I’m expecting my first child and keep coming across registry suggestion lists for cute onesies and baby stuff. But what I really need help with is knowing what possibly embarrassing stuff I am going to need after the baby is here.
I’m obviously not going to stick huge maxi pads and granny knickers on my registry so this is more a shopping list for me.
What “embarrassing” postpartum things am I going to need to buy?! — Mich
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Comments on What potentially embarrassing postpartum things will I need?
I was obsessed with figuring out what I would need afterward, too. I bought a large package of the biggest maxi pads I could find, but I found that the thinner ones I was most used to worked just fine after those first few days. I wore black boyshort panties and yoga pants, so it didn’t matter if I go some blood on them. For breastfeeding, nursing tanks/bras and breast pads. They’ll send you home from the hospital with maxi pads, breast pads, and probably even some extremely oversized pads, the same kind that you’ll use in the hospital. Still, having a few of your favorite pads and comfortable underwear in dark colors will make life a lot easier.
Reusable pads and a tank under my shirt for nursing were great too. I didn’t use a cover but with a tank, most areas remained covered enough. I loved Depends more than any pad after delivery. I also stocked up on piddle/puppy pads. They came in handy all over the bed because I did not like sleeping in a bra and leaking was inevitable from there too. I made my bed, covered it with plastic (shower curtain, whatever) then made it again. It helps with leaks too and not having to do too much to change the sheets.
After my son’s birth, I was so much less embarrassed to mention things especially when they worked well for me. I will tell anyone about Depends!
I was NOT putting my preggo clothes back on after the kid came out but I also didn’t want to spend too much money for stuff that was going to get gross (newborns are not picky on where they puke, its like living with a tiny frat boy). I went to Goodwill and bought like 10 pairs of mens pjs. Most didn’t survive the month and that was cool because they were only a dollar and if I had spent more I would have worried about “saving” them and trying to get stains and what not out. But for a dollar pair of jammies I just chucked them and moved on.
And a small foot stool to rest your feet on for the bathroom. Ladies weren’t joking it can be a bit difficult at first. Propping your feet up helps.
Also one of those grabbers on a stick. I didn’t plan on having a csection but I did. I didn’t even think about it until after a trip to the bathroom when I couldn’t bend over to pull my underwear back up by myself. I was 30, high as a kite and I had to call my mom to help me pull my undies up. Get a grabber to help pick stuff up off the floor just in case.
Not embarrassing at all, but stock up on easy snacks. Cheese sticks bags of nuts granola bars etc. Between a screaming baby and the entire painful body adjustment I found it impossible to eat enough unless someone else brought food to my nursing area for me. Drink as much water as you can and get the highest power stool softener allowed. If you are a happy DIYer, I made my own nursing pads out of a few layers of old fleece sheets and they worked great.
while nursing bras and tops aren’t always necessary, or for everyone, i highly recommend them. when my daughter would start crying, and i hadn’t slept more than 3 hours the previous night, i didn’t want to have to deal with taking my top(s) off then putting them back on later, especially since she’d usually fall asleep feeding. and i didn’t get to breastfeed a lot because my milk just wouldn’t come in. i pumped like crazy trying though, and having a nursing tank (got mine at Target) was fantastic. unhook, drop down, attach and pump. then rehook and continue staring dazed at the wall 🙂
pads of course for the bleeding but that will end after a few weeks. the weak/leaky bladder, however, will continue to plague you 🙂 i suggest Poise or other continence pads because for some women, liners just don’t cut it.
Most of things I’d recommend have already been mentioned, but this stuff: http://www.earthmamaangelbaby.com/postpartum-recovery/new-mama-bottom-spray.html TOTALLY AWESOME! I got some from my doula and it really helped ease some of the discomfort “down there”. It has a cooling sensation and it also smells good too, which I found helped me feel a little less gross (let’s face it, weeks of maxi pads is not fun). Plus, it is easy to carry in your diaper bag/purse if you go out. It has other uses too, after you’ve healed up, if you haven’t used it all… I actually use it after I have a bikini wax.
oh YES i loved this spray. it smelled like fresh, cool cucumbers. not only was it soothing, like the above person mentioned, it made me feel a little less stank and gross.
