Postpartum Must Haves: a list
In honor of my second baby’s first birthday, I’m sharing my favorite postpartum must haves with you. Save this for yourself or share it with anyone you know who might find it useful!
When we're pregnant, we are bombarded with list after list of items to put on our baby registry. Very rarely do these lists include ideas for the mom or birthing person and mostly just contain all this stuff that you apparently now need for this tiny human.
Don't get me wrong, there are some great baby gear items that have been so valuable in this past year, but now when I'm gifting my friends and family around the arrival of their little one, I always go for a postpartum care package for mama.
Some items are easier if you live by the person, such as home cooked meals, but there is plenty you can do from afar as well. One of my dear friends who lives across the country sent us takeout one night and it was fabulous.
While this list is for postpartum, it can easily be adapted for folks recovering from surgery, going through a loss, or just having a hard time of any sort.
1: Acts of Service
Friends and family who will bring you food, wash your dishes, hold your baby, play with your older child(ren) and look you in the eye and say, “how are you holding up?” are simply non-negotiable.
Warm foods and drinks are best during those first few months postpartum — even if it's summer. The perfect gift is a meal for now (coffee/tea, breakfast or lunch from your favorite takeout spot) a meal for later (a dinner that can be easily reheated or thrown in the oven that night) and then a meal for the future, like soup, lasagna or ginger fried rice to go in your freezer. I also loved when our visitors brought us a bag of easy to grab snacks as I never had two hands free to make anything but I was always ravenous.
2: Comfy Things
I'm obsessed with these Cocoon dresses from Dwell & Slumber. I have 3 and just rotated through them constantly (and still wear them as pajamas now). Cozy socks and bathrobes are also a must have in postpartum as it's important to stay warm and who wants to deal with real clothes anytime soon after birth?!
#3:
Body Work
Regardless of how your baby arrived earth side, you both just went through it! Time for some TLC to help you recover.
For mama/birthing person – chiropractic adjustments, pelvic floor physical therapy, massage and acupuncture are all lovely.
For baby – chiropractic/craniosacral adjustments and feeding therapy (OT and lactation consultant).
Bonus: our chiropractor Colleen came to our house at 1 week postpartum for Vera's first adjustment and my first postpartum adjustment. It. was. amazing!
4: Body Care
I loved these herbs and this spray for me and this massage oil for baby. These also make great gifts as they are in beautiful packaging and feel very luxurious.
5: Sunshine
The first few weeks are spent mostly inside but I was sure content sitting by our biggest window all day. I was lucky to have a summertime baby this go around and the sunshine really helped. We spent time sitting in our backyard in the middle of the day before we were ready to do walks outside.
#6:
A Sense of Humor
Regardless of what Instagram tells you, postpartum might not be your jam. It's exhausting and emotional and completely out of our control. There's tears, blood and milk everywhere. A sense of humor will get you through this much easier and hopefully you have a friend or two who can relate and say “been there” when your shirt is suddenly soaked. 🤣
7: An excellent postpartum recovery program 😉
Contrary to popular belief, I don't think the best way to heal from a birth is to do nothing for 6 weeks and then resume “normal physical activity” after the postpartum check up. I think it's a much safer and smarter idea to slowly progress in movements and activity level starting with day one postpartum – as long as it's feeling good physically and mentally for the birthing person. I'll be releasing a 16 week postpartum recovery and exercise program with exactly what I did postpartum to heal so hop on the waitlist if you're interested.
8: Patience
Patience and a release of expectations are essential in protecting your mental health. Your house is going to be a mess. You won't be able to do the things you want to do when you want to do them. A baby sling helps to give you two hands, but sometimes even a great carrier won't soothe your baby and you'll have to just stop, sit and tend to them.
#9:
Compassion
Compassion for yourself, for your baby, for your growing family. This is a huge adjustment. Your life will be different — there is no question. You might be the guest at the wedding nursing your baby through the entire dinner and being fed little bites of your food by friends sitting next to you. It's easy to think back on how things used to be or how you wish they could be easier, but this truly is a fleeting season and I promise it won't be like this forever.
I'll never tell you to enjoy every minute because that's simply not possible. Some moments are difficult and stressful and exhausting. But let yourself be in this postpartum time. Let yourself go through it – it's the only way.
And if you're lucky, you have a great support net of friends and family around you who will wrap you up in comfort with warm foods, arms to hold your baby and ears to listen when it gets tough. ❤
