MY POSTPARTUM MUSTS
To quote the incredible Chrissy Teigen, “No one told me I would be coming home in diapers too”. Thankfully more and more public figures continue to comment publicly on the realities of life after baby (particularly when it comes to your hoo-ha). It’s had a positive impact on changing the narrative of the topic, and promoting more and more women to have the conversation, share and educate one another about the experience. With that being said, I think the best piece of advice I got was “Don’t look at it”. I also had several women, one being a dear friend of mine that had just given birth to her own sweet baby boy, reach out and share their tricks of the trade. That knowledge, coupled with some reading and online research, helped me to establish a collection of products that I consider absolute musts when recovering from pushing a human out of you. However, I should disclose that by the grace of angels (in the form of my gynaecologist and a few delivery nurses) I did not tear. I know, it’s okay, you can hate me. I kind of hate myself because I feel like there is no way lightning will strike twice and I’m in for it when it comes time for baby #2. Even though it resulted in a faster-than-anticipated recovery, trust me when I tell you that it still was not a pretty mountain to climb. I still had to have everything I needed to feel human again set up on an easily accessible side table right beside my toilet. So without further ado, (as I would humorously say to anyone entering the bathroom) please step into my office…
earth mama everything
I used Earth Mama everywhere, and I mean everywhere. Truly, this brand has yet to disappoint and goes far beyond your own self-care (see My Baby Must Haves blog post). Their products are all organic, free of artificial fragrances, and cruelty free! Whoo! The Earth Mama Nipple Butter worked WONDERS, and nothing makes a girl feel more in touch with nature than saving the animals and spreading butter on her nipples, am I right? I swear I only put it on a handful of times and my sore, cracked nipples were completely healed and ready to go to nursing war. I bought the smallest container and I barely made a dent. Which brings me to another thing I love about the products by this brand; a little seems to go a long way! It’s also completely safe to leave on your nipple while breastfeeding. Big win. Another must-have was their Earth Mama Herbal Perineal Spray . Say goodbye to walking around the house like you’re riding an invisible horse bareback! There is nothing like a cooling witch-hazel mist to ease the pain in your overall down-there area. I always finished my bathroom routine with a spritz or two and aside from the obvious healing properties, the clean natural fragrance really helped me feel refreshed. I did also use the Earth Mama Sitz Bath compresses, and they felt great. However, I preferred to just have an actual sitz bath in the tub for a few minutes before showering. For my Canadian readers, I was able to order all of my Earth Mama products on Amazon and let me tell you, next day delivery to your doorstep is a game changer when wearing a diaper and holding an ice pack to your vagina.
the feminine products of your nightmares
Rest easy, what seemed so scary and unappealing going into this process became the absolutely least of my worries afterwards. I could not care how big or how intimidating, as long as I had the coverage that I needed in order to relax! The pad they give you in the hospital is literally a big square pee pad that they fold into thirds and wrap between your legs, simultaneously giving you a faux penis bulge and what feels like a squirrel tail. They are even kind enough to send you home with a few (aww you shouldn’t have…seriously). So when you get home, nothing can seem that bad! My one friend advised me to get adult diapers and although at first I thought it was completely unnecessary they did come in handy, particularly when sleeping. I preferred the Always Discreet brand (disclaimer: you may get turned on by clicking that link cause hot damn are they sexy), mainly because the fabric most resembled a soft cotton. I tried nighttime pads but it seemed to just incite pee-pad PTSD because they were just so long and awkward to keep in place. When I graduated from my diapers (yay me!) I began sporting the U by Kotex Cleanwear pads. They are ultra thin and free of fragrances, latex, and lotion, which is nice for a girl to know when her vagina is feeling a little, how should I describe it…vulnerable.
