4th Trimester Survival Kit
There’s always a lot of talk about all the adorable, comfy items mamas are packing in their hospital bags pending the arrival of a little babe. Meanwhile, on the less glamorous side of postpartum, there are some necessities new mamas should have stocked in the house because there’s nothing like running errands to buy the biggest pads you can find.
It’s important that mamas are prepared to take care of themselves in addition to tending to a tiny human (that requires a lot of attention!). We often forget about ourselves and focus our efforts on the baby, but mama, your body just went through an incredible experience and we want you to thrive in this new role! So we put together a list of essential 4th trimester goodies all new mamas should keep in their house.
Pads
Follow these instructions: go to the store and buy the biggest pads you can find. Seriously. Now is not the time for dainty, discrete pads. Find one that resembles your couch cushion and toss it in the cart. Another option for those who want optimum protection: adult diapers. Girl, no one will ever know and you don’t want to worry about bleeding everywhere. You want to worry about giving that baby 8,123,456 kisses a day.
Padsicles
Everyone loves popsicles, and every postpartum vagina loves padsicles. These feel like a treat on your lady bits after they have been through the ringer! There are a ton of different ways to make these, but we love this recipe from Fashion Ave Mom. You only need 5 things (and you already have the pad so check one off the list).
Mesh Underwear
Mesh underwear have really come into the spotlight thanks to some celebs posting real pics about postpartum. But for real, these things are a necessity. Unfortunately, most hospitals don’t send you home with 30 pairs of disposable undies, but we have the best alternative! Brief Transitions are the postpartum panties you NEED. You need mesh underwear to hold everything together and not put pressure on your incision if you had a C-section. Brief Transitions are washable & disposable and while they might not be the most glamorous thing in your underwear drawer, you don’t have to ruin your cute undies and your body will thank you for these purposeful panties.
Squirt Bottle
Can you imagine scrubbing your vagina after delivery? HELL NO. Most hospitals will send you home with at least one, but if you can get a couple, do it (they also help with baby baths)!
Nipple Cream
This is essential if you breastfeed. You don’t know pain until you have cracked nipples, and it’s important to try and prevent it. Even if you don’t breastfeed, it just feels luxurious. We love this one from Motherlove, but there are lots of great brands out there.
Heating Pads
The NuzzleHUG was a baby shower gift and it still gets a lot of use. Unfortunately, they are out of stock but their website says they are anticipating the arrival of their 2019 line soon. This one was amazing because it’s easy to wash, can go in the microwave or freezer, and it has a neck wrap so you can be hands free! But placing a heat pad basically anywhere on your postpartum body feels like a treat.
Tucks Pads
Even if you don’t get hemorrhoids, these pads feel amazing on your lady bits. You can line your pads with 2-4 of these if you’re out of padsicles.
Epsom Salt
Sitz baths help with all kinds of things (healing, pain, hemorrhoids, stitches, etc.). We love this article from Mama on Parade on why you should incorporate this into your postpartum routine and how you can make your own Sitz bath.
There you have it, ladies! The less attractive side of postpartum, but this is real life and we want you worrying less about errands and more about bonding with your new baby!