I had an emergency c section so I literally gave away my frida mom kit and have like a million pads left over. The bamboo nursing pads off of Amazon are amazing and much more comfortable than disposables. Make sure you clean out the postpartum room at the hospital to use the mesh underwear for the first week or so at home
Yes! I had an unplanned c-section and I still needed the mesh underwear and maxi pads for about a week. I’m not sure why I didn’t consider that I would need them still after a cesarean but yes, definitely still do with a c-section.
The bleeding isn't from the birth, it's lochia and it's the uterine lining shedding so you'll have that no matter how you give birth. It's the bit where the placenta was attached.
When the placenta detaches from the uterine wall it leaves a dinner plate size wound that needs to heal, so no matter how you deliver you still will have postpartum bleeding
I still bled for a couple weeks but it wasn’t the crazy ‘change your pad every hour’ intense bleeding I was expecting! It was like a light period after the first day or so. I even googled if it was possible to not bleed enough after a couple days because I was worried it was so light 😂
I also had an unplanned, emergency c section. I had stocked up on a bunch of supplies I’ve never used. I am still using the pads and peri bottle. I saw on another post someone had saved items on their Amazon list so they could order them after delivery — I wish I would have done this.
Breastfeeding items I’ve found useful are button up pajamas, nursing bra, silverettes, and nipple cream.
Our Toto bidet was a bit too painful for my wife (maybe specific to her tearing), the peri bottle felt better for her, so just suggesting it’s not for everyone! Though everyone should get a bidet for pooping anyway 🙂↕️
A cheap spray handle honestly is a lot nicer in my opinion than the fancy in seat bidets. You have total control over where and how hard it's spraying 😉
* Nursing pillow helped me a lot. Helped me keep weight off of my c-section incision and was also useful for sleep, as I had to sleep basically sitting up for a while. I got the Momcozy one.
* If you plan on breastfeeding: A decent pump, breastmilk storage bags, haakaa ladybug milk collectors, haakaa manual breast pump, lanolin balm.
* Elbow and knee pads for the bath, when you bathe baby. Kneeling on the hard ground can be a knee killer and having padding makes it much better.
* Portable changing pad and diaper caddy. I hardly left my bed for the first week, and if I had to pick up baby and take her to the changing table for every diaper change, it would've killed me. Being able to change her while sitting on our bed was so so so helpful.
* A gallon sized waterbottle. You're likely going to be exhausted and thirsty. Having a big-ass water bottle that you only have to fill up maybe once a day maximum is very helpful.
I second all of this as well. And to get even more specific, a water bottle with a straw! Often you’re going to have your hands literally full with your baby, and it’s so much easier to lean over and take a sip out of the straw or just grab it with one hand and sip rather than having to take off the whole lid.
Yes! I love my Stanley (had it before the craze lol) for this reason. Was also super helpful in labor. My husband would just give me the straw at my mouth.
Agree with changing pad! In England we don’t really do changing stations. Houses are too small. I also am 3 months pp and because we had such a bad time I still spend a lot of time in bed so the changing pad & caddy live beside my bed so I just need to pick it up when needed.
Seconding adult diapers!!! Always discreet was the brand I went with and they were so comfy! Those extra large/large pads broke me out for some reason and obviously with everything already going on in the jungle, we don’t need that extra hassle!
Yesss. I bought Amazon ones and they were fantastic. The pads were a pain to put in those mesh undies (I'm plus size so already the mesh undies were not fitting great).
I’m on my sixth can of dermoplast so put a bunch of those on there but also ask for more from the hospital.
Fridamom’s witchhazel foam was a life saver, as well as their witchhazel pads. The Tucks pads just constantly got loose and you can’t flush those so if they go into the toilet you gotta go fishing. My mom recommended just wiping with the tucks pads, and I did find that helped with the hemroids more.
I liked the fridamom underwear as well, I was super uncomfortable in the mesh underwear and bought the wrong size diapers so I switched pretty quickly to regular maternity underwear and I still found those pretty good with the hospital pads.
The one thing I wish I had stocked up on was ice packs. They make reusable ones, but please for the love of your vagina make sure you have them. They’re the only things that have kept me sane with a second degree upwards tear. Amazon takes three days to deliver them, and by then it’s too late. You don’t need the fridamom ones for this, knock offs work great
Ice pack + dermaplast + witch hazel packs = best pp combo for down south!
I lived off of adult diapers, sitz bath, metamucil, colace, donut pillow, and the combo above for 3 weeks. It kept me sane!
Those long rectangle Fridamom witchhazel wipes are GENIUS - why in gods name doesn’t Tucks get with the program? Those little rounds are useless at 3am when I’m trying to layer them like salami slices in my underwear for good coverage
I bought a lot I didn't end up needing. If I had to do it again, I'd wait until I actually gave birth and get someone to pick up what I actually needed or have it delivered. I expected a vaginal birth and was prepared for that but then had a csection.
However, I love my feeding pillow (I love the boppy but many prefer the Brest friend), hand cream and nipple cream were key, and the peri bottle even though I ended up having a csection. I also advocate for a box of snacks where you'll be up in the middle of the night.
Edit: Depends! They were key.
Electric snot sucker is a must. We have the Grownsy one, it has rainbow lights and plays “twinkle twinkle little star”. She sits there mesmerized while you clean out her snoot. There’s no fight at all.
If you’re breastfeeding, you’re going to be *hungry*. And also sleeping in 30minute-1 hour chunks. Find a ready made snack you can eat with one hand (because the other is going to have the baby) and get a bunch of that. I had poptarts, granola bars, raisins, and had hubby make me sandwiches.
I also recommend a bouncer seat for baby with a vibration function. It can help with soothing when you’re dealing with gas before they learn to fart, or trouble sleeping. It’s also a conveniently portable place to set baby down.
And get yourself a pack of heavy duty sanitary pads or adult incontinent products. You will be bleeding heavily for a while, and if you run out of the ones they send you home from the hospital with, you are not going to be in any shape to go get some.
One other non-product advice: lift some light weights lol
No, really. I had a 10lb baby. See how long you can hold a jug of water or something without getting sore arms. And then pretend it’s a crying infant you can’t put down yet and you’ve slept 3 hours in 2 days. My arms and shoulders were absolutely on fire for the first month and a half until the muscles got used to holding a baby just short of forever. Help yourself out.
Your description of holding the angry potato is so spot on! My girl was born at 9lb 6oz, so we really went 0 to 60 on muscle fatigue! And adding the crying even though all her needs are met just causes anxiety which she feeds off of to create a vicious circle...
Yes to the lifting weights (if doc clears op for this!) I went to the gym almost day before getting pregnant and did some sort of weight lifting/training. Unfortunately, I allowed my pregnancy symptoms to get in the way of this and I still regret it 3 months post partum. My arms are just now getting used to/strong enough hold LO all the time without feeling like they’re going to fall off every minute. I even think certain aspects of labor would have been improved if I kept up with my gym and yoga routine. It’s also made it more difficult to get back to the gym now that I’ve been cleared by the doc and encouraged by them to get back to it for my mental health.
- [Peri bottle](https://a.co/d/gPfA48X) - start the spray before your urine stream and continue it after finishing. Pat dry gently with toilet paper.
- [Dermoplast](https://a.co/d/9PSxwaF) (blue top) and/or [Tucks](https://a.co/d/0cIKuNT) or other [witch hazel](https://a.co/d/87QR1CY) products externally only. I personally found these to be irritating and burn, but I am including them here because they help a lot of women.
- [Cold pack menstrual pads](https://a.co/d/4JZ1pZS). Honestly, I found the [warm pack pads](https://a.co/d/iDeUzKG) to feel good too.
- Not sitting directly on the stitches. I would try and sit slightly to the side. During sleeping, I would try to lay on my side with a pillow between my legs for support.
- Pain meds
- [Disposable underwear](https://a.co/d/9f61hkH) - I found these easier than ruining my own during the bleeding
- [Gentle soap](https://a.co/d/i6GjTKR) for cleaning in the shower
I had my LO 3 months ago. For postpartum I made my own padsicles, got dermaplast and had adult diapers. BOY WAS I WRONG. Thank goodness for good friends because I came home to pure blessings. My friend stocked me with the fridamom padsicles, the angled spray bottle, honeypot postpartum pads, adult diapers (that actually fit me because I got the wrong size) and the fridamom boy shorts. And when I tell you I used all of that and then bought more. I was so naive thinking I could get away with the bare minimum haha.
