Top 10 Postpartum Recovery Products Nobody Tells You About

Line your pad with these cooling witch hazel pads and the relief is immediate. Hemorrhoids and perineal swelling are practically universal after vaginal delivery, and the anti-inflammatory properties of witch hazel provide soothing comfort without medication. The hospital will give you some, but buy a bulk pack before you come home because you will go through them fast.

This topical analgesic spray numbs the perineal area on contact and dries in seconds. After stitches — whether from a tear or an episiotomy — the pain can be intense, and Dermoplast provides fast relief without having to physically touch anything. Spray it on your witch hazel pads for a combination that postpartum moms call "the ice pack of the gods."

The hospital mesh underwear is legendarily ugly and legendarily comfortable. Do not make the mistake of switching to regular underwear too soon. High-waist disposable mesh holds your massive pads in place, does not press on your incision if you had a C-section, and you throw them away without a second thought. Frida Mom and Always make versions you can buy in bulk.

Breastfeeding can crack and bleed your nipples in the first weeks, and Lansinoh's lanolin cream is the gold standard for healing them. It is safe for baby to ingest (no need to wipe off before nursing), creates a moisture barrier that promotes healing, and provides immediate relief from the raw, burning pain that makes some women dread each feeding.

A sitz bath is a shallow basin that fits over your toilet and lets you soak your perineal area in warm water mixed with healing salts. It increases blood flow to the area, reduces swelling, and provides a few minutes of genuine relief during a period when nothing feels comfortable. Do it two to three times a day for the first two weeks — your body is healing from something significant.

After delivery — especially a C-section — your core muscles are weakened and separated. An abdominal binder provides gentle compression that supports your midsection, reduces pain when you cough or laugh (which you will, despite everything), and helps you feel physically held together during a time when your body feels like it is falling apart. Hospitals often provide one; if not, buy the Belly Bandit or similar.

Nobody wants to talk about the first postpartum bowel movement, and yet it is one of the most universally dreaded experiences of new motherhood. After labor, pain medications, and iron supplements, your system is backed up and the prospect of pushing again is genuinely terrifying. Start Colace before you leave the hospital. It is not glamorous advice, but it is the most important advice on this list.

Made with brewer's yeast, flaxseed, and oats — ingredients traditionally linked to boosting milk supply — lactation cookies serve a dual purpose. Whether the galactagogue ingredients actually increase supply is debated, but the real value is giving a breastfeeding mother permission to eat cookies as a medical necessity. When you are running on no sleep and burning 500 extra calories a day, a delicious snack is its own form of medicine.

A postpartum doula comes to your home and does whatever you need — holds the baby while you shower, teaches you to swaddle, helps with breastfeeding, makes you a meal, or just sits with you while you cry because the hormones are overwhelming and that is completely normal. It is not a luxury. It is skilled support during the most physically and emotionally intense transition of your life. If you can only afford a few visits, book them for the first week home.

Line your pad with these cooling witch hazel pads and the relief is immediate. Hemorrhoids and perineal swelling are practically universal after vaginal delivery, and the anti-inflammatory properties of witch hazel provide soothing comfort without medication. The hospital will give you some, but buy a bulk pack before you come home because you will go through them fast.

This topical analgesic spray numbs the perineal area on contact and dries in seconds. After stitches — whether from a tear or an episiotomy — the pain can be intense, and Dermoplast provides fast relief without having to physically touch anything. Spray it on your witch hazel pads for a combination that postpartum moms call "the ice pack of the gods."

The hospital mesh underwear is legendarily ugly and legendarily comfortable. Do not make the mistake of switching to regular underwear too soon. High-waist disposable mesh holds your massive pads in place, does not press on your incision if you had a C-section, and you throw them away without a second thought. Frida Mom and Always make versions you can buy in bulk.

Breastfeeding can crack and bleed your nipples in the first weeks, and Lansinoh's lanolin cream is the gold standard for healing them. It is safe for baby to ingest (no need to wipe off before nursing), creates a moisture barrier that promotes healing, and provides immediate relief from the raw, burning pain that makes some women dread each feeding.

A sitz bath is a shallow basin that fits over your toilet and lets you soak your perineal area in warm water mixed with healing salts. It increases blood flow to the area, reduces swelling, and provides a few minutes of genuine relief during a period when nothing feels comfortable. Do it two to three times a day for the first two weeks — your body is healing from something significant.

After delivery — especially a C-section — your core muscles are weakened and separated. An abdominal binder provides gentle compression that supports your midsection, reduces pain when you cough or laugh (which you will, despite everything), and helps you feel physically held together during a time when your body feels like it is falling apart. Hospitals often provide one; if not, buy the Belly Bandit or similar.

Nobody wants to talk about the first postpartum bowel movement, and yet it is one of the most universally dreaded experiences of new motherhood. After labor, pain medications, and iron supplements, your system is backed up and the prospect of pushing again is genuinely terrifying. Start Colace before you leave the hospital. It is not glamorous advice, but it is the most important advice on this list.

Made with brewer's yeast, flaxseed, and oats — ingredients traditionally linked to boosting milk supply — lactation cookies serve a dual purpose. Whether the galactagogue ingredients actually increase supply is debated, but the real value is giving a breastfeeding mother permission to eat cookies as a medical necessity. When you are running on no sleep and burning 500 extra calories a day, a delicious snack is its own form of medicine.

A postpartum doula comes to your home and does whatever you need — holds the baby while you shower, teaches you to swaddle, helps with breastfeeding, makes you a meal, or just sits with you while you cry because the hormones are overwhelming and that is completely normal. It is not a luxury. It is skilled support during the most physically and emotionally intense transition of your life. If you can only afford a few visits, book them for the first week home.