I made myself a little ‘postpartum essentials kit’ this week so I thought I would share what I included. Right now I have all of these items in an old basket in our bathroom for easy access. Most of these products I used after my first pregnancy, but some of them are new to me. Postpartum essentials are going to vary from person to person, but here are some of the things I have ready for my postpartum experience, so I hope this helps!
Hot and cold gel packs – I haven’t used these before but think they would be great for the pain and swelling down there. Based on reviews, I would use these just for cold packs. I think there are a variety of products like this out there, these ones are super affordable.
Epsom salts – Soaking your lady bits in a bath of Epsom salts really is very healing! Epsom salts help to reduce swelling and also prevent infection. We use Epsom salts all the time at this house. Use these in the bath when you are pregnant too!
Dermoplast – Spray this on your lower region after using the bathroom or changing pads / diapers. It will cool and also numb your parts down there. Highly recommend!
Belly band – I did not use this product after my first pregnancy, but I am very intrigued. It has light compression to help smooth and shape your abdomen after birth. It also seems like it would be nice to cover your belly while breastfeeding? If you lift your shirt, your stomach would still be covered. If having a c-section, I know the hospital does provide a binder for your abdomen as well.
Stretch mark cream – I’m not sure that stretch marks can ever really be prevented (seems mostly genetic!) but I plan to use this after birth just to help with the fading. My bump is considerably larger than the first time and I have quite a few marks to show for it!
Frida Mom Peri Bottle – If you buy one item, let it be this one! This is a spray bottle to clean your vagina and other parts after birth. The hospital provides a bottle but this one is so much better! It has a more ergonomic design and sprays upwards (this is key!)
Witch hazel pads / Tucks – These products are essentially the same. Place these pads in your maternity pad (or depends) near any sore area. Witch hazel helps to reduce pain and swelling. You can also freeze these for a more cooling effect. I tried the Tucks brand last time, and plan to try out the other one this time around.
Disposable underwear – The hospital does send you home with mesh underwear (but not nearly enough!) I saw that Frida Mom was selling these underwear that look pretty similar to what you get in the hospital. If you are a fan of those, it seems like these would be a great addition to a postpartum essential kit. Underwear like this are ideal for holding the giant maternity pads. Use in the first few days when you get home when the bleeding is heavy.
Depends – I personally prefer to wear an adult diaper versus the mesh underwear and a pad (although I may do both). I find wearing the diaper to be more comfortable as it doesn’t shift around quite like a pad does. I plan to probably do the mesh underwear and large pad for the first few days and then shift to the Depends after that.
Postpartum pads – After a week or two, the bleeding will die down and you can switch to underwear and a lighter pad. These postpartum pads have great reviews and seem heavier duty than a regular pad. Put these in underwear (see below) after a few weeks for light bleeding.
High-waisted underwear – I bought a 4 pack of these after I had Rosie and LOVED them. These underwear are high-waisted, stretchy, and very comfortable. Because I may have a c-section this time, these would definitely be high enough to go over the incision site. If having a vaginal birth, high-rise (and full-coverage) underwear are very essential for keeping pads in place.