Postpartum Survival Guide // Baby 2.0

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I’m not going to lie, even though I’ve been through labor and delivery once before, I’m still straight-up terrified of going through it again. My doctors have been really confident that I will be able to labor naturally. And I should know what to expect, right? Well, kind of. But I’m also panicky.

The one thing that I AM confident about is postpartum recovery. Even though I was prepped by family and friends, I really and truly had no idea what to expect the first time around. I was nervous and scared for how my body would feel after that kind of trauma. But our bodies are amazing!

Now that I’m no longer a “rookie” I’ve put together my Postpartum Survival Guide, Version 2.0!

one:  a water tumbler with a straw. While the “with a straw” may seem silly and insignificant, I promise you, it is not. Not only do I find myself drinking more through a straw, but your hands are going to be busy holding a baby. And you need to stay hydrated! Don’t forget to stay hydrated! Labor is intense! And if you are planning on breastfeeding, you need all the fluids you can get!

two:  ice packs. Lots and lots of ice packs. You will ache in places you never thought you could ache… and you will need to sit on them. Friends, if you don’t know this, you  need to know it. Ice is your best friend.

three:  pain reliever. While the pain management may actually be minimal, every little bit helps. I, for one, had aches and pains nonstop in my legs. First, from walking through labor for 24 hours; then because my husband and a nurse held my legs back when I couldn’t feel them after the epidural.

four:  a postpartum girdle. You just pushed out nearly 20-inches of human… your belly is still bloated, but it’s no longer super hard from your placenta and a human. You just look pregnant (don’t worry – everyone does at this point); but you’ll need some support for a while.

five:  netflix. I, for one, didn’t anticipate how much time of the time I would be awake, alone, in the middle of the night… with a screaming baby. So this time I’ve been hoarding my Netflix queue, refusing to watch new series until this child arrives.

six:  a big pregnancy pillow. If you had one during pregnancy, don’t plan on putting it away after baby comes! Those aches and pains mean more snuggles with your giant bedmate.

seven:  witch hazel wipes. Because, burning. I didn’t know that I would need these, but I was lucky enough to randomly have them on hand. This time I have them on hand on purpose!

eight:  button down, oversized PJs. Buy them a size larger, button down top, so that you can nurse and not feel ‘trapped’ in real, postpartum clothes. Someone bought me a pair of PJs like this for Ari and I wore the crap out of them!

nine:  depends. Postpartum with Ari was my first ever experience with depends. But someone suggested that in addition to those giant maxi pads they give you at the hospital, that you’ll want to wear depends with them. I totally totally agree. You won’t be able to/want to wear real underwear. And you can just throw them away!

So there you have it! My go-to list! Is there anything I’m missing that you would add??