As a first time mom and youngest in my family, I found myself receiving a lot of advice from the other moms in my family. Some of it, I tossed out with the bathwater. But some of it truly saved me in the first few weeks postpartum. Below are my picks that I believe no mom should be without.
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DermaBlast
The hospital will send you home with a can of this stuff, but it is only enough to get you through a few days. After delivery, and especially if you had any tearing or required stitches, things start to itch...BADLY. This product is near instant relief of one of the most uncomfortable parts of post birth. DermaBlast can be found for about $6.50 at Walmart
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Witch Hazel Wipes
These can be found in any drugstore, and you don’t have to pay for the “Tucks” name brand. Witch Hazel is a natural ingredient that speeds up the healing process and calms irritated skin. It is also sensitive enough for your most sensitive parts...especially after they have been through such trauma.
These are the ones I used. $6 from Target
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Always Infinity FlexFoam Pads
Let’s be honest, anything would be an upgrade from the diapers the hospital sends you home with, but I have always hated pads, so I was very skeptical when my cousin told me about these. I was blown away when I tried them for myself. 1 pad (at about 1 week postpartum) lasted me hours and it seriously felt like nothing was there. Pay attention to the size you are buying with these. As you get further away from delivery, you won't need the greater absorbance.
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Tulip Tops
Motherhood Maternity carries a wide variety of these, and this ended up being an item I was happy to have spent the money on. (spoiler: I’m cheap.) I love these because they are exponentially easier to nurse in than snap-strap tops, they are flowy enough to hide your postpartum tummy, and they cover enough that you don’t need a nursing cover. I am loving the sailor stripes for spring! Motherhood Maternity- $35
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Wrap n’ Snap Bras
I got really annoyed with snap-strap ANYTHING. Have you ever thought about how hard it is to stare at your own shoulder? Now think about doing that when you have a screaming baby with a gas bubble...nope. This isn't the one I had, but it has good reviews. Seems like it runs small, so size up! Amazon- $18.99
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Nursing PJ’s
My usual wardrobe of night shirts were a nightMARE while nursing. I bought one pretty nursing nighty from Motherhood Maternity, just to feel more human, but for the most part I was most comfortable in a loose fitting nursing cami and PJ pants. These ones come in such fun colors and the back is so cute! Set of 3- Amazon- $34.98
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Snacking Stations
So, when you give birth/start breastfeeding your metabolism puts on a jet pack and flies to the moon. I would go from not feeling hungry at all, to shaking and angry in a matter of minutes. And when you are stuck on a couch with a baby on your nipple, it’s impossible to feed the beast. Thus, having little “snacking stations” all ready at all the places you like to nurse is crucially important. A bowl of nuts, a box of bars, some dried fruit...all are great to tuck here and there!
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Delivery Menus
Spend the few months leading up to baby figuring out which restaurants in your area still do delivery. Of course there is always GrubHub or DeliverDish, but you are going to end up paying all the fees that go along with that, and third party drivers always take longer. Want hot food? Get it delivered right when it’s ready! Having the menus stored in a convenient place (I like to store coupons for these places there too!) make it really easy for your partner or a loved one to help you out and order in!
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Boba Baby Wrap
These picks are in no particular order, because let me tell you- this thing is a lifesaver. I tried a lot of slings (mobi, ergobaby...etc.) and this was the only one I felt confident wearing. The material is STRONG and it feels a lot more secure than some of the other more cotton feeling slings. Having your arms free is a luxury you never knew how much you appreciated until a baby comes along! Comes in a lot of fun colors too! Amazon- $39-$50
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Car Seat Mirror
This is a must no matter what, but for new moms especially this is a necessity if you don’t want to pull off the road every 5 minutes to make sure baby is still OK. The peace of mind factor makes these so worth it and if worse comes to worse, could actually help save a life too. This one has awesome reviews on Amazon! $21.97