Great topic! I’m sure I’m seconding some of the above advice here:
1. Second vote for Earth Mama/Angel Baby! They have some awesome stuff. That ‘bottom spray’ is the best’ and smells great, too 🙂
2. Super duper pads are great, but nothing is as awesome as the disposible underwear from the hospital for the first few days.
3. The cold pad packs from the hospital are the best, too; try to get some extra ones if you can! (You crack them to make them get cold, then wear like a regular pad. BEST. FEELING. IN. THE. WORLD.
4. You will need a super stool softener for the first time (or couple of times) you go #2 after baby. Bc … you will be putting stress on all the same things that are still quite painful, and … you will feel like ALL your internal organs are going to fall out your bottom (sorry to be graphic … but yes, this is exactly how it feels). I had read a lot about how painful this is, and actually … it wasn’t too bad for me (I was on a liquid diet in hospital due to other meds, and they had been giving me a prescription softener … and I was distracted during the process by reading a particularly amusing potion of The Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy …), so don’t psyche yourself out too much!
5. Spray bottle that sprays/squirts while upside down; you will want to spray while you pee so the acid in your urine doesn’t aggravate the pain/stitches if you end up with any/whatever-else-is-going-on-down-there. Cold water feels great, but that means you need to refill it every time you go. (They give you a bottle at the hospital)
6. A sitz bath, which they may give you at a hospital. Best feeling.
I think that’s it for my most-embarrassing list 🙂 Basically, if you show up at the hospital, they will provide you with everything. But if you are at home, or want your own, these are some things you will need after a vaginal birth.
Last piece of advice — not entirely related, but — PLEASE, take showers as often as you want/can! I get so upset when I hear new moms say “I can’t shower,” esp those first few weeks. It’s not about feeling good about how you look, it’s a health matter. Getting that area cleanly rinsed is really important (if you have a removable shower head, that is the most amazing relief in the world!), it made a major difference to how I felt from the first few days to two weeks if I could get one (or even two) showers a day (a 5 min one is plenty!). Baby can cry in a little bouncer seat on the floor of the bathroom, or someone else can come hold him! You need to take care of mama 🙂
On the shower topic, plan on taking at least one shower in the hospital so you can see how long you can stand up, the nurses are there in case you need to sit down, etc. But bring your own towel. When I rubbed that industrial washed and dried towel over my sore everything I thought I was going to cry. Even gently it was like drying with sandpaper. The towel will probably get bloody, so don’t bring your best one, but bring something soft.
About pads: one thing to check is whether they have “dry weave” or whatever each company calls it – I found the ones with this dry weave type surface could catch my stitches, and holy hell, that doesn’t feel good.
I also had to go out and find organic pads without plastic on the back because whatever was in the regular ones along with the lack of breathability from the backing gave me some raging fungal/yeast infections on top of everything else. Needing to wear such heavy pads for so long with so much weird moisture down there just became toxic. So, I also had to have some Lamisil (?) cream on hand, and warm water from the peri bottle several times a day to sort things out. Man, I forgot how much that part sucked!
If you are large breasted and planning to breastfeed you may need what my husband calls a “boob prop”. I used a couple of cheapie cloth diapers (the flat kind you can use as burp cloths) and rolled them together then secured them with a diaper pin. Basically you get a soft cylinder shaped pillow to prop your boob on.
I either had to prop up the boob or hold it with my hand and then figure out a way to make the baby an air pocket for his nose and hold the baby all at once. (I almost always use the cradle hold position) It sounds ridiculous but it was seriously the most helpful thing ever. Once the babys nose and mouth are a little bigger and they have more neck control it gets easier but in the beginning I just felt like I was drowning the baby with my DD sized boobs.
I had my husband run out and get me an extra pair of sweat pants and he says it was the most embarrassed he’s ever been at the register. He can’t put his finger on it, but for some reason buying girls pants that are clearly too small for him (he’s 6’4″) was way worse than all the tampons, pregnancy tests, and condoms he’s bought over the years.
If you are plus size, keep in mind that those mesh underwear might not fit you. They didn’t fit me so I just sent my partner to target to get a size bigger than I normally wear.
