Finding the words to describe the postpartum experience is tough. Because, the truth is, everyone’s recovery and transition journey is so unique. You can read my challenging labor and delivery story here. For those that had a hard pregnancy, you may be thrilled you’re no longer carrying! But, some may be running their hands over their tummy and mourning their bumps. One thing is for sure – you’re not 100% yourself. Having the right postpartum supplies can help make the process more manageable. Using these postpartum undies made me feel controlled and wearing these pajamas just made me more myself those first weeks when my body was exhausted. I’m sharing a roundup of 20 postpartum essentials that are useful for making both moms’ and babies’ first few months as smooth and comfortable as possible.
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20 Postpartum Essentials
The newborn period is so amazing with lots of firsts that have you smiling from ear to ear. But, it can also be challenging as you try to parent while recovering from delivery. These 20 postpartum essentials will make it easier to prepare for the postpartum period and hopefully make it more comfortable for your baby too!
Postpartum Essentials For New Moms
Below are the top 10 items I recommend to every new mom that you’ll need from the time you come home from the hospital to your first few months of taking care of baby.
Frida Mom Disposable Postpartum Underwear
Will you wear regular underwear again? Yes. But, not right now. For the first week postpartum I actually loved the briefs the hospital provided. Then, I switched to these. They just hold you in a bit tighter but don’t pinch you at all. I only bought one pack and that was fine since I had the others that I used for a week.
Frida Mom Upside Down Peri Bottle
This peri bottle may seem frivolous because the hospital will give you one with your other postpartum supplies. But, the angled tip on this Frida Mom version is really great when you have a vaginal delivery. I switched to this when we got home.
HATCH Mama Nipple + Lip Rescue Balm
The first few weeks of breastfeeding can be so tough. Thankfully, Everett didn’t have a hard time latching. But, it took three weeks for my nipples to adjust to all the pulling and sucking. What saved me was my Hatch Nipple Balm. I brought it with me to the hospital and used it at least twice a day everyday for the first two months.
Target Auden Seamless Nursing Bras
The week before I gave birth I realized I hadn’t purchased any nursing bras. So, I did what anyone would do and ran to Target! I grabbed two of these soft and stretchy nursing bras that are affordable and wore them on repeat. You can read my review of other several other brands of nursing bras I loved here.
Hey Mama Disposable Nursing Pads
Once your milk supply comes in, it may be hard to regulate. These nursing pads came recommended by all my girlfriends and one box lasted me the whole time I was pumping (5 months).
Button Up Pajamas
If you plan to breastfeed, you’ll want to get at least 1-2 pairs of button up pajamas. I shared these pairs from Soma and Nordstrom in my third trimester must haves post and they’re even better now when you want to be warm at night but have to open your top to feed. Plus, the quality on both is great and can withstand all the washing you’ll do when you get spit up on you.
MomCozy S12 Pro Wearable Breast Pump
You can read my full review of this portable breast pump in this post. But, just know this – for a while you’ll want to be sitting as you get used to life as a new mama. Then, you’ll need to get out of the rocker (or wherever you’re feeding). This hands free breast pump will become your best friend and it doesn’t break the bank.
Dr Browns Breast Milk Storage Bags
These breast milk bags may seem like an unimportant item, but if you pump and store your milk, it’s a necessity. I tried 3-4 different milk storage bags and these are the best. The quality of the plastic is a bit thicker, which makes it so easy to transfer any refrigerated or frozen milk to a bottle.
Boppy Organic Pillow
TBH… I have a love hate relationship with the Bobby pillow. But, I’m not sure there is another one that is better? The pros are that it fits everyone. Both Matt and I used it for months. Perhaps it’s that I’m short-waisted that I feel like Everett sort of fell off of it (and onto me). You definitely need something when they’re really little and for the first few months to make feedings easier.
Stanley Adventure Quencher Travel Tumbler 40 oz.
During my third trimester I started using this tumbler and I’m still obsessed. If you’re breastfeeding or pumping it’s so important to keep up your water intake, especially after feedings. I read somewhere that you should drink 8 oz after each feeding. This water bottle makes it so easy to take in 100 oz a day since it holds 40 oz. Of course, I love the neutral color too.
