What to put in your postpartum recovery kit:
The postpartum recovery period can be both a magical and challenging time. On the one hand, you might feel completely overjoyed and in love with your new little baby, and so happy to finally have them in your arms. On the other, you may also experience baby blues, exhaustion, or other difficult emotions. Our bodies are also working on recovering from pregnancy and birth, meaning we experience a lot of changes in our bodies. If that wasn’t enough, many new mums also find the beginning of breastfeeding to be challenging, and it is definitely a learning experience for most new mothers. With all this going on in your mind and body, it’s no surprise that the postpartum recovery period can be very challenging!
This is why I recommend getting together a postpartum recovery kit, filled with everything you need to help you through the early weeks of motherhood. Making a postpartum recovery kit means you have everything you need all together in one place, in a convenient kit you can carry with you as needed.
Your postpartum recovery kit can go along with your baby nappy caddy, which I have written a full article about here. You can put both into a basket or caddy to carry with you throughout the day and have everything you need.
Here is what I recommend to put in your Postpartum recovery kit:
It goes without saying, but pads are perhaps the most important thing for you to have in your postpartum recovery kit. Look for specific maternity pads, the bigger the better! Buy about three packs of the giant pads, and then you may be able to go to regular period pads after the first week or two. Make sure you also have giant big underpants to wear with them. The bigger the better.
A sitz bath is often recommended by midwives and doctors to aid in recovery after a vaginal birth.
A sitz bath has the following benefits:
Cleaning the perineum and vagina area post-birth
Warm the area and help muscle relaxation
Soothe sore perineum, vulva, and hemorrhoids
Soothe postpartum cramps.
To make a sitz bath:
1. Wait three days after giving birth to begin
2. Ensure you have a clean bath to begin with.
3. Fill the bath with a small amount of warm water, just enough to comfortably cover the vaginal area
4. Add a small cup of our healing sitz bath soak
5. Sit and relax for 15 - 20 minutes.
As well as pads for your pants, you’ll likely also need pads for your bra. In the early days of breastfeeding, it is really common to have a lot of leakage of breast milk. You might leak from one breast while the baby is feeding from the other side, and sometimes you can feel the let down of milk when you hear your baby cry, or even when you think about them. For some, this stops fairly quickly, but for others (like myself!), this can continue for months or throughout your entire breastfeeding journey.
Along with your breast pads, these hot and cold reusable gel packs are also great for new breastfeeding mums. Put the gel inserts into the freezer to use them when you feel engorgement or feel very full. You can also use them on sore or uncomfortable nipples during early breastfeeding. The gel inserts can also be heated, which is perfect for use with blocked ducts or to relieve symptoms of mastitis.
5) Nursing balm
Nursing balm also helps with sore nipples and breasts at the beginning of breastfeeding. Use nursing balm to help hydrate and promote healing on sore and uncomfortable breasts.
6) Snacks
Snacks are among the most important items to have ready. After giving birth, and especially if you are breastfeeding, you need to have good caloric intake, and you will likely feel very hungry. Check out our full article on postpartum nutrition from a dietician. We love these Franjos Kitchen Lactation biscuits.
7) A water bottle
during postpartum, and especially while breastfeeding, keeping hydrated is very important. Remember, if you are breastfeeding, you need to replace all the fluids that you are passing on to baby. Get yourself a very big water bottle, and have it with you all the time.
8) Moisturiser, lip balm, and belly balm
Check out our full section of skincare products for new mums. Many new mums experience a lot of dry skin during pregnancy and postpartum, so having a good moisturiser that is pregnancy and breastfeeding-safe is important. If you have stretch marks, you might also like to moisturise these with an oil, balm or cream. If you had a C-section, belly oil is important for scar massage.
9) Our postpartum care pack
This one is a little different, as it is filled with many of the items that you see above. Included in each of our postpartum recovery packs is the following:
a. Belly balm
b. Nursing balm
c. Nursing pads
d. Healing Sitz Bath for postpartum
e. Hot and Cold Reusable Gel Packs
f. Franjos Kitchen Tanker Topper lactation biscuits
You can keep this beautiful little hamper for yourself; for your own postpartum recovery journey, or we can add it to a beautiful gift hamper box with a card, so you can gift it to someone else.
You can also view our full collection of hampers for new mums here.
When should you make a postpartum recovery kit?
I recommend putting this all together at around the same time as you pack your hospital bag. If everything is going well for you and your pregnancy, I recommend doing this at around 37 weeks of pregnancy. This means it’s ready for you for when you give birth and come home from the hospital. If you think you may have your baby earlier or if you may need to go into hospital earlier, you may like to pack yours earlier.
Want to know what to pack in your hospital bag? We’ve got you covered here!
Just know that your postpartum journey can be challenging, and it is normal to feel exhausted and emotional. If you feel extremely sad or overwhelmed and these feelings don’t go away, make sure you speak to your family, friends or a medical professional who can help you. Your mental health is very important at this time. Here is a link to PANDA, who are an amazing organisation who assist new parents experiencing postnatal depression and anxiety.
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Author Bio:
I’m Rachel and I am the owner of Baby and Mumma Gifts. I love helping out new mums! If you have a blog idea, a product idea, or if you would like to collaborate, please reach out to me here.