I remember when I was pregnant with Harper, I literally had no clue what I needed for those first few weeks of her life…. I mean, I was excited for a high chair… and we all know how long it is before they can use those. In hindsight, it would have been so helpful to have a breakdown of the items I’d need within the first several weeks of postpartum life… both for myself and for taking care of Harper. So that’s just what I’ve done today… compiled a list of my “must haves” for postpartum life… and while I know this isn’t applicable to everyone, most of my mama must haves (with a few exceptions) are items I’d recommend to anyone!….
UNDER EYE CARE PRODUCTS: Let’s face it, postpartum life isn’t friendly on those under-eye area… dark circles, puffiness (hormonal tears… long nights…), and dryness due to shifting hormones. For me, the TULA glow + get it brightening + cooling balm has helped to diminish the look of dark circles + really helps to de-puff the area. I apply it first thing after I get out of the shower and then layer on my Volition AM/PM eye cream, which helps to moisturizer the area, reducing the appearance of fine lines. After those two products dry, I follow it up with the BECCA brightening corrector which helps to really kick the dark circles. I finish it off with my under eye concealer.
LOUNGING ESSENTIALS: I spent the majority of the past several weeks in loungewear, given that I was so tired I tried to nap when Camille would nap. That being said, I came to discover some of the most comfortable essentials. I spent almost every night in these striped pajamas (excellent for nursing)… they’re super soft as well… and since I hate being barefoot in the house, these slippers kept my feet comfy. I also wear this robe all the time… love the material (more of a terrycloth) and it makes getting out of the shower feel a little luxurious. A full list of my favorite loungewear pieces here.
UNDERGARMENTS: Just as, if not more, important that the loungewear + daytime wear is what’s on underneath it all. I swear by this full support nursing bra (I used it with Harper) and recently purchased this softer bralette and love them both. When I’m just lounging around, this low support bralette has been really comfortable and easy to nurse in. And since I was over the mesh underwear from the hospital shortly after coming home, I knew I’d need a full coverage underwear to get me by… this pair has been amazing… super comfortable, excellent coverage, and breathable. I highly recommend.
DAYTIME WEAR: Venturing out of the house with a newborn… and other kiddos… can be a daunting task. Having comfortable, and practical, clothing can make it easier… and help you feel pulled together. I continued to wear my maternity leggings for the first several weeks, since they felt good and I obviously still had a belly. I also swear by these joggers. I’ve shared them so many times, but they can be worn over a belly, or folder under post pregnancy (I actually bought them when I wasn’t pregnant). In postpartum life you can wear them either way and they’re incredibly practical, stylish, and comfortable. I own them in tan and black. This waffle knit thermal is a stylish, easy access, nursing option… and the bella band has been so great for core support as well as shrinking the waistline (I highly recommend this one, I’ve had a great experience with it). As always, a cute cap… because washing my hair once a week is all I can do right now.
THE THINGS NO ONE TELLS YOU ABOUT: And because there are things no one tells us about…. you will want to have TUCKS on hand for hemorrhoids…. a good maxi pad (this one worked well for me) for several weeks… nursing pads for those days when you leak…. nipple balm to preserve the area… and someone recommended (and I thought it was genius) a hand fan for those night sweats during nursing sessions.
CARRIER: I think a carrier is so helpful for those days when the little one doesn’t want to be put down, but you still want to be able to use your hands. The two carriers that we absolutely love, and that Camille + Harper did, include the Solly Wrap (so soft) + this mini BabyBjorn carrier. The BabyBjorn carrier is so easy to use, lightweight, and the perfect size for an infant.
TRANSPORTATION: HUGE UPPABaby fan over here… we received this stroller as a gift from my parents for Harper and are using it again this time around (it’s 100% worth the investment). It’s such excellent quality and it easily grows with your family. We got the piggyback ride along board for Harper, so that she can “help” push the stroller as well. This time around we opted for the UPPABaby Mesa Carseat and have been very happy with it so far… and love that it easily adapts to the stroller for an easy car to outing transfer.
NURSING: For me, this nursing pillow makes such a huge difference in being able to find a comfortable nursing position…. it easily fits around the body and Camille can easily grow and still have room. And for those times that I nurse in public, this nursing cover is my go-to… it also acts as a carseat cover as well, with a hole at the top for ventilation. We’re also using Comotomo slow flow bottles again (they were the only bottles that Harper accepted… and she refused all bottles for 10 months…). They mimic a boob/nipple and Camille hasn’t had any problems using them… in fact, her gas is much less when she bottle feeds than when she nurses. I highly recommend them.
LOUNGING: I spent quite a bit of time researching loungers…. Harper wasn’t a huge fan of the one we invested in the last time, so I didn’t want to make that mistake again. I purchased the boppy pillow on a whim… more as an alternative to the Dock-a-Tot everyone raves about. I figured that if she didn’t like it, then I’d invest in the latter. Luckily Camille loves the boppy pillow… she will just chill in it while we make dinner… or while I answer some e-mails… and with supervision she will doze off. The other lounger we love is the BabyBjorn bouncer. Love the sleek style and that it grows with the baby.
HYGIENE: The Zoli nail file was another favorite that we carried over from the newborn days with Harper. It’s such an easy, risk free, way to trim their sharp baby nails. I think a wipe warmer makes diaper changing sessions less fussy (especially in the middle of the night when you don’t want to wake them) and this is the diaper pail we used with Harper (and this time around). It’s sleek and keeps odors at bay. The first time around with Harper we invested in an expensive tub, that was absolutely not worth it…. she didn’t even like it. Then we found the moby tub… and we loved it… and are using it this time around. It has a mesh net for when they’re an infant, and then can convert when they are able to sit on their own. These bath towels from Little Unicorn are my favorite. And for those tiny little infant nostrils that get stuffed up so easily, we use this humidifier (again, something from the little miss years) as well as this nasal aspirator (it seriously gets out all the mucus).
DIAPER BAG: I still have my Tory Burch bag from Harper that I use (it’s no longer available), but I also just got this Freshly Picked bag and love it! I always recommend having a diaper bag that you can wear as a backpack, since being hands free (or, not having something slip off your shoulder) makes like infinitely easier. It comes with a changing pad, and I can easily fill it with wipes, diapers, snacks (for Harper), a change of clothes, the BabyBjorn mini carrier, a swaddle blanket, and a nursing cover. There are several inside compartments as well. You can use code FPxITSYBITSY to join their fringe program. This is their membership program and for $10 a month you get a credit (of $10) to shop the store as well as 20% every purchase (and you can cancel at anytime). The code will make your first month free, so you’ll essentially get a free $10 to spend on their site in addition to 20% off. I also own a Fawn Design and love it as well. I don’t think it’s as roomy, but it’s beautifully designed and can be worn as a backpack as well.
SLEEPING: I ended up deciding against investing in The Snoo, for various reasons, and after extensive research, opted for this bassinet. What really drew us to it was the fact that you could easily transport it. Having several trips planned in the next few months, I knew that we’d need a bassinet that could easily travel… since I’m not into trying out new sleeping situations when we’re traveling (there is already so much newness to throw sleep off in a new environment…). We also believe in swaddling, but know that little newborns have super strength to get out of them (which inevitably results in them waking up…) so we purchased this HALO sleep sack and she does so well in it! I highly recommend it… and it takes all the work out of swaddling (something I’m grateful for a 4am in the morning…). And while I don’t use this plush chenille blanket for sleeping purposes (obviously not safe) we do use it to keep her warm during the day. It is so soft and I know she’ll use it as she grows older.
