Post-Partem Must Haves

Here's a list of things I found helpful for after Baby arrives.


I posted about some things I found really helpful during my pregnancy here.

One thing I did not take into account when it comes to becoming a mom was making sure I had everything I needed for ME after I had Baby. You're so fixated on making sure you have everything you need for the baby but it's important to not forget about yourself. If you can't keep yourself healthy you're not going to be able to adequately keep Baby healthy too.

1. Breast Pads
Whether or not you're going to breastfeed, these are a must. I used the Medela brand breast pads because I got a big box as a shower gift, but I think next time I might try a different brand. Make sure you have enough so you don't have to run to the store that first week; so get a big box!

2. Lanolin Cream (aka Nipple Cream)

If you plan on breastfeeding and/or pumping, you'll need this stuff. Your nipples just aren't going to be used to all that friction and they will get raw. I really liked the Lansinoh Brand Lanolin Cream, personally. And you won't have to use this forever. Eventually your nipples will get used to it and build up some toughness (sorry for the TMI - haha!). I think someone gave me a travel size of these and it was super helpful to have while in the hospital.

3. Pads

Yes, you're going to need them. I heard you'll need them even if you have a c-section too. Again, make sure you have more than enough!

4. Cooling Pads / Gel Pads

These are so nice to have on hand. I really like the Lansinoh TheraPearl Gel Pads. They give you some nice relief.

I also really like Medela's Hydrogel pads. These were soooo soothing and you can wear them in your bra out in public without it being noticeable. They're very discreet.

5. Nursing Sports Bra

As I've said before, I hate wearing bras so sports bras are my BFF's. Zulily was having a maternity sale one day and I spied a nursing sports bra from La Leche League for like $14! So I definitely snatched that up. I didn't even know nursing sports bras existed. They do. And it was nice to sleep in something comfortable yet supportive at night and be able to easily nurse Preslie without it being cumbersome.

6. Tylenol

You're going to have pain after having a baby. For me, it was a lot of pain for a lot of months. For other women the pain goes away after a week or so. It's different for everyone. Just make sure you have pain relievers on hand (and make sure they're compatible with nursing if you're going that route). Also, make sure you take them on time once you get home from the hospital. It's easy to remember to take them when the nurses have you on a schedule while you're in recovery at the hospital, but once you're home it's even easier to forget about taking them on time - especially when you're trying to keep up with feeding a baby.

7. Snacks
If it weren't for my mom and Kevin making sure I continually ate, I probably wouldn't have survived. You're so focused on making sure the baby is getting enough to eat and gaining enough weight that you completely forget to feed yourself. At least that's what it was like for me. So our next go-round I'm going to make sure to have lots of {healthy} snacks on hand so I can quickly grab them and not starve.

8. Freezer Meals
I think I'll do a separate post on this. The came in so very handy!

9. Comfy, stretchy PJ's
I wanted nothing to do with jeans or anything tight on my lower half after I gave birth. Stretchy PJ's and sweat pants were the best things for me. I also got myself some cute PJ's to wear in the hospital. It felt so good to put those on and get out of the hospital gown after giving birth and recovering.

10. GRACE!
Make sure to give yourself and your baby some grace. The first week was tough for me. I wanted everything to be perfect - and that just wasn't realistic. I finally had to have a little pep-talk with myself and give myself some grace. I'm not perfect and I will never be a perfect mom. Each day I learn something new; what works and what doesn't for my baby and our family. I also had to give Preslie some grace. She is a good sleeper and she has been pretty much since we brought her home from the hospital. Pretty sure we just got lucky. But we still had nights where she'd wake up a lot and I'd get frustrated and I had to tell myself "Give the kid a break, Kaysie. She's a newborn. This is what they're supposed to do. Relax." I still have to tell myself that almost daily. You do the best you know how, and what you don't know now you'll eventually learn. Baby will adore you no matter what.

The End.