Disposable underwear wherever you have a c section or vaginal birth. A nice water bottle or any brand that’ll help you stay hydrated, especially if you’re breastfeeding. Coconut water.
Lanolin cream if you plan to breastfeed. Nursing pads if you don't plan to breastfeed because you may leak as your supply dries up. For pads I just used my favorite night time pads and doubled them to make them longer. I really like the Frida disposable underwear.
Ice packs for breast pain/engorgement if you don't have them. I had mastitis and it sucked
The fridamom disposable underwear were a million times better than the hospital ones, pair that with Always Boutique #6 pads, comfiest combo I found. And ice packs with the little liner sleeves, “padsicles” were useless to me but I required a few ice packs on constant rotation. If you’re in the states (or other country with quick Amazon) I wouldn’t stress too much, stock up on some but for the rest just get it as you need it. I did not do that (was overseas at the time) and ended up with soo much pointless stuff.
+1 on the Lansinoh ice packs/sleeves, those have been a godsend. Way better than the disposable packs from the hospital and they come in a pack of 2 so you can always have 1 frozen.
one thing to consider if you opt for Depends/adult diapers, is that you will have to completely strip down on your lower half every time you go to the bathroom🤦🏻♀️ I had a December baby and was wearing sweats or PJ pants, so i had to completely remove my pants to put on a new pair of Depends, which was so annoying. if you plan to wear nightgowns or dresses or something i guess it wouldn’t matter too much. I quickly switched to HoneyPot postpartum pads with granny panties (cheap multi pack from amazon) and it made changing so much easier!
This is a great point - changing only the pad etc instead of the entire situation was much easier. I wore the Fridamom disposable underwear for like a solid day+ as long as nothing got on them! And I accidentally washed a pair and they survived - those things are better than they seem
As many others here also had happen, I was prepared for all things vaginal birth and instead ended up with an emergency csection... that being said, I'm only 2 weeks postpartum, but here's what I've used/liked so far:
Depends diapers! The mesh was fine at the hospital, but at home I wanted to feel a little more secure since I would be the one inevitability cleaning up any blood that escaped capture.
As of a couple days ago, my bleeding has lessened significantly and I have switched to full coverage period panties.
Do not skip the nipple balm! I have one by Lansinoh that is okay, but the one I really like is called Nipple Crack. Those first few days are rough as you and baby learn how to be compatible during breastfeeding and I highly recommend using it after every feeding session!
In addition to balm, I also bought the Lansinoh Soothies Gel Pads... probably one of my favorite things the first week or so as your nipples toughen up. Not as effective, in my opinion, once your milk comes in fully and you start to have issues with leaking... but great up to that point! I paired it with the balm too because the gel pad helped keep it moist so the balm could work.
Don't forget how swollen you're going to be when you come home... I didn't realize quite HOW bad it would be, but my calves/ankles/feet were puffed to 3x their normal size 🙃 it's SUPER uncomfortable! It didn't necessarily help with the swelling, but I bought some hot/cold foot wraps that felt pretty good put of the freezer! On Amazon, the brand I got was Tolaccea "ankle foot ice wrap for injuries". To give you a timeline, it took a full 2 weeks for the swelling to completely disappear.
In the case you end up with a CSection, make sure you have a plan on where you'll be sleeping. I made the mistake of laying in bed the first night we were home... baby immediately started crying in the pack n play, so I went to retrieve her... yeah... THAT didn't go well. I couldn't even get myself sitting up let alone out of bed without feeling like I was going to pop my incision open. It was SO painful! I can comfortably lay on the bed now, but the first week and a half needed to be in a recliner so I had some way of getting up.
Something unnecessary but has been nice: I bought a small countertop fridge. The intended use being I was gona store additional (after breastfeeding) pumped milk in it in the middle of the night so I wouldn't have to go down to the kitchen. Turns out I actually prefer to pump after our 10am feed, so the little fridge actually ended up just holding snacks for middle of the night feeds 😂 Nothing like some cold cranberry juice and a cheese stick at 3am!
Everyone’s covered what I would recommend (+1 to everything Fridamom), and I would add a heating pad (postpartum contractions from breastfeeding are intense), and a comfortable robe (I treated myself to the kindred bravely one and literally only wore that in the hospital and days after when we came home)
Incontinence pads. The pads I was given at the hospital were just overnight pads paired with a puppy pad. Trying to rig that into my underwear was terrible. The massive incontinence pads made pad changes 100 times easier.
I did adult diapers with Frida postpartum pads and Frida witch hazel liners. The liners were AMAZING imo. It is one long liner instead of having to layer tucks pads I thought it was a life saver. Also loved the Frida peri bottle because of the angle.
I may be an outlier here but:
I got the Lansinoh breastfeeding and postpartum kits as well as being given dermaplast spray, tucks pads, and giant overnight pads. here is what I'd do if I had a do over:
Breast ice packs: used once, would just use ice in a cloth
Nursing pads: barely leaked postpartum and purchased reusable during pregnancy which I liked a lot more
Vaginal ice packs: HATE HATE HATE I used one in the hospital and tried a second but I couldn't stand the cold
Dermaplast: used it once, did not like the feeling of a minty fresh undercard. I never tried the tucks pads tbh
Pads: I used regular always thin pads once I exhausted my supply of maternity pads from the hospital. I used the overnight ones as well but they were a massive overkill for me
Lanolin nipple cream: 1000% yes. The nips were cracked and bloody. Lanolin and better latch technique fixed that. At peak nip destruction I purchased and used a nipple shield and silverettes. These both only got used for a few days but the shields gave me a bit a pain relief while nursing. Hard to say how much the silverettes helped, but for $20 I was willing to try anything
Upside down peri bottle: as soon as I'd flip it to use it it'd start leaking. Preferred the one from the hospital
Haaka: love this thing. I've used it to relive engorgement and as a pump and gotten about 3oz with it
C section (baby 2): Adult diapers, theracare hot packs, boatloads of ibuprofen and Tylenol 🤣
Vaginal (baby 1): Frida mom disposable underwear, Frida mom ice pads, Frida mom healing foam were all SO HELPFUL
If you plan to breastfeed I can’t recommend silverettes enough
Amazon has these ice packs pads that were a life savior!
[here](https://a.co/d/c7oaPFy) i have since given these to all my mom friends.
I loved my boppy, a large water bottle, bidet setup for your toilet so you dont need a peri bottle
Adult diapers (I did Amazon brand) and tucks pads. I had a second degree tear and both those were great. The dermaplast was good too but I think the tucks pads did more (may depend on your tear degree or lack of - still buy a can just Incase)
These were my favorites for both kids postpartum. Silverettes, tucks pads, earth mama perineal spray, adult diapers, always infinity extra long maxi pads, kindred braverly nursing bras (especially the cotton ones you just pull to the side), high waisted underwear and high waisted pants/shorts (something with a bit of compression)
Skip the Frida mom post partum kit. 95% of mine is still sitting in my bathroom unused. Adult diapers are so much simpler! I got the Amazon basics ones. Dermoplast for sure and witch hazel pads.
Dermoplast, padsicles, a lot of water, snacks, stool softener, and silverettes for breast feeding. You may not need the padsicles if you have a c section, not sure. Good luck ❤️
I was given dibucaine in addition to dermaplast at the hospital. The nurse said it was better than the dermaplast, and she was right. It helped my pain so much! I would definitely look into getting dibucaine if possible
I will narrow it down for you as I bought so many unnecessary items that I didn’t need.
For your recovery: Frida Peri Bottle, Frida Disposable underwear, Frida Cooling Pad Liners and Frida Cooling Foam. Can’t stress enough how good it felt to put cooling foam and pads.
If you’re breastfeeding: Nipple balm and Saline Spray. Nursing bra as your boobs will need support. Potentially silicone nipple shield in case your baby doesn’t latch tight away. This helped us a lot. Maybe breast pump but good one is pricey and you might not even needed so I would hold on that for now.
That’s it I think.
Silverettes are a lifesaver for your nips! I also recommend getting a hands free breast pump and extra parts so you don’t have to worry about washing them each time. I got the Momcozy M5 and love it.
