Postpartum Essentials I Actually Used (As a Doula + Mom of Four)

When it comes to postpartum, there are plenty of items that can be helpful – but not all of those are necessary. As a Doula and Mom of four, I will be giving you the postpartum essentials that are actually needed.

After four postpartum seasons of my own, and supporting friends and family, I've learned that there aren't many things that you need during postpartum. There are a lot of nice things to have, but not all of it is necessary. I will be sharing the items that I have used and loved and think that they are worth the purchase. With each postpartum season, I have used almost everyone of these items. Here is my list...

Recovery Items

Pads and Padsicles

You will be bleeding a couple of weeks after birth and will need plenty of pads. The first two days, I have used the really big sized pads or even the women's diapers. The bigger the better! It might sound excessive, but believe me - you will need it!

Padsicles are pads infused with healing ingredients and then frozen for extra relief. I haven't needed these for every postpartum but was very grateful for them when I did need them. It's worth it to have on hand because you never know how your birth will go and if you will need that extra comfort and help with healing. Making your own is really simple. All you need is 100% pure aloe vera, which soothes and hydrates the skin, some witch hazel, which helps reduce inflammation, and some heavy maxi pads. Pour a thin layer of each ingredient over a heavy maxi pad, fold it back up, wrap it, and freeze. Store in the freezer until needed.

Peri Bottle

A peri bottle is a small plastic squirt bottle that you can use to clean yourself after going to the bathroom. Wiping can aggravate any sores, if you have any tearing or soreness, and even peeing can give you a big burning feeling. So spraying water on yourself while you're peeing can make it feel a lot more comfortable. I needed this with my first two births, but not with my last two. But I'm telling you, it was a huge necessity with my first two! It helped make life a tad bit more comfortable and less painful.

After Birth Tincture

This is a tincture that helps relieve any after birth cramping. You might not get these cramps after your first birth but will most likely have them with baby number two and beyond. Afterbirth cramps happen because your uterus is contracting back to its original size. This is a natural response to the body's need to heal and return to its normal state. The cramps usually start right after birth and taper off within a few days.

If you're choosing to breastfeed your baby, beware of the cramps starting each time you nurse your baby. This is totally normal but can be somewhat painful.

With my third and fourth postpartum, my cramping was quite painful, but I did find relief every time I took the after-birth tincture. I would take some right when I started feeding my baby and the relief came pretty quickly. It didn't take all of the pain away, but it did lower it immensely. This is something I would recommend every mother to have on hand because it can make your postpartum much easier. I kept it right beside my nursing pillow so that I was always prepared.

Herbal Sitz Bath

Sitting in a warm herbal bath with my newborn - surrounded by soothing herbs that support both of us - is one of my favorite postpartum rituals.

A sitz bath is a mixture of herbs that target healing for your body after birth. The warm water and soothing herbs help to reduce swelling and discomfort. You can enjoy it with your baby or chill out by yourself. But whatever the case, you need to make some for postpartum. It's simple and you can find my favorite recipe here. I also love that you can brew this up and add it to your peri bottle or even your padsicles!

Nourishing Snacks and Water Bottle

You will need a ton of healthy snacks, and you will need to drink a whole lot of water! Not only do you need this for recovery, but also for breastfeeding. You will be hungry often and that is a good thing. Eat generously - and aim for nourishing foods that support healing and milk production.

Breastfeeding Essentials

Nipple Cream

Majority of women experience some sort of pain in their nipples in the first couple of weeks of breastfeeding. I've found that this nipple cream works wonders at getting rid of any pain and is also completely clean. Having to breastfeed with nipples that are cracked and in pain is horrifying! Breastfeeding can be hard - don't skip this one. You can find it here.

Nursing Bras

If you're on a tight budget, I would say that you can skip out on this one, but I have found that it is totally worth it to get a couple of good quality nursing bras. With my first postpartum, I didn't wear one at all but then did get some with my other babies and it made things so much easier - and so much more comfortable! My nursing bras have stayed in great shape for a couple of years, so the investment is worth it, especially if you plan to breastfeed for a while.

Nursing Pads

Unbeknownst to me in my first postpartum, was that while you nurse your baby on one breast, your milk will come out on the other breast as well! That was a bit of a shocker to me. It does stop doing that after a while, once your milk supply has regulated a bit. But have these nursing pads on hand, and stuff them in your bra while you nurse. And when your milk starts coming in - about day two or three of postpartum - you will need them all day because your breasts will leak in between feedings.

Hakaa Ladybug Breastmilk Collector + Milk Storage Bags

This is a little suction cup that you suction to your breast while you're breastfeeding your baby on the other breast. This catches any milk that comes out while you're breastfeeding. You can then pour this milk into a breastmilk storage bag, place it in the freezer, and use later on when you need it. I always have this at my breastfeeding station, along with my nursing pillow, after-birth tincture, and my nipple cream. This Hakaa is a nice and easy way to collect that extra milk that's coming out regardless, and it gives you some extra milk for in the freezer.

For me, this completely eliminated the need to pump early on. Find my favorite one here.

Nursing Pillow

This is another item that you can skip out on if you're on a budget, but it can be extremely helpful if breastfeeding does get at all complicated. This makes breastfeeding a lot easier and comfier. Breastfeeding didn't come very natural to me, and I needed a lot of extra guidance. So I found that having a proper pillow that supported me in all the right places made my experience a lot easier. Here is one that works really well and doesn't hurt your wallet.

Baby Essentials

Burp Cloths

This is a must because you baby will be spitting up frequently throughout their first year of life and having a ton of these laying around makes clean up a lot easier!

Diapers + Wipes

This is quite an obvious one and can never have too many of these! My favorite brand is Rascal and Friends, and my favorite cloth diaper brand is Mother-Ease. Their cloth diapers are worth every penny, and they're super helpful and friendly.

Change Pad

You don't need a change table, but a simple changing pad is a must. It's a soft place for baby while you change their diaper, and trust me, you'll be needing a whole lot!

And I think the rest is up to your preference. I would recommend getting a bassinet, but if you have a crib, use that. Some moms love to co-sleep, and they get a guard rail for their bed. Their are a ton of toys and baby wraps and carriers that you can get and can be very helpful, but I do not think that they are absolutely essential to have.

Don't Complicate Postpartum

Postpartum doesn't need to be complicated. You don't need everything - just the right things. I have been gifted a lot of things for postpartum that I didn't mention in this blog and bought a few things that I thought I needed - but later found out that it wasn't an essential and I could easily go without. Prepare yourself for postpartum with what you can get and release the rest. The main thing is to rest, refuel, and love on your baby. I truly hope that you deeply appreciate this special time in your life.

What are your top 3 postpartum essentials?

What have you found that is a must when planning for postpartum? Let me know in the comments what your essentials are.