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Postpartum can catch you off guard if you are not prepared, so making a postpartum care kit can help! In all the craziness with taking care of this tiny new human, it can be hard to have time to take care of yourself. Having a few products all in one place can help you feel better when you get a few minutes to take care of yourself. And if you are a natural mama like me you want to skip the paraben filled Dermoplast and irritating products and give your body the love it deserves! After all you just birthed a human, you are incredible!
My birth recovery was long and difficult, so I certainly needed all the love and care I could get! Here are the products I couldn’t be without! And in case you are not yet prepared – the reasons I needed them!
1. Soothing Natural Spray for New Mama’s
Skip the sprays filled with irritating chemicals and parabens that the hospital might give you and have a more natural option on hand instead. Earth Mama’s Herbal Perineal Spray is what I recommend! Especially if you had stiches, this spray will provide you with some sweet soothing relief. On the second day after the birth, I immediately had my husband Amazon prime me another bottle because I knew I would need it and it helped me so much!
2. Stretchy Breathable Panties
Yes, the stretchy boy short panties are not exactly sexy, but you will want to go for comfort here. The hospital may give you a couple pairs but order a few more for home! They hold those gigantic pads in place, are breathable, soft, and not too tight. Keep some of these in your postpartum kit in the bathroom so you don’t have to search for them. Once you graduate from these, have some soft cotton panties in a size bigger as well.
3. Pain Killers
Ok, I know I said this was for natural mamas, but hear me on this one… just take the Advil! You will likely be more sore than you’ve ever been your whole life, you may get after birth contractions while you breastfeed, and your underbits aren’t exactly feeling great. Just take the pain killers so you can focus on your new little one instead of how much everything hurts. I am usually someone who tries to avoid pain killers at all cost and try the natural remedies instead, but I had my husband set a timer for every couple hours so I didn’t miss my doses and regret it! My entire body was so sore from a very active birth that I could barely even lift myself up! I had no idea birth could leave you with so much whole body soreness! Hardest workout ever!
4. Peri Bottle
During early postpartum you will not want to wipe… your vagina and perinium just went through a lot and needs some time to heal. It will be sensitive, sore and swollen for a bit. So instead, use a peri bottle. If you birth at a hospital they may give you one. I liked also having the one from Frida Mom because it is angled making it much easier. You can fill your bottle with some lavender and a little epsom salt too for some added healing.
5. Witch Hazel Pads
These are very soothing to your inflamed and irritated skin. It’s super easy to just layer a couple across your pad. If you need some added relief, you can also get some Thayers witch hazel and natural aloe vera gel to make some padsicles so you get both soothing and cooling relief.
6. Large Pads
The first few days you will need the largest pads you have ever seen, or some people even just opt for diapers. But after the bleeding calms down a bit, get some organic cotton pads so that you won’t have irritation since you may be wearing them for a couple weeks. I suggest getting some Cora pads from Target or Amazon as they are much more comfortable and thin!
7. Stool Softener
If you haven’t been informed yet, the first postpartum poop can be a bit… intimidating. Your body is sore and healing and you do not feel like pushing anything else out, like ever. So do yourself a favor and make that first go easier by taking some stool softener. Also be sure to drink lots of water, eat fiber filled foods, and try to relax a bit. Bonus points for a squatty potty to help relax your pelvic floor! Constipation won’t make things any easier so don’t try to put it off. You will get through it!
8. Natural Facial Wipes
After the birth your hormones will be all over the place. You may even get hot flashes and be very sweaty. Having a newborn can also make it hard to sneak away to get lots of shower. Having some refreshing body wipes can really help you not feel so yuck. I loved these cucumber ones from Burt’s Bees because they helped me feel refreshed and in a better mood when I didn’t feel up to going to the effort of showering.
9. Epsom Salt or Sitz Bath
Once a couple days have passed since the birth you can start doing a sitz bath. These help provide immediate relief and facilitate natural healing. You can use a bath tub and just fill it up a few inches with warm water or a sitz bath like this. Add some epsom salt or get a sitz bath mix for postpartum healing that has epsom salt and beneficial essential oils. Soak for 10-20 minutes and try to relax and get some self care time. My midwives gave me some herbal sitz bath bags, but it was a lot more convenient to just use the bagged one with essential oils.
10. Essential oil spray
It was really nice to have something to spray to make your room or bathroom smell nice and brighten up your mood. My sister came to visit postpartum and sprayed one while me and the baby were napping and once I woke up my mood was much brighter. Even though you need to rest and won’t have time to clean, it can make you surroundings feel much cleaner and not stuffy. I got a three pack of one for the bathroom, one for the living room and a relaxing one to spray for bedtime.
You’ve Got This Mama!
I know the postpartum phase can seem really intimidating, but armed with some natural products to help you heal, you’ll get through just fine! Instead of feeling so uncomfortable you can focus on cuddling your new little bundle of joy!
Be sure to take lots of rest and heal. Try to make sure you have a plan for some help, freezer meals, and someone to take care of you while you rest. The first 14 days are vital for you to only rest and bond with your baby. Don’t even look at a dirty dish! Enjoy that newborn!
After the first two weeks you can slowly ease into doing more but don’t overdo it, especially if you had a birth that was rough on your body. Allow your pelvic floor a chance to regain strength and rest as your insides shift back to normal.
Your hormones may be crazy, breastfeeding may take some time to figure out, you’re sore, you’re sleep deprived, and constantly hungry… but you’ve got this mama! You will get through and that adorable little baby is worth it! Just give yourself grace, it’s hard! And ask for help as much as you can!
If you’re interested, you can read my natural home birth story here!
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