Postpartum Care Necessities – Products and Tips
This guide will provide 5 postpartum care necessities. This is the simplest, most practical list of essential products for new moms that you will find. It works for both the working and the stay-at-home mom.
Postpartum Care Necessities – Best Products and Tips
Being a new mom is such an exhilarating experience! You get to hold and to know this new person who came into your life and made you fall in love like never before! It is magical. But it is also exhausting, painful, and uncomfortable. It can take a serious toll on your body.
In this guide, I have included my favorite products that I researched and used for postpartum care. These products are true postpartum care necessities – they will help comfort your body so that you can be open to connecting with your new baby.
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Related: Essential Baby Products and Tips
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Find Relief and Connect With Baby
You took great care of your body during pregnancy. Make sure you treat it with the same care after you have your baby. It is all about comfort for you at this point. In this guide, we cover:
- bottoms
- breasts
- breastfeeding
- pumping
If you are breastfeeding, make sure you continue taking your prenatal vitamins with the extra DHA we talked about in this article about pregnancy necessities. All that goodness goes into the milk you are feeding to your baby.
Bottoms
After a vaginal delivery, you will be very swollen and sore. It doesn’t sound fancy, I know. But it is the truth. You fulfilled an unbelievable act and your body went through its most amazing transformation and effort to complete it. So be gentle with it, appreciate it, and love it.
If you deliver in a hospital, you will get ice packs and a numbing spray to apply several times a day. The medicated spray was excellent for me in the beginning, but I did not want to use it for too long. So I bought the Earth Mama Herbal Perineal Spray. It is all-natural and plant-based, and it has a good numbing effect. Additionally, it feels refreshing and has a pleasant cucumber scent.
You can also try the Organic Herbal Sitz Bath for a spa feel.
Breasts
Let me share my very favorite product, one I could not live without! It is the Earth Mama Natural Nipple Butter. I absolutely loved this cream! I used six jars of it! It has no lanolin, parabens, or petroleum.
When to use it
If you breastfeed your baby, this is a must-have! Your nipples tend to become very dry once the baby starts nursing, and it is a very good idea to prepare them for that experience. There is no reason to suffer.
Begin using this nipple butter two or three weeks before your due date, and continue using it after each breastfeeding session. This is very important to prevent cracked nipples and other issues when you begin breastfeeding. Trust me, it makes a world of difference!
How to use it
After you breastfeed your baby, or whenever your nipples feel dry and sensitive, apply enough cream to help them feel soft again. There is no need to wash it off. When it is time for the next feeding, you just put your baby at the breast. It is safe for them to ingest since it is plant-based and Non-GMO Project Verified.
Also, make sure you apply the cream right before you pump and after pumping for a more comfortable experience.
Tips
I had a few jars of Nipple Butter at all times. One was on my nightstand to use after feedings. I had another one in my diaper bag to have on hand when leaving the house. And once I started working, I had a jar of the Nipple Butter in my pump bag.
Other uses
This cream is so versatile! It is moisturizing and soothing.
You can use it on your lips, as a lip balm.
When my baby developed slight eczema on her cheeks, or her cheeks were red and dry from the cold air after a walk outside, I applied this Nipple Butter on her cheeks.
It works really well as a bottom cream for babies too. Just call it a cream for all things round and soft 😉
Nursing Pads
These are a must-have, not only to soak up any leaks but also to protect your bra if you choose to use the nipple balm above. It is a bit greasy.
I had 3 pairs of reusable nursing pads because I wanted to reduce waste and washing them was quick and easy and they dried fast. But I also used disposable nursing pads, especially when we traveled and I couldn’t wash and dry my reusable ones.
Here are my favorite brands:
Breastfeeding
If you breastfeed your baby, finding a comfortable nursing position can be tricky or challenging. Your arms get tired, your back is strained. The Boppy pillow changed my life! It helped so much to relieve my arms and back while I was breastfeeding! There are many brands, shapes, and models on the market, but the Boppy pillow was the perfect one for me. I had the original shape, plain, with no bells and whistles, and it was one of the best things I bought.
