Preparing for Postpartum

You’re at the home stretch of your pregnancy and you’re starting to think about what it’s going to be like to bring your baby home. Preparing the nursery, making sure you have enough diapers, sanitizing the bottles, going through the cute clothes. But what about you? Do you have any things to help you recover after giving birth?

I know you may not be thinking about your postpartum recovery while you’re still pregnant. Trust me, I didn’t really think about it much either until a couple weeks before my due date. But I really think preparing ahead of time made my recovery just a little bit easier. And even though a lot of the postpartum period can be mainly focused on the new baby, you matter too! You deserve to take care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally. The immediate postpartum period is a really raw and vulnerable time. You’re body is going to go through some major changes in a very short amount of time. And I think doing a little prep work before baby arrives to make sure you have everything you could need is a good investment in yourself.

Let me tell you some things that I made sure I had before my son arrived that I think really helped me. And some things I should have done but didn’t, and definitely recommend you not make my same mistake.

Clothing

You definitely don’t have to go crazy and buy a bunch of expensive breastfeeding clothing in order to be prepared to breastfeed and/or pump. However, if you have the budget for it and you want to buy some clothes that are specifically for breastfeeding, by all means do it! I didn’t buy breastfeeding clothing immediately postpartum, but I do own a few breastfeeding clothing items now and I do say they’re nice to have. But, definitely not necessary. Lots of “regular” clothing can be breastfeeding friendly if you know what to look for. Shirts or dresses that tend to have easier breastfeeding access are those with functional buttons or snaps in the front. Think henley tops with buttons or snaps, button front dresses, button down shirts, etc. Or look for shirts that are flowy and that you could easily lift up to nurse in. Honestly, you can make pretty much anything work as long as it’s stretchy or has buttons. I would also make sure you have a couple pairs or comfortable leggings. Nobody wants to wear stiff jeans when you just had a baby.

Another clothing item that I think is a must is breastfeeding friendly pj’s. I lived in the button down PJ sets from Target. I had both the short sets and the long pants sets. I also had the night gown versions. The buttons down the front made it super easy for nighttime feeds. Some companies do sell night gowns with nursing clips on the straps. I personally was never a fan of these. I didn’t like messing around with the clips at nighttime. I also had a nice lightweight robe that I wore around the house. No matter what kind of pj’s you decide to go with, I would buy a few pairs. If you’re like me, I lived in pj’s the first few weeks postpartum so it was good to have a few pair when some were in the wash.

Nursing Bras & Tanks

I honestly could write an entire blog post on nursing bras and tanks. There are quite a few options on the market today and some are better than others. What kind of bra you will like depends on a lot of things, including your bust size, if you need it to be a pumping bra as well, and what kind of features you’re looking for. Some nursing bras or tanks have more structure, padding, and support than others. Some come in a wide variety of cup sizes and some don’t. What is generally universal though, is that in the early postpartum period you want to make sure your bra isn’t too tight or constricting. Your breast size will likely fluctuate quite a bit in the beginning before your milk supply regulates, so you want your bra or tank to be able to accommodate for that. Also, if a bra is too tight or constricting it can sometimes cause inflammation and clogged ducts.

Here are some of my favorite breastfeeding/pumping bras & tanks:

• Davin & Adley Amelia Cami and Amelia Tanks: These bras and tanks are hands down some of my favorite breastfeeding and pumping bras/tanks. I love that you can easily switch from nursing to pumping. They’re not constricting, no wires, no padding. But, they still give you some support. I’m a big fan! You can use my code Janelle10 for %10 off your purchase. Comes in a variety of sizes and the tanks come in busty as well.
• Sarah Wells Journey Bra: Another really great nursing and pumping bra all in one! The velcro straps make it really easy to nurse in. And I really like the design of the flange slits for pumping. I would say this bra provides a bit more structure and support than some other bras I own. May not be what you’re looking for immediately postpartum, but definitely would be worth it a few months in. Comes in busty sizes too.
• Kindred Bravely Sublime Nursing Bra & Sublime Hands Free Nursing and Pumping Bra: So depending on what you’re looking for, this bra comes in just a nursing version as well as a nursing & pumping version all in one. I own both versions and like them both. I would say if you really don’t plan on pumping much (like you aren’t going to be returning to work after delivery or won’t be separated from your baby for long periods) then you could just go with the nursing only version. But if you do plan on pumping semi regularly, I would go with the nursing and pumping version. This bra is probably the most supportive of all the bras I have listed here. It does have traditional nursing clips, unlike the other bras I’ve mentioned so far. I will say that the padding in these bras can be kind of bulky, so I choose to take them out. Comes in a wide range of sizes, including busty and super busty. You can use my code Janelle15 for %15 off your purchase.
• Kindred Bravely French Terry Racerback Nursing & Sleep Bra: I used this bra so much in the early postpartum days. It’s very comfortable, soft, and not constricting. This bra is intended to sleep/lounging, so it doesn’t have much support at all. If you’re looking for something comfortable for around the house this is a great option. Comes in a variety of sizes including busty. You can use code Janelle15 for %15 off your purchase.

