Postpartum Must-Haves for Mama
Recently I recapped all of my favorite baby gear, so I thought I would do the same for my favorite mama items. There was so much I didn’t know about the postpartum phase, but the pregnancy phase on the other hand — I was set. I had the maternity dress collection, the body pillow, and the belly oil to prove it. It was what came next that I wasn’t prepared for. So, I thought I’d summarize my favorite postpartum and post-baby essentials that I felt were helpful to have on hand.
10 Weeks Postpartum
Living in one of my postpartum essentials: The Barefoot Dreams Robe.
Clothes
Comfy, lightweight pajamas that button in the front. Surprisingly I had none of these. Just old baggy t-shirts and tanks. The two I still live in are Target and Eberjay. They are so soft and comfortable (the only thing you care about PP) and perfect for middle of the night feeds. Plus, they’re lightweight, which is key because there may be some nights you wake up drenched in sweat thanks to those fun postpartum hormones.
Cozy bathrobe. I also lived in this Barefoot Dreams robe all winter (my prime postpartum time) — funny enough I bought it at Nordstrom the day I went into labor (thank gosh for that last minute trip because it all went down only a few hours later). I am completely obsessed with how soft and luxurious this one is. It’s also a great length, which was surprisingly important to me when finding the perfect robe.
Bikini underwear. I personally didn’t wear a thong for about 6 weeks PP and found that having comfortable bikini style underwear on hand while I healed was the way to go. My go-to is always Gap.
Recovery Products
Peri bottle. I had no idea what this was prior to giving birth, but it really is one of your best friends for maybe up to 6 weeks since you have to spray water down there instead of wipe while you heal. I actually didn’t have a peri bottle, I just had the spray bottle they give you at the hospital, but I think I’d invest in the Frida Mom.
Pads. Yup, good old fashioned Always maxi pads. It’ll take you right back to your teenage years. You can start thick and go thinner and thinner as the weeks go on.
Perineal spray. You’ll want something that’s just cool and soothing for healing. The hospital sends you home with witch hazel pads and Dermoplast, but I also liked using herbal perineal spray from Earth Mama Organics again. They have great products for postpartum care.
Epsom salt for sitz baths. I took these almost everyday and I think it helped immensely with healing the stitches.
Breastfeeding + Pumping
Nipple butter. Breastfeeding is rough at first. Your nipples go through a lot, and by a lot I mean the first layer of skin peeled off mine and scabbed over. Real talk. But, thanks to this Earth Mama Nipple Butter I survived. I’d put it on religiously during those early days. Miraculously, your nipples kind of toughen up (sorry, no better way to put it) and I started using the butter during pump sessions to get a nice glide in the flange canal.
Pump essentials. Speaking of pumping. I did tons of research on how to optimize my pumping experience because I was so afraid, confused, and intimidated by the pump. What I learned is that you have to have the right flange size (the diameter in millimeters of the flange that goes around your nipple), a duckbill valve that has good suction, and a pump that works with your body (a good mix of settings like vibration to initiate a letdown and different settings to pull out milk). Here’s what has worked for me. And, if you’re looking for pump content, I found this YouTube video helpful as well as this post from LA Lactation.
Stencils to measure nipple size to get the appropriate flange size (I tried probably a dozen flanges before landing on the right one)
Lacteck Silicone Flanges (you’ll need a connector for these)
Legendairy Milk duckbill valves (with a tab so it’s easy to pull off for washing)
Spectra S1 Pump (doesn’t need to be plugged into the wall)
Medela Storage Bottles + Bags (for storing milk in the fridge and freezer)
Pumping Bra (the key is snug, which I found this one to be)
Haaka. This is a silicone breast pump that you can put on the boob you aren’t nursing from to catch a let down. It helped me build up a little back stock of milk to freeze before I started pumping. I think it also, in theory, helps boost your supply because you are “demanding” more milk so your body must supply more. For me I found it best to use in the middle of the night or early morning when I was fullest. Note, I accidentally got the 5oz one at first and it was impossible for me to figure out. I’d recommend the smaller 4oz one — much easier to handle.
Treats + Hydration
Water Bottle. I realize this is so basic, but having a water bottle you enjoy drinking from is key and in my opinion one with a straw is necessary. The amount of water you drink postpartum is astonishing. I’ve never drank so much water in my life. Happy hydrating!
