Postpartum Essentials for Self Care
Before you have your baby make sure you’ve got these postpartum essentials!
I recently had my second baby, just two weeks ago. She’s a sweet little bundle of joy that came into this world in a dramatic and somewhat scary way. The day she was born was like most days except I had a sonogram to check the baby’s growth and a doctor’s appointment right after. Long story short, the sonogram did not go well. I wound up delivering my daughter that night via emergency C-section. I never thought a C-section was something I would have to go through, although I’m not sure why I thought that! It’s not what I would have planned of course, but at the end of the day, I had delivered a healthy baby girl!
My first “baby” is now almost eight years old! Time flies and it’s hard to believe how big my oldest has gotten! My older daughter’s delivery really couldn’t have been easier. I was induced at 41 weeks. What followed after the induction began was pretty much exactly what I had hoped for. I got an epidural, took a nap, woke up, and had the baby in about 20 minutes. (Plus, Meagan was there to help me and she’s a rockstar.) I had assumed my second daughter would follow this exact same trajectory. HA!
The deliveries of my two girls really couldn’t have been more different from each other. One was easy with a traditional and short delivery. The other was unexpected and involved a pretty major surgical procedure. But that’s not to say that there aren’t similarities as well. For one, there is pain involved in both scenarios. Different types of pain, but still pain nonetheless. There is also the fact that everybody has a recovery process to go through after having a baby. Sure would be nice if evolution had somehow eliminated the pain and recovery process, but no such luck. Here I am again… feeling like my body will take forever to recover and look somewhat normal again. All while in pain and taking care of a newborn!
Speaking of newborns, I think most of us can agree that most of our time and attention goes into taking care of our new babies. Before their birth, we spent countless hours searching for and researching all of the best baby must-haves. We bought cute clothes for them and even special laundry detergent to avoid irritating their skin. We also spent time decorating the nursery and getting everything organized for their grand debut.
Postpartum Self Care Essentials
What we sometimes forget to prepare for is our own physical and emotional well-being. Self-Care has gained quite a bit of attention over the recent years but it’s easy to forget its importance until after we’ve delivered a baby and feel like we’ve just come home from war. Even though I knew better, I almost forgot about what I would need to take care of myself until after baby number two arrived. To make things simpler for other new moms and soon-to-be new moms I’ve compiled a list of my favorite self-care essentials to help you start feeling better faster and make your life easier after the baby’s arrival.
This postpartum belly wrap creates an incredible, form-fitting wrap that provides the ultimate in targeted postpartum compression and support. Ultra-thin, breathable, invisible under clothes, and designed with our Stayput™ technology and SecureStretch™ fabric, this wrap has it all! It also helped stabilize my back and abdominal muscles post-C-section.
Alternating hot and cold compresses is a great way to relieve pain. Why not try the same tactic after giving birth? These perineal packs are reusable, washable, and super comfortable. They can also relieve pain after waxing and laser treatments, as well as other painful conditions. I even used them to ice my incision after I had a C-section!
Nesting Days Newborn Baby Carrier
A baby carrier is always on the must-have lists for new moms. It’s the perfect way to carry your baby close while also allowing you to be hands-free. The Nesting Days Newborn Baby Carrier is perfect for your newborn. It’s designed for both the comfort of baby and new mamas in mind! It’s made of soft fabric like a sling but it’s easy to get on unlike the bulkier, uncomfortable carriers. It’s also made with fabrics that add just enough pressure to function as a postpartum body shaper. Another important feature is that this carrier also promotes skin-to-skin bonding with your newborn! It pretty much does it all.
Silken Pure Sleep Mask
Popular advice says to sleep when the baby sleeps, but sometimes that can be a little easier said than done. Having a sleep mask has done wonders for me. I’m able to nap during the day, no problem. It also helped so much when I was in the hospital. It would have been so difficult to sleep there. I had to fit my shut-eye in somewhere between multiple trips to the NICU and the nurses checking on me at all hours of the day and night. I have trouble falling asleep sometimes and using a sleep mask forces me to keep my eyes closed and shuts out light and visual distractions.
Silken Pure sleep masks are made out of 100% mulberry silk which means it’s super soft, comfortable, and actually promotes healthier and more hydrated skin. I really love how I don’t get sleep lines around my eyes anymore! I am planning on ordering the pillowcase next for even more skin benefits.
L’ange – Le Styliste Luxury Salon Dryer
It’s petite, pretty, and packs a powerful punch! This hair dryer weighs less than a pound and is smaller than your average hairdryer, which makes it great for home use as well as traveling. The best part about it is that it dries hair 4x faster than the average dryer and still manages to be much quieter than the average hairdryer as well.
The L’ange website says, “With advanced ionic technology and 1875 watts of power, it decreases drying time, helps retain moisture levels, reduces frizz, and leaves hair silky and lustrous.” This hairdryer does exactly that. It’s been a game-changer for me. I’m usually not a fan of styling my hair because it takes so long, but the Le Styliste dries my hair at warp speed and I don’t mind styling it anymore. It comes with an air concentrator and a diffuser. Plus, it’s a beautiful shade of pink!
Azaria – La Mère Backpack
Just because you have a baby doesn’t mean you can have a chic diaper bag. Backpacks as diaper bags are gaining popularity because they’re much easier to carry than a large tote. It’s also important not to strain your back muscles by juggling a bulky bag and a baby at the same time.
I don’t have enough great things to say about this backpack. It’s beautiful and stylish, but also so much more than that. It comes in three sizes and several colors. It is made of high-quality vegan leather. That includes the liner inside as well, making it easy to wipe clean. It also features a key fob, grab handle, antique gold hardware, two-way top zipper, messenger strap to convert the backpack into a shoulder or crossbody bag. I have the La Mère Grande in black and the Petite in chestnut. I use the Grande as a diaper bag and the Petite as a small diaper bag/purse when on the go during travel or in crowds! You’ll love and be able to use these bags long after the baby is out of diapers.
This water bottle really is the best. It’s so important to stay hydrated while nursing. I prefer to keep this water bottle with me at all times. It’s ergonomically designed to make it easy to grip during exercise and it’s narrow enough to fit into a car or stroller cupholder! It holds 24 ounces and is insulated to keep liquids cold for up to 36 hours, plus it comes in several fun colors!
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