undies for those giant feminine products
This was an AMAZING suggestion I got from a friend, and something I hadn’t even considered! In this era of leggings and high-rise jeans I basically only owned and wore thongs pre-baby, and they were most definitely not going to cut it (see squirrel tail metaphor in the previous must-have). A comfortable pair of undies that could support the plethora of feminine products I was going to be wearing, was essential! If you read my Preggo Life, But Not blog post you’ll recognize these bad boys; the Aerie Real Me Boybrief underwear were so great for so many reasons. For starters, they are incredibly comfortable. They have the perfect amount of coverage and are made with the softest, stretchiest material. They come in a variety of adorably neutral colours, (although I just bought black incase you know… leaks). Aerie is also notorious for having amazing sales, and these are often included in a ‘10 for $40’ deal, making it easy to stock up! Finally, they’re adorable, and a purchase you’ll be happy to have made beyond this experience.
hospital swag
Free swag? Sign me up! Even those monstrous pee pads come in handy to put in your bed at night incase want the peace of mind that comes with not having to worry about bed laundry in the middle of booby time. Seriously take everything they are willing to give you! The one item you better not leave that hospital without is your fancy new best friend in the form of a perineum bottle. They are for sale online and at every drug store, but since the hospital is willing to put one in your swag bag for free, it’s one less purchase you have to worry about! My friends who did tear, relied on this nifty tool for survival. And even though I didn’t tear, it helps ease the sting of urine and aides in freshening you up after a trip to the baño. Another gift, is the mesh hospital undies they provide you with. The bad news is that they only give you two pairs (one of which you likely wore to hold that pee-pad in place while you were in labour), but the good news is… a lot of hospitals sell them! “Thanks nurse, just put them on my tab!” At my hospital (Victoria Hospital in London, Ontario) you got four pairs for the sweet price of $10, look out Aerie! They are perfect for wearing over your underwear to help you feel held together, while being totally breathable and SO easy to wash (so hang on to that lucky labour pair). And am I crazy or do they give a Calvin Klein vibe?
lest we forget… the other end
If you thought just your beautiful va-jay-jay was going to need some tender loving care… are you in for a treat (or a shock). Thankfully, there are products to help ease the recovery, from your vagina to your anus and everything in between! Oh joy! The first is a stool softener, because the fear of that first post-baby poop is REAL. All the horror stories I heard had me terrified that I was going to go into labor all over again, but a simple stool softener was all it took to make that experience go smoothly (graphic pun intended). Another reality about postpartum that your friends may not have mentioned to you when you were last out for lunch is… hemorrhoids. Whether or not you get them, its a wise move to have some Preparation H ointment on hand just in case! Along with some Tucks Medicated Cooling Pads, which not only provide relief from those not-so-fun occurrences (thanks again to the ingredient witch hazel), but also are great for freshening yourself up. And, they’re flushable!
take them or leave them
The following are items that I consider essentials, but recognize they may not all be on the top of everyone’s list. Many of them are products that can be found through many different companies, these are just the ones that worked best for me. For my pre-shower stiz bath I used a product by Better Bath, Better Body that provided sweet relief. There are countless different companies that make their own different versions, this just happened to be the first one I tried and it did the trick. The key ingredients to look for are vitamin C (to detoxify and neutralize your bathwater), lavender (to help relax both your mind and your vaginal swelling), and witch hazel (for its healing properties). My postpartum leggings were from blanqi, the same company that made my go-to maternity leggings (see My Preggo Wardrobe blog post). They are soft, smoothing, and super high-waisted, which comes in handy when you don’t want your fresh baby-less tummy to be constantly exposed while you’re topless and nursing. Lastly, I was a big fan of my belly band. They efficacy of them is a hot debate, but the theory is that they help to support your seemingly non-existent stomach muscles in the shrinking and returning of your uterus to its former state. I did feel it helped me get back to my pre-baby shape, but it also really helped me feel held together in those early postpartum days (which is a big win when your stomach feels like a deflated balloon). You can break the bank with this product, or go simple. I went the simple route and bought this Happy Will one off of Amazon and have no complaints.