Love Majka Products: Bites & lactation boosting powder. This isn’t necessarily an essential, but it was something I enjoyed as part of my routine in the first few months. I found myself hungry all the time, and these lactation bites were so delicious. I splurged on them a couple times. I was also obsessed with the vanilla chai lactation booster. I’d mix with steamed almond milk every morning and it was a delicious treat. I also liked that it had ingredients that helped with milk supply. Do I think it worked? Not sure, but I loved the taste.
Mother’s Milk Tea. I drank a ton of this in the early days. Not only is hot tea soothing during the postpartum period, but this tea also has herbs that potentially help milk supply. Do I think it worked? Again, not sure. But I loved the ritual.
Body
Pelvic Floor Exercises. This one isn’t necessarily a product, but once I felt a little bit better maybe around 2 weeks postpartum I started doing some very very light pelvic floor exercise to reconnect to my pelvic region. I had no idea about any of this going into birth, but being diligent about these exercises really helped. The two platforms I used for videos were Obé and Peloton.
Inspiring Humans
Karrie Locher. And last, but certainly not least, stop everything you’re doing and follow Karrie Locher. I wish I had done her Taking Home Baby Course before having Maddox. She’s a wealth of information and such an inspiration for new moms sharing all of her information with care and compassion.
Aside from this list, I think the best thing you can do for yourself in this very vulnerable postpartum time is surround yourself with the love of family and friends — the people you can hold the space for you to feel all the postpartum feelings, who can talk you off the ledge, and ultimately love you just the same.
Sending lots of love. Here if you want to chat about any of this.
xo, Gina
My Favorite Baby Gear
As a first-time mom, it’s hard to know where to start as far as baby gear. I remember finding some Google Doc deep on the internet with different categories of product recommendations and I started there. There’s SO much to navigate. Will my baby like a bouncer, a rocker, or a swing? Do I need all 3? The thing is, every baby is different and it’s kind of trial and error, but after a little over 6-months in, I wanted to write down the items* I’d for sure get if I was doing it all over again in case helpful for someone else.
*Note, this doesn't include the baby basics like: crib, crib mattress, crib sheets, nursing chair, changing pad, car seat, stroller, diapers, diaper pail, diaper bag, wipes, bottles, pacifiers, bassinet.
Ergo Baby Carrier. We use the 360 Carrier almost every day. The amount of hours of naps that Maddox has taken in here is too many to count. I’d also get the infant insert so you can use it when they are still on the smaller side.
SwaddleMe Swaddle. I still have no idea how to swaddle. I remember the first few days at home I was googling ‘how to swaddle’ videos. It’s so hard. What makes it easier is the SwaddleMe velcro swaddles. Plus, babies just get out of all swaddles no matter what so we doubled up with the Ollie Swaddle. Also a must-have.
Sophie The Giraffe. At first Maddox didn’t love Sophie and I thought to myself — what’s the hype? But then all of a sudden around 3-4 months it became his favorite toy. We don’t leave home without it.
Activity Gym. We’ve got the Skip Hop x Pottery Barn one and I love it so much. We’ve spent hours and hours on this thing — on our back and on our tummies. I love how soft and cloud-like it is. Any ‘gym’ will do. The Love Every one is also really popular. Babies spend a lot of time on the floor so something like this is perfect entertainment.
Black & White Cards and/or Books. Especially in those early days, I could tell Maddox was totally stimulated by black, white, and red images. We have the soft cards pinned up on the play gym and we also read this My Animals book all the time. It’s a simple and fun activity and I noticed that he really liked it.
Baby Activity Center. We didn’t get the Skip Hop play center out until he was about 4 months, but it’s a key toy in our house. It’s a great way to help him learn to orient himself in the standing position and the toys are great for reaching and getting hand-eye coordination down. Bonus: it’s something you can put them down in and have some free hands for a little while.
Vibrating Chair. I was skeptical about this one, but we’ve used this Fisher Price Bouncer that vibrates every single day. It sits on our countertop and we put Maddox in there to chill while we cook or make coffee in the mornings. It’s a nice way for him to be involved in kitchen routines and the vibration chills him out.
Tubby Todd. I love Tubby Todd products so so much. We received The Newborn Gift Set and I love every item in it. Our faves are the Hair + Body Wash, Baby Massage Oil, Everyday Lotion, and All Over Ointment. All things that I’ve ordered twice. They smell amazing and are gentle on baby.
