We are welcoming our 5th child in 8 short weeks, so it is time to start setting up my postpartum essentials cart. With each delivery, I have learned my favorites, what works and what doesn’t, what isn’t necessary, and the absolute essentials. I know, without doubt, you will find convenience and comfort navigating your recovery with my portable essentials cart. Whether you are expecting your first, or third I want to provide you with the what and the why for each of these items, and the links!
I love to use one of these multipurpose three tiered carts. It generally stays at my bedside, but the wheels make it so versatile, allowing me to take it to the bathroom when needed. Even better, after recovery, I can make this cart function around the house in other helpful ways!
First Level
All me! On this top level, I add the things that are going to bring me comfort and limit pain. Let’s face it, those first two+ weeks postpartum are rough! If you haven’t experienced giving birth, you can generally expect a week or more of all over soreness, bleeding, cramping, and swelling. If you had to get stitches, these may cause sharp pains, and itching. You might find it hard, or even uncomfortable to move and get around the house. Around day two or three, breast milk comes in and this can also cause a lot of discomfort. If you are breastfeeding, you can expect nipple pain, including cracking and bleeding. In addition to all these things, you are going to be T I R E D. And for these reasons, having everything listed below, and within arms reach, is going to make your life so much easier.
Adult diapers. Pads. Dermoplast. Tucks. Peri bottle. Boobie Pads. Pain reliever. Water.
Adult diapers & Pads: you are going to bleed, at least for a few days, and you will likely pass a few blood clots. I like to combine the pads with the diapers for the first few days to prevent any leaking, and then use only pads.
Dermoplast & Tucks: both of these products are going to help with pain management, any itching or burning, and they will help speed up the healing process. I lay 2-3 tucks rounds on top of my pad, and spray the dermoplast directly on after using the peri bottle & drying the area.
Peri bottle: the hospital will give you one, and will work perfectly fine. The one I have linked is just a little bit easier because of its upside down design. The first two days I use warm water, and the remaining time I will just use room temperature water- but this is an individual preference.
Boobie pads: I like the Medela brand that I have linked the most, they are super absorbent and easy to use.
Pain reliever: your doctor will likely give you ibuprofen 800, which I generally use as needed for the first day or two, and then I switch to Advil as needed.
Water: postpartum or not, you will always find a Hydrojug at my bedside. I love ice cold water, and eating ice. Additionally, these are great because the don’t leak, and keep everything cold for so long! Staying hydrated is so beneficial to recovery, milk production and limiting fatigue.
Second Level
In this second level, I put all the stuff needed to take care of baby. I use these little organizing trays to keep everything in one place so it’s not floating around and it is easy to find. This level is easily the most restocked and high maintenance level, but still worth it.
Diapers & wipes: I’m never one to waste anything so I will take advantage of, and use up all the pampers diapers I get from the hospital. However, I love the Huggies Little Snugglers for newborns to 2 months, and Little Movers once you size up. This brand feels like such great quality, they are very soft diapers, and compared to other brands I’ve used, we definitely have fewer leaks and blowouts.
Booty paste: Although it is not pictured, I do include booty paste on this level. This is my favorite brand, which clears up diaper rashes almost instantly.
Breast pump: I produce a lot of breast milk, which is kind of a blessing and a curse, especially when I generally have “snacker” babies who love to fall asleep after eating for five minutes. I need a reliable, and easy to use breast pump to survive the early stages. I have tried this Medela breast pump, this Elvie breast pump, and the Willow breast pump. You can read my blog post that compares the pros & cons of these three, but I do prefer the Willow.
Haakaa: This is a great tool to collect let down. I just put it on the boob that I am not feeding on, and it collects any of that milk that would be wasted into a boobie pad. On average, throughout the day I can collect around 5 oz of extra milk just from this. It is easier to clean then the breast pump too!
Bottles: Although during the postpartum period, I generally only breast feed my babies, I do keep bottles on this level. I use these if I need to pass the baby to someone else for feeding, like dad or a visitor. You can double these for storage usage, or replace them altogether with milk storage bags. I really like either of the MAM bottles or the Dr. Brown bottles, but there are so many options out there.
Of course, if you are formula feeding your baby, just replace the breast pump area with your formula necessities.
Third Level
On the third level, I like to keep an extra change of clothes for baby, swaddling blankets, a regular blanket, burp cloths, and lastly an extra nursing shirt for me. You never know when baby will have a blow out, or maybe your boobs leak. I will link a few of my favorites from this list below.
Swaddle blankets – Blanket – Burp cloths – Nursing shirt – Nursing tank