Not necessarily embarrassing but I’ll add flanges for your breast pump to the list. The first time I used my pump I wanted to cry from the pain (and I gave birth with no pain meds so you know this was bad!) because my nipples were too small for the standard size flanges and my aereola was being sucked in too. I had to suffer through the engorgement phase with no pump until my new flanges came in. I’ve been assured by fellow moms that your nipples will change in size over time while breastfeeding so no worries about wasting money on flanges that don’t immediately fit. I found it much worse to not have the right size available. My poor nipple hurt for days after using the wrong size.
Cloth diapers to catch dribbles and leaks when baby is nursing. And if you’re using a breastfeeding pillow, make sure you have an extra slipcover or two. I leaked all over mine and was glad I’d made more than one.
A few small towels! I had stocked up on granny panties, and taken everything that wasn’t tied down from my hospital room, but no one told me about the sweating! I was completely drenched for at least two days after, and ended up carrying a sweat rag around. Also, can I recommend a good lip balm? My lips were crazy dry after giving birth and I begged my sister to go get my fav lip balm from home for me.
Another tip-get a little basket or box and keep all the little things (extra shirt, pants, those pads to put under you on the bed, lip balm, those amazing instant cold ice packs, meds, baby socks, thermometer, lanolin, etc.) and keep it next to your bed! I was so exhausted when we got home, I just stayed in bed as much as possible that first week, and it was nice having my supplies close at hand.
Okay just going to say I’m pregnant with my secound and reading these responses is terrifying lol I must have had it good with my first if this is what most go threw ! I mean labor was horrible but thats expected I couldn’t get an epidural until 5 cm and when they finally checked I was already 7 went in not wanting any drugs I was induced and wanted to go natural still until 12 hrs of active labor I fell asleep on the nurse holding me up with the needle in my back because I was so exhausted I didn’t even feel it go in. But after I had my daughter my vag was super sensitive but I had no pain medication and I laid in bed 2 days in the hospital only getting up o use the restroom and shower …. I didn’t go number 2 until I got home it was uncomfortable heck yeah but not unbearable it’s amazing how quickly I sprang back and was fine I only bled for about two weeks but after one things were fine. Every one is different!
The gel nipple things you get from the LC at the hospital – do NOT forget to take them home with you! Take care of them b/c they may not be easy to replace. I had to buy more from a LC across town when my son was a few days old. I forget what they’re called but I remember they were made by Ameda. I will be asking the hospital if I can have/buy extras this time.
Buy the very best toilet paper you can. Screw the budget, buy the best!
Also, i second the shower frequently post delivery advice. I was also advised to take salt baths – it only needs to be a few inches deep, but it helped with healing my nasty episiotomy.
My home visiting nurse suggested that I dry my very sore lady parts using my hairdryer on cool, and it was heaven. No patting or rubbing, just nice and dry!
I second pretty much everything already suggested but also wanted to add the Earth Mama- Mama Bottom Balm. I had 4th degree tears and was in a lot of pain once I got home. I googled for suggestions and found this stuff and ordered it next day shipping I was so desperate for relief. Totally worth it! I felt so instantaneously better that I may have cried a little…haha…and the healing process definitely got better once I started using it. As awkward and embarrassing as it might be I’m totally giving it to any of my friends when they have kids!
Also I hated the stupid sitz bath. The warm water felt good but sitting on it was so uncomfortable for me so my doctor suggested just sitting in a warm/hot bath a few times a day. Definitely helped too!
Another vote for ice packs/condomsicles but with a note of caution! My local (UK) hospital actually offered the condom filled with water and frozen variety, wrapped in a thick tissue (the type you wipe up spills with, not the thinner toilet tissue sort). I would thoroughly recommend them.
I would not however recommend falling asleep from sheer exhaustion with said condomsicle laying on your sore undercarriage only to be woken half an hour later by your partner. Have you ever licked an ice lolly and your tongue got stuck? Waiting for the shower to warm up whilst carefully cradling a very heavy condom full of ice so that it doesn’t rip the skin away from your already swollen and sore body is nobody’s idea of fun. Just sayin.
Also good – I’ve never been offered a peri bottle but did make use of a plastic jug that I could fill with warm water to pour over my vulva instead of wiping.
My midwife recommended Badedas bubble bath for the horse chestnut extract and that was great.