Whale Bath. We are a-bath-a-day people (not in the early days of course — he’d scream his head off). We love making this a part of the bedtime routine and we use the Whale Tub (also from Skip Hop — I guess we are Skip Hop people too — that’s where our changing table is from as well).
Boppy. If I could do it all over again I would have brought a Boppy Nursing Pillow to the hospital with me. I honestly couldn’t go anywhere without this thing for many many months. We also used My Breast Friend, but if I had to choose between the two, I’d go Boppy. It’s cozy, comfortable, and helps with a supportive nursing position. Plus, you can use it for tummy time and sitting practice as they grow.
Footies. Maddox lives in these (I probably should do a better job at dressing the little guy). Our favorite brands are all the bamboo ones: Kyte Baby, Kickee Pants, Kiki&Lulu, and Little Sleepies.
Monitor. Not gonna lie, started with one (a quite expensive one at that) and then ended up getting Infant Optics and we love it because it’s non-wifi, doesn’t have a distracting bright light, has noise reduction technology that drowns out the white noise machine, and you don’t need your phone (which I learned is key for night sleep).
White Noise. When you have a baby, you quickly realize that you simply cannot live without white noise machines. We have a couple and would recommend The Hatch and the Yoga Sleep products — both the Dohm and travel Rohm.
Baby Shusher. This one comes in handy for the first 4-ish months when sleep is just weird. I think it’s worth it.
Boon Lawn Drying Rack + Bottle Brush. If you’re doing bottles, this is a must-have. We use the Dapple Baby soap and spend lots of hours over the sink washing bottles and pump parts then setting them on the lawn to dry.
Electric Nail Sander. Yup, similar to the one they use at a nail salon. I tried to live without this handy tool for the first few months and quickly realized that cutting or filing your baby’s nails is hard. And, it’s something you need to do quite often so they don’t scratch their face. Trust me on this one, the sander is the way to go.
Huckleberry. Not a product, but an app. We’ve been using this since the hospital to track Maddox’s growth, eating, and sleeping. It’s provided me some semblance of time when everything blends together — especially in the newborn phase. You can download it for free, and there’s also a paid version (we don’t have it) that looks so helpful.
There are also some honorable mentions: Dock-A-Tot, Wipe Warmer, Wooden Baby Gym, Solly Baby, (wrap + crib sheets), On-The-Go Changing Station, and a Foam Play Mat.
Wow, recapping that makes you realize that babies certainly come with a lot of gear. I’m sure there’s a whole host of other must-have items we’ll learn about for 6-months+. I’ll report back when I learn what those are!
xo Gina
9 Pieces of Advice for Myself — The First-Time Mom
I’m a little over 5.5 months into mom life and I thought I’d take a minute to jot down a few things I’ve been learning along the way. Yes, it’s advice, but it’s mostly for me. I still need to hear these things on a daily basis because, well, motherhood is a journey, not a destination.
Your baby is going to survive. Let that one sink in. Your baby is going to survive. They’ll survive the crying and the lack of sleep and that one time they didn’t poop for several days. They’ll survive the circumcision and the shots and the hour-long meltdowns. Babies are resilient and they’ll recover faster than you think.
The moment your baby comes out of you is the moment you need to let go of trying to control them. It’s impossible. You can lay the foundation. You can set them up for success and give them opportunities. You can love on them with everything you’ve got. But, that’s all you can do. Let go of the rest and be deeply happy with the little being you have right in front of you.
It’s going to be really easy to focus on the negative. All the things that aren’t going ‘right.’ Not sleeping enough. Not eating enough. Not not not enough enough enough. It’s harder to focus on the positive and all the things that are going well, but it’ll be key for your happiness as a new mom. Write down the positive and read it over and over and over.
Savoring the little moments of joy every day will be what gets you through. Remember, you won’t get any of these moments back, so soak in that sweet baby. Their soft cheeks, their juicy thighs, their cute little hands, their precious lips, their yummy breath, their innocent coos. The way they grasp your thumb while you walk around or cuddle up on you in the carrier. Smooch and snuggle and smell and observe your tiny human. They are absolutely fascinating. Watch with wonder and awe as they figure out their new world.
Speaking of joy, the first time your baby laughs will be one of the greatest joys of your life. Let yourself cry. Soak in that sweet sound and do everything in your power to hear it again daily.
The days are long and can sometimes feel like groundhogs day, but that’s okay. Embrace them because the weeks and months (and years, I’m assuming) are short. All of a sudden you’ll look up and 5 months have passed and you’ll wonder where the time has gone. Everything passes. Even the hard stuff. It’s all temporary so enjoy it all as best you can.
