When it comes to pregnancy and postpartum, there is endless planning. One thing I have found that often gets looked over are those postpartum essentials for immediately after you’ve given birth. This list is short and sweet but I promise these things will bring so much comfort during a time when rest and bonding with your new baby are the most important thing!
Stick on heating pads! These personally were such a relief to have in my hospital bag and especially my first day home! I don’t know about you, but being able to have one of these on my back while I moved around and not worrying about being hooked up to wires was essential. Once you give birth, you will be experiencing lots of postpartum cramping as your uterus is shrinking back down to normal size. Moist heat really helps alleviate the pain associated with that kind of cramping!
Not only is the Boppy pillow one of my favorite breastfeeding tools, this little guy will also save you on the ride home from the hospital (or your first ride in general). No one really told me how painful it would be to sit in the car after having a baby, so be sure to bring this to the hospital with you! Simply place it in the seat before you get in the car and voila! Instant comfort. This is especially helpful if you experience any kind of tearing or have stitches.
I called these my “secret weapon” for nursing comfort! The first few hours of nursing can be beautiful, painful, magical and scary all at the same time! A close friend told me about these cooling pads and suggested I bring them to the hospital and I was SO glad she did! I put these on in between every nursing session and it really helped so much! If you are experiencing chapped or extremely sore nipples, I also found that keeping these in the fridge was such a relief!
Last but not least, a set of button down pj’s! This particular set from Target is my ultimate favorite. They are extra soft, stretchy and button down for easy skin-to-skin and nursing access! I loved putting these on when I got to a mother baby recovery room. They made me feel like I was home and were nice enough that I was comfortable wearing them for when visitors would come in.
My biggest piece of advice for the first 24 hours is to REST and soak in every second of your new baby! You’ve got this!
Jamie Summitt Doula Services 