A dark coloured dressing gown hides stains much better than a light one.
My ultimate new mum kit would be a travel mug and straws to put your hot/cold drinks in, a spork or spoon (so much easier to eat one-handed with) and a basket or sturdy bag you can put all the stuff you need for the day in (phone, remote, snacks, book, drink whatever) so that you can pick it all up in one go and cart it to wherever you end up sat. Nothing more frustrating that not wanting to move the sleeping baby on your lap but not being able to reach anything you need.
After scanning all the other comments, the one thing I haven’t seen is a hemrhoid/donut pillow. I really needed one of these after the big tear and stitches I got. I couldn’t sit on anything hard/semi-hard without it. I used it in the car on the way home, at the dinner table (hard wood chairs) and even on the rocking chair at first. Couches didn’t seem to be a problem though. Oh and you may not need this, but if you tear and have lots of stitches, have a parent or in-law pick one up for you in the hospital pharmacy. 🙂
I second (third) taking everything from the hospital room that isn’t nailed down. The little plastic tub used for cleaning pump parts was vital at home! And the monster-sized water mug the hospital gives you was so gret! I still use it 2 years later. Ask for a couple to take home. I used it to warm up/cool of baby bottles, and it holds sooo much water. There are times you just can’t get up for a quick glass of water, and you have to stay super hydrated when breastfeeding.
Get a little basket or small tote bag. Something with a handle that you can easily carry one-handed (or better yet, on the crook of your elbow. Fill it with all the things you’ll need to keep by you while nursing/feeding, sleeping, resting.
You’ll figure out pretty quickly what you want in there, but here’s what was in mine: water bottle, protein bars, cell phone & charger, lip balm, lotion, lanolin, burp cloth, gum, pacifier, hair ties, hand sanitizer/wet wipes. I used that puppy for two months.
Even if you live in a small space, you’ll find that sometimes you are “trapped” in one spot with the baby, and everything you need is somewhere else. Having a basket or bag within arms reach saves a lot of hollering at your partner “honey, bring me…”
I wouldn’t go running out to get a nursing bra. My childbirth class instructor who is also a postpartum doula said the best thing for your breasts is to let them hang out, no bra and no shirt. Yes, you’ll make a mess with the all the leaking, but honestly, you won’t care or just throw a towel down. My nipples were so destroyed by breastfeeding that having ANYTHING touch them put me into agony. Make sure that you order your free breast pump from your insurance company ASAP. You can only place the order within 30 days of your due date, but with the backlog they had when I delivered, I would get that in as soon as you can. Mine showed up 3 days after I got home from the hospital and I spent those three days crying waiting for it. It was the only thing that relieved my engorged breasts and gave my poor nipples a break. (Make sure you have some bottles!) I would hold off on buying tons of stuff because you don’t know what you’re going to need and it will make your hubby feel super useful when you send him out with a list of stuff to get. I also got lots of stuff for free from the hospital, I had pads, cooling antiseptic foam, cooling pads, a sitz bath, a peri bottle, witch hazel pads, Lansinoh (I still have this 3 months later and I used it A LOT), and then all the baby’s goodies. They’ll bring extra if you ask for them. Also: even if you plan on exclusively breastfeeding, take all the formula and bottles. Because things don’t always go as planned and you’ll be happy for the free can of formula when you are a hot mess of tears and bloody boobs and your breast pump hasn’t showed up yet and you can’t do it anymore. Anyway, I only ended up needing more pads and had plenty of everything else. (GET MAXI PADS!!! Do not get incontinence pads! There is something different about how blood is absorbed and I ended up with all the blood drying onto my lady bits instead of going into the pads. Poor pubes.) A good supply of ibuprofen is good to have as well, although for me I had trouble taking it because it made me sleepy and it was harder to wake up and feed the baby when I had taken some. Luckily, I’m some kinda mutant and didn’t really have much pain (vaginal with no pain meds!) so I just dealt with the cramps instead of being out of it when feeding.
Yes! I second (third, forth etc..) stool softners because while I didn’t actually hurt I was terrified to do a poo!
