Be hospital prepared: postpartum items for your hospital bag after birth
When you’re thinking about what to pack in your hospital bag for life after birth and after you’ve just had your baby, it’s important to remember to pack some things for yourself.
Of course, your baby will need a handful of essentials, but aside from diapers and wipes (which the hospital often provides), some outfits, any special going-home or photography outfits, and a few swaddles, there’s not much that baby needs.
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On the other hand, when it comes to your comfort, it’s up to your personal preference on how much you want to take and how comfortable you want to feel in the hospital.
Pro tip: It’s worth noting that most hospitals will provide mesh underwear, postpartum pads, peri bottles, witch hazel pads, and general helpful postpartum recovery items to help you feel supported.
That said, there are some other items you should consider bringing to help your postpartum recovery process. Start on the right foot; you’ll feel much more supported and comfortable if you bring the items listed below.
Overall, I want you to prioritize your postpartum care as you pack hospital bag
A Hospital Bag
First and foremost, you'll want a hospital bag to carry all your stuff in. How perfect is this Mama Tote from Sunflower Motherhood? What's so great about this tote is that it has six large pockets to help keep you organized.
Pro tip: I found that having an open-top bag was super convenient. Even if this isn’t your main hospital bag, it’s perfect for your postpartum essentials, having an open-top bag just to easily reach in, especially if you're feeding or you had a c-section and not have to deal with a zipper, is so helpful.
Iron-Boosting Tea
The first thing inside my bag of tricks will be iