Postpartum recovery is no joke! Birthing a baby is already a fairly distressing experience on the body, and combining that with the [potential] need for additional “repairs” after baby squeezes through — it’s all just a lot to recover from!
There are sooo many products and “kits” (like this and this) as well as advice from birthing experts on how to help minimize discomfort in the postpartum period — it’s hard to know what you do and don’t need! Now, everyone and their delivery experience is different so you may require different products for your specific needs, but I wanted to share what I personally found to be incredibly helpful for both of my postpartum recoveries.
I will note that with both deliveries I required some mild “repairs” so this is all related to how I managed my healing in regard to some tearing. I know this topic is pretty TMI, but how else can we help one another unless we share? I hope this helps you make the best choices for your postpartum healing care… there is a LOT going on when you bring your baby home and having discomfort shouldn’t be one of them.
HYGIENE
Peri Bottle
The “upside down” designed peri bottles are ESSENTIAL to postpartum recovery — this is a hill I will die on. The ones provided by the hospital are essentially sports drink bottles (seen above) and are practically impossible to angle properly to reach all affected areas. While those generic bottles are *technically* a solution, they’re also a very poor one in my opinion. Everything else that the hospital provides is pretty useful and effective, but this is definitely an area where they are lacking. There’s no sense in forcing yourself into acrobatics to clean up when you could use a bottle specifically designed as a portable bidet. Do yourself a favor and just order one.
*Top Tip 1: Be sure to pack the upside down peri bottle in your hospital bag; I promise you won’t regret it. (The nozzle is designed to easily collapse inside the bottle to be more compact for ease of travel!)
*Top Tip 2: Remember to fill the bottle with warm water and to spray it on yourself while actively peeing to help avoid a stinging sensation on any lacerations.
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Baby Wipes
Sometimes simply rinsing isn’t effective enough for proper cleansing and a [VERY] gentle wipe is needed. A moist baby wipe towelette is going to be so much more desirable for use on those tender areas. Plus, you’ll already have packs of wipes on hand for baby anyway and since you’re both currently in diapers (😉) why not share wipes too?
*Top Tip: Remember to pat dry with toilet paper — don’t wipe.
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UNDERWEAR & ABSORPTION
Disposable Underwear
I remembered from giving birth to Sophie that the hospital-provided mesh underwear weren’t spectacular so I ordered a box of the FridaMom disposable underwear during my third trimester just to have another option available once the free hospital ones ran out. The hospital underwear aren’t terrible… they’re kind of a boyshort style, made of fine mesh so they’re lightweight, and the material is VERY stretchy so they’re actually pretty comfortable because it doesn’t feel like you’re wearing anything (I imagine that this cut would be ideal for c-section mamas). The FridaMom style is high-waisted and stretchy, but also more… substantial(?) and, in my opinion, the cut makes them feel more similar to actual underwear.
Please note the surface area in the crotch of each of these options. The mesh underwear from the hospital have a very interesting design in that regard which makes it a bit more challenging to place a pad (especially the mega ones you will get —and want— from the hospital). Not necessarily a dealbreaker for that style, but just something worth noting.
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Pads
The hospital pads are awesome — I totally underestimated how many I would need / want after leaving the hospital. In my first recovery I discovered that I liked them more than I thought I would, not just for the absorbency, but also for the padding to cushion my tender areas when sitting down. There’s no denying that they’re bulky (I’m not really a menstrual pad fan to begin with), but I really liked / appreciated them for this circumstance.
After giving birth the second time, I grabbed every pad that was available in my recovery room, but should have requested more because I found that I ran out rather quickly once we got home. I then placed an order for these pads to replace the hospital ones and I have to say that I prefer them. The size is perfect (just as wide as the hospital ones, but also a bit longer!) and I like the little mesh “walls” along the sides of the pad to keep everything contained — BIG fan.
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COMFORT
Witch Hazel Pads
Tucks offers little round pads that are soaked with witch hazel which is a great product for soothing inflammation, especially as it pertains to hemorrhoids. 🥴 I lay them out in a little row on top of my pad and they give me so much relief / help reduce swelling.
*Top Tip: Keep your container in the fridge so that the little rounds offer a pleasant cooling sensation when placed in your fresh underwear dressing.
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Numbing Spray
Basically, Dermoplast is heaven in a can. You can spray the it directly onto the affected areas (but note that spraying upside down isn’t as effective or you can spray straight onto the pad which is how I used it most of the time (I actually sprayed it onto the Tucks rounds which I laid out across the mega pad). I absolutely adore this product for instant relief and cooling comfort. 🙌🏼
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Cooling Packs
I don’t remember being given these full crotch cooling pads after my first delivery, but wow do they feel great after pushing a melon sized baby out of your body! I grabbed quite a few before leaving the hospital so I haven’t replenished my supply yet, but I did find another highly rated option that I can order if I decide that I need more.
Additionally, you can create your own DIY ice packs.
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DRYING UP MILK SUPPLY
Sports Bra
If you are like me and planning to exclusively formula feed, you will want to suppress lactation. In order to accomplish this you will basically want to do the complete opposite of what you should do to encourage your milk supply for breastfeeding. I chose this supportive sports bra to help minimize swelling.
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Engorgement Reduction
In addition to the supportive bra, I applied Cabo Crème multiple times a day to help reduce engorgement. I also took ibuprofen as recommended by my medical care team to both minimize discomfort and reduce inflammation.
Lastly, I occasionally utilized cooling gel pads to both reduce swelling and provide some relief.
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You can find additional lactation suppression information, which was provided to me by my hospital, in this “Formula Feeding” post.
I hope that this breakdown of my postpartum essentials was helpful for you! I truly appreciated having these products in my arsenal and felt like they were the most helpful in both of my postnatal recoveries — I hope that they will be useful for yours as well.
Wishing you a smooth pregnancy, delivery and recovery!
Sending hugs —
xx, Natalie