Also ural (that’s what it’s called in Australia) which lowers the acidity in your pee so if you have tearing or grazing it takes the sting out of it. I was lucky and didn’t need any painkillers for afterbirth pains but I lived on ural 3 times a day for at least a week!
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I was obsessed with figuring out what I would need afterward, too. I bought a large package of the biggest maxi pads I could find, but I found that the thinner ones I was most used to worked just fine after those first few days. I wore black boyshort panties and yoga pants, so it didn’t matter if I go some blood on them. For breastfeeding, nursing tanks/bras and breast pads. They’ll send you home from the hospital with maxi pads, breast pads, and probably even some extremely oversized pads, the same kind that you’ll use in the hospital. Still, having a few of your favorite pads and comfortable underwear in dark colors will make life a lot easier.
Reusable pads and a tank under my shirt for nursing were great too. I didn’t use a cover but with a tank, most areas remained covered enough. I loved Depends more than any pad after delivery. I also stocked up on piddle/puppy pads. They came in handy all over the bed because I did not like sleeping in a bra and leaking was inevitable from there too. I made my bed, covered it with plastic (shower curtain, whatever) then made it again. It helps with leaks too and not having to do too much to change the sheets.
After my son’s birth, I was so much less embarrassed to mention things especially when they worked well for me. I will tell anyone about Depends!
I was NOT putting my preggo clothes back on after the kid came out but I also didn’t want to spend too much money for stuff that was going to get gross (newborns are not picky on where they puke, its like living with a tiny frat boy). I went to Goodwill and bought like 10 pairs of mens pjs. Most didn’t survive the month and that was cool because they were only a dollar and if I had spent more I would have worried about “saving” them and trying to get stains and what not out. But for a dollar pair of jammies I just chucked them and moved on.
And a small foot stool to rest your feet on for the bathroom. Ladies weren’t joking it can be a bit difficult at first. Propping your feet up helps.
Also one of those grabbers on a stick. I didn’t plan on having a csection but I did. I didn’t even think about it until after a trip to the bathroom when I couldn’t bend over to pull my underwear back up by myself. I was 30, high as a kite and I had to call my mom to help me pull my undies up. Get a grabber to help pick stuff up off the floor just in case.
Not embarrassing at all, but stock up on easy snacks. Cheese sticks bags of nuts granola bars etc. Between a screaming baby and the entire painful body adjustment I found it impossible to eat enough unless someone else brought food to my nursing area for me. Drink as much water as you can and get the highest power stool softener allowed. If you are a happy DIYer, I made my own nursing pads out of a few layers of old fleece sheets and they worked great.
while nursing bras and tops aren’t always necessary, or for everyone, i highly recommend them. when my daughter would start crying, and i hadn’t slept more than 3 hours the previous night, i didn’t want to have to deal with taking my top(s) off then putting them back on later, especially since she’d usually fall asleep feeding. and i didn’t get to breastfeed a lot because my milk just wouldn’t come in. i pumped like crazy trying though, and having a nursing tank (got mine at Target) was fantastic. unhook, drop down, attach and pump. then rehook and continue staring dazed at the wall 🙂
pads of course for the bleeding but that will end after a few weeks. the weak/leaky bladder, however, will continue to plague you 🙂 i suggest Poise or other continence pads because for some women, liners just don’t cut it.
Most of things I’d recommend have already been mentioned, but this stuff: http://www.earthmamaangelbaby.com/postpartum-recovery/new-mama-bottom-spray.html TOTALLY AWESOME! I got some from my doula and it really helped ease some of the discomfort “down there”. It has a cooling sensation and it also smells good too, which I found helped me feel a little less gross (let’s face it, weeks of maxi pads is not fun). Plus, it is easy to carry in your diaper bag/purse if you go out. It has other uses too, after you’ve healed up, if you haven’t used it all… I actually use it after I have a bikini wax.
oh YES i loved this spray. it smelled like fresh, cool cucumbers. not only was it soothing, like the above person mentioned, it made me feel a little less stank and gross.
Great topic! I’m sure I’m seconding some of the above advice here:
1. Second vote for Earth Mama/Angel Baby! They have some awesome stuff. That ‘bottom spray’ is the best’ and smells great, too 🙂
2. Super duper pads are great, but nothing is as awesome as the disposible underwear from the hospital for the first few days.