Newborn Must Haves
I’m taking Everett’s lead here and sharing the items he loves and what’s worked for us. Of course, every baby is different! But, I’m including tips I wish I’d known my first few months too. Since I was home for 10-11 weeks with him on maternity leave, he didn’t get out of pajamas much! But, many of our favorite baby clothes like these pants are from BabyGap.
Aden and Anais Swaddle Blanket
There are so many swaddles out there now, but I brought a few of these with us to the hospital when Everett was born. They’re beyond soft and the muslin fabric lets you get a tight fold for a perfect swaddle. Since Everett likes to sleep with his arms up (like most babies), we left his arms out when we swaddled him. But, beware that you’ll potentially only use these the first few weeks when baby is really little! Once they’re bigger they become a better blanket instead, which is still nice.
DYPER Bamboo Baby Wipes
When it comes to diaper wipes, these are the best. They have only a few ingredients, are the perfect thickness to clean up your mess and also have no fragrance. We tried several others but came back to these and get them in a big pack on Amazon.
Aquaphor Baby Healing Ointment
One of the best tips our pediatrician gave us is to use this ointment after every diaper change. Why? It helps avoid diaper rash. To this day (Everett is 6 months), he hasn’t had one. I get a 3-pack on Amazon and we use about one bottle a month.
MAM Baby Pacifiers
Pacis are an item that is hard to recommend because your baby will determine which one he or she likes, if any! I brought several different brands to try and Everett would spit them all out, except this one. I think he likes that the nipple is flat and mimics a more natural feel. What I love about them is that they glow in the dark! So, when you need to pop one in at night, you can find it easily if (and when) it falls out.
Love to Dream Swaddle Sleeper
Like I mentioned above, Everett had to sleep with his arms up. So, when I saw the Love to Dream arms up swaddle I had to give it a try. We couldn’t love it more. It may seem awkward the first few times you use it, but it truly helps with the startle reflex and to keep baby asleep when they’re on their backs.
Yogasleep Portable White Noise Machine
Ahhh, white noise is your best friend. This portable white noise machine was recommended to me by a friend at work and we still use it every night. What I love about it is that it has various sounds, including brown noise, which we prefer. And, the battery life is awesome. It lasts all night and into the next day before needing to be charged.
Angeldear Footie Sleepers
Everett absolutely lived in his Angeldear footie sleepers his first three months. The poor kid had so many cute outfits, but spent most of his time in these! But, I’ll tell you why. The quality is amazing. The prints are so cute. And, they are so soft and sooooo stretchy. I know a lot of people love Kyte sleepers, but we prefer these. The bamboo fabric is great for warmer temps and the thermal waffle fabric is great for colder nights (but doesn’t overheat them). For a more affordable option, we also bought these pajamas from Target in multiple sizes.
Green Sprouts Bibs and Burp Cloths
Babies sure are cute, but wow do they spit up a lot! I registered for these bibs and burp cloths and ended up buying more of them. They’re so soft, incredibly absorbent and organic. The more luxe find that we also rave about are these. They’re ergonomic to fit around your neck and extra wide and extra long which is great for dads (and moms too).
Haaka Baby Nail Trimmer
Baby nails are known for being razor sharp, but super soft. This nail trimmer makes it so easy to file them down. It comes with different attachments that you can use as your baby grows.
Dr Browns Natural Flow Feeding Bottles
Another item where there are countless variations to decide between, these old school Dr Browns bottles are so good. I included two of their multi-pack on my registry and then got this 6-pack from Amazon. In some reviews we read, people complained about them leaking. We haven’t had that problem at all.
If you’re reading this and thinking… hmm, she didn’t include a bassinet. Where the heck did the baby sleep? You’re right. We rented the Snoo and Everett slept in it just fine. But, we rarely used the rocking feature. So, that’s a story for another time and I don’t have an alternate that we used to recommend.
Postpartum Checklist
In those first days and weeks after having your baby, it will be a blur! Click on my easy postpartum checklist below to make sure you have everything you might need.
There are probably a million different items I could put on these lists (trust me… that may seem like an exaggeration, but it isn’t). But, these are our top 20 postpartum essentials for both baby and mama. Listen to your baby. He or she will tell you what they like!
