Postpartum Must Haves

I am now three months postpartum and was recently putting away my postpartum essentials basket and realized I didn’t use everything in my basket, so I wanted to do a quick update to my previous Postpartum Essentials post. There are a few items that really stood out as postpartum winners and they are a MUST HAVE if you ask me.

This is based on my personal experience and you may have a different experience than I did. I also was in the hospital for three days after I had my baby, so they provided me with ice packs, pads, mesh underwear, Tucks Pads, Ibuprofen, and pain relieving spray/foam.

Must haves:

  • Peri Bottle – You will need this. The hospital should give you one, but I bought an extra one so I could be prepared in both of my bathrooms.
  • Earth Mama Angel Baby Mama Bottom Balm – First of all, I love this company. All of their products are awesome, but this one in particular is simply amazing. I will never have a baby without this product and I really can’t recommend it enough. There are tons of people who recommend Dermoplast, which I did have, but rarely used. I would chose the Bottom Balm before Dermoplast. If there is one item you take away from this post, this should be it. It helps heal and soothe after labor. I would put this on every time I went to the bathroom and I really think it’s one of the reasons why I healed so quickly. It is fairly expensive for such a tiny amount, but honestly, I would pay anything for this stuff!
  • Tucks Pads – Another must! What I would do is put on Bottom Balm and layer my pad with Tucks Pads. It was so soothing and made me feel so much better! I did receive these in the hospital, but went through a ton at home. Next time, I will have a large stock of these!
  • Pads – Obviously you need these. However, I had purchased a ton of the thicker pads, but didn’t really use them as much. I did spend three days in the hospital though, so I did use the thick pads there, but at home I used way more of the thinner pads. I mainly used the thicker pads for night time. However, this is from my personal experience, so you may have more postpartum bleeding than I did.
  • Underwear – I did go out and buy some cheap(ish) boy short underwear before I delivered. I did like the mesh underwear from the hospital, but definitely wanted “real” underwear for at home. These boy shorts were perfect to hold everything in place!
  • Ibuprofen – Definitely need. It helps with the pain and swelling. I did receive a prescription from my doctor before leaving the hospital, but I had some at home just in case.
  • Colace – This helps to ease your first bowel movement after delivery. You will most likely need this. I began taking it right after I left the hospital ‘just in case’ and will do so for every baby. However, I think the fear instilled in me reading about “the first poop,” made me super nervous, but it wasn’t too bad.
  • Earth Mama Angel Bottom Spray – After about the first week or so, I didn’t really need Tucks Pads and Bottom Balm constantly. I would use this Bottom Spray instead. Not as good as the Bottom Balm, but still soothing.

What I did not use:

  • Padsicles – I made a ton of these for my freezer and I think I used maybe two. Some people swear by them, but they are not for me. While I was in the hospital, I was given ice packs that were perfect. After I was home, I tried to use the Padsicles, but they were just too wet feeling. Maybe at that point I didn’t need them anymore. Next time, I will probably just keep ice packs ready in my freezer.
  • Nipple Cream – I didn’t (and haven’t) needed nipple cream while nursing. I did use coconut oil while I was learning/getting used to pumping.
  • Dermoplast – I did try to use this, but honestly, the Bottom Balm helped me more than anything. I was given a similar pain relieving spray and foam while I was in the hospital and did use it for those first few days. However, after I went home, I stuck to Tucks and Bottom Balm.
  • Nursing Pads – I haven’t had any leaking at all. Luckily, I received many of my nursing pads for free in registry gift bags, so I’ll just hold on to them for next time.

What are your postpartum must haves?

 

postpartum must haves

*This post does contain affiliate links.

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Postpartum Essentials Basket

UPDATE: Since having my baby, I wanted to do a quick update to my postpartum essentials basket on what I actually used or didn’t use! Click here to see my postpartum must haves!

In preparation for delivery and postpartum, I wanted to create my own postpartum kit with everything that I might need when I get home from the hospital.