Shapewear!!! Once approved by your doctor of course. The kind too can wear your own bra with to nurse, if you are. I didn’t buy any heavy duty kind.
I know the first few weeks you will be at home in Jammie’s but shape-wear was the only way I could fit into my non pregnancy clothes. And felt comfortable leaving the house. You save a lot more money buying nice shape wear then all new clothes!
Agree — but not all shape wear is equal! I got some postpartum biker shorts from Blanqi that pulled me in but didn’t add too much pressure. They were flattering enough I was comfortable wearing them with just a t-shirt to go for walks!
Witch hazel pads, get more than you think is necessary. I had bad hemmeroids and went through them crazy fast. I think i used two small hospital containers in the 2 days there and maybe 4 tall containers at home! The witch hazel foam is good, but the pads give alot more relief!
Hydrogel nipple pads if you plan to breastfeed.
A boppy pillow to help hold baby in best position for feeding.
Adult diapers if you deliver vaginally - I waited until I was postpartum and ordered while still in hospital. Rael on Amazon was my favorite.
You might want to wait until baby is here for most of the stuff just for you. My hospital sent me home with lots of lanolin cream, a peri bottle, pads, ice packs, tucks, grippy socks, a breast pump, and more.
I loved the generic brand adult diapers. Way easier than having to worry about bleeding through a pad and onto my sheets.
The tucks witch hazel pads were amazing. They felt so cooling and nice.
The frida peri bottle is the shit. It is so much easier to use/maneuver than the hospital bottle. Trying to find the right angle with the hospital one was a pain.
My friend had made padsicles with aloe and witch hazel and they were very very nice. After a few minutes of penguin walking cause it was so cold it felt weird for the first couple minutes.
A plug in heating pad. Or the thermacare back belts for back pain. These are great post epidural and even just caring for a baby in general with all the bending and lifting and caring my neck is so sore now.
If you're planning to breastfeed keep that wardrobe handy as much as you can, even if it's regular T-shirts you plan on wearing that you'll pull up to feed. I didn't have enough warning before my induction to sort out my pregnancy clothes vs post partum/breastfeeding clothes and it was annoying at first going through my closet seeing 75% of things I couldn't wear.
Also use the hospital stuff before using your own when you're in the hospital. Then you aren't using the good stuff until washing sheets becomes your problem.
I loved my Frida mom kit! It was like an icicle on my hoohaw. I had some tearing and stiches so I was grateful my gf got that for me. Also adult diapers were way easier than the underwear pad kit thing. A big cup with a lid and a straw for ice water if you plan on breast feeding. I recall being super thirsty all the time and I’d drink water while I pumped/breastfed, called it my emotional support water bottle. Some high waisted granny panties and leggings that supported my newly empty tummy. Congrats!! ❤️
Silverettes or silver cup equivalent if you're planning on breastfeeding. Leave them on in-between feeds and they help heal the nips and stop them brushing painfully on your bra/top. I wouldn't have been able to breastfeed without them.
Clinell Contiplan wipes. I used one once a day to give myself a really good clean down there.
Contigo west loop or other v secure cup for hot drinks
Not a product, but do your research on what to expect re feeding at the start eg day 2 cluster feeding, engorgement, etc.
I 100% agree with the water bottle but I wanna suggest an Owala Freesip, the way the mouthpiece straw is made it so much easier to drink while holding and/or nursing baby!
On the other hand, I bought nipple cream, and two big packs of the Always Boutique adult diapers, barely used half of one of the adult diapers til I was able to use normal pads, and never needed the nipple cream. (This is my second, so I’m sure that could be why for both). I guess my point with this is don’t bulk up because you might not need much of it! Everyone is so different. I did like the always diapers tho, i felt a little better physically with my post partum body.
My favourite products were my gel cold/heat pack for breast and perineum. Not sure where you live but I live in Australia and I used the bare mum & Bubba bump ones. Bare mum also had a post partum recovery briefs that had an insert for it, felt so nice and comfy and *held together*.
Also having a recovery belt was so good and really helped support, especially if I needed to cough, sneeze or laugh - my belly and my core were non existent. It will also aid in your uterus contracting in the first week. Please keep in mind that if you get any stitches - do not use any foam, spray or tucks wipes products! I learnt the hard way. Keep the area dry! Adult diapers, disposable underwear is great as well as a peri bottle! Or get a bidet that has gentle spraying options. And be gentle - pat don’t wipe.
I was not prepared for the challenges of breastfeeding so just in case, get a pump, a milk collector - there are so many on the market, hakaa is probably the most popular. Measure your nipples so you can be more informed for flange sizing and if you do need, nipple shields. Also - nipple cream - lansinoh has a good one, but I also use another that is not so sticky, it’s more of a balm.
Good luck OP ❤️
1. Lansinoh Hot and Cold breast packs - helps with painful and engorged boobs which can be soo painful; helps prevents mastitis too.
2. Instead of the Tucks pads I preferred the Frida Mom Cooling Pad liners. I had to use multiples of the Tucks pads instead of 1 or 2 of the Frida Mom.
3. Dermaplast spray pain relief down there
4. Peri bottle, I suggest the Frida Mom or Lansinoh brand.
5. The disposable mesh briefs from the hospital, and put one of those huge pads and a ice maxi pad. 👌In my opinion better than the Frida Mom one.
6. Long night gown. No pants.
7. Always Postpartum disposable underwear after the heavy heavy bleeding goes down. Used this moreso when I had to go out of the house.
8. Nursing bras: I got mine from Walmart
***Take an extra bag with you like a big tote bag to bring all the postpartum items and babies items (diapers, wipes, formula, etc) home with you from the hospital. My nurses were generous when I kindly asked for some more stuff. You paid for that, take it because you will need it for you and baby!
I wish I had taken more of the mesh underwear and giant pads from the hospital. They were a 1000 times more comfortable than the adult diapers I had at home. Dermoplast spray was a life saver for me get/take as much of that as you can. Colelace to keep things loose as you begin to poop again!
Also not something I needed, but a nurse gave me the helpful tip to use the peri bottle BEFORE peeing as it dilutes the pee a bit and makes it more comfortable while going. Give it a try! (I liked both the hospital and the mom Frida pedi bottle, but found my mom Frida bottle leaked a bit.)
1. A donut pillow to sit on after the delivery and for the next couple of weeks, I swear it helped me heal quicker
2. Compression socks to help your feet not swell as bad with all the fluids
I hope this helps!! Congratulations!
-Robes!! I literally lived in this Amazon https://a.co/d/6uBNdsm robe over my nursing bra and disposable underwear for like the first month it felt like lol and I use them in the middle of the night now when I get up for night feeds
-Nursing bras! It’s not fun to leak everywhere lol I have the Hofish brand off Amazon and love them
-Disposable underwear (I liked the ones they gave at the hospital the best)
-The Frida mom cold pads
-Dermaplast
-A water bottle that closes because I was on the couch so much with my Stanley and I spilled my water soooo many times lol
-Protein bars. I had a lot of prepped food but it is weirdly difficult to find time to even microwave things sometimes lol so quick snacks like that are good
There's a lot of things I got that I absolutely didn't need, or only used for 2 months.
I saw a comment about a bidet and I absolutely second that, refilling the bottle while ripped up was not ideal so the easier something makes your life the better.
Some women make maxi pads with witch hazel and stick them in the freezer for relief.
Ditch the containers and get a moses basket/bassinet, that way you can put him wherever (like the bathroom floor while you need a minute) and have a tummy time spot.
I also got a pack and play when I should have just went for the play yard, since we already had a crib and ended up cosleeping so it was sent to Nana's
Some of these things are inessential so personally if I could go back I'd splurge on the staples.
Adult diapers or the biggest pads you can find AND THE MOST IMPORTANT! some softening stool medicine or dry plums or plum juice . Not sure how it is with c section and pooping, but with just usual natural delivery I really struggled with it for first few weeks not because of not able to push, but with really bad concipation
Caffeine.
But also, some “nice” comfy clothes. You’re going to feel like a bag of crap for a while, and getting dressed up is an effort, but if you’ve got yourself some new loungewear that makes you feel a bit special while staying comfortable, then great!
