Postpartum Must-Haves for Mama

Written By Gina Martini

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.

  • 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



Gina Martini
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My Favorite Baby Gear