3. The cold pad packs from the hospital are the best, too; try to get some extra ones if you can! (You crack them to make them get cold, then wear like a regular pad. BEST. FEELING. IN. THE. WORLD.
4. You will need a super stool softener for the first time (or couple of times) you go #2 after baby. Bc … you will be putting stress on all the same things that are still quite painful, and … you will feel like ALL your internal organs are going to fall out your bottom (sorry to be graphic … but yes, this is exactly how it feels). I had read a lot about how painful this is, and actually … it wasn’t too bad for me (I was on a liquid diet in hospital due to other meds, and they had been giving me a prescription softener … and I was distracted during the process by reading a particularly amusing potion of The Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy …), so don’t psyche yourself out too much!
5. Spray bottle that sprays/squirts while upside down; you will want to spray while you pee so the acid in your urine doesn’t aggravate the pain/stitches if you end up with any/whatever-else-is-going-on-down-there. Cold water feels great, but that means you need to refill it every time you go. (They give you a bottle at the hospital)
6. A sitz bath, which they may give you at a hospital. Best feeling.
I think that’s it for my most-embarrassing list 🙂 Basically, if you show up at the hospital, they will provide you with everything. But if you are at home, or want your own, these are some things you will need after a vaginal birth.
Last piece of advice — not entirely related, but — PLEASE, take showers as often as you want/can! I get so upset when I hear new moms say “I can’t shower,” esp those first few weeks. It’s not about feeling good about how you look, it’s a health matter. Getting that area cleanly rinsed is really important (if you have a removable shower head, that is the most amazing relief in the world!), it made a major difference to how I felt from the first few days to two weeks if I could get one (or even two) showers a day (a 5 min one is plenty!). Baby can cry in a little bouncer seat on the floor of the bathroom, or someone else can come hold him! You need to take care of mama 🙂
On the shower topic, plan on taking at least one shower in the hospital so you can see how long you can stand up, the nurses are there in case you need to sit down, etc. But bring your own towel. When I rubbed that industrial washed and dried towel over my sore everything I thought I was going to cry. Even gently it was like drying with sandpaper. The towel will probably get bloody, so don’t bring your best one, but bring something soft.
About pads: one thing to check is whether they have “dry weave” or whatever each company calls it – I found the ones with this dry weave type surface could catch my stitches, and holy hell, that doesn’t feel good.
I also had to go out and find organic pads without plastic on the back because whatever was in the regular ones along with the lack of breathability from the backing gave me some raging fungal/yeast infections on top of everything else. Needing to wear such heavy pads for so long with so much weird moisture down there just became toxic. So, I also had to have some Lamisil (?) cream on hand, and warm water from the peri bottle several times a day to sort things out. Man, I forgot how much that part sucked!
If you are large breasted and planning to breastfeed you may need what my husband calls a “boob prop”. I used a couple of cheapie cloth diapers (the flat kind you can use as burp cloths) and rolled them together then secured them with a diaper pin. Basically you get a soft cylinder shaped pillow to prop your boob on.
I either had to prop up the boob or hold it with my hand and then figure out a way to make the baby an air pocket for his nose and hold the baby all at once. (I almost always use the cradle hold position) It sounds ridiculous but it was seriously the most helpful thing ever. Once the babys nose and mouth are a little bigger and they have more neck control it gets easier but in the beginning I just felt like I was drowning the baby with my DD sized boobs.
I had my husband run out and get me an extra pair of sweat pants and he says it was the most embarrassed he’s ever been at the register. He can’t put his finger on it, but for some reason buying girls pants that are clearly too small for him (he’s 6’4″) was way worse than all the tampons, pregnancy tests, and condoms he’s bought over the years.
If you are plus size, keep in mind that those mesh underwear might not fit you. They didn’t fit me so I just sent my partner to target to get a size bigger than I normally wear.
Not necessarily embarrassing but I’ll add flanges for your breast pump to the list. The first time I used my pump I wanted to cry from the pain (and I gave birth with no pain meds so you know this was bad!) because my nipples were too small for the standard size flanges and my aereola was being sucked in too. I had to suffer through the engorgement phase with no pump until my new flanges came in. I’ve been assured by fellow moms that your nipples will change in size over time while breastfeeding so no worries about wasting money on flanges that don’t immediately fit. I found it much worse to not have the right size available. My poor nipple hurt for days after using the wrong size.
