From our sister site, Natural BirthWorks, check out their great post on postpartum must-haves!
Things to have for Po
partum
Let's talk about Postpartum! We know it's a crucial part of having a baby and it's extremely important to prepare for it. But what are some tips and tricks to know ahead of time? We recommend a few things to hopefully make postpartum easier. First off, preparing ahead and planning for a great postpartum will absolutely help. In many different countries, the postpartum is supported and respected by either having at least 6 months to 1 year off with their baby and communities offering different types of benefits to help them. In different cultures it's a custom to nurture and care for a mom by cooking, cleaning, and tending to the mother so that she can tend to her newborn baby. In the United States, it's very difficult for mothers to get essential time off from work which makes it difficult in many ways. Because of this, we recommend planning out a schedule for the family to come over after to help with basic housework and help during the time you need it the most. It's so important for a mother to rest and heal after birth so that recovery is smooth and hopefully easy. Some helpful tips on setting this up is discussing things you absolutely need for postpartum during pregnancy. So instead of a registry filled with things for the baby like toys and clothes, make sure you include things for mom too. Things such as herbs for a sitz bath, maybe a postpartum Doula, or even a Lactation consultant for help and support for breastfeeding. This way family and friends can help mom rest and heal which is at the utmost importance! Planning meals ahead of time and making food that can be stored in the freezer so that during that time mom or partner does not have to worry about cooking. Another thing is getting a good belly binder so that it helps heal the uterus and allows for the organs to set naturally after birth. Some other essentials are stocking up on natural snacks so that when mom is nursing and needing something to eat, they are easily accesable. Having the snacks and even some premade protein shakes near your nursing nook is a good idea since while breastfeeding mom is burning 500-800 calories a day. Skipping meals is not a good idea and can make mom feel really crumby. A few things for breastfeeding and baby care are a good wrap or sling to carry the baby and a Haakaa. We absolutely love the Haakaa! This manual breast pump is safe to use early on and is great to start storing up milk right from the start. For more details and tips check out our YouTube Channel