FTM Post Partum care question.

Frannavaldez9399 · December 2013

Hi guys! I'm due dec 25, and quite anxious about this whole ordeal!!! I do not live near my parents and none of my friends have had babies.. So I'm wondering if you ladies could give me some insight. YouTube is great... Google is great... But some personal advice would be nice. : I'm wondering what you ladies wished you had in the house in those first few days PP? I bought witch hazel and overnight pads and tucks and depends just in case! Stashed a few boxes of nutria grain bars, and some other snacks hidden from the family... Any advice you can give would be greatly appreciated!! I just don't want to be sending the husband to Walgreens looking for something he's not bright enough to find

Ninjamama86 · December 2013

Food and diapers are all you'll need - you're going to be sore and not want to go anywhere or do anything. Try to get all your laundry done and the house clean before you go too. Motrin is good for the cramping, the dr will probably give you some kind of pain med and stool softener prescription as well.

ranaverde · December 2013

Food that keeps and you can eat one-handed, and more pads than you'd ever think you'd need. Also, avoid the "dry weave" ones; I found that they irritated my already sore bits - the humongous cheapo pads actually worked the best.

A water bottle with a straw is nice, too, so you can stay hydrated without having to worry about it spilling.

And either lanolin cream or hydrogels for your poor, sore nipples!

scruggsa · December 2013

Make sure to take everything left in your hospital room you can (pads, tucks, dermaplast spray, squirt bottle, sitz bath, diapers, wipes....etc) they have to toss all that stuff out once you leave anyways. they had just changed my bedding the day I left and I folded up the disposable pad on my bed to put on my bed at home. I agree on more pads than you think you will need. You need to change your pad everytime you use the restroom and sometimes more. Good luck.

Frannavaldez9399 · December 2013

Well crud... This just got real!!! Lol thank you so much for the suggestions!

Littlemama01 · December 2013

I ended up with a C section so the witch hazel and some other stuff was useless but what was a lifesaver was high wasted panties, full freezer/fridge and lots of help from Dh. Hopefully you husband is taking some time to stay home with you guys

Frannavaldez9399 · December 2013

All very helpful. Thank you, ladies!!

redhead610 · December 2013

In addition to what others recommended, stool softeners (colace). I was also constantly thirsty and dehydrated from nursing, so I had my mom pick up some gatorade since I was getting tired of water.

insertclevername · December 2013

For baby I would have diapers, wipes, rectal thermometer, infant acetominophen, gas drops, saline nose drops and a bulb syringe. For you I think everyone above covered the things you will most likely need/want.

kelle017 · December 2013

I ate a lot of granola bars and cheese sticks at the beginning.

I also had a c-section and agree with high waist underwear/pants, & stool softners. Getting out of bed was painful so I slept on the couch.

I'd have gas drops and gripe water on hand just in case you need them for the baby.

bmorsel · December 2013

a donut to sit on, clean laundry, entertainment (books, movies, magazines) something you can do while sitting around recovering, easy grab food, thank you cards you can fill out as gifts come in, a camera.

Good luck! I'm a christmas baby myself, so is my husband.

KimS17 · December 2013

Besides the already mentioned things, what I found to be really nice was actually a lot of changing pad liners. I don't know your set up, but I have a cover over the changing pad and then a smaller liner so when poop or pee gets on it you just switch out the liner and wash the dirty one. I have about 6 so I don't constantly have to throw them in the wash.
I also 100% agree with having housework done before hand. The closer I got to my due date I would clean whatever needed to be done and tried to keep all the laundry done.
Good luck!

agentkitten75 · December 2013

Gas drops for sure, pads and panty liners, bottles and formula just in case. I ended up not able to breastfeed and we needed to get good bottles and formula for LO. Sensitive wipes and A&D creme. LO got a horrible rash and the normal wipes made things worse. The A&D was recommended from the pedi, also we bought cloth wipes because LO's skin is so sensitive.

thedash · December 2013

A couple things to help you poop. Prunes, fiber bars, stool softeners, etc. I actually used child size suppositories because I wasn't messing around with constipation like I had after DS.

ranaverde · December 2013

KimS17 said:

Besides the already mentioned things, what I found to be really nice was actually a lot of changing pad liners. I don't know your set up, but I have a cover over the changing pad and then a smaller liner so when poop or pee gets on it you just switch out the liner and wash the dirty one. I have about 6 so I don't constantly have to throw them in the wash. I also 100% agree with having housework done before hand. The closer I got to my due date I would clean whatever needed to be done and tried to keep all the laundry done. Good luck!

