The Postpartum Care Kit Every New Mom Needs

Ever heard of a postpartum care kit? Among everything else baby, it’s one of the least talked about things that is absolutely necessary for a new mom.

When you’re pregnant, you research everything you’ll go through before birth and buy all the cute baby-sized clothes and items needed for when your bundle of joy makes an appearance.

Everyone around you is also in baby-fever mode and you will be gifted with lots of things that are just too cute to manage.

What no one has told you yet is that outside of getting the nursery ready and packing your hospital bag, you probably want to assemble a postpartum care kit too.

You probably haven’t thought about what you will need after you give birth. It’s not pretty but if you are prepared, these items will help you to heal quickly and be your best self for baby.

Why You Need a Postpartum Care Kit

Midwives and nurses will often say that new moms tend to leave caring for themselves for last, only being concerned with their precious new bundle of joy. 

If you have a vaginal birth or even a c-section, things will be pretty painful and complicated in your delicate regions and around your wound for a while and so you want to start putting in place a postpartum care kit as soon as possible.

When you’re feeling tired and overwhelmed with a new baby at home, you’ll manage better when you’re at least physically comfortable after just giving birth. 

When you have a postpartum care kit in place, it’s easier to take care of yourself as a new mom and be able to give the best version of you to baby.

Here are some of the things that will feel like literal lifesavers when they’re within quick reach after giving birth. 

Postpartum Sitz Bath

A postpartum sitz bath will soothe tender and swollen skin that’s sore after birth. This organic one from Thena will help you to relieve pain and reduce any discomfort in your nether regions. 

This is a more affordable brand of organic after birth sitz bath and will also help you to reduce any pain after birth or any hemorrhoids you have. 

When there’s no time for a sitz bath soak but you’re in need of relief, a spray will help. This herbal spray is organic and includes the cooling effect of peppermint oil and the healing effect of witch hazel, a lifesaver for new moms. Witch hazel helps to heal broken skin and so will help with any vaginal tears and stitches and around a c-section wound. 

Sometimes you will prefer to use a wipe over a spray, these will help. Of course, you’re probably just going to place it on your sore spots and not exactly wipe the area since that may be painful. Perhaps a padsicle will help you more. 

Padsicles for After Birth

A padsicle is exactly what it sounds like. A popsicle made with pads to cool down your nether bits. It uses healing ingredients that provide relief to sore skin and since it’s been cooled in a fridge it can be heaven for new moms.

To make a padsicle, you’ll add a couple sprays of witch hazel, a few drops of lavender essential oil and some organic aloe vera gel to a cloth or disposable pad. Place this in your freezer and use as necessary.

You will be bleeding for the first few days after any kind of birth and so may want to use disposable pads to make your padsicles. You can then switch to cloth pads if you prefer since you may go through quite a few depending on how sore you are and if there are any tears or hemorrhoids that need relief.

If you have a c-section, these padsicles can provide comfort to your surgical wound and help to heal the scar. 

A Peri Bottle and an Ice Pack

A squirt bottle for your perineal area will be very handy especially when that area is very sore just after birth. It may be too painful to wipe and so a peri bottle filled with organic cleansing agents will help to keep you fresh as you dab after.

This particular bottle is angled just right for you to wash that area. Add some witch hazel and a few drops of lavender essential oil to your water for their anti-bacterial and antiseptic properties. You can always just get a set of regular peri bottles here if you’re on a budget. 

Ice packs work great if padsicles aren’t exactly your cup of tea or you happen to run out of your stash. These help to alleviate pain and soreness while providing that cooling effect. 

A Boppy Pillow or Hemorrhoid Ring

A boppy pillow or hemerrhoid ring has a million uses during pregnancy and after childbirth, so it’s a great buy for any mom. One way you may end up using a boppy pillow is to sit on after childbirth to relieve sore bums and perineal areas.

When you’re done, you can add a fun slipcover over your boppy pillow and use it to help you position baby as you nurse and then prop baby up when they’re older. Click here to see some fun boppy pillow designs. 

Stool Softner/Lots of Prunes 

One thing they don’t tell you about what to expect after giving birth is how hard it will be to poo. Constipation coupled with a sore bum area is no fun. 

This unfortunate situation also happens to moms who have c-sections. Be prepared and get yourself some stool softeners for your postpartum care.

If you want to go the natural route, you’ll be happy to know that I stuck to eating a couple of prunes a day to control the situation and all worked out just fine. I got this brand from Amazon. 

Comfortable Clothes for After Birth Care

Included in your postpartum care kit should be some comfortable no-fuss clothing. This includes some stretchy slacks or yoga pants, warm socks, nursing tanks and oversized blouses that will keep you looking sane but comfortable.

Remember to grab some hair ties to keep your mom ponytail intact and get to meal-prepping so you’ll have lots of frozen meals ready to go in those first few days after birth. Check out these awesome keto meal prep recipes that are perfect for new moms.

You’ll also want to grab some extra large panties to keep your padsicles and extra large pads in place. You can use some period panties like these to double up protection so that there will be no leakage and messing up of clothing, bedding or furniture. 

Nursing Care for Breastfeeding Moms

If you plan to breastfeed your little one, there are some things that will come in very handy to make things comfortable for everybody. 

Breast cream may come in handy even if you choose not to breastfeed since your nipples are likely to be sore after giving birth and everything will make them uncomfortable. Lanolin is great to have on hand and plant-based alternatives work well too.

Breast pads will be a necessity too with or without breastfeeding. These are organic washable pads and if you click here you’ll see prices for disposable pads. These will help you to keep your clothes from staining.

Mother’s milk tea will help with lactation if you decide to breastfeed and is great to have on hand. This one is a favorite with new moms. 

Remember to get lots of rest while baby sleeps and leave the household chores and whatever else til later. Mom deserves self-care so that you can be at your best for your new bundle of joy. 

This may be a great time to stick to a clean eating diet to give baby the best nutrients possible and to make sure your own health is top notch during this period. 

Check out this post on the benefits of clean eating and how to slowly switch over to this lifestyle and find even more information in our bookstore.