Postpartum Recovery Survival kit – Checklist for C-Section Moms

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Are you busy preparing for the baby and forgetting about your postpartum recovery products?

Postpartum Recovery after a C-section takes a lot of time. Dealing with baby blues, sleepless nights, feeding, and diapering 24/7 is your new normal that may take a while to settle. And while you feel yourself prepared to do all that baby work, you might end up forget taking care of your postpartum needs.

At this point, your C-section body needs to be more comfortable and relaxed for better healing. Follow a proper protocol of doctor’s appointments once you go home. However, with a vaginal birth healing is quicker but a little different than a C-section delivery.

Stay active, eat well, and take short walks around the house that may help as a mood booster. And most importantly, do not forget to keep track of your mental and emotional health.

To speed up your recovery after a C-section, prepare a postpartum survival kit with basic essential products before the baby arrives.

If you are scheduled for a planned C-section, prepare a postpartum survival kit before you go to the hospital to deliver – as early as 34 weeks mark.

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Postpartum survival kit Checklist for C-Section moms

Here are the postpartum recovery products to ensure faster and better recovery for moms. After delivery, when moms feel exhausted, these recovery must-haves would help feeling more comfortable with a baby.

1. Postpartum Clothing essentials – Pre and Post delivery

Wearing matching gowns on mom and baby looks picture-perfect. Also, these gowns are super comfy for delivery during your hospital stay. You can wear gowns pre or post-delivery; either you have a vaginal or C-section delivery.

Comfy robe for moms to wear at the hospital after delivery - perfect gown for hospital newborn pictures

Typically, C-sections moms stay in gowns for the first couple of days due to IV and other medical processes. Once the IVs are off, moms can wear comfy breastfeeding-friendly clothes because, at this point, you don’t want to even think about complicated clothing. Comfier the better.

Make sure you pack comfy pants or trousers for coming home. My over-the-belly maternity pant worked perfectly up to two to three months postpartum.

Maternity pants for moms to be and after a great wear for after C section for good belly support

Lounge pant for moms before and after C section

Matrenity trousers and after C section wear for comfy support

You can also get mommy and baby matching baby swaddles and gowns that are perfect for photographs. Besides, your hospital stay, you can also wear it at home while you are recovering, and stay comfy whatsoever.

Nursing shirts or breastfeeding pajama sets – a nice comfortable, nursing shirt is a good option. Your life will be much easier when wearing not too loose or tight shirts after delivery. Your 7 months maternity clothes can fit in easily right away but it will take a couple of weeks to get back in shape.

These nursing shirts are super helpful for breastfeeding moms.

Cardigans- You may want to have cardigans or coverups if you have visitors. You can even wear them on your hospital gown.

Comfortable trousers -You need to have loose-band trousers for C-section delivery.

A nursing cover– You might want to have a nursing cover with you at all times while you are outside if you choose to breastfeed.

A well-supported nursing or pumping bra is a must-have once you have your milk flow. I recommend using the wireless bra at all times for more comfort even if it is not a nursing bra. This one is the best that I have used and found and soft and comfortable.

comfy nursing bras for breastfeeding moms to wear after delivery

Undies and Liners – Stocking up on a few large-size undies would be a great idea. Keep a couple of cotton breathable undies as you may have to wear it for upto 6 weeks due to bleeding or spotting. once your flow gets minimum, use thin and longliners to prevent accidents. Because you may not bleed for a day or two but once you start being more active, there are more chances of big clots coming out.

But, sleeping with a bra full of pads is tough when you are breastfeeding. These nursing sleep bras are comfortable and great to wear at home and at night.

Sleep nursing bras for breastfeeding moms to wear at night for comfort

What moms should wear in the hospital after giving birth and going home?

2. Breast pump for pumping

If you choose to pump and stock up on breast milk, then you must have an electric pump.

If you are a working mom or you are exclusively breastfeeding, you can use an electric breast pump. It will help you stock up on breastmilk and freeze it for future use. Most likely, your health insurance company is going to cover the cost of the electric breast pump depending on the insurance plan you have.

Breastfeeding moms may use a manual or an electric breast pump, but there is Haaka Silicon Pump that is a must-have for breastfeeding moms who are on the go or nurse on demand. Haakaa is very effective in saving milk that leaks away from the other breast while nursing and it also helps with engorgement.

Read more

If you are a first-time breastfeeding mom – here are beginner tips for breastfeeding moms.

Struggles of breastfeeding – how to relieve breastfeeding discomforts.

3. Nursing pads

Normally, not every mom needs to use a nursing pad. However, if you experience heavy milk flow then you must carry nursing pads with you to avoid visible leakage marks on your shirt.

You may want to get disposable nursing pads or reusable breast pads that you can wash and reuse: this will help you save money too.

Related: 14 ways to increase low breastmilk supply fast.

4. Nipple Cream

Latching is the first thing you have to do once you deliver a baby (only if you choose to breastfeed your baby). Let that be a vaginal or a C-section. The fact about the C-section is, since it’s not as natural as vaginal delivery so for that matter, the milk flow takes time to set in. You have to struggle to latch your baby on your breasts, more sucking is equal to more feeding.

First, colostrum is produced which is a yellowish fluid, very healthy for your baby. Then milk flow starts in a couple of days. In this whole bonding process, the breasts get dry, and itchy, they might even bleed for a couple of weeks. The pain and discomfort are real.

To ease that discomfort, you should get Earth Mama’s Nipple Cream. It is known to be the best and most popular among nursing moms to ease breastfeeding discomfort.

It is safe for the baby to swallow. Apply every time after you nurse, and let your breasts get air-dry before you wear anything on.

