Postpartum Tips I Found Helpful in the First 1.5 Weeks After Delivery (updated at 8 weeks)
- Sophia
- Aug 2, 2021
- 5 min read
Updated: Aug 24, 2024
Note: I had a C-Section but I think most of these things will be helpful for vaginal births as well
-Witch hazel for hemorrhoids! Soak a cotton ball/cotton round and stick that baby up against them and pull up your underwear/diaper. I use one every time I go but I also had hemorrhoids before pregnancy so I’m extra prone to them.
-DEPENDS! LIFE DEPENDS ON DEPENDS
-Put pads in your depends and change the pad every time you go to the bathroom and depend morning and night unless it gets leaked on
-Padsicles! Witch hazel and aloe on the pad (1 tbs of each), pad into freezer until needed. This helped me even w the c section because I got sore from wiping so much.
-Wipes! I use wipes every so often especially if it’s getting pretty messy in between showers.
-Keep your deodorant with you! If you’re anything like me you’re already potent smell increases and you’ll wanna reapply halfway through the day 😂 *note I was also using crappy deodorant I know Cure natural deodorant now and I loooove it, if I’m going out in the evening I still have to reapply before)
-Nursing bras!! I have recommendations. Even if you pump, they’re great for pumping. Nursing shirts are great too but also button downs or shirts you can easily pull down over your shoulders or big t shirts work great too.
-Cut x’s in one nursing bra for hands free pumping! Cut a little smaller than you’ll need because it’ll stretch out
-Sleep without a bra at night! Your breasts need a break, if you’re comfortable with leaking a little on your sheets. If not I suggest a loose/oversized t shirt without a bra. I always sleep on a towel folded in half under my upper half.
-Don’t overbuy before birth. You might like be like me and end up in a totally unplanned emergency c and then you will have wasted money on stuff. Either way you’ll want depends, pads and padsicles probably.
-Stool softeners! They gave them to me in the hospital then when I got home I started off one a day which was good but went up to 2 a day yesterday because going was taking so long yesterday. (Take your phone to the bathroom with you! You might end up in there a while… don’t force it! It’ll come.)
-For c/s: get up and moving day one! Seriously you’ll heal so much faster and avoid so much pain even though it sounds counter intuitive!
-Personally, wearing cute outfits as soon as getting home from the hospital gave me such a self esteem boost! And just made me feel better all around! Even w my 6 month pregnant looking belly. I wore a crop top 7 days post partum that showed like 3 inches of belly.
-Stay off the scale! (Unless like me the number doesn’t bother you and you’re curious) your body will bounce back naturally! Just walk and start abdominal muscle exercises recommended for postpartum when you’re ready, wait a good bit after a c! (https://www.tommys.org/pregnancy-information/giving-birth/caesarean-section/when-and-how-exercise-after-c-section) I went to the trampoline at 6.5 weeks and almost died, then went swimming that day too and a mile walk the next day and I bled a bunch. Definitely jumped in too soon and had to slow down. Now at 8 weeks I’m just doing walks daily and going to talk to my midwife about exercise next week.
-If you had a c/s; hold your belly when you stand up out of bed!!! Then let the weight down slowly after standing. A life saver! Eliminates pain from standing up! Also hold your belly when you go over bumps while driving for first few days.
-Keep the bottle from the hospital with the straw! Great to have by your bed at night.
-Nap in between feeds! Even if it’s only an hour, those hours add up! Just sleep whenever you’re tired even if you just slept before the last feed!
8 week update: I co-sleep and only Change her diaper before bed around 10-11 and then in the morning around 7-8 now (see co-sleeping and cloth diapering) and am in bed usually 12 hours sleep 10-11 on average) and I don’t have any issues with tiredness.
-Warm washcloths on breasts before pumping/breastfeeding (when you remember lol) helps to prevent clogged ducts.
-Check yourself for clogged ducts! Better to find and start working on before it hurts. (Feed baby exclusively on that size, massage while in hot shower, be especially good about warm compress before pumping/feeding (Lactation consultants at Texas Health Harris Methodist NICU )
-Don’t stand front facing in shower. Stand backwards unless rinsing soap so hot water isn’t constantly on breasts (can cause engorgement) or c section incision. Especially before bandage comes off c section. (Doctors gave me that advice).
-Use your lactation consultants! Have them check your latch and physically show you how to hand express even if you think you’ve got it! Can’t hurt to clarify!
-For c: even if you have no pain during the day take pain medication at night! After you’ve been laying down for a while getting up can be pretty painful if you don’t. Again holding belly helps a ton though!
-If your baby’s in the hospital like mine put used breast pads in the crib with her and pump in the same room as her/him! You get so much more milk! Also a blanket or stuffed animals she/he’s slept with in your bra or for you to sleep with will help with supply too. And is just comforting, the smell is so familiar!
-Reusable nursing pads are way more comfortable than the throw away ones… and cheaper
-Take full advantage of hospital freebies! I’ve gotten 200 breast milk bags so far from them and get more every time they offer! (I clarified with the nurse they had plenty so I wasn’t taking from someone with need)
-Express milk or use milk from your flanges on nipples/areola after pumping/feeding! Works way better than nipple cream and isn’t sticky/gross feeling! (I also use milk on my dry lips and acne. 10/10 recommend helps a ton. Clears pimples in like 24 hours.)
-Use breast milk on any rash/dry skin on baby! Clears it up in like 12 hours. Also worked for my acne.
-If you’re in between flanges sizes like me go with the smaller ones (as long as not painful) will help get more milk out and avoid clogged milk ducts.
-Baby+ is awesome. You can do a “face everyday” and it’ll make it a video, has milestones, and a place to put “first time” photos! You can track nursing, bottles, pumping, sleeping, crying, and diapers! I also like "HiMommy!" which gives you daily updates and advice as if coming from your child. I started using it during pregnancy and loved it.
Links:
Nursing pads:
(I got a pack of each and seems to be plenty so far. And one 4 pack of overnight ones from target but I don’t even use them now overnight because I sleep without a top on. Good for heavy leakers though but you can also use two of the regular)
Nursing bras: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07TTJY5P3/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_04MP9MKA76B0BK86BP5X?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
(I got two packs of dif color assortments with two grey, two pink, and two beige. Seems to be the perfect amount.)
(I got one pack of each and seems to be plenty so far)
Cover photo from: https://helloclue.com/articles/pregnancy-birth-and-postpartum/how-coronavirus-impacts-pregnancy-breastfeeding-and-postpartum
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