Post Partum Self Care

cafedisco · March 2017

I've seen people post things about making padsicles and gathering herbs for yourself after baby is here. What all is on your list to have on hand? Last time, my midwife gave me a good list to go from but not this time around and I feel scatter brained about it.

catem07 · March 2017

I made 12 padsicles yesterday. I also have nipple butter and lanolin cream as well as those reusable lansinoh things you can heat up or freeze to put on your boobs. I think they are for engorgement?

ETA: I also have colace and preparation H.

doozenberg · March 2017

I am planning on making padsicles today to have them ready. I have the earth momma nipple cream, bottom ointment and bottom spray (which I hear is amazing). I'm also planning on getting one of those donuts for sitting. For STM+ did you do a lot of sitz baths?

visualcircus · March 2017

@doozenberg I was sent home from the hospital with a sitz bath kit but didn't find it as soothing as they were made it to be and with what time I had in between feedings would rather just take a shower. I stopped using it once I left the hospital and couldn't keep up with their recommend 3x per day.

My kit includes: rubber donut (from first pregnancy couldn't sit right for a week), witch hazel wipes, perinatal bottle, disposable nursing pads, preparation h, metamucil, and stool softeners. I think my hospital provided their version of padsicles but I didn't make more at home. I took home a bunch of mesh panties, nipple cream and ginormous pads before leaving the hospital so I was all set there. I found that last time I bought way more than I needed and over prepared.

catem07 · March 2017

Hmm I guess I need to explore this donut pillow thing. Any specific recommendations?

jennielynn+ · March 2017

I'd say make a little behind the toilet basket for each floor of your house. I never did a sitz bath. I really didn't see the point when I had stitches and had to wash/spray after every bathroom visit anyways.

- the hospital will give out these tube shaped ice packs for vag or c-section-- ask them to give you extra to bring home if you don't want to do the padcicles
- the Happy Earth Mamma butt goop is awesome
- lansinoh nipple cream -- buy a travel one too for your purse or diaper bag
- w/e stool softner you are using currently, bring some to the hospital (if you aren't using any now, they will send you home with some)
- If you are bf, I've heard great things about Fenugeek -- I didn't have any supply issues but, my last bmc many ladies saw great improvement in their supply
- also, you may want a nipple shield-- I didn't use one with my daughter but, I think I probably should have
AND I CANNOT POST ENOUGH ABOUT:
https://www.target.com/p/tucks-medicated-cooling-pads-100-count/-/A-14013778
These made me feel so human pp on my tinder bits. I have heard they are great for hemorrhoids and c-section ouchies too!

PP padcicles and spray you can make at the same time. The spray I put in two travel sized spray bottles and had them for each bathroom basket I made.
https://www.modernalternativemama.com/2014/04/18/making-postpartum-padsicles-plus-bonus-perineum-healing-spray/

visualcircus · March 2017

@catem07 I wouldn't get one beforehand in case you don't need one... But you'll know if you want one post birth. These can be found at a drug store/Walmart. I sat on my boppy pillow as well to get some relief.

cafedisco · March 2017

As far as sitz baths go, I just took a shallow bath twice a day with herbs in it, as my midwife recommended. I can't say if it sped up my healing but it was relaxing and helped me feel a bit more human (post partum down there issues were just awful for me).

Nolegirl1185 · March 2017

The only things I can really say I needed (due to c section instead of vaginal) were stool softeners, mesh panties, and the giant pads. They gave me 1 stool softener a day after delivery and it took 4 days to have a BM. Not sure if vaginal deliveries get gas too or not, but DANG, the gas pains were FAR WORSE than the incision and muscle pain. Mylicon chewables were my best friend even though they only provided temporary relief. The mesh panties were wonderful and the giant pads gave me more security than anything. Dr's can suction out a lot of the lochia that vaginal deliveries have to expel on their own so my bleeding has been pretty light. Only 1 tiny clot on the first day and that was it. I took home all the extra pads and wish I had asked for more mesh panties.

KirstinH88 · March 2017

Other than nipple cream, I have nothing. I'm expecting and asking that the hospital hook me up with all the goodies. If not, I'll go out and get some.

doozenberg · March 2017

Thanks guys for all the feedback. I bought a big thing of Witch Hazel and will use that like no other!

MWoodside · March 2017

The hospital sends me home with all I need each time.

MWoodside · March 2017

Oh and my placenta pills. That's it.

mrsstuessy · March 2017

yeah, I didn't need much the first time.
Here is what I had the first time and will have again:
nipple cream (#1 priority!)
Tucks (because I had the most horrendous hemorrhoids in the universe. The worst part of PP healing for me.)
a donut to sit on (because of the horrendous hemorrhoids)
the numbing spray the hospital gives you (I bought one extra from Walgreens because it is my favorite thing ever)
adult diapers
Infinity pads (just bought a huge box, so I am good)

The hospital had everything else I could want. I didn't use stool softeners and I was fine. Never did a sitz bath, just used the peri bottle from the hospital. Never did a padsicle thing either. I just used icepacks made out of NB diapers for the first few days.

chelle087 · March 2017

Besides pads for after I got home and nipple cream, I didn't buy anything last time. The hospital did send me home with the numbing spray and offered stool softeners and padcicles.

ebloom3 · March 2017

Before you buy tons of stuff, check out what your hospital offers. I got ice pack pads, big pads, mesh panties, dermoplast, witch hazel pads, a peri bottle, etc...I also brought it all home. I used the peri bottle the most. I didn't need the ice pack pads after a few days (maybe 2-3).