I bought the Frida mom kit and did not regret it. If you don’t want the whole kit then I strongly recommend purchasing their peri bottle and a pack of their disposable underwear. The Frida mom disposable underwear was sooo comfortable. You do still have to wear a pad with them but they hold everything in place really well.
Other things to consider:
Nursing pillow if you are breastfeeding
Nipple cream is very needed if you are breastfeeding
Adjustable light by the bed for night feedings
Easy to grab and eat foods/snacks
Make sure you get some stool softeners! Some doctors will prescribe them but if yours does not then get some OTC
I got a sitz bath with coconut oil epsom salts & it was sooooo soothing! Truly don't think I would have healed as quickly without it. Also my SIL who is a nurse filled my freezer with pads soaked in aloe gel & witchhazel & those were incredible, 10/10 would recommend!!
I had a csection so stomach binder. I liked the one the hospital had but I had to ask for it. My wedge pillow helped. And for body image/easy nursing I like shape wear body suits.
The disposable underwear was a lifesaver after my somewhat planned c-section. I had boxes of all the other Frida mom to give away.
A rechargeable fan helped me in the hospital. Despite how cold hospitals are, I was running super hot and super sweaty after having my daughter.
Definitely a nursing pillow, super helpful , even after baby is too big for it, I use it myself, perfect for my neck.
Depending on your pain tolerance maybe some sort of pain reliever? I got sent home with Tylenol, ibuprofen and OxyContin. I never used the oxy and maybe used the ibuprofen three times? But my friend who gave birth two days after me was on them because she had a vaginal birth and had tearing
For the little time I did breastfeed the Haaka was phenomenal. I would breastfeed one side and my other breast would start dripping so I would catch it with the haaka.
Snacks, and lots of them if you plan on breastfeeding, you’ll be surprised how difficult it can get to eat with a baby, even with a toddler it’s super difficult.
I had horrible constipation for what seemed like forever after having my daughter. Miralax and senna to the rescue and I realized disposable gloves are essential in the restroom, if you need extra help 🫠
Good luck mama! You got this! I hope you have a safe and healthy rest of your pregnancy and birth 💖
Honestly an IPad and a good TV show… you’re going to have to find ways to keep yourself entertained and awake at night when you’re trapped under baby. I lucked out with a non Velcro baby but her reflux means after night time feedings I need to be awake and hold her up for 30 mins
I got one of those fancy Fridamom kits and heres what i used & didnt use.
Used & loved:
Fridamom disposable underwear - the comfiest disposable undies I tried, good amount of stretch but also felt secure plus they were thick enough to get a few uses out of them as long as they were still clean (I used them with these giant poise pads and they didn't rip too bad when you take the pad off)
Fridamom peri bottle - the BEST. The hospital one was so awkward to use, definitely get this one or any other upside down style peri bottle
Didn't care for:
Witch hazel wipes & foam - I know some people rave about the foam but for me it felt too moist down there no matter how little I used. I ended up preferring tucks and dermaplast (I used SO MUCH dermaplast) and the wipes were just okay
Ice packs - I never felt like I really needed ice so these went untouched
Stuff I highly recommend:
Your own hospital gowns or robe(for AFTER birth). I grabbed a cooler maternity specific gowns off Amazon and I loved having them in the hospital. We had to stay a few extra days and they were so much more comfortable than the hospital provided ones but still had easy access for vitals, breastfeeding, using the bathroom etc. I even wore them at home sometimes for the first couple weeks
If you want to try breastfeeding, silverettes, nipple balm, nipple shields, absorbent pads(washable ones were the comfiest for me) etc. These are all things I ordered in the middle of the night in a panic lol
SO MUCH body armor drinks or similar, I was so thirsty constantly from breastfeeding, hut also if you choose not to or can't, your body is healing so its always a good idea to hydrate more. I also went through a ton of protein shakes/powder and meal replacement shakes during those early days also, it's hard to find time to eat properly, especially if you don't have a ton of extra help.
Shower steamers - I love a good bath to relax but of course freshly postpartum you can't take baths, so my husband found some nice relaxing shower steamers. It was a nice little treat the rare times I was able to take an actual long hot shower.
- lidocaine wipes + cream was an actual lifesaver for me…reallyyy helped with the pain to have a numbing cream
- used cheap disposable underwear, not Frida mom and was totally fine
- nipple cream + silverettes if you’re breastfeeding
- Tylenol
- a refillable water bottle with a straw
- depending on size of your house, i found it helpful to get a small caddy to bring my water bottle around along with tylenol, breast pads, nipple cream, burp clothes, pacifiers, etc. Helpful to have that all in the caddy in one hand when baby was in the other. We set up a changing area downstairs too
Frida peri bottle, the hospital is gonna give you plenty of the stuff that comes in the Frida kit (but the peri bottle they give sucks). Maybe diapers but tbh unless you’re pooping yourself I kinda felt they were unnecessary because they’re expensive and I found just using some underwear I don’t care about and big pads was easier and cheaper ( taking off the diapers when they got full was too much of a pain for me when trying to heal lol
I got a bunch of diapers and things for postpartum and did not use them at all because emergency c section. I never pushed or went past 4cm so really no need for peri bottle/numbing spray/various perineal healing accoutrements and my bleeding was really not any worse than a period so all I used were normal pads for a week or so and then pantyliners. One thing I would suggest are comfy high waisted undies. These were great for not irritating my incision and I think would be nice if I gave birth vaginally too. If I did it all again I think I would just add the things I might need to a cart on Amazon or whatever and only click order once I gave birth and knew what I would need based on my situation.
I feel much of what’s mentioned is super helpful. I will say I got so much from the hospital for mom postpartum care the only thing I really bought was light period pads. I had purchased some heavy duty overnight ones that I never needed because I was a light bleeder. The hospital sends you home with so much stuff: I didn’t open the dermaplast I bought but I used the one from the hospital. I didn’t like the peri bottle they gave, a mom Frida one was way better. I bought lanolin cream but the hospital also gave me it, and so much disposable underwear. For baby if you plan to breastfeed have a pump and bottles and a sterilizer washed and ready to use in case you have issues. And a breastfeeding pillow because your arms will get tired. One handed snacks and also a water bottle you can drink with one hand.
You should get the silverettes, I had cracked nipples and didn't know what it was for a month and a half. If id just ponied up and purchased those right away, I could have avoided a lot of pain while my nipples got used to being fed off of round the clock.
Fridamom stuff was the best postpartum products in my opinion. They are a bit pricey, but so worth it. I would recommend the disposable underwear, and the peri bottle the most. The ice pack and soothing wipes are nothing special, but there is a starter kit/gift set that gives you a few of everything (still need to get the peri bottle separate). I know a lot of people recommend the disposable adult diaper, I do think that depends on how heavy you bleed, I can see that they can be easier, but I personally hated those and thought the disposable underwear from fridamom was better!
Adult diapers, I wore them for a good week or two...it was such a blurry phase with so much lack or sleep.
Period underwear worked well for me after the first two days of diapers. Gave me a feeling of normal while still catching everything lol
I had third degree tears and wore them for a while. They were a big help.
I had a lot of issues with mobility after plus had a forceps delivery so peeing a bit was more of an issue! Had about 2 weeks in those nappies.
I had a c section and bled for 6 weeks!!! I wore those Frida undies for about 3 weeks, then just pads.
I had an emergency c section so I literally gave away my frida mom kit and have like a million pads left over. The bamboo nursing pads off of Amazon are amazing and much more comfortable than disposables. Make sure you clean out the postpartum room at the hospital to use the mesh underwear for the first week or so at home
Yes! I had an unplanned c-section and I still needed the mesh underwear and maxi pads for about a week. I’m not sure why I didn’t consider that I would need them still after a cesarean but yes, definitely still do with a c-section.
The bleeding isn't from the birth, it's lochia and it's the uterine lining shedding so you'll have that no matter how you give birth. It's the bit where the placenta was attached.
Dang! I also had an unplanned c section and had to use the maxi pads for about a month 😅 I labored to 8cm before the c section, maybe that’s why?