Tips
I recommend choosing a cotton cover, since it will get wet with milk and spit-up, and you will have to wash it often.
Make sure you get a second cover so you have an extra when you wash the other one.
The covers come in many adorable designs and patterns, so they can be addictive. Just choose two and don’t worry about it. Your baby will love them.
Other uses
When I started bottle feeding my baby, I used to rest her shoulders and head on the pillow. When she was a bit older, I could prop her on the pillow for tummy time. And as she got bigger, it supported her when sitting. The Boppy pillow comes with suggestions for how to use it as your baby grows. You will be using this pillow for a long time!
Pumping
Breastfeeding is not always an option for all families. You may have to go back to work. Or breastfeeding may not work for you. In this case, you will need a good pump to help with getting that good milk of yours to your baby.
Pumps can be very expensive. I wanted the best pump, but I could not afford to spend $300 on a pump, plus accessories! After much research, I was able to get the pump of my dreams, for $60! Read on to see how you can get yours.
What I used
After much research, I concluded the best pump is the Medela Pump In Style Advanced. It is a double electric breast pump, so you can pump both breasts at the same time much more quickly. The pump is dual voltage, so you can use it if you travel abroad. It also comes with a battery in case you have no access to an outlet. And you can set the speed and vacuum power for a more comfortable pumping experience.
What you get
When you buy the pump, you also get a cooler bag with an ice pack – this is very useful to save your milk after you pump. When I pumped at work, I put the bottles in this little cooler bag and kept them in the freezer until I left for home. The milk never got spoiled this way.
All the accessories that come in contact with the breast or the milk (meaning bottles, flanges, breast shields, connectors) are BPA-free.
Options
Carrying bag
When you buy the pump, you get to choose a type of carrying bag for it. It holds the pump, all the accessories, the cooler bag, and your pumping bra. It is very convenient! Depending on your style preference, you can choose between the Backpack, the Metro Bag, or the On-the-Go Tote. I chose the Backpack for myself because I could just throw it over my shoulder or have it on my back if I had a few other bags to carry.
Accessories and replacement parts
Pumping bra
I highly recommend getting a Hands Free Pumping Bra to be able to pump without having to hold onto the shields to your breasts. While the pump was doing its job, I was able to have my lunch, browse my phone, read, or do whatever I wanted with my hands.
Breast shields
The pump comes with a pair of breast shields in size Medium. But if that’s not your size, you can buy an extra set in size Small or Large, whatever fits you better.
Spare connectors
If you pump away from home and you can’t wash the parts properly in between pumping sessions, then I recommend having two sets of connectors in the bag.
Spare tubes
Same as with the connectors, since milk travels through the tubes, they have to be washed thoroughly after pumping. But if you pump away from home, then you may not be able to wash them, so having an extra pair is very helpful.
Spare valves and membranes
You will likely have to replace these a few times during the life of your pump because they get damaged.
Cooler bag and bottles
This is a great little bag! Breast milk spoils easily. But the cooler bag was great for keeping the milk cold. I used to put it in the freezer at work and the milk stayed cold on the drive home.
Milk storage bags
Freezing the milk in bags takes up less space in the freezer and they’re easy to thaw. I used a bunch of these!
Savings tip
Before you get your pump, check with your health insurance. They may cover the cost of your pump. This is what I did: I called them up and told them I just had a baby and will be needing a pump for when I go back to work. I think they had me send in some paperwork to prove what I was claiming. Then they sent a request for a pump to a medical supply distributor and I just went and picked it up. I had to pay my 20% copay. For you it may be different, it will depend on your insurance.
You can even go on the Medela website to find out if you may be eligible for insurance coverage.
If the insurance route is not an option for you, you can follow the link below to purchase the pump on Amazon.
Final Thoughts
These products are the postpartum care necessities that I recommend for all new moms based on my own research and experience. I hope they make your life easier and help you to enjoy your baby more.
Let me know how these products work out for you and if there are others you found really useful. I would love to hear from you. Leave your comments below.
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