MWoodside · March 2017

ebloom3 said:

Before you buy tons of stuff, check out what your hospital offers. I got ice pack pads, big pads, mesh panties, dermoplast, witch hazel pads, a peri bottle, etc...I also brought it all home. I used the peri bottle the most. I didn't need the ice pack pads after a few days (maybe 2-3).

Yes I got all this too!

Koukonei · March 2017

•earth mama angel baby nipple butter (doesn't have to be wiped off like lanolin and it smells nice haha)
•earth mama angel baby monthly comfort tea
•black cotton granny panties
•alcohol free witch hazel, pure aloe (or as close as possible), lavender essential oil, and calendula tincture for making padsicles and/or putting in your peri bottle
•lansinoh thera pearl gel packs
• bamboobies nursing pads

dam0ne4 · March 2017

I plan on taking all the things from the hospital again - I loved those mesh undies. I have so many nursing pads and nipple cream. I do need to get a couple more nipple shields

I used ice packs in the hospital, but didn't need them at home.

ebloom3 · March 2017

Also, I learned after DD that you should start to use nipple cream ASAP. I may have even started using it before the birth of DS. It really saved me during nursing and made nursing DS so much easier.

cafedisco · March 2017

I should have put in my original post that I'm planning a homebirth so I can't stock up at the hospital

Thanks all for the ideas, I've added a bunch to my Amazon cart!

ebloom3 · March 2017

Can I ask- do padsicles get gross after awhile? Like wet and yucky against your lady parts? I didn't use them before, just the hospital ice pack pads.

cafedisco · March 2017

@ebloom3 I never thought so. I didn't make fancy ones like those described above, just witch hazel, but you don't soak them all the way before freezing so they still absorb. I was so tender though...I couldn't stand a regular pad at all because it chafed.

ebloom3 · March 2017

@cafedisco Thanks! I feel like that might be the better route for me. I wasn't entirely sure about all of the things on it...

catem07 · March 2017

@ebloom3 I've read that you don't wear them for as long as you'd wear a regular pad--maybe just an hour or so before switching to regular, then trying another padsicle a few hours later, etc

aboxofchocolates · March 2017

May be a stupid question but what kind of pads should I stock up on? I wasn't sure how big/thick

doozenberg · March 2017

@catem07
Thanks! I would have left them on longer and had a soggy mess.

catem07 · March 2017

Edited because I misread @aboxofchocolates' question.

I got the super heavy pads and regular sized pads to wear as things taper down. I have lots of liners from being pregnant. I'm also planning on wearing the underwear I have now (though I did buy a pack of cheap briefs a size too big for the first couple of weeks), then tossing it all once the bleeding is done and treating myself to new stuff.

rachelmiller03 · March 2017

@aboxofchocolates I would start with a smaller pack of overnight/heavy flow pads- assuming you will be able to bring some home from the hospital. The bleeding will gradually decrease, so I had to go out and get smaller sized pads later on, so maybe another small box of medium flow, and then liners.

cafedisco · March 2017

aboxofchocolates said:

May be a stupid question but what kind of pads should I stock up on? I wasn't sure how big/thick

Gigantic

Really, I preferred a long overnight/super. I bled for longer than most and needed that size for about 6 weeks, but as long as you have one pack, that should be enough to start out with.

ebloom3 · March 2017

I also bled for like 6 weeks after having DS and wore bigger overnight/super pads for a pretty long time. It was thrilling.

pammasu0909 · March 2017

Late to the game, but adding my experience.

My hospital does not advise putting ice down there after the first 24 hours, so I never used padsicles. They also sent me home with basically everything I needed to survive. So I expect to take home

peri bottle
nipple cream (though I bought some that I prefer)
sitz bath if needed
tucks
giant pads
mesh underwear if there are any left
Dermoplast spray

I also bought depends and always infinity overnight pads because I usually bleed the whole 6 weeks.

MWoodside · March 2017

aboxofchocolates said:

May be a stupid question but what kind of pads should I stock up on? I wasn't sure how big/thick

The overnight kind that are super absorbent and have the wrap around tabs.

Virginialeigh · March 2017

My mom is a masseuse and I text her to ask if she had all the essential oils listed for that postpartum spray. She said "Yes. Someone's trying to get some sleep I see." And I said " No I need to spray them on my vagina." She hasn't texted me back.

HGRich · March 2017

@Virginialeigh

jennielynn+ · March 2017

@Virginialeigh Hahaha. I would text back and ask if I needed a spray too.
@ebloom3 If making the padcicles with essential oils, I just do a light spritz so they are still absorbent. Mine never became "soggy" but, I'm not the type to let a pad linger. I hate wearing them but, for that 1st pp weekend, they are nice.

mrsstuessy · March 2017

@aboxofchocolates I only ever used Always Infinity pads, the super absorbent ones. Well, for about the first week I mostly wore adult diapers and then for a little bit longer I wore them at night so I didn't have to worry about leaking all over the bed. I bled for about 4 weeks though, and the last 3ish weeks I wore the Infinity pads. I just bought a huge box, and am planning on doing the same. They are nice because they aren't mega thick and don't feel like you are wearing a diaper.

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