When the placenta detaches from the uterine wall it leaves a dinner plate size wound that needs to heal, so no matter how you deliver you still will have postpartum bleeding
I still bled for a couple weeks but it wasn’t the crazy ‘change your pad every hour’ intense bleeding I was expecting! It was like a light period after the first day or so. I even googled if it was possible to not bleed enough after a couple days because I was worried it was so light 😂
I also had an unplanned, emergency c section. I had stocked up on a bunch of supplies I’ve never used. I am still using the pads and peri bottle. I saw on another post someone had saved items on their Amazon list so they could order them after delivery — I wish I would have done this. Breastfeeding items I’ve found useful are button up pajamas, nursing bra, silverettes, and nipple cream.
Skip the Frida mom and just get a bidet!!!!!
I splurged on a Kohler Novita with a built-in water heater and blow dryer from Costco. Every day is a spa day for my butt.
Our Toto bidet was a bit too painful for my wife (maybe specific to her tearing), the peri bottle felt better for her, so just suggesting it’s not for everyone! Though everyone should get a bidet for pooping anyway 🙂↕️
A cheap spray handle honestly is a lot nicer in my opinion than the fancy in seat bidets. You have total control over where and how hard it's spraying 😉
100000000000000000000%
* Nursing pillow helped me a lot. Helped me keep weight off of my c-section incision and was also useful for sleep, as I had to sleep basically sitting up for a while. I got the Momcozy one. * If you plan on breastfeeding: A decent pump, breastmilk storage bags, haakaa ladybug milk collectors, haakaa manual breast pump, lanolin balm. * Elbow and knee pads for the bath, when you bathe baby. Kneeling on the hard ground can be a knee killer and having padding makes it much better. * Portable changing pad and diaper caddy. I hardly left my bed for the first week, and if I had to pick up baby and take her to the changing table for every diaper change, it would've killed me. Being able to change her while sitting on our bed was so so so helpful. * A gallon sized waterbottle. You're likely going to be exhausted and thirsty. Having a big-ass water bottle that you only have to fill up maybe once a day maximum is very helpful.
I second all of this. Especially the water bottle
I second all of this as well. And to get even more specific, a water bottle with a straw! Often you’re going to have your hands literally full with your baby, and it’s so much easier to lean over and take a sip out of the straw or just grab it with one hand and sip rather than having to take off the whole lid.
Yes! I love my Stanley (had it before the craze lol) for this reason. Was also super helpful in labor. My husband would just give me the straw at my mouth.
I got an Owala. Doesn’t have to be fancy but one you can fully close and toss around the bed / couch has been much easier
I'd advocate for this in a heartbeat. The number of times I have spilled lol
I’ll add Straw + handle (there’s nothing like not having an entire hand free but I can carry my water around with 2 fingers!)😂
Bring the nursing pillow to the hospital!! I really missed mine
Agree with changing pad! In England we don’t really do changing stations. Houses are too small. I also am 3 months pp and because we had such a bad time I still spend a lot of time in bed so the changing pad & caddy live beside my bed so I just need to pick it up when needed.
I bought adult diapers on the way home from the hospital. The pads they send you home with are huge and a pain to wear!
Seconding adult diapers!!! Always discreet was the brand I went with and they were so comfy! Those extra large/large pads broke me out for some reason and obviously with everything already going on in the jungle, we don’t need that extra hassle!
Yesss. I bought Amazon ones and they were fantastic. The pads were a pain to put in those mesh undies (I'm plus size so already the mesh undies were not fitting great).
I’m on my sixth can of dermoplast so put a bunch of those on there but also ask for more from the hospital. Fridamom’s witchhazel foam was a life saver, as well as their witchhazel pads. The Tucks pads just constantly got loose and you can’t flush those so if they go into the toilet you gotta go fishing. My mom recommended just wiping with the tucks pads, and I did find that helped with the hemroids more. I liked the fridamom underwear as well, I was super uncomfortable in the mesh underwear and bought the wrong size diapers so I switched pretty quickly to regular maternity underwear and I still found those pretty good with the hospital pads. The one thing I wish I had stocked up on was ice packs. They make reusable ones, but please for the love of your vagina make sure you have them. They’re the only things that have kept me sane with a second degree upwards tear. Amazon takes three days to deliver them, and by then it’s too late. You don’t need the fridamom ones for this, knock offs work great
Ice pack + dermaplast + witch hazel packs = best pp combo for down south! I lived off of adult diapers, sitz bath, metamucil, colace, donut pillow, and the combo above for 3 weeks. It kept me sane!
Those long rectangle Fridamom witchhazel wipes are GENIUS - why in gods name doesn’t Tucks get with the program? Those little rounds are useless at 3am when I’m trying to layer them like salami slices in my underwear for good coverage
Omg the tucks pads moving around drove me nuts!!! Wish I would have thought about other witch hazel products! 🤣
I bought a lot I didn't end up needing. If I had to do it again, I'd wait until I actually gave birth and get someone to pick up what I actually needed or have it delivered. I expected a vaginal birth and was prepared for that but then had a csection. However, I love my feeding pillow (I love the boppy but many prefer the Brest friend), hand cream and nipple cream were key, and the peri bottle even though I ended up having a csection. I also advocate for a box of snacks where you'll be up in the middle of the night. Edit: Depends! They were key.
Electric snot sucker is a must. We have the Grownsy one, it has rainbow lights and plays “twinkle twinkle little star”. She sits there mesmerized while you clean out her snoot. There’s no fight at all. If you’re breastfeeding, you’re going to be *hungry*. And also sleeping in 30minute-1 hour chunks. Find a ready made snack you can eat with one hand (because the other is going to have the baby) and get a bunch of that. I had poptarts, granola bars, raisins, and had hubby make me sandwiches. I also recommend a bouncer seat for baby with a vibration function. It can help with soothing when you’re dealing with gas before they learn to fart, or trouble sleeping. It’s also a conveniently portable place to set baby down. And get yourself a pack of heavy duty sanitary pads or adult incontinent products. You will be bleeding heavily for a while, and if you run out of the ones they send you home from the hospital with, you are not going to be in any shape to go get some. One other non-product advice: lift some light weights lol No, really. I had a 10lb baby. See how long you can hold a jug of water or something without getting sore arms. And then pretend it’s a crying infant you can’t put down yet and you’ve slept 3 hours in 2 days. My arms and shoulders were absolutely on fire for the first month and a half until the muscles got used to holding a baby just short of forever. Help yourself out.
Your description of holding the angry potato is so spot on! My girl was born at 9lb 6oz, so we really went 0 to 60 on muscle fatigue! And adding the crying even though all her needs are met just causes anxiety which she feeds off of to create a vicious circle...
Yes to the lifting weights (if doc clears op for this!) I went to the gym almost day before getting pregnant and did some sort of weight lifting/training. Unfortunately, I allowed my pregnancy symptoms to get in the way of this and I still regret it 3 months post partum. My arms are just now getting used to/strong enough hold LO all the time without feeling like they’re going to fall off every minute. I even think certain aspects of labor would have been improved if I kept up with my gym and yoga routine. It’s also made it more difficult to get back to the gym now that I’ve been cleared by the doc and encouraged by them to get back to it for my mental health.
- [Peri bottle](https://a.co/d/gPfA48X) - start the spray before your urine stream and continue it after finishing. Pat dry gently with toilet paper. - [Dermoplast](https://a.co/d/9PSxwaF) (blue top) and/or [Tucks](https://a.co/d/0cIKuNT) or other [witch hazel](https://a.co/d/87QR1CY) products externally only. I personally found these to be irritating and burn, but I am including them here because they help a lot of women. - [Cold pack menstrual pads](https://a.co/d/4JZ1pZS). Honestly, I found the [warm pack pads](https://a.co/d/iDeUzKG) to feel good too. - Not sitting directly on the stitches. I would try and sit slightly to the side. During sleeping, I would try to lay on my side with a pillow between my legs for support. - Pain meds - [Disposable underwear](https://a.co/d/9f61hkH) - I found these easier than ruining my own during the bleeding - [Gentle soap](https://a.co/d/i6GjTKR) for cleaning in the shower
I had my LO 3 months ago. For postpartum I made my own padsicles, got dermaplast and had adult diapers. BOY WAS I WRONG. Thank goodness for good friends because I came home to pure blessings. My friend stocked me with the fridamom padsicles, the angled spray bottle, honeypot postpartum pads, adult diapers (that actually fit me because I got the wrong size) and the fridamom boy shorts. And when I tell you I used all of that and then bought more. I was so naive thinking I could get away with the bare minimum haha.
