Honestly, I didn't wear jeans or real pants postpartum for probably months. During my pregnancy I'm wearing these. Other good options are these and these!
Something to consider would be easy nursing options to sleep in. I'll be packing this nightgown in my hospital bag. If you don't like the gown option, here's a cute pj set.
This is where I'd suggest getting a splurge option and a budget option. Your panties might get ruined during your postpartum recovery, but you still want something comfortable to be in.
Not going to lie, I LIVED in a robe the first couple weeks after coming home from the hospital.
Learn from my mistakes and get yourself some nipple cream right away. If you're dealing with worse problems, contact your OB/GYN for a prescription APNO (All-Purpose Nipple Ointment)
Pain Reliever Spray for your medicated pads. I delivered vaginally, so your care if you had a c-section will be different.
At the hospital, your doctor will recommend what pain relievers you should take
The hospital will send you home with a ton of goodies, but if you need more, consider these cooling packs
Take your stool softener. You may think you won't need it, but I already had a tear and didn't want to make anything worse for myself.
Per recommendation from my doctor, I continued taking my prenatal vitamins after birth.
In case you have an infection (I had both mastitis and thrush) I recommend taking your antibiotics with probiotics. Or a big ol' cup a yogurt.
Again, the hospital will send you home with a ton, but you will continue to bleed, so get a few more so you don't worry about running out.
One more thing to add to your maxi pads are these medicated pads. Just throw em on like salami on a sandwich.
Emotional/Physical Care
It's important to start researching pediatricians for your baby. You can visit an office without committing to it. And on the day of baby's arrival, you'll tell your nurse to notify the pediatrician you've chose to come say hi to baby!
When you arrive and get settled, let the nurse know you want to have a lactation consultation. You can bring your breast pump to learn how to use it, but they help with all sorts of issues.
They say, "It takes a village," so yes, find out who can be available for you before, during, and after baby arrives. Clean dishes, drop off food, laundry, any thing and everything that can be done to help out.
Plan for your wellness 6-week checkup at your OB/GYN office.
Breastfeeding Essentials
Be sure to contact your insurance regarding a breast pump and they could cover part or all of the cost for a breast pump! I have both the Spectra (from my first pregnancy) and just got the Willow
I prefer these reusable bamboo nursing pads since the disposable ones or other materials irritated my skin too much.
▢ The peri bottle I got from the hospital was pretty basic, so I like this Frida Mom bottle that points up.
▢ I suffered pretty hard from postpartum hair loss, and didn't deal with it well. This time, I'm preparing myself with Living Proof Shampoo and Conditioner
Miscellaneous/Optional
I made a few freezer meals and wish I had made more for myself. I liked the convenience of being able to throw something in the oven or crockpot.
I recommend having a journal. Whether it be to brain dump at the end of the day, or to write down questions for your doctors or keeping track of soiled diapers.
Favorite Fall Finds
Check out some of my favorite fall finds for home decor. These stylish options can add a seasonal touch while still being functional throughout the year.
I may be a little late to the game! It's hard to remember it's fall when it's 90 degrees here in the desert :)
6 Things You Can Do For Morning Sickness
I always felt like "Morning Sickness" was a misnomer. During my first trimester of both my pregnancies, I felt like I had morning sickness all day!
Morning sickness usually wears off in the second trimester. But until then, here are six things you can start doing today to get some relief.
What might help:
Eat several small meals instead of three large meals to keep your stomach from being empty.
Don't lie down after meals.
Eat dry toast, saltines, or dry cereals before getting out of bed in the morning.
Eat bland foods that are low in fat and easy to digest, such as cereal, rice, and bananas.
Sip on water, weak tea, or clear soft drinks. Or eat ice chips.
Avoid smells that upset your stomach.
Call your doctor if you have flu-like symptoms, which may signal a more serious condition.
Call your doctor if you have severe, constant nausea and/or vomiting several times every day.
Below are some other things I've tried and recommend!
Parenting & Pregnancy Books I Love
The amount of information about pregnancy, babies and raising children is overwhelming.
Here's what I read before, during and after my pregnancy and recommend for parents.
Favorite Kitchen Gadgets from Amazon
Amazon has been a great resource for finding just about anything you want or need.
Here's a list of some of my favorite purchases for our kitchen.
It's weird, but I felt like more of an adult when I had these beautiful glasses in our cabinets. I didn't want some ordinary, boring, cheap glasses. Especially if we ever have company over again. These antique-looking glasses are chic and timeless and add an elegant touch to an otherwise ordinary drinking glass.
I'm a little embarrassed to say that our kitchen utensils were...gross. We mostly had wooden tools that just over time start to stain, get build up, and splinter. Did I mention one of our tongs was melted?? GROSS! So we upgraded to this set, which comes with it's own counter top container which saves me the hassle of trying to find room in one of our kitchen drawers.
Ok, what kid does NOT love uncrustables? Ryan is getting to be a picky eater, so we've been having fun making these little sandwiches for him. It's super easy to use, inexpensive, and I have fun using it too.
Looking for ideas to store your spices and still be able to see everything? This is an inexpensive option for any cabinet because it's expandable! We have one in our medicine cabinet too to keep things organized.
For an afternoon treat I like to make us smoothies and needed something for Ryan to keep it cold and be able to drink through a straw and found these stainless steel cups! We have a graveyard of sippy cups that never quite met the mark. But these bad boys are practically indestructible.
Hands down, my favorite pan ever. I do the majority of my cooking in this pan and it's perfect for most meals. We bought one years ago and recently bought another one, the same pan because we loved it so much.
Not exactly a kitchen gadget, but worked wonders on cleaning the grout for my kitchen floor tile. This heavy duty stuff makes it easy to clean and there's a bundle that includes a handy grout brush too!
I never thought I would say this about a coffee maker, but I love this coffee maker. I appreciate that it does not require "pods" to make coffee which can be super expensive. I like that it can make single cups of coffee, while also has the ability to brew a full pot. I warm hot water for my tea in the afternoon, and program it every night to brew at the same time every morning. LOVE it!
If your toddler is like mine, then you know they always want to be in the know. Ryan enjoys watching me cook and bake, so we got this step stool for the kitchen so he can watch what's going on. We placed it at our kitchen island so he's out of danger of the stove and oven, but can still everything that's happening.
This isn't something that you cook with obviously, but for quick messes, crumbs or little toddler spills this vacuum is handy to have near the kitchen. I hate lugging out the big vaccum unless I'm going to be cleaning a larger area. So this powerful little handheld vacuum is great for a quick pickup.
What are some of your favorite kitchen gadgets or tools to have? Do you have something in the kitchen you can't live without?
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