I am a huge researcher and planner and like to be as prepared as possible. Let’s get real here: labor is hard. Recovery is hard. Being prepared is going to help ease some of the stress

Some of these things the hospital should send home with you, however, I wanted to make sure I was prepared in both of my bathrooms so I would have access to all the necessary items on both floors.

  • Pads – Apparently you will bleed (a lot) after delivery. Think of all the periods you were able to skip for the last 9 months seeking revenge! The hospital will give you pads, but you will need more and the hospital pads look pretty hardcore. For this I chose two kinds: Overnight, heavy flow for the beginning and a thinner, overnight for later. 
  • Tucks Pads – Hemorrhoids are real, ladies. They are pretty common after pushing out a baby. Not only are these Witch Hazel soaked pads perfect for easing hemorrhoid pain and discomfort, they also can help your whole area with swelling.
  • Peri Bottle – After delivery, you are going to be swollen. You aren’t going to want to use toilet paper at first on such a sensitive area. So the hospital will give you this spray bottle to squirt warm water on your lady bits after using the bathroom. The hospital should send you home with at least one, but I wanted one for each of my bathrooms. 
  • Dermoplast – Again, you’re going to be swollen and in pain. This product helps to “freeze” the area to help with both of those things. Make sure you get the BLUE top! They may give you one of these to take home. 
  • Nursing Pads –  If you are breastfeeding, you are going to leak. So I have stocked both of my baskets with Lansinoh Disposable nursing pads that I received free in gift bags from Target and Buy Buy Baby for creating a baby registry with them. I also purchased a set of organic, reusable nursing pads. I have read pros and cons to both types of nursing pads, so I wanted to try both and see which works best for me. 

Other: (these items are not essential, but will be convenient to have)

  • Earth Mama Baby Angel Postpartum Bath Herbs – Another way to help combat the pain, swelling, and discomfort post-baby is using a Sitz bath to soak in when you get home. The hospital may send you home with one. These  bath herbs are like a large tea bag to put into your pad, sort of like a Tucks pad, but you can freeze these herbs to help with pain and swelling. I purchased these on Black Friday for a really good deal, so I thought I would try them instead of buying a whole Sitz bath and herbs to put in it. 
  • Lansinoh Hot or Cold Breast Therapy  – I also received these for free in a registry gift bag from Target. You can use them hot or cold, which is perfect when breastfeeding to help let down milk and also to help with engorgement issues. If you didn’t want to purchase these, you could use frozen bags of vegetables or wash cloths. 

Not shown: (the following items are either in my hospital bag or in my medicine cabinet)

  • Earth Mama Baby Angel Nipple Cream – You will need some kind of nipple cream to combat the constant sucking. A lot of women like Lanolin Nipple Cream, however, if you have a wool allergy, you will want to avoid Lanolin. I just love EMBA, so I am choosing to use this cream instead. 
  • Ibuprofen – This is a must! It is what they will give you in the hospital post-baby and will help with pain and swelling at home.
  • Colace – Your provider will give you a prescription for a stool softener to help with your first post-baby bowel movement. I have heard that it is not a pleasant experience. Yay. I didn’t want to deal with stopping to pick-up or drop-off a prescription after the baby, so I purchased this on my own. 
  • Padsicles – The hospital should offer you ice packs after delivery, which is helpful,  but this DIY ice pack will help with swelling and pain using regular pads, aloe and witch hazel. I have stocked my freezer with a freezer bag full. 
  • New Mama Bottom Spray – This will be similar to Dermaplast, but with natural ingredients. I purchased a package of different things from EMBA on Black Friday and wanted to try this as replacement to Dermaplast. 
  • Bottom Balm – Again, this came in a package I purchased on Black Friday, but I have heard great things about this bottom balm, so I want to give it a try! 

Is there anything else you would or did include in your postpartum essentials kit?

 

 

 

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DIY Postpartum Padsicles

As I’m entering my last few weeks of pregnancy, I’m prepping for bringing the baby home and for my postpartum recovery. I have read that these padsicles are a necessity, so I wanted to make up a bunch to throw in my freezer to help ease my recovery as much as possible.

