Hello friends!
Welcome back to our little cozy corner of the Internet.
I am currently sitting by a fir tree candle, a pot roast is cooking in the oven, and our son has FINALLY taken his afternoon nap. Life is pretty good considering I am a mere three weeks out from giving birth, but no, life is definitely not perfect. I went to the doctor recently because I was concerned about how I was healing, and I am so happy to report that I am physically healing well! Unfortunately, I scored pretty high on the postpartum depression/anxiety screening, but I'm hoping that over time and as I get more sleep, I'll return to my normal self. We will see.
I don't think I'm quite ready to share my birth story here, but I DO want to begin by sharing a bunch of products and things that worked for me during birth and after birth, as well as a few life-saving baby products that we've loved. The few weeks postpartum are seriously such a stressful blur, and I truly believe having an arsenal of helpful products can make the days a little bit easier.
Enjoy!
*AFFILIATE LINKS BELOW! If you purchase via any of my links, a percentage of the sale will benefit the blog but it will NOT come out of your pocket.**
Postpartum belly wrap
I didn't put this on until the day we went home from the hospital, but MAN it felt soooooo good once I did. I wore this during my waking and sleeping for the entire first week and a half home from the hospital, and it was incredible. I had such strained core muscles after birth, and it felt amazing to have this wrap to give me the support I needed, especially when I would go from a lying position to standing up. I don't know if it helped shrink my torso down, but I felt way less vulnerable and mushy in the middle if that makes sense. It was also nice because when I would have my son on my chest or on my belly, he wasn't able to really kick or put pressure on my tender belly. This wrap was a total lifesaver! LINK
Shapewear
Since wearing the wrap, I've now graduated to just general shapewear. This is a lighter version of support and protection and I feel so much more secure when I wear it. It has the added bonus of smoothing things out, but I wear this even if I'm wearing a tent dress. It's just so nice to again, feel completely supported and secure while your abdomen is in such a tender state. LINK
Mederma body oil
I completely avoided any and all stretch marks until the final WEEK of my pregnancy. My baby had just gotten waaaaaaay too big by then and the skin around my belly button began to break down a little bit. I've been using this oil for a week now and have seen pretty promising results on the Amazon reviews. Regardless if it heals my skin, it feels delightful to apply warm oil to your tender abdomen after birth. LINK
Mitchum aluminum-free deodorant
The postpartum BO is A REAL THING! It's horrible. I hate hate hate smelling bad or feeling dirty, especially if it's right after a shower, so I immediately ordered these deodorants and have been so pleased with their lasting power. Some brands of aluminum-free deodorants are pretty weak, but this one is strong and long-lasting. LINK
Nursing bras
I just got the typical best-rated nursing bras on Amazon and I can totally see why they are recommended! I bought the pack that had some prettier colors in it because I didn't want to feel like a depressing beige lump after birth LOL! I definitely get excited when I put these on and they definitely offer good support, even if your chest is on the larger side. LINK
Breast pads
I have reusable breast pads AND disposable ones, but I definitely prefer the disposable ones. They are super absorbent and thin in your bra, not adding a ton of bulk despite being very effective. I pop these in my bra in the morning and they still feel fresh at the end of the day. LINK
A long & cozy robe
It is so nice to have a shoulder to floor comfy big robe for postpartum, especially when you're in a hurry to grab the baby at nighttime. I wash this baby frequently and even sleep in it sometimes. I stay so warm in this and the light purple color is really cute! LINK
Sitz bath
I TOTALLY recommend this for healing. We don't have a bathtub, so this was the best option for me, but I think even if I had a tub I would prefer the toilet insert. It's so nice because you don't have to get from a position of lying or sitting on the bath floor to a standing position, which puts a lot of pressure on your abs and uterus. It's so much more convenient to just pop it in the toilet and then drain it out after. I fill it with Epsom salt and sit in it for twenty minutes. It helps your stitches to dissolve and keeps the area healing, infection-free, and totally healthy. According to the doctor, I am healing "beautifully" so I guess I do have ground to stand on to recommend this lol! LINK
Dermaplast
Your hospital will probably give this to you after birth but I recommend buying an extra can to have on hand. This really helps numb and cool the area so you can have some added topical relief rather than just relying on pain pills. LINK
Pads WITHOUT wings
I don't know if there is anything more frustrating than battling with a pad and having the wings get stuck on each other when you're trying to apply it, or even worse, having the sticky parts get stuck to your skin! Ugh! I definitely recommend getting a stash of pads for the bleeding you will experience after birth. Your entire uterus will be draining for six weeks, so good pads that don't cause you hassle or chafing will be your friend! And pads without wings are truly so much easier in my opinion. LINK
Aquafor
Speaking of chafing, I definitely recommend applying Aquaphor in the areas that might get irritated by the constant pad usage. We of course use it for our son after a diaper change, but I use it on myself too to protect my skin from getting itchy and irritated. A must if you have sensitive skin! LINK
Dark underwear
You will bleed. It's not very glamorous, but it's postpartum. I purchased red and black underwear specifically to wear during this healing period, and I'm so glad I did. I got some Laura Ashley underwear from TJ Maxx and it was SUCH a good investment. LINK
Lullyboo portable bassinet
Okay, onto some baby things now. I totally recommend getting a portable bassinet like this one. You could also get a Moses basket, but I definitely prefer this because it's sooooo light and folds to be portable if you need to take it out of the house with you. We set it on our bed when we are relaxing in there, and we have also kept it in our living room as an alternative nap location. It actually saved us during the first two nights home because he refused his bassinet but WOULD sleep in the Lullyboo. Win! LINK
White noise machine
We brought this to the hospital and also use it for him at home. It's AMAZING. It totally fills the room with noise and actually helps calm your mind down to sleep. We used it in the hospital to cut down the noise of all the machines, and it's been so good for him at home to signal "sleep time." Just be careful with the decibel level: we don't want to damage baby's hearing! LINK
Space heater
Our baby needs his room to be warm: like REALLY warm. He fussed so much the first few nights home and we couldn't figure out what it was until we realized that he just wanted to be waaaaay warmer than what we were used to sleeping in. At first, we raised the thermostat in the whole house, but we couldn't sleep at all so we decided to set up a space heater in his nursery and all of us have been getting better sleep since then! I would also recommend putting a humidifier in the room though because space heaters can make the air SUPER dry.
Bum spatula
People may laugh at this product but it is SUCH a time saver. It gets the Aquaphor on him so simply and quickly, and I don't have to waste time trying to get my fingers and hands clean before picking him up after the diaper change. Read the reviews on Amazon if you're skeptical: this is a must-have baby item. LINK
Gripe water
We've only used this a few times, but when you're in a hiccup pinch with a baby, this can make all the difference. It's totally natural and not a true "medicine." It calms baby's tummy and is so helpful for those hours at night when you're really struggling to get the burps and hiccups under control. LINK
Boppy pillow
My husband loves this product JUST as much as me. It is totally convenient and creates a nice shelf to support baby for feeding or a nice nest if you put it out a little bit in front of you. Perfect for cuddly naps and even more perfect for breastfeeding! LINK
Those are all my recommendations for now! I think he's going to wake up soon and I'm hoping to cook some asparagus before that happens. I hope this list was somewhat helpful! I will continue to document products that work for us as we go along this journey.
Love you!
xoxo,
Cait