You’ll be bombarded with information. There are so many polarizing opinions in the world of motherhood. And there are also a lot of “experts” on every topic possible. Be mindful of it all and do your best not to obsess (easier said than done). You might find yourself in moments of complete desperation. It’s okay to listen to someone else when you feel like you’re at the end of your rope and exhausted all options. But don’t forget to also listen to yourself. You know more than you think you do.
Lean on other moms. The women who have walked this path before you. They survived. You can too.
You’re doing great. The absolute best you can. It will be easy to convince yourself otherwise. Ignore that voice in your head that says you’re not doing a good job. You’re doing better than good. Amazing, in fact. You are the perfect mama for your baby. Just remember you created them and you two are meant for each other.
Here’s to many more lessons to come!
Thoughts On Becoming A Mama
In November 2021 I became a mama. Being a mom is something I always wanted — something I’d always envisioned for my life (let’s just say I started a list of baby names from a very young age). Would I say that I felt like it was my ‘calling’ or that I had ‘baby fever?’ No, probably not. It just felt like it was something I was meant to be and then when I met Patrick, my hubby, having a family of our own just felt so right.
So, last year I was lucky enough to become one. And when I say ‘lucky’ I do not use that word lightly. I know how hard it can be to have a baby. I was naive enough to think we’d get pregnant on the first try, and that most certainly did not happen. You spend the majority of your life trying not to get pregnant because you feel like it’s so easy, then when you actually want to get pregnant and it doesn’t happen right away you question the whole thing. There’s been several milestones in my life where the universe is teaching me “patience” and trying to get pregnant is certainly one of them. Sidenote, if anyone is trying to conceive, two of my favorite books were Spirit Babies by Walter Makichen and Spiritual Fertility by Dr. Julie Von.
I spent the ladder half of my pregnancy preparing for birth. I followed all the insta accounts, did all the online courses, printed hospital bag lists, birthing positions, breathing exercises, mantras to repeat, etcetera, etcetera. Then I quickly learned that you basically have no control over your birth experience. Your body takes over. It was more painful than I could possibly imagine and I still have no idea how women do it (and multiple times, too). Even with an epidural. Five and half months later and I’m still recovering. Not in a traumatic sense, but in complete shock that my body was able to birth a human and how fast it all happened. I’ll save the birth story for another day.
What I quickly realized was that I spent way to much time preparing for actual labor and did essentially no research on what came after. Like how to actually take care of this new being and how to take care of myself in the aftermath. And I totally get it, your motherly instincts and intuition kick in, and your body does its thing to heal — but wow, there was just so much I didn’t know and so much that took me by surprise based on my particular experience.
Everything was giving me anxiety. There was so much to learn and figure out. Breastfeeding (especially because my tiny human was born so… tiny), sleeping, how to deal with the sound of your baby crying, schedules and wake windows, tummy time, bath time, swaddling, pumping, healing, crying out of nowhere… just to name a few. It’s a lot. And there I was again thinking to myself, I have no idea how other woman do this.
I went into motherhood thinking that it was going to be easy. That I was going to be the coolest, chillest boy mom. And what happened was virtually the opposite. Some days I feel really ashamed. Like I’ve been missing the good stuff because I’m too hung up on the bad stuff. I considered taking Zoloft, but it didn’t feel right. I started lots of supplements instead and I started asking questions to all of my mom friends every chance I got. Instead of therapy, I turned to them and it was the only thing that made me feel better.
I finally feel like I’m coming out of the fog and starting to enjoy it more. And I type that with hesitancy knowing that this is probably a lifelong journey that I’m going to walk as a mom. Day after day I will need to relearn patience and trust and giving up control. And I will need to focus on love. Loving my tiny, delicious miracle of a human and loving myself. Because it’s really easy to doubt yourself as a mom. To think you’re not doing things ‘right’ whatever ‘right’ is.
And that brings me to this podcast. As I write this, I’ve talked to about four people about this idea (my husband being one of them). It’s in its infancy stages. Still brewing. Still taking shape. But all I know is that I want to talk to other moms. I have so many friends that are moms, and I didn’t really start talking to them about the motherhood journey until I became one. They all have so much wisdom to share, and I want to learn from them. So that’s what we’ll do. Together. Because the only way to be a mom is to walk with other mamas too.