These are really easy to make and are essentially ice packs for your postpartum lady area. In the hospital, they should offer you ice packs to keep the swelling down after birth.

However, padsicles are extra special! Witch Hazel helps reduce swelling, helps repair broken skin, and naturally fights bacteria. Aloe also helps with swelling, cools, and soothes skin.

You can also add essential oils to the pads like lavender, however, I have had reactions to lavender in lotions and detergents in the past, so I didn’t want to take a risk especially postpartum.

Supplies:

DIY postpartum padsicles steps

Directions:

  1. Carefully open a pad.
  2. Remove paper over wings.
  3. Pour a tablespoon of Witch Hazel over the pad. *If adding essential oil, add a few drops now
  4. Use a tablespoon of aloe and spread over pad. (Eventually I just eyeballed the amounts).
  5. Fold wings back in and replace paper.
  6. Fold pad back up.
  7. Place into freezer bag and into freezer.
  8. Take out one at a time to use as pads. Let that for 2-3 minutes before placing on skin.

 

 

Disclaimer: This post uses affiliate links for products that I have used, purchased, or love.

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Pregnancy Update: 36 Weeks

Holy moly! I cannot believe I only have 4 (actually 3.5) weeks left! I wasn’t even sure if I would make it this far because of my husband’s family history with giant babies and early labors. But here I am and it doesn’t look like the baby is planning on making an appearance anytime soon!

Although I’m getting super uncomfortable, I am soaking up every minute that I can with just my husband and I. Enjoying the quiet. Taking naps.

I’m also taking my time making freezer meals, packing my hospital bag, and preparing for bringing the baby home. I’m still feeling really good, just everything takes longer and more effort!

Total weight gain: Ohhh man… close to, if not over 30 lbs. I stopped getting on my scale at home, but I can’t help side glance the scale at the doctor’s office!

Maternity clothes? All the time. Sadly, some of my maternity shirts don’t cover my big ol’ belly anymore!

Stretch marks? A couple on my back/love handles. Crossing my fingers that I don’t develop anymore!

Sleep: You know, people kept saying I was so lucky for being pregnant in the winter and I just brushed it off because I am always cold… but this last trimester I am burning up! I am still sleeping well, but I wake up a lot because I am so hot!

Workouts: Not so much. Does laundry count? Actually, it has been getting nicer outside, so we have been walking 2 to 3 miles when it’s warm enough.

Diet: Same as always. I just eat less now because the baby takes up so much room!

Best moment this week:  Hmm… Probably when the baby’s mattress came in and we are almost complete with the nursery!

Miss anything? Having my own body! It’s so frustrating when I can’t bend over, get up, drop things, try to do the dishes, etc.

Food cravings: Cold stuff. I have to have ice in all of my drinks!

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope.

Gender: Boy

Labor signs: None. I have had some light cramping every couple days, but no signs of baby.

Symptoms: My hands! My hands are hurting so bad!

Belly button in or out? Still in and almost completely flat.

Wedding rings on or off: Off. Since my hands have been hurting, my fingers have also been swollen. I could probably get my ring on, but I don’t know how comfortable it would be.

Happy or moody most of the time: Happy. I’m enjoying these last few weeks of just my husband and I as much as possible.

Looking forward to: We have decided to have the baby at our hospital’s alternative birth center instead of the labor and delivery unit. This week we have our orientation to get prepared for that, so I’m pretty excited to meet the staff, get all the info and finish packing for the hospital.

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Pregnancy: 30 Week Update

I can’t believe I only have 10 weeks left before this baby is here! (If the baby follows my husband’s family history, it may be a lot less than that!)

I’ve had such a great pregnancy but the last couple of weeks have become a lot harder. I’m pretty much over being pregnant and am longing to able to move around without waddling or struggling to get up again.

I’m seeing the doctor every two weeks now and am starting to get my hospital bag ready.