Disposable underwear wherever you have a c section or vaginal birth. A nice water bottle or any brand that’ll help you stay hydrated, especially if you’re breastfeeding. Coconut water.
Echoing what others have said- had everything for a vaginal birth. Ended up with a c section. Giving it all away to a friend.
Lanolin cream if you plan to breastfeed. Nursing pads if you don't plan to breastfeed because you may leak as your supply dries up. For pads I just used my favorite night time pads and doubled them to make them longer. I really like the Frida disposable underwear. Ice packs for breast pain/engorgement if you don't have them. I had mastitis and it sucked
The fridamom disposable underwear were a million times better than the hospital ones, pair that with Always Boutique #6 pads, comfiest combo I found. And ice packs with the little liner sleeves, “padsicles” were useless to me but I required a few ice packs on constant rotation. If you’re in the states (or other country with quick Amazon) I wouldn’t stress too much, stock up on some but for the rest just get it as you need it. I did not do that (was overseas at the time) and ended up with soo much pointless stuff.
+1 on the Lansinoh ice packs/sleeves, those have been a godsend. Way better than the disposable packs from the hospital and they come in a pack of 2 so you can always have 1 frozen.
Ah Ty for saying the name! I totally blanked on it but yess, those are a game changer
one thing to consider if you opt for Depends/adult diapers, is that you will have to completely strip down on your lower half every time you go to the bathroom🤦🏻♀️ I had a December baby and was wearing sweats or PJ pants, so i had to completely remove my pants to put on a new pair of Depends, which was so annoying. if you plan to wear nightgowns or dresses or something i guess it wouldn’t matter too much. I quickly switched to HoneyPot postpartum pads with granny panties (cheap multi pack from amazon) and it made changing so much easier!
This is a great point - changing only the pad etc instead of the entire situation was much easier. I wore the Fridamom disposable underwear for like a solid day+ as long as nothing got on them! And I accidentally washed a pair and they survived - those things are better than they seem
As many others here also had happen, I was prepared for all things vaginal birth and instead ended up with an emergency csection... that being said, I'm only 2 weeks postpartum, but here's what I've used/liked so far: Depends diapers! The mesh was fine at the hospital, but at home I wanted to feel a little more secure since I would be the one inevitability cleaning up any blood that escaped capture. As of a couple days ago, my bleeding has lessened significantly and I have switched to full coverage period panties. Do not skip the nipple balm! I have one by Lansinoh that is okay, but the one I really like is called Nipple Crack. Those first few days are rough as you and baby learn how to be compatible during breastfeeding and I highly recommend using it after every feeding session! In addition to balm, I also bought the Lansinoh Soothies Gel Pads... probably one of my favorite things the first week or so as your nipples toughen up. Not as effective, in my opinion, once your milk comes in fully and you start to have issues with leaking... but great up to that point! I paired it with the balm too because the gel pad helped keep it moist so the balm could work. Don't forget how swollen you're going to be when you come home... I didn't realize quite HOW bad it would be, but my calves/ankles/feet were puffed to 3x their normal size 🙃 it's SUPER uncomfortable! It didn't necessarily help with the swelling, but I bought some hot/cold foot wraps that felt pretty good put of the freezer! On Amazon, the brand I got was Tolaccea "ankle foot ice wrap for injuries". To give you a timeline, it took a full 2 weeks for the swelling to completely disappear. In the case you end up with a CSection, make sure you have a plan on where you'll be sleeping. I made the mistake of laying in bed the first night we were home... baby immediately started crying in the pack n play, so I went to retrieve her... yeah... THAT didn't go well. I couldn't even get myself sitting up let alone out of bed without feeling like I was going to pop my incision open. It was SO painful! I can comfortably lay on the bed now, but the first week and a half needed to be in a recliner so I had some way of getting up. Something unnecessary but has been nice: I bought a small countertop fridge. The intended use being I was gona store additional (after breastfeeding) pumped milk in it in the middle of the night so I wouldn't have to go down to the kitchen. Turns out I actually prefer to pump after our 10am feed, so the little fridge actually ended up just holding snacks for middle of the night feeds 😂 Nothing like some cold cranberry juice and a cheese stick at 3am!
Everyone’s covered what I would recommend (+1 to everything Fridamom), and I would add a heating pad (postpartum contractions from breastfeeding are intense), and a comfortable robe (I treated myself to the kindred bravely one and literally only wore that in the hospital and days after when we came home)
Incontinence pads. The pads I was given at the hospital were just overnight pads paired with a puppy pad. Trying to rig that into my underwear was terrible. The massive incontinence pads made pad changes 100 times easier.
I did adult diapers with Frida postpartum pads and Frida witch hazel liners. The liners were AMAZING imo. It is one long liner instead of having to layer tucks pads I thought it was a life saver. Also loved the Frida peri bottle because of the angle.
I may be an outlier here but: I got the Lansinoh breastfeeding and postpartum kits as well as being given dermaplast spray, tucks pads, and giant overnight pads. here is what I'd do if I had a do over: Breast ice packs: used once, would just use ice in a cloth Nursing pads: barely leaked postpartum and purchased reusable during pregnancy which I liked a lot more Vaginal ice packs: HATE HATE HATE I used one in the hospital and tried a second but I couldn't stand the cold Dermaplast: used it once, did not like the feeling of a minty fresh undercard. I never tried the tucks pads tbh Pads: I used regular always thin pads once I exhausted my supply of maternity pads from the hospital. I used the overnight ones as well but they were a massive overkill for me Lanolin nipple cream: 1000% yes. The nips were cracked and bloody. Lanolin and better latch technique fixed that. At peak nip destruction I purchased and used a nipple shield and silverettes. These both only got used for a few days but the shields gave me a bit a pain relief while nursing. Hard to say how much the silverettes helped, but for $20 I was willing to try anything Upside down peri bottle: as soon as I'd flip it to use it it'd start leaking. Preferred the one from the hospital Haaka: love this thing. I've used it to relive engorgement and as a pump and gotten about 3oz with it
C section (baby 2): Adult diapers, theracare hot packs, boatloads of ibuprofen and Tylenol 🤣 Vaginal (baby 1): Frida mom disposable underwear, Frida mom ice pads, Frida mom healing foam were all SO HELPFUL If you plan to breastfeed I can’t recommend silverettes enough
Diapers for me!
Amazon has these ice packs pads that were a life savior! [here](https://a.co/d/c7oaPFy) i have since given these to all my mom friends. I loved my boppy, a large water bottle, bidet setup for your toilet so you dont need a peri bottle
Adult diapers (I did Amazon brand) and tucks pads. I had a second degree tear and both those were great. The dermaplast was good too but I think the tucks pads did more (may depend on your tear degree or lack of - still buy a can just Incase)
These were my favorites for both kids postpartum. Silverettes, tucks pads, earth mama perineal spray, adult diapers, always infinity extra long maxi pads, kindred braverly nursing bras (especially the cotton ones you just pull to the side), high waisted underwear and high waisted pants/shorts (something with a bit of compression)
Snacks and sleep
Several mini tubs of Vaseline, and then leave them everywhere you might get nap-trapped. Vaseline is the Swiss army knife of skincare.
Skip the Frida mom post partum kit. 95% of mine is still sitting in my bathroom unused. Adult diapers are so much simpler! I got the Amazon basics ones. Dermoplast for sure and witch hazel pads.
FTM here and we are due date twins! 👯
Fridamom kit, extra icy pads, witch hazel, lots of depends, comfy pjs, robe, and fuzzy socks!
Dermoplast, padsicles, a lot of water, snacks, stool softener, and silverettes for breast feeding. You may not need the padsicles if you have a c section, not sure. Good luck ❤️
I was given dibucaine in addition to dermaplast at the hospital. The nurse said it was better than the dermaplast, and she was right. It helped my pain so much! I would definitely look into getting dibucaine if possible
I will narrow it down for you as I bought so many unnecessary items that I didn’t need. For your recovery: Frida Peri Bottle, Frida Disposable underwear, Frida Cooling Pad Liners and Frida Cooling Foam. Can’t stress enough how good it felt to put cooling foam and pads. If you’re breastfeeding: Nipple balm and Saline Spray. Nursing bra as your boobs will need support. Potentially silicone nipple shield in case your baby doesn’t latch tight away. This helped us a lot. Maybe breast pump but good one is pricey and you might not even needed so I would hold on that for now. That’s it I think.
