Those first 4-8 weeks postpartum are definitely a roller coaster. Here are a few essentials to make that time easier.
Maxi Pads:
I wasn’t too picky about brand, but the thing that was really helpful, was overnight pads with wings. That first day or two ( at least for me), you will need overnight pads. And another little tip. If you deliver your baby in a hospital, ask for more pads, underwear, and witch hazel pads, before you leave. This way you don’t have to buy any witch hazel pads, and when you go to the bathroom, and there’s a mess, you can just throw away the mesh underwear. Trust me, you are not going to want to deal with the cleanup of that.
Peri bottle/ hair dryer:
Now it’s very important that you don’t wipe down there after giving birth, especially if you tore, like I did. So usually you are sent home with a peri bottle. Wow… Best thing that was ever invented. It’s basically just a squeeze bottle, that you fill with water to make sure everything gets clean after going to the bathroom. Sometimes I still use mine, simply because it makes me feel cleaner. And the next best thing after that, a hair dryer. Obviously things need to be kept dry down there, so after using the Peri bottle, you need a way to get dry. I was told by many people just to use a wash cloth to dab dry. But then a friend of mine told me about using a hair dryer. Just place it 8-12 inches from you, and dry. It feels so good, and really helps some of the itching I was having.
Baking soda bath:
Now in the hospital they are going to tell you to not take a bath, because of infection risk, and blah blah blah… But here’s my reasoning on why it’s better to do it. They give you a Sitz bath to take home with you, to use once a day for 20-30 minutes. So you are literally sitting on the toilet, with your butt and everything in a bucket of water, everyday for at least 20 minutes… I don’t know about you, but that does not sound very relaxing, and an actual bath is the same thing. One of the nurses in the hospital I delivered at kept getting mad at me for not doing it while I was there, even though I was hooked up to IV’s almost the entire time. So they made me bring it home, where I then proceeded to stick it in my daughter’s closest, that’s where it’s been for the last 11 weeks. So, instead I’ve been taking baths since 3 days pp. Baking soda is very healing, and helps with a whole number of things. And actually, most midwives will tell you to go home and take a bath.
Comfortable clothes:
Whatever is the most comfortable for you to wear. For me it was loose skirts, and granny panties. But yoga pants, and PJs are good options too.
Food and water:
This is especially helpful if you are breastfeeding, but regardless new mother’s need to keep up their strength. When I go to breastfeed my daughter, I always make sure I have water close to me, and I have my husband bring me food when I need it. This is especially important because newborns cluster feed very often, so there will be days where you get nothing accomplished, except for feeding your baby. So having food and water next to you is essential.
Sleep:
This is probably the most important one when you have a new baby. I know you will probably want to get things done when the baby is asleep, but my advice, DON’T. Sleep when your baby sleeps, and if you can’t sleep at least lay down and rest. This will go a long way to you healing.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. Please let me know what else you would like me to write about.
Doul-A-Little-More 