This weekend we finished putting together the crib and will be working on the dresser this week so I can get everything organized! Very excited to everything ready!

kali-sillhoutte-with-cat

Total weight gain: I stopped getting on the scale at 20lbs. I don’t think I’ve gained much more, but I just don’t want to know anymore. 🙂

Maternity clothes? 100% I still wear some of my pre-pregnancy yoga pants, sweatpants and sweatshirts.

Stretch marks? I noticed I was getting a couple red marks around my love handles. My belly has been really feeling the stretch the last couple weeks, so I’ve been lotioning up 2 to 3 times a day to hopefully avoid any more stretch marks.

Sleep: I sleep very well. I get pretty tired during the day and like to naps. I also tend to wake up when I need to roll over to my other side because it’s becoming quite a struggle!

Workouts: Going up and down the stairs to get the laundry has become a workout! I am doing at least 50 squats and 50 kegels every day no matter what though.

Diet: As I’m getting bigger, it’s getting harder to eat. I’m still eating what I was before, just less.

Best moment this week:  Putting our crib together and prepping for the baby!

Miss anything? Sushi. Hard Cider. Being able to breathe easily and rolling over.

Food cravings: Nothing. I am having more food aversions this trimester than ever before. I’m getting full so fast that I’m just eating small amount all day.

Anything making you queasy or sick? No, but some foods are becoming very unappealing.

Gender: Boy

Labor signs: Nope. But my belly has been pretty tender the last few days from stretching to fit a bigger baby!

Symptoms: The inability to move around easily! It’s getting harder for me to get off the couch, bed, out of the car, etc.

Belly button in or out? Still in and not yet flat.

Wedding rings on or off: Still on.

Happy or moody most of the time: I’m feeling really great about getting the nursery organized and the crib ready!

Looking forward to: Finishing the shopping! We still need a few things for the baby and I will be so relieved when everything is finished.

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Happy Birthday to my Mom

It’s Abraham Lincoln’s birthday today. It’s also my mom’s. She would have been 56 today.

She died October 23rd, 2014. A day I will never forget.

It was sort of a shock. She was diagnosed with extensive lung cancer late August/early September 2014. By the time her cancer was discovered it had progressed to her femur, hips, spine and brain. Her lungs were almost unrecognizable.

After she was diagnosed while under a large number of pain medications, she told me she wouldn’t live until Halloween. I told her that she would, of course, that was silly.

But she didn’t.

Halloween was always her favorite holiday. She would rake all the leaves into gravesites on our front lawn and mark them with huge tombstones that she made herself that read “Here lies Drop Dead Fred.” She would make a scarecrow out of a pair of old overalls that would sit on our porch. And she always had a lavish costume. She loved to pass out candy and enjoyed frightening the kids that would come to the door.

Most years, I would trick or treat for only 20 minutes and then run home to hide in one of the gravesites and jump out when kids came to the door for a good scare!

She loved to throw parties for all the adults when trick or treating was over. She also loved playing pranks. One year, she “cut” her finger, squeezing out what seemed to be a gallon of blood to scare her friends. I can remember her laughter when her friends started panicking.

Her laugh is something I will never forget. She had this outrageous, infectious cackle. She would throw her head back and her laughter would surround you until you couldn’t help but laugh too.

When I was a kid, she was my idol. She was my best friend. I wanted to be just like her.

She was strong and independent and smart. She could do anything she set her mind too.

My parents divorced when I was two years old and I don’t remember seeing much of my dad. When I was five, my mom bought a house that needed a ton of work. She fixed that house herself. She had help here and there, but I remember her putting shingles on the roof, drilling down new baseboards, installing a new water heater.

She hardly ever called a repair person. She just learned how to fix things herself.

She was unstoppable.

But as we all learn as we grow up, our parents aren’t who we thought they were. My mom was a dreamer. No one could tell her what to do. She was a rebel. She was terrible at being an adult.

When I was 21, she lost our house and from that point forward, I became the caretaker. I paid her bills, I had the job, I was the grown up.