This is excellent advice. My MIL bought a bunch of waterproof fabric (it's fuzzy, like flannel, but backed with something that won't let leaks through) and we cut it into pieces the size of the changing pad. We have them stacked up on the pad so if she pees or poops on them while being changed, all you have to do is fold the top one over, finish the job, then take it off to wash. It's really helpful!

Stephanie2167 · December 2013

thedash said:

A couple things to help you poop. Prunes, fiber bars, stool softeners, etc. I actually used child size suppositories because I wasn't messing around with constipation like I had after DS.

This. With DD1 I was prescribed a capsule stool softener that I took with my pain meds. Never had an issue pooping. This time they gave me some medicine that I needed to mix in water. I forgot to take it and got so constipated it was aweful. I ended up going to the drug store to get the capsules and I'm so glad I did. You don't want to try and poop a potato. It sucks. haha

lauren1544 · December 2013

We really needed meals in the freezer that could be prepared easily and quickly. We stopped at the store on the way home from the hospital to buy a frozen lasagne!

Frannavaldez9399 · December 2013

Ok. My husband seems to think we don't need food in the house that is easy for him, or the 14 yo daughter to prepare. I'm trying to explain to him that they are on their own... And if he doesn't want to help them out.... I WILL be getting stuff to help ME out. I know I will not be getting family/friends coming over to be with us, so I will need foods that I can eat easily. Any ideas? I got some nutra grain bars, ramen noodles, apples, crackers... And dried fruit. But I just don't know about "real food". (I have made sure there's easy Mac and cereal in the house for them... It's hidden until after the birth so they don't eat it now!!)

Ealdwic · December 2013

Lanolin nipple cream. LANOLIN IS A GODSEND. Ask the nurse for a sample, and then get hubby to grab a tube from a drug store or whatnot. I have only gone through about half of one tube, so it lasts a long time, and it's so nice for dry climates and sore nipples.

Buy 4 boxes/packs of pads. Seriously. I grabbed 1 pack of maxi Always pads and went through it in 6 days. So whenever grandparents or family is coming, get them to grab you a refill on that shiz!

Freezer meals, peanut butter and bread, fruit cups, vegetable trays, and fiber-filled things will be your BFF. If you can't poop easily, it's a little scary and really daunting to have to feel any unnecessary pain after already pushing a baby out of your body. They will give you a stool softener, but because your body can become dependent on that to have a bowel movement, I would probably just use the amount they give you and then start editing your diet to suit the urge. I bought Bran Flakes recently, and use a little bit of flax meal on all my cereal and sandwiches and it has made things amazingly easy again. Would highly recommend. Prunes are known to help some people, too, and drinking a little bit of coffee in the morning never hurt anyone (unless you can't do caffeine or dairy; then obviously, don't drink coffee!)

Everyone else seems to have covered the other really good essentials! Good luck and have a great experience, and don't stress out too much at any point; things get easier and you will be surprised by how fast your body and your mind can adapt and handle it all.

AngeliaG8 · December 2013

Receiving blankets. You can't have too many. I use them for everything. They are absorbent and big. I sleep with one in my tank top so I don't wake up in a puddle if milk. Wiping DD's face when she's done eating. Swaddling her. Nursing cover. The list goes on.

Slpafford · December 2013

Looks like most things have already been covered. I don't know if this is an option for you, but the day we got home from the hospital I made DH buy and install a removable shower head in our guest bathroom. I would have never thought about it...but the hospital had one. Things are sore down there and it was amazing to be able to feel "clean" when you couldn't really wash things like normal. Not to mention the warm water felt good on already sore bits. Also take your stool softener even after you think your fine. Took mine for a couple weeks and never had a problem really, but had a friend that stopped after a few days and ended up regretting it. Also the dermaplast spray from the hospital was awesome. If I did it again I would have asked for an EXTRA can to bring home (they sellin drugstores but I couldn't find the "cooling" kind).

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