10 Postpartum Essentials I Love As A Mom And Former Postpartum Nurse

With both of my babies, postpartum was by far the most difficult stage for me.

• Your hormones are fluctuating like crazy
• You’ve gone through a physical and mental battle delivering this child
• Your body looks different… again
• If you’re breastfeeding, you’re taking on an entire second job as an addition to a newborn!
• And quite possibly the hardest for me… you are running on fumes from lack of sleep.

One of my absolute favorite nursing jobs was on the postpartum floor. It was generally a happy place to be considering you were in a hospital, and who doesn’t love a new baby?! While this gave me more experience with newborns than the average new mom, I was still nervous to be discharged when I had my first baby. I didn’t do a lot of research because I figured I knew what I was doing… Afterall, I’m a nurse and a baby nurse at that! Welp… I must’ve forgotten that the nurse only sees the first 3-ish days of a baby’s life. After that, we don’t know what homelife is like with that baby.

I learned just like all new moms how to be a parent the first time around. When I had my daughter, I knew what to expect. I was prepared and knew what worked for me the first time around and most importantly what didn’t. As a new mom, I understand how sacred time is. My hope in sharing this post is to help you spend less time figuring things out and more time soaking in those early days with your baby.

These postpartum essentials truly changed the game for me the second time around and I hope they are useful to you too!

1. Over The Counter Medications
   • If you deliver in a hospital and are open to taking medication, you will likely be offered over the counter medications after delivery. Check with your doctor at your prenatal visits what they anticipate you will be given and what you can stock up for once you’re home with baby.
2. Adult Diapers
   • Some people don’t know this, but after you give birth you can bleed for several weeks. The reason for this is because your uterus is shedding that thick beautiful lining which provided support for your baby in utero. For my first birth with my son, I used a popular brand which did the trick, but my cousin told me about Amazon diapers! These were absolutely amazing and the fit was much comfier for me. Sexy, I know 😉
3. Postpartum Underwear
   • Once the bleeding lightened up, I switched over to this underwear and these pads. Graduating to this from a diaper is truly life-changing!
4. Numbing Spray
   • The hospital I worked and delivered at supplied us with Dermoplast. I would spray the diaper with this and it was so helpful with pain. Witch Hazel and Tucks Pads are also a popular pain relief option.
5. Peri-Bottle
   • Your hospital should supply you with a peri-bottle but will most likely not have this angled neck. I actually have a detachable showerhead that I used a few times a day when my pain was at its peak.
6. Flange Sizing Kit
   • For those of you who are choosing to pump, this flange sizing kit was one of the best investments. You most likely need inserts for your pump parts and the measuring tool is super helpful! Please don’t ruin your nipples by not getting your correct size! This is totally avoidable and not talked about at all! Unfortunately, I did not find out about this until kid number 2…
7. Breastfeeding Pillow
   • I used the older version of this Boppy pillow for both babies. It was almost a fool proof way to position my babies to breastfeed correctly in those early days. It looks like the brand now refers to it as ‘ergonomic,’ so hopefully a better version! Eventually, you won’t need it as feeding will become second nature, but it’s great in those early days! Mine even doubled as a donut cushion with my first baby.
8. Nursing/Sleep Bras
   • I LIVED in these for the first several weeks postpartum. Your breasts are tender, sore and full – a real bra is not going to feel great. You might have already made this transition late in pregnancy. Not only are nursing bras easy access for feeding, they’re also great for sleep. Your breasts will feel very full throughout the night and it’s nice to have a little support. My favorite were these from Old Navy!
9. Nursing Cover
   • Some women don’t feel the need for a nursing cover and all the power to them! However, if you’re like me and want a little more privacy, a nursing cover is a great way to feel more comfortable feeding in public. It allowed me to still be social without worrying about how my baby will be fed. I used a muslin cover from Amazon similar to this one.
10. Baby Wrap
    • I didn’t use this with my first baby, but it was a godsend when I had my second. I used this Solly wrap so that I could be hands free around the house. This was especially helpful so that I could still interact with my toddler without him feeling like I couldn’t touch him.

My hope is that these essentials make those early postpartum days just a little bit easier. Recovery can be hard, emotional, and overwhelming, even if you’ve done it before. Preparing ahead of time won’t control everything, but it can give you a little peace of mind when everything seems so vulnerable. It’s important to take care of yourself during this time. You just did something incredible… you brought your baby into this world! You deserve love too, mama. <3

XO,

Kassie