Related: Everything that you need to know about breastfeeding discomforts.

5. Belly Belt

A belly belt is a must-have for new moms. Most of the hospitals in the US provide a belly belt if you have a C-section. You can always ask a nurse about it.

A belly belt helps in providing support to your postpartum, jelly-like belly. It will help your postpartum belly pooch shrink faster after delivery. However, you can order a postpartum belly belt online that may work better for you. But the hospital one works just fine.

6. Heating pad

Postpartum abdominal cramps are painful, thus, you might need a heating pad to ease abdominal cramping.

Postpartum Bathroom Kit For New Moms

7. Post-C-section skin patch for scar treatment

New moms should have C-section scar healing patches to protect incisions from any sort of infection. This scar treatment underwear would help provide belly support and helps moms get in shape faster.

C section moms must have this Earth Mama’s balm For Skin and Scar care. It works great and is loved by moms for scar healing even for the everyday cuts and scrapes.

Check out more of Earth Mama’s postpartum recovery products.

8. Postpartum Disposable Underwear

Moms get postpartum disposable underwear from the hospital when they deliver. These underwears are super soft and comfy for C-section moms as well as for vaginal delivery moms. While coming home, you can bring some home with you.

Some moms may want to use disposable incontinence underwear for postpartum bleeding. They are soft and prevent leakage significantly.

9. Sanitary Napkins 

While your stay at the hospital, you will be provided with giant size sanitary napkins that work great after delivery. You can take a few, home, with you if you want.

Also, you can buy maternity pads online.

Eventually, when your flow gets normal, maternity pads would be too big for you now. At this point, you can get non-gel-locking sanitary napkins.

DO NOT USE tampons, especially if you have a vaginal delivery and if you have sensitive skin, you can use organic pads

10. A Water spray bottle or Portable bidet 

During your visit to the hospital, nurses give you a small water bottle to clean all that post-delivery blood down there when you deliver either vaginally or via c-section. The purpose is to clean.

You can have portable bidets that are available online, or you can install a hand-held bidet instead of using a small spray bottle at your hospital visit, for washing after every pee or poop.

These hand-held bidets are so easy to use and hygienic. A handheld bidet is a great option for moms who are following natural ways of parenting like cloth diapering, etc. After installing this in your bathroom, it would be easy for you to wash your baby’s soiled diapers.

What are the Postpartum medicines for new moms?

11. Prescribed medicines

Moreover, if you have a C-section delivery, you have to take pain medication, Motrin, Tylenol, every 6 to 8 hours, and a stool softener every day. Watch out for any sign of infections after delivery.

Unfortunately, if your wound or vaginal stitches ever get infected, you should call your doctor immediately.

Related: Healthy Postpartum diet for new moms

12. Stool softener/ organic rose water for constipation

Yes, constipation is real during postpartum. For that reason, you need a stool softener after delivery. You have to take stool softener with a glass of water or milk at night and keep taking it for two to three weeks until your bowel movement is regular.

In addition to that, you should drink plenty of water besides taking stool softeners.

Also, if you want to try natural ways of relieving your constipation I highly recommend you drink about half a cup of rose water every day until you get regular in your bowel movement. Rosewater is a healthy alternative to stool softeners and it helps you feel so much more refreshed and light.

13. Prenatal Vitamins

Your prenatal vitamins are necessary during postpartum as it was during pregnancy, especially if you are breastfeeding. Once you wean off your baby or you are not breastfeeding, you must continue taking regular multivitamins.

Nutritious diet for a new mom’s healthy mental and emotional health

14. Healthy diet for new moms

You need a lot of healthy food and snacks. Eating a healthy diet is essential that helps improve the milk supply for a breastfeeding mom.

A healthy postpartum diet includes eggs, oats, fiber-rich food, lots of fruits, and non-gassy vegetables. Staying hydrated is essential especially when you are breastfeeding.

Related: Healthy and quick Postpartum meal ideas for new moms

15. Snacks

New moms need healthy snacks – like dates, figs, almonds, etc for the breastfeeding sessions or late-night munching.

However, you need to watch out in case your baby shows any signs of allergies due to nuts. Some babies, if not all, tend to throw up a lot due to an allergic reaction to nuts, chocolates, dairy products, etc.

Breastfeeding snacks for new moms.

16. Water

Hydration is the essential thing pre or post-delivery. It would be best if you drink plenty of water, preferably at room temperature.

Try this lemongrass herbal tea recipe for postpartum weight loss.

17. Postpartum Skincare

While you have a lot to take care of as a new mom, taking care of your skin is no less important. You need to work on skincare and make it a part of your routine to control the signs of aging and other skin problems.

Here is a 5-minute skin postpartum skincare routine to reduce the signs of aging and retain your glow.

17. A Good Read or a Good Watch

If you love reading books, you might want to have a Kindle Fire to unwind from all that exhaustion while you are nursing or when the baby is asleep.

To be honest, once you have a baby at hand, you definitely have to take time out for yourself, so your body and mind could relax. This unwinding process will help you function so much better.

If you want to watch a good drama series, it will be a great relaxer in a couple of weeks after postpartum because you won’t be interested in anything right away unless you settle down with everything with your baby and other chores.

Read more on how to manage sleep deprivation with newborns.  

If you are a first-time mom – check out these non-common mommy mistakes with newborns 

Tips for new moms to make motherhood easy. 

What happens at the hospital to mom and baby during childbirth?

These are my recommendations for postpartum essentials for moms. Comment below and tell me if you have any other recommendations for postpartum must-haves.

postpartum essentials for moms

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