For a long time, I resented her for it. I was so angry that she took away my adolescence. I had to work two jobs to support her. I didn’t go away to college like I had planned, I didn’t travel like I had planned.

Even up until the day she died, I was angry. I was so angry that she let herself live the way she did. That she didn’t ask for help. That she didn’t apologize, ever. But that’s not who she was.

After she died, I stayed angry for a while. I was so mad that she left me to take care of her mess. To finish what she started. She continued to make my life difficult even though she lost hers.

It’s true what they say: “time heals all.” I miss her. I miss all of her. I’m not angry any more. Not even a little bit.

None of it matters anymore. What matters is the good memories. Spending every Mother’s Day at the zoo. Listening to Forrest Gump on road trips. Getting White Castle and throwing our french fries out of the window until the car was surrounded by seagulls. Searching for the ugliest lamp we could find at the Salvation Army. Those are the memories I treasure. Those are the memories I want to share.

Now that I’m beginning into my own motherhood journey, I have so many questions for her. I wish I had known what to ask when she was still here, but we never think we are going to run out of time.

Not a day goes by that I don’t think of her. Many nights, she visits my dreams.

And I can only hope that she knows how much I love her.

Happy Birthday, Mom.

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Pregnancy: 27 Week Update

Hi all!

I completed my gestational diabetes test today. Something that I was really, really dreading! But it turned out to not be so bad!

After fasting for 12 hours (no food or drink), you are to down this orange (some places have other flavors) drink in 2 minutes. I had heard that it tastes awful, but it wasn’t so bad. Sort of like flat orange pop. It wasn’t enjoyable, but it was fine.

And then you wait… Your blood must be drawn exactly one hour from the minute you finished your drink. Luckily, I had scheduled a doctor’s appointment during my hour, so it went by pretty quick.

This past Saturday I hit the 27 week mark. Which means I am now in my third trimester! Less than three months to go before a chubby, cuddly baby boy moves in!

I feel really good (albeit fat…)! And thought it would be fun to document my pregnancy with the following quiz! I really wish I had started from week one… Oh well. You learn from the first one, right? 🙂

26 Weeks Pregnant

Total weight gain: 20lbs according to the doctor’s office…. A few pounds less according to my scale… But who’s counting!

Maternity clothes? Oh yeah. I can still fit into my pre-pregnancy shirts, but they fit weird, so I prefer wearing maternity shirts. I haven’t fit into my pre-pregnancy jeans for while, so I have a couple pairs of maternity jeans and yoga pants.

Stretch marks? Not yet. Crossing my fingers I don’t get any.

Sleep: Right now, I’m sleeping great! At night and during the day. 😉

Workouts: I was so good about working out in the beginning and then after our vacation in October, it really dwindled off. I have done a pregnancy barre routine a few times and every week I say I’m going to get back into it… And then I nap instead. Whoops.

Diet: Pretty much what I was eating before… We are vegetarian, so I just really need to concentrate on getting protein. I usually eat 5 or 6 small meals/snacks throughout the day.

Best moment this week:  I am so relieved that my glucose test is over and it wasn’t as bad as I had prepped for!

Miss anything? Sushi. Hard Cider.

Food cravings: Nothing really. This whole pregnancy I have wanted carbs: pasta, bread, bagels. It hasn’t really changed too much.

Anything making you queasy or sick? Nope!

Gender: Boy

Labor signs: Not yet… But I was warned today that I might start feeling contractions since I am entering my third trimester.

Symptoms: Charley horses! Ugh! I have gotten several when I am waking up in the morning and stretching. It hurts so so bad! And then my calf will be sore for the whole day and sometimes the next. I have started taking magnesium and eating more bananas to hopefully counteract them!

Belly button in or out? In. I don’t think it will pop… Probably just get flat.

Wedding rings on or off: Still on.

Happy or moody most of the time: Mostly happy.

Looking forward to: My baby shower! It’s this weekend. I can’t wait to see everyone and celebrate our baby. Plus, I can’t wait to get started on organizing and setting up the nursery!

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