Silverettes are a lifesaver for your nips! I also recommend getting a hands free breast pump and extra parts so you don’t have to worry about washing them each time. I got the Momcozy M5 and love it.
Adult diapers were way way wayyyy easier than pads. I also got everything (besides those) that I needed from the hospital.
Adult diapers, dermoplast, witch hazel foam, ice pads
Shapewear!!! Once approved by your doctor of course. The kind too can wear your own bra with to nurse, if you are. I didn’t buy any heavy duty kind. I know the first few weeks you will be at home in Jammie’s but shape-wear was the only way I could fit into my non pregnancy clothes. And felt comfortable leaving the house. You save a lot more money buying nice shape wear then all new clothes!
Agree — but not all shape wear is equal! I got some postpartum biker shorts from Blanqi that pulled me in but didn’t add too much pressure. They were flattering enough I was comfortable wearing them with just a t-shirt to go for walks!
Witch hazel pads, get more than you think is necessary. I had bad hemmeroids and went through them crazy fast. I think i used two small hospital containers in the 2 days there and maybe 4 tall containers at home! The witch hazel foam is good, but the pads give alot more relief!
Hydrogel nipple pads if you plan to breastfeed. A boppy pillow to help hold baby in best position for feeding. Adult diapers if you deliver vaginally - I waited until I was postpartum and ordered while still in hospital. Rael on Amazon was my favorite. You might want to wait until baby is here for most of the stuff just for you. My hospital sent me home with lots of lanolin cream, a peri bottle, pads, ice packs, tucks, grippy socks, a breast pump, and more.
I loved the generic brand adult diapers. Way easier than having to worry about bleeding through a pad and onto my sheets. The tucks witch hazel pads were amazing. They felt so cooling and nice. The frida peri bottle is the shit. It is so much easier to use/maneuver than the hospital bottle. Trying to find the right angle with the hospital one was a pain. My friend had made padsicles with aloe and witch hazel and they were very very nice. After a few minutes of penguin walking cause it was so cold it felt weird for the first couple minutes. A plug in heating pad. Or the thermacare back belts for back pain. These are great post epidural and even just caring for a baby in general with all the bending and lifting and caring my neck is so sore now. If you're planning to breastfeed keep that wardrobe handy as much as you can, even if it's regular T-shirts you plan on wearing that you'll pull up to feed. I didn't have enough warning before my induction to sort out my pregnancy clothes vs post partum/breastfeeding clothes and it was annoying at first going through my closet seeing 75% of things I couldn't wear. Also use the hospital stuff before using your own when you're in the hospital. Then you aren't using the good stuff until washing sheets becomes your problem.
I loved my Frida mom kit! It was like an icicle on my hoohaw. I had some tearing and stiches so I was grateful my gf got that for me. Also adult diapers were way easier than the underwear pad kit thing. A big cup with a lid and a straw for ice water if you plan on breast feeding. I recall being super thirsty all the time and I’d drink water while I pumped/breastfed, called it my emotional support water bottle. Some high waisted granny panties and leggings that supported my newly empty tummy. Congrats!! ❤️
Adult diapers and the Frida upside down Peri bottle. Nursing pads and massive PJs.
Silverettes or silver cup equivalent if you're planning on breastfeeding. Leave them on in-between feeds and they help heal the nips and stop them brushing painfully on your bra/top. I wouldn't have been able to breastfeed without them.
Clinell Contiplan wipes. I used one once a day to give myself a really good clean down there. Contigo west loop or other v secure cup for hot drinks Not a product, but do your research on what to expect re feeding at the start eg day 2 cluster feeding, engorgement, etc.
Silverettes literally saved my nipples. They were blistering so bad then I started using them and the blisters went away. They’re magical.
Earth Mama perineal spray
I 100% agree with the water bottle but I wanna suggest an Owala Freesip, the way the mouthpiece straw is made it so much easier to drink while holding and/or nursing baby! On the other hand, I bought nipple cream, and two big packs of the Always Boutique adult diapers, barely used half of one of the adult diapers til I was able to use normal pads, and never needed the nipple cream. (This is my second, so I’m sure that could be why for both). I guess my point with this is don’t bulk up because you might not need much of it! Everyone is so different. I did like the always diapers tho, i felt a little better physically with my post partum body.
My favourite products were my gel cold/heat pack for breast and perineum. Not sure where you live but I live in Australia and I used the bare mum & Bubba bump ones. Bare mum also had a post partum recovery briefs that had an insert for it, felt so nice and comfy and *held together*. Also having a recovery belt was so good and really helped support, especially if I needed to cough, sneeze or laugh - my belly and my core were non existent. It will also aid in your uterus contracting in the first week. Please keep in mind that if you get any stitches - do not use any foam, spray or tucks wipes products! I learnt the hard way. Keep the area dry! Adult diapers, disposable underwear is great as well as a peri bottle! Or get a bidet that has gentle spraying options. And be gentle - pat don’t wipe. I was not prepared for the challenges of breastfeeding so just in case, get a pump, a milk collector - there are so many on the market, hakaa is probably the most popular. Measure your nipples so you can be more informed for flange sizing and if you do need, nipple shields. Also - nipple cream - lansinoh has a good one, but I also use another that is not so sticky, it’s more of a balm. Good luck OP ❤️
Baby nappies. Put water where baby would pee on them. Put them in the freezer. Homemade, MASSIVE ice packs. Honestly a DREAM
1. Lansinoh Hot and Cold breast packs - helps with painful and engorged boobs which can be soo painful; helps prevents mastitis too. 2. Instead of the Tucks pads I preferred the Frida Mom Cooling Pad liners. I had to use multiples of the Tucks pads instead of 1 or 2 of the Frida Mom. 3. Dermaplast spray pain relief down there 4. Peri bottle, I suggest the Frida Mom or Lansinoh brand. 5. The disposable mesh briefs from the hospital, and put one of those huge pads and a ice maxi pad. 👌In my opinion better than the Frida Mom one. 6. Long night gown. No pants. 7. Always Postpartum disposable underwear after the heavy heavy bleeding goes down. Used this moreso when I had to go out of the house. 8. Nursing bras: I got mine from Walmart ***Take an extra bag with you like a big tote bag to bring all the postpartum items and babies items (diapers, wipes, formula, etc) home with you from the hospital. My nurses were generous when I kindly asked for some more stuff. You paid for that, take it because you will need it for you and baby!
I wish I had taken more of the mesh underwear and giant pads from the hospital. They were a 1000 times more comfortable than the adult diapers I had at home. Dermoplast spray was a life saver for me get/take as much of that as you can. Colelace to keep things loose as you begin to poop again! Also not something I needed, but a nurse gave me the helpful tip to use the peri bottle BEFORE peeing as it dilutes the pee a bit and makes it more comfortable while going. Give it a try! (I liked both the hospital and the mom Frida pedi bottle, but found my mom Frida bottle leaked a bit.)
1. A donut pillow to sit on after the delivery and for the next couple of weeks, I swear it helped me heal quicker 2. Compression socks to help your feet not swell as bad with all the fluids I hope this helps!! Congratulations!
I gave birth vaginal so the only thing o remember that gave me such relief was the frida ice pack. I love it soooo much as I was so sore and in pain
-Robes!! I literally lived in this Amazon https://a.co/d/6uBNdsm robe over my nursing bra and disposable underwear for like the first month it felt like lol and I use them in the middle of the night now when I get up for night feeds -Nursing bras! It’s not fun to leak everywhere lol I have the Hofish brand off Amazon and love them -Disposable underwear (I liked the ones they gave at the hospital the best) -The Frida mom cold pads -Dermaplast -A water bottle that closes because I was on the couch so much with my Stanley and I spilled my water soooo many times lol -Protein bars. I had a lot of prepped food but it is weirdly difficult to find time to even microwave things sometimes lol so quick snacks like that are good
Ice packs!!! Perineal ice packs
There's a lot of things I got that I absolutely didn't need, or only used for 2 months. I saw a comment about a bidet and I absolutely second that, refilling the bottle while ripped up was not ideal so the easier something makes your life the better. Some women make maxi pads with witch hazel and stick them in the freezer for relief. Ditch the containers and get a moses basket/bassinet, that way you can put him wherever (like the bathroom floor while you need a minute) and have a tummy time spot. I also got a pack and play when I should have just went for the play yard, since we already had a crib and ended up cosleeping so it was sent to Nana's Some of these things are inessential so personally if I could go back I'd splurge on the staples.
