colace, lansinoh gel pads for your breasts, large pads, witch hazel soaked pads or hospital ice packs.

minervacullen · October 2012

edilo:
agis:
Tucks pads, dermoplast spray, pads.

This plus lansinoh cream and witch hazel (poured on the pads and froze them). I must say though that the dermoplast spray was my favorite. I also used the peri bottle from the hospital all the time.

Yes and yes and also ibuprofen.

doggiemom4 · October 2012

Thank you ladies.

Another question (although a stupid one) When applying the witch hazel to the jumbo granny pads, did you refold them or lay them flat in the freezer?

Also, where can witch hazel be purchased?

Mrs.DeliaMarieP · October 2012

edilo:
agis:
Tucks pads, dermoplast spray, pads.

This plus lansinoh cream and witch hazel (poured on the pads and froze them). I must say though that the dermoplast spray was my favorite. I also used the peri bottle from the hospital all the time.

This, and colace.

edilo · October 2012

doggiemom4:

Thank you ladies.

Another question (although a stupid one) When applying the witch hazel to the jumbo granny pads, did you refold them or lay them flat in the freezer?

Also, where can witch hazel be purchased?

I didn't refold the pads, I tried to shape them slightly (to the approximate contour of your body parts) and stacked them on top of each other with a layer of saran wrap in between. You can get witch hazel from the pharmacy -ours stocks it near the bottles of rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide.

I had forgotten about Colace, which was a godsend! I was so scared of the first post-partum BM that I joked with DH I wanted an epidural for it. In reality, it wasn't too bad after having taken colace religiously.

jennygirlmt · October 2012

I plowed through the container of tucks that they gave me pretty quickly and had to go out and buy another. I'll try to get a second tub from the hospital. I barely used anything though-no colace (I was nervous but no pain or anything), no homemade witch hazel pads (though I do plan to try to score extras from the hospital this time). I loved my peri bottle. I think I'll try this dermaplast spray. And I was a fan of the Rx strength ibuprofen :-)

Jimsgirl5821 · October 2012

Pads, tucks, witch hazel, spritz bottle, ice pack.....my hospital gave me a bunch of the extra disposable ones to bring home also, make sure you have some colace if you need it....

Kingston54 · October 2012

Teva pads (so much better than any other kind), witch hazel pads, and the numbing spray.

Also comfy pjs, a robe, slippers, nipple butter, a good nursing bra, organic nursing pads to put in the bra...

sadsadie · October 2012

edilo:
doggiemom4:

Thank you ladies.

Another question (although a stupid one) When applying the witch hazel to the jumbo granny pads, did you refold them or lay them flat in the freezer?

Also, where can witch hazel be purchased?

I didn't refold the pads, I tried to shape them slightly (to the approximate contour of your body parts) and stacked them on top of each other with a layer of saran wrap in between. You can get witch hazel from the pharmacy -ours stocks it near the bottles of rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide.

I had forgotten about Colace, which was a godsend! I was so scared of the first post-partum BM that I joked with DH I wanted an epidural for it. In reality, it wasn't too bad after having taken colace religiously.

I've seen a tutorial where you stack the pads in a bowl so they're already contoured to fit your body.

mistresscox · October 2012

I LOVED LOVED LOVED the always infinity pads. They are really thin but absorb an insane amount. I will definitely have some of those around this time again.

One of the things that I bought incorrectly were underwear. I usually wear thongs (TMI I know) so I knew that wouldn't work after delivery. I went out and bought "granny panties" that were bikini briefs and had them ready. However I didn't realize that they were low rise and sat exactly on my c-section incision (unplanned, but still a fail). I had to send DH out to get some different style, which was also a fail so at like 5 days post partum I had to go panty shopping to get high rise undies. They are so comfortable though I still have them out lol! I wear them to bed because they are so fabulous! I had no idea what I was missing.

I also had lansinoh cream but never really used it.

Having lots of easy to eat snacks was a must have for me. No one told me (or I didn't pay attention) that when you are breastfeeding you are hungry ALL.THE.TIME. I would wake up for that midnight/1am feeding so hungry I couldn't think straight. I got a bunch of luna bars and would have one of those with a great big glass of water and it would fill me up. I get some for all my new mom friends and everyone has thanked me for them because it's just such an easy thing to do when hungry.

Kat_Bride · October 2012

You don't need to buy much, because the hospital will send you home with a ton of stuff. Take everything you can--Tucks pads, the awesome mesh undies, extra absorbent maxi pads, peri bottle, hemorrhoid cream, Dermiplast, etc. I bought my own Lansinoh nipple cream and never used it at all. I only used the stuff from the hospital, but I did need to buy more maxi pads. I also got brand new Medela pump parts from the hospital, so I didn't have to buy them. I just rented a pump for the first month until nursing was well-established.

srd3 · October 2012

How far in advance did you start the colace?! I've had troubles my whole pregnancy and am already dreading the post baby BM! Obviously I have some time but I wanna make sure I get the colace on my side in enough time!

anneimal98 · October 2012

tucks, milk of magnesia, colace, dermoplast, always infinity pads, medela tender care lanolin

edited to add preperation h

jiffy-pop · October 2012

I have a word of advice: keep flushable wipes by the toilet to wipe with since it's gonna get pretty messy "down there." They are great to wipe with after using the toilet.

magnoliablossom00 · October 2012

jiffy-pop:
I have a word of advice: keep flushable wipes by the toilet to wipe with since it's gonna get pretty messy "down there." They are great to wipe with after using the toilet.

Yes Sensitive baby wipes work great. Regular toilet paper was a nightmare PP.