10+ Must-Have Postpartum Recovery Essentials for New Moms

Your body will go through a lot of stretching and possibly tearing as you’re delivering your child. As a result, your “lady parts” will become swollen and sore after childbirth.

Perineal ice packs help bring some much-needed relief and comfort that you’ll welcome after giving birth.

The great part about these specific perineal packs is that they can be warmed and also used in other areas. I personally used them as a warm compress for my sore breasts.

A great alternative to the perineal ice pack is medicated cooling pads. These are less intrusive and can be worn on tops of your maxi pad.

Your hospital will probably provide this brand of medicated cooling pads for you (which you can also purchase). I was able to come home with an almost full pack.

Just in case I didn’t have any coming from the hospital, I purchased these Tucks Cooling Pads.

Disclaimer: Talk to your doctor about what is right for you. I am not a medical professional.

Unless you have a high pain tolerance or are just a glutton for pain, you’ll need some kind of pain medication.

Motrin is what I was given in the hospital by the nurses.

It most definitely helped me get through some painful cramps of my uterus contracting back to size and perineal pain from swelling.

I’ll admit that I was afraid to poop after delivery.

First of all, everything is swollen and painful and the thought of having to push another thing out is scary.

When you have stitches, this fear may be multiplied.

Stool softeners are a must-have to make your first bowel movement post-baby bearable.

Tip: When you do have your first (and subsequent) bowel movement, it helps to hold your perineum to relieve the pressure.

If you’re a breastfeeding mom, you’ll want to have this…trust me!

Breast milk is like liquid gold, so you want to make sure you catch every drop.

That’s where a breastfeeding collection cup comes in handy.

While you’re nursing on one breast, you can use the catcher to collect milk dripping from the other breast.

Breastmilk leakage can happen while you aren’t pumping as well…including in your sleep.

Even if you aren’t breastfeeding, your body will naturally produce milk.

You’ll want to have some disposable nursing pads to soak up leakage so that it doesn’t soil your shirt.

These can stick inside of your nursing bra or tank.

If you plan on nursing, having a nursing bra will come in handy.

I’ll admit that when I’m at home, I prefer to go bra-less. When feeding a baby every 2-3 hours, it just easier to reduce the number of layers.

However, a nursing bra comes in handy when I’m on the go and need to feed my newborn.

You may also find it best to sleep in to avoid leakage.

While in the hospital, you’ll be given large hospital-grade pads for your bleeding and bladder incontinence.

During my discharge, I was given some to take home, but I knew they wouldn’t last the duration of my bleeding. So I made sure I had some overnight maxi pads at home for my return.

Use whatever brand that you’re comfortable with and that are comfortable. You’ll be wearing pads all day and night.

If you gave birth vaginally, you won’t be able to wipe when you use the restroom after giving birth. So along with the pads that you’ll receive at the hospital will get a peri bottle.

This bottle is like a handheld bidet that you’ll use to spritz yourself with water.

The hospital provided one; however, I asked for an additional bottle that I could use in the shower.

I didn’t find any issue using the ones provided by the hospital; however, if you want one that will extend, you’ll need to purchase it.

Since you’ll be wearing a pad 24/7, you’ll want to have on some comfortable and breathable cotton underwear.

Yes, you have permission to wear “granny panties.”

I just grabbed this 10-pack of black Amazon Essential underwear.

You’ll also get mesh underwear while in the hospital. These are very comfortable, but after a while I wanted more support.

A similar pair to what my hospital provided are these mesh underwear.

Before meeting with a lactation consultant, I used lanolin to help with my sore nipples. And although I occasionally use it, coconut oil was the best recommendation.

Coconut oil is great for soothing store nipples and it’s much easier to clean than lanolin.

Additionally, it’s a fraction of the cost and can be found at your local grocery store.

Another item that can assist with sore and aching nipples are cooling gel pads.

These reusable pads are like a cold compress for your nipples that help soothe them between feedings and pumping.

I use these in combination with the coconut oil to ensure that my breasts are recovering well and not becoming cracked or bleed.

As much as you’ll want to hop back into your favorite jeans, the reality is that it may be a while. Furthermore, you’ll want to choose comfort over style when recovering from delivery.

These pants came in handy at the hospital and around the house.

They’re extremely comfortable and they stretch– which is what you’ll want.

You may have experienced back pain while pregnant. That may not immediately go away after delivery.

In fact, you may find that your lower back muscles are weakened and need support. This is where a belly belt comes into play.

This belt gives the back support that you’ll need while also providing compression to help your uterus continue to contract back to its normal size.