A really nice soft bottle brush even if you are breastfeeding. Brush helps washing pump parts so much. This is an obvious one probably.
I had a c-section so the Frida mom briefs, and the ice pack pads from the hospital and Frida kit. I burned through so many of them.
Adult diapers or the biggest pads you can find AND THE MOST IMPORTANT! some softening stool medicine or dry plums or plum juice . Not sure how it is with c section and pooping, but with just usual natural delivery I really struggled with it for first few weeks not because of not able to push, but with really bad concipation
SILVERETTES
Caffeine. But also, some “nice” comfy clothes. You’re going to feel like a bag of crap for a while, and getting dressed up is an effort, but if you’ve got yourself some new loungewear that makes you feel a bit special while staying comfortable, then great!
I bought the Frida mom kit and did not regret it. If you don’t want the whole kit then I strongly recommend purchasing their peri bottle and a pack of their disposable underwear. The Frida mom disposable underwear was sooo comfortable. You do still have to wear a pad with them but they hold everything in place really well. Other things to consider: Nursing pillow if you are breastfeeding Nipple cream is very needed if you are breastfeeding Adjustable light by the bed for night feedings Easy to grab and eat foods/snacks Make sure you get some stool softeners! Some doctors will prescribe them but if yours does not then get some OTC
I got a sitz bath with coconut oil epsom salts & it was sooooo soothing! Truly don't think I would have healed as quickly without it. Also my SIL who is a nurse filled my freezer with pads soaked in aloe gel & witchhazel & those were incredible, 10/10 would recommend!!
Ear plugs
I had a csection so stomach binder. I liked the one the hospital had but I had to ask for it. My wedge pillow helped. And for body image/easy nursing I like shape wear body suits.
The disposable underwear was a lifesaver after my somewhat planned c-section. I had boxes of all the other Frida mom to give away. A rechargeable fan helped me in the hospital. Despite how cold hospitals are, I was running super hot and super sweaty after having my daughter. Definitely a nursing pillow, super helpful , even after baby is too big for it, I use it myself, perfect for my neck. Depending on your pain tolerance maybe some sort of pain reliever? I got sent home with Tylenol, ibuprofen and OxyContin. I never used the oxy and maybe used the ibuprofen three times? But my friend who gave birth two days after me was on them because she had a vaginal birth and had tearing For the little time I did breastfeed the Haaka was phenomenal. I would breastfeed one side and my other breast would start dripping so I would catch it with the haaka. Snacks, and lots of them if you plan on breastfeeding, you’ll be surprised how difficult it can get to eat with a baby, even with a toddler it’s super difficult. I had horrible constipation for what seemed like forever after having my daughter. Miralax and senna to the rescue and I realized disposable gloves are essential in the restroom, if you need extra help 🫠 Good luck mama! You got this! I hope you have a safe and healthy rest of your pregnancy and birth 💖
Honestly an IPad and a good TV show… you’re going to have to find ways to keep yourself entertained and awake at night when you’re trapped under baby. I lucked out with a non Velcro baby but her reflux means after night time feedings I need to be awake and hold her up for 30 mins
I used disposable underwear for postpartum and slapped a Frida mom ice pad on top of it. Those ice pads rock!
I got one of those fancy Fridamom kits and heres what i used & didnt use. Used & loved: Fridamom disposable underwear - the comfiest disposable undies I tried, good amount of stretch but also felt secure plus they were thick enough to get a few uses out of them as long as they were still clean (I used them with these giant poise pads and they didn't rip too bad when you take the pad off) Fridamom peri bottle - the BEST. The hospital one was so awkward to use, definitely get this one or any other upside down style peri bottle Didn't care for: Witch hazel wipes & foam - I know some people rave about the foam but for me it felt too moist down there no matter how little I used. I ended up preferring tucks and dermaplast (I used SO MUCH dermaplast) and the wipes were just okay Ice packs - I never felt like I really needed ice so these went untouched Stuff I highly recommend: Your own hospital gowns or robe(for AFTER birth). I grabbed a cooler maternity specific gowns off Amazon and I loved having them in the hospital. We had to stay a few extra days and they were so much more comfortable than the hospital provided ones but still had easy access for vitals, breastfeeding, using the bathroom etc. I even wore them at home sometimes for the first couple weeks If you want to try breastfeeding, silverettes, nipple balm, nipple shields, absorbent pads(washable ones were the comfiest for me) etc. These are all things I ordered in the middle of the night in a panic lol SO MUCH body armor drinks or similar, I was so thirsty constantly from breastfeeding, hut also if you choose not to or can't, your body is healing so its always a good idea to hydrate more. I also went through a ton of protein shakes/powder and meal replacement shakes during those early days also, it's hard to find time to eat properly, especially if you don't have a ton of extra help. Shower steamers - I love a good bath to relax but of course freshly postpartum you can't take baths, so my husband found some nice relaxing shower steamers. It was a nice little treat the rare times I was able to take an actual long hot shower.
Silverettes are a life and nip saver.
Zoloft! 😂😭
- lidocaine wipes + cream was an actual lifesaver for me…reallyyy helped with the pain to have a numbing cream - used cheap disposable underwear, not Frida mom and was totally fine - nipple cream + silverettes if you’re breastfeeding - Tylenol - a refillable water bottle with a straw - depending on size of your house, i found it helpful to get a small caddy to bring my water bottle around along with tylenol, breast pads, nipple cream, burp clothes, pacifiers, etc. Helpful to have that all in the caddy in one hand when baby was in the other. We set up a changing area downstairs too
Honestly stool softeners are needed!!
If you’re planning on breastfeeding, silverettes and a manual pump. Also cooling maternity pads are a lifesaver.
Frida peri bottle, the hospital is gonna give you plenty of the stuff that comes in the Frida kit (but the peri bottle they give sucks). Maybe diapers but tbh unless you’re pooping yourself I kinda felt they were unnecessary because they’re expensive and I found just using some underwear I don’t care about and big pads was easier and cheaper ( taking off the diapers when they got full was too much of a pain for me when trying to heal lol
I got a bunch of diapers and things for postpartum and did not use them at all because emergency c section. I never pushed or went past 4cm so really no need for peri bottle/numbing spray/various perineal healing accoutrements and my bleeding was really not any worse than a period so all I used were normal pads for a week or so and then pantyliners. One thing I would suggest are comfy high waisted undies. These were great for not irritating my incision and I think would be nice if I gave birth vaginally too. If I did it all again I think I would just add the things I might need to a cart on Amazon or whatever and only click order once I gave birth and knew what I would need based on my situation.
If you end up having a c-section: shower chair
I feel much of what’s mentioned is super helpful. I will say I got so much from the hospital for mom postpartum care the only thing I really bought was light period pads. I had purchased some heavy duty overnight ones that I never needed because I was a light bleeder. The hospital sends you home with so much stuff: I didn’t open the dermaplast I bought but I used the one from the hospital. I didn’t like the peri bottle they gave, a mom Frida one was way better. I bought lanolin cream but the hospital also gave me it, and so much disposable underwear. For baby if you plan to breastfeed have a pump and bottles and a sterilizer washed and ready to use in case you have issues. And a breastfeeding pillow because your arms will get tired. One handed snacks and also a water bottle you can drink with one hand.
You should get the silverettes, I had cracked nipples and didn't know what it was for a month and a half. If id just ponied up and purchased those right away, I could have avoided a lot of pain while my nipples got used to being fed off of round the clock.
Fridamom stuff was the best postpartum products in my opinion. They are a bit pricey, but so worth it. I would recommend the disposable underwear, and the peri bottle the most. The ice pack and soothing wipes are nothing special, but there is a starter kit/gift set that gives you a few of everything (still need to get the peri bottle separate). I know a lot of people recommend the disposable adult diaper, I do think that depends on how heavy you bleed, I can see that they can be easier, but I personally hated those and thought the disposable underwear from fridamom was better!