We spend nine months designing a beautiful nursery and choosing the perfect stroller and car seat, and about nine minutes preparing for our own healing postpartum. After having three children (two at home) and having smooth recoveries each time, here are my top picks for what to stock up on.
Postpartum pads, mesh underwear, and padsicles
The most obvious thing you’ll need are maternity pads while you’re still bleeding after birth. Bleeding can last anywhere from a few days to up to 6 weeks. Sometimes it’s on and off, and some days heavier than others. (One thing that's not normal: soaking through a pad in an hour or passing clots bigger than a golf ball. If that's you, call your provider right away.)
Organyc Hospital Postpartum Pads are my favorite super absorbent hospital-style pads, made with 100% organic cotton and none of the junk (no chlorine, plastics, or perfumes). What I love about these is that they're thick and cushy, which really helps when your lady parts feel like they just went through a meat grinder. You can also make great padsicles with these (frozen pads, instant relief) using aloe vera gel. and I use Mesh Underwear and then stick the pads right to the underwear. The mesh can be washed off easily and hangs to dry in no time. I wouldn't consider the mesh non-toxic/natural materials, but I found it to be the best option for the short time you're using it.
Disposable underwear for nights (and the black undies trick)
At night, I use Rael Disposable Period Underwear for the first week or two, and you can wear them during the day too if you'd like. Once you're ready for normal pads and cotton underwear, you can switch over to Rael Organic Cotton Cover Pads. Pro tip: get some extra black undies for this phase so that if you have any leaks, you don’t have to worry about scrubbing off blood stains. Black hides everything!
A peri bottle is your best friend
An angled peri bottle is your best friend for the first week or two, especially for the dreaded first poop! Drop a few drops of Baby Birth and Beyond Feminine Fresh Perineal Wash into the water each time you fill the peri bottle and it'll soothe things while you heal. Blot with a wad of toilet paper instead of wiping, then graduate to wipes instead of toilet paper just to be extra gentle!
Surviving the first postpartum poop
Speaking of first poops, I took Chlorophyll Concentrate Softgels and Magnesium Glycinate to help with the first and subsequent poops, both cleared with my midwife first. Run your own list past your provider too, especially if you're nursing. Take your time and don't strain!
The best nursing pads for leaks
When it comes to nursing and milk leaks, some mamas do great with reusable cotton or wool nursing pads, but they never worked for me. I have oversupply plus a forceful letdown, which basically results in the reusable pads not being sufficient to absorb leaks.
PureTree Organic Cotton Disposable Nursing Pads have been my go-to for all three babies. I stick them inside my nursing cami and they last for a full 24 hours to absorb all leaks.
Placenta encapsulation: my experience
The next part is very controversial. I have chosen to encapsulate my placenta each time I gave birth. I know different people have different opinions on the safety of consuming the placenta. After my most recent birth, I developed severe postpartum anxiety, and once my encapsulated placenta arrived and I started taking the capsules, the anxiety lifted. There's a very real hormone shift that happens after giving birth, and I believe the capsules helped me through it.
Postpartum meals: freeze ahead or order in
Lastly, I strongly recommend getting the book The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother. Prepare some of these delicious meals ahead of time, put them into Souper Cubes, and freeze them so they're ready to defrost one serving at a time! If you don't have time to do this prep work ahead of time, order a box or two from Restorative Roots to help you through the first several days or more. It’s the best quality ingredients (organic, grassfed and finished, regenerative) and is based on the same concepts as the book above but all made for you! Use code MODERNNURSERY for $20 off your first box! (Full transparency: we don't earn a penny from that code. It's simply a discount we arranged as a benefit for our customers.)
I hope you have a smooth and beautiful birth, and just know that day by day, things get easier, and you will be OK!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Amber Matthews is the CEO of Modern Nursery and a specialist in non-toxic products for babies and families, nursery design, and Montessori-aligned home environments. A mother of three, she leads product curation across the site and has published investigative reporting on chemical safety in the baby products industry. Read more about Amber's expertise here!