Cloth diapers to catch dribbles and leaks when baby is nursing. And if you’re using a breastfeeding pillow, make sure you have an extra slipcover or two. I leaked all over mine and was glad I’d made more than one.
A few small towels! I had stocked up on granny panties, and taken everything that wasn’t tied down from my hospital room, but no one told me about the sweating! I was completely drenched for at least two days after, and ended up carrying a sweat rag around. Also, can I recommend a good lip balm? My lips were crazy dry after giving birth and I begged my sister to go get my fav lip balm from home for me.
Another tip-get a little basket or box and keep all the little things (extra shirt, pants, those pads to put under you on the bed, lip balm, those amazing instant cold ice packs, meds, baby socks, thermometer, lanolin, etc.) and keep it next to your bed! I was so exhausted when we got home, I just stayed in bed as much as possible that first week, and it was nice having my supplies close at hand.
Okay just going to say I’m pregnant with my secound and reading these responses is terrifying lol I must have had it good with my first if this is what most go threw ! I mean labor was horrible but thats expected I couldn’t get an epidural until 5 cm and when they finally checked I was already 7 went in not wanting any drugs I was induced and wanted to go natural still until 12 hrs of active labor I fell asleep on the nurse holding me up with the needle in my back because I was so exhausted I didn’t even feel it go in. But after I had my daughter my vag was super sensitive but I had no pain medication and I laid in bed 2 days in the hospital only getting up o use the restroom and shower …. I didn’t go number 2 until I got home it was uncomfortable heck yeah but not unbearable it’s amazing how quickly I sprang back and was fine I only bled for about two weeks but after one things were fine. Every one is different!
The gel nipple things you get from the LC at the hospital – do NOT forget to take them home with you! Take care of them b/c they may not be easy to replace. I had to buy more from a LC across town when my son was a few days old. I forget what they’re called but I remember they were made by Ameda. I will be asking the hospital if I can have/buy extras this time.
Buy the very best toilet paper you can. Screw the budget, buy the best!
Also, i second the shower frequently post delivery advice. I was also advised to take salt baths – it only needs to be a few inches deep, but it helped with healing my nasty episiotomy.
My home visiting nurse suggested that I dry my very sore lady parts using my hairdryer on cool, and it was heaven. No patting or rubbing, just nice and dry!
Not many people think of this: hemorroids cream. Even without any and on stool softeners, it really helped the first few weeks.
I second pretty much everything already suggested but also wanted to add the Earth Mama- Mama Bottom Balm. I had 4th degree tears and was in a lot of pain once I got home. I googled for suggestions and found this stuff and ordered it next day shipping I was so desperate for relief. Totally worth it! I felt so instantaneously better that I may have cried a little…haha…and the healing process definitely got better once I started using it. As awkward and embarrassing as it might be I’m totally giving it to any of my friends when they have kids!
Also I hated the stupid sitz bath. The warm water felt good but sitting on it was so uncomfortable for me so my doctor suggested just sitting in a warm/hot bath a few times a day. Definitely helped too!
Another vote for ice packs/condomsicles but with a note of caution! My local (UK) hospital actually offered the condom filled with water and frozen variety, wrapped in a thick tissue (the type you wipe up spills with, not the thinner toilet tissue sort). I would thoroughly recommend them.
I would not however recommend falling asleep from sheer exhaustion with said condomsicle laying on your sore undercarriage only to be woken half an hour later by your partner. Have you ever licked an ice lolly and your tongue got stuck? Waiting for the shower to warm up whilst carefully cradling a very heavy condom full of ice so that it doesn’t rip the skin away from your already swollen and sore body is nobody’s idea of fun. Just sayin.
Also good – I’ve never been offered a peri bottle but did make use of a plastic jug that I could fill with warm water to pour over my vulva instead of wiping.
My midwife recommended Badedas bubble bath for the horse chestnut extract and that was great.
A dark coloured dressing gown hides stains much better than a light one.