There are a lot of breastfeeding bras and tanks out there at a variety of price points. If you have a smaller cup size, you probably could buy some bras that are cheaper and be good to go (Target and Amazon have some good options too). But if you have a larger bust like myself, I’ve honestly found through trial and error that you’re usually better off paying more for a quality bra that comes in extended/busty sizes than trying to squeeze into a cheaper bra that doesn’t really fit.

Physical/Emotional Care

If you take the time to do anything to prepare for postpartum recovery, please let it be this! Having the supplies on hand that you need to take care of yourself physically and emotionally is so important! I really can’t stress this enough. Here are some things I would make sure you have in hand before baby arrives.

• Tylenol & Motrin – for cramps, perineal pain from possible stitches, or incisional pain if you have a c-section
• Stool softeners – helps keep your stool soft to make that first poop after delivery not as painful
• Witch hazel pads or spray – helps soothe irritated skin and relieve perineal pain
• Pain reliever spray (Dermaplast) – also helps with perineal pain
• Perineal ice packs – nice and cooling, helps with swelling
• Baby wipes – I personally found it less painful to wipe with baby wipes than toilet paper, especially the first few days after delivery
• Incontinence briefs – I used these instead of traditional pads and underwear and I swear by them. Way less mess & more comfortable.
• Disposable underwear – If you prefer to go the underwear & pad route, I think having disposable underwear can be nice so you don’t have to worry about staining your own underwear
• Pads- Again, if you want to go the pad & underwear route you’ll need these. I would suggest getting long ones.
• Abdominal binder – This can be really helpful for c-section mamas. It can help support your belly at the incision & make getting up and moving around a little less painful

I would suggest keeping a lot of these things on hand in the bathroom so you always have them near by. Maybe even set up a basket or bag with all your supplies in it. If you have bathrooms on separate floors in your house, make a basket for each bathroom. Just trust me.

Some other things that I think are good to have in place before baby arrives are:

• Look up pediatricians in your area and decide where you’re going to take your baby after they’re born. It’s best to call the office that you decide to go with just to make sure they’re accepting new patients and to ask if you need to fill out any paperwork before hand. After you have your baby, you will usually need to set up a doctors appointment with the pediatrician of your choice for 1-3 days after discharge before you can leave the hospital.
• Look for a pelvic floor physical therapist in your area and check with your insurance to see what is covered. It’s a good idea to do this now before the baby comes, because I guarantee you won’t be thinking about it after the fact. I put off going to a pelvic floor PT for over a year, so don’t be like me.
• Make a list or resources for postpartum mental help and make a plan of who you’re going to contact if you need help. While not every mom experiences postpartum mood disorders, like postpartum depression or postpartum anxiety, it is quite common. It’s good to have a game plan just in case than trying to figure it out in the midst of a crisis.
• Think about who your support people are going to be. This could be your spouse, your mom, your sister, your aunt, a cousin, a friend, anyone who you know you can count on to be there. At some point, I don’t care who you are, you’re probably going to need some kind of help. Lean on those people when you need to.

Breastfeeding Essentials

If you choose to breastfeed, these are some things that I found really useful to have on hand when I brought my son home from the hospital.

• Nipple cream – There’s a lot of different kinds on the market, pick one & see if you like it, if you don’t try another
• Nursing pads – Not everyone needs these, because not everyone leaks, but you won’t know until you start breastfeeding
• Boppy/nursing pillow – I used my Boppy all the time, especially good for when you’re just starting out
• Silverette nursing cups – I know they’re pricey, but they’re completely worth it in my opinion. Really great for healing sore & damaged nipples.
• Hydrogel nipple pads – Good for healing damaged nipples (Don’t use with nipple cream though, just use alone)
• Haakaa manual breast pump – I used this pretty often in the first few months. Use it on the opposite breast while nursing your baby. Great way to passively collect a couple ounces of breast milk to store for later. Definitely not necessary though!
• Electric breast pump – You can get one free through insurance so make sure you do that! You can ask your OB for a prescription or more information. Definitely a must if you plan on returning to work or being away from your baby for longer periods. I could probably write a whole post on breast pumps.
• Extra breast pump parts – Your breast pump will come with parts, but it’s always good to have a couple sets so you can have one ready while washing the other. Also, keep in mind that breast pumps typically come with one or maybe two flange sizes. And they’re most likely not going to be the correct size for you. It’s important to get properly fitted by a lactation consultant or use a nipple ruler to measure the diameter of your nipple yourself. There are lots of free ones online or ones you can purchase.
• Large water bottle/tumbler – This may seem silly, but you’ll probably be pretty thirsty while breastfeeding and it’s good to stay hydrated. You don’t need to drink gallons of water a day by any means, but enough to satisfy your thirst. It’s a good idea to have your water bottle nearby for when you inevitably get trapped under a sleeping baby.
• Look for a lactation consultant in your area that accepts your insurance. Many insurance companies covering lactation consults. It’s a good idea to have an idea in mind of where to go if you need help with breastfeeding beforehand. You can also check with your pediatrician office. Some offices have a lactation consultant on staff or are familiar with some in the area.

To wrap it up..

So there you have it! My list as a mom and a postpartum nurse to prepare for postpartum. Of course, not everyone will need everything on this list and some people will need more than this. But, I think this is a good starting point for most people to get you thinking about what you need to prepare for the postpartum period.

Remember that you’re important too and to take care of yourself!

-Janelle

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