Maternity Must Haves

The other night I spent over an hour writing this post and I accidentally erased it! Grrr!!!

I've been meaning to write this post for the - oh....past EIGHT months but just haven't found the time.

That time is now!

I wanted to list the things I found super helpful during my pregnancy with Preslie. Mostly for my own memory if we're lucky enough to have a second pregnancy, and I also thought it might be helpful for any moms-to-be.

These items were just what worked for me. I know everyone is different. I also wasn't sponsored for any of this stuff.

1. Burt's Bees Mamma Bee Body Butter



Love this stuff! I tried a few different kinds of body butter and some either smelled awful or were way too greasy. This stuff had no odor and did a great job moisturizing the baby belly. I also didn't have any stretch marks, but that could have more to do with the fact that I had a lot of belly skin to spare. Ha!

2. Be Maternity Seamless Cami from Target



I'm not a huge fan of seeing the belly panel from maternity pants through your top. It just looks odd to me. I wore these camis all. the. time under my tops while pregnant. As a matter of fact, I still wear them! They are very comfy and stretchy. They make things smooth and hold all your parts in place (which is always a plus in my book). I've only seen them in black, white and nude in store at Target, but it looks like they also have them in gray on their website. Seriously, get yourself some of these! You can thank me later. ;)

3. Panty Liners

Enough said.

4. Body Pillow / Sleeping

I personally didn't use a body pillow. I suffered from night sweats throughout my pregnancy and anything more than a sheet made me feet like I was on fire. A body pillow would just add more fuel to the flame. But I've heard good things from others who've used them!

5. Exercise Ball

Before I discovered the true beauty of an exercise ball, I just thought it was something "excessive" that pregnant women used just because. Oh how naiive I was...
I used this so much going into the last five to six weeks of my pregnancy. It really helped to relieve pressure in my hips and on my back. I also spent a good chunk of hours on this ball while I was laboring at home. LIFE-SAVER!!! If you don't have one, it really wouldn't hurt to get one - or even borrow one - and try it out.

6. Baths
I know...I know. Lots of people have opinions about taking baths while pregnant. I took them; so there! Again, being in the water helped relieve pressure in my hips and back. I took one almost every day. Towards the end I could only take one if Kevin was home because I couldn't get out by myself! HA! Also, I plopped my big self in the tub while I was in labor at home and it got things moving real quick!

7. Water Bottle

Since you have to make sure you stay really hydrated while pregnant I'd highly recommend getting a reusable water bottle. This is the one I have and I like it because I could put ice in it. I was all about having REALLY cold water while pregnant. This was also good while in labor. You have to really remember to drink water and it was easy to drink from it quickly and often.

8. Maternity Pants
Maternity clothes aren't cheap, and it's hard to justify spending the money on them when you're going to wear them for only a short while. But it's worth the splurge, in my opinion. I got a few really nice dress pants and a pair of cute jeans from Destination Maternity (DM). They were A Pea in the Pod brand and DM was having a "buy one, get one half off" sale. I also ended up getting a couple pair of skinny colored jeans from DM as well.

Target's maternity section is kind of small, but they usually have some really cute items as well. So does Old Navy.

9. Maternity Undies
For me, I needed them. I didn't get the kind that were full belly coverage or anything like that. I got the kind that sat low, under your belly.

10. Nursing Bra
Highly recommend getting fitted for a nursing bra while you're pregnant. You're probably not going to find the time to go get fitted for one right after baby arrives (and you certainly aren't feeling your best). I got fitted for mine at DM when I was about six or seven months pregnant. I also got one of those extenders that you can clip on the back so it would expand as the "girls" expanded.

11. Sports Bras



These were my saving grace! I hate wearing a bra as it is and I wanted something comfy but needed the support. So I got some sports bras at Target. They sell them for pretty cheap and in a lot of different colors.



That's what I can think of for now. If you have any other suggestions feel free to leave them in the comments so I can make note of them and other readers can too!