My ultimate new mum kit would be a travel mug and straws to put your hot/cold drinks in, a spork or spoon (so much easier to eat one-handed with) and a basket or sturdy bag you can put all the stuff you need for the day in (phone, remote, snacks, book, drink whatever) so that you can pick it all up in one go and cart it to wherever you end up sat. Nothing more frustrating that not wanting to move the sleeping baby on your lap but not being able to reach anything you need.
After scanning all the other comments, the one thing I haven’t seen is a hemrhoid/donut pillow. I really needed one of these after the big tear and stitches I got. I couldn’t sit on anything hard/semi-hard without it. I used it in the car on the way home, at the dinner table (hard wood chairs) and even on the rocking chair at first. Couches didn’t seem to be a problem though. Oh and you may not need this, but if you tear and have lots of stitches, have a parent or in-law pick one up for you in the hospital pharmacy. 🙂
I just want to say that I think this thread is amazing
I second (third) taking everything from the hospital room that isn’t nailed down. The little plastic tub used for cleaning pump parts was vital at home! And the monster-sized water mug the hospital gives you was so gret! I still use it 2 years later. Ask for a couple to take home. I used it to warm up/cool of baby bottles, and it holds sooo much water. There are times you just can’t get up for a quick glass of water, and you have to stay super hydrated when breastfeeding.
Get a little basket or small tote bag. Something with a handle that you can easily carry one-handed (or better yet, on the crook of your elbow. Fill it with all the things you’ll need to keep by you while nursing/feeding, sleeping, resting.
You’ll figure out pretty quickly what you want in there, but here’s what was in mine: water bottle, protein bars, cell phone & charger, lip balm, lotion, lanolin, burp cloth, gum, pacifier, hair ties, hand sanitizer/wet wipes. I used that puppy for two months.
Even if you live in a small space, you’ll find that sometimes you are “trapped” in one spot with the baby, and everything you need is somewhere else. Having a basket or bag within arms reach saves a lot of hollering at your partner “honey, bring me…”
I wouldn’t go running out to get a nursing bra. My childbirth class instructor who is also a postpartum doula said the best thing for your breasts is to let them hang out, no bra and no shirt. Yes, you’ll make a mess with the all the leaking, but honestly, you won’t care or just throw a towel down. My nipples were so destroyed by breastfeeding that having ANYTHING touch them put me into agony. Make sure that you order your free breast pump from your insurance company ASAP. You can only place the order within 30 days of your due date, but with the backlog they had when I delivered, I would get that in as soon as you can. Mine showed up 3 days after I got home from the hospital and I spent those three days crying waiting for it. It was the only thing that relieved my engorged breasts and gave my poor nipples a break. (Make sure you have some bottles!) I would hold off on buying tons of stuff because you don’t know what you’re going to need and it will make your hubby feel super useful when you send him out with a list of stuff to get. I also got lots of stuff for free from the hospital, I had pads, cooling antiseptic foam, cooling pads, a sitz bath, a peri bottle, witch hazel pads, Lansinoh (I still have this 3 months later and I used it A LOT), and then all the baby’s goodies. They’ll bring extra if you ask for them. Also: even if you plan on exclusively breastfeeding, take all the formula and bottles. Because things don’t always go as planned and you’ll be happy for the free can of formula when you are a hot mess of tears and bloody boobs and your breast pump hasn’t showed up yet and you can’t do it anymore. Anyway, I only ended up needing more pads and had plenty of everything else. (GET MAXI PADS!!! Do not get incontinence pads! There is something different about how blood is absorbed and I ended up with all the blood drying onto my lady bits instead of going into the pads. Poor pubes.) A good supply of ibuprofen is good to have as well, although for me I had trouble taking it because it made me sleepy and it was harder to wake up and feed the baby when I had taken some. Luckily, I’m some kinda mutant and didn’t really have much pain (vaginal with no pain meds!) so I just dealt with the cramps instead of being out of it when feeding.
Yes! I second (third, forth etc..) stool softners because while I didn’t actually hurt I was terrified to do a poo!
Also ural (that’s what it’s called in Australia) which lowers the acidity in your pee so if you have tearing or grazing it takes the sting out of it. I was lucky and didn’t need any painkillers for afterbirth pains but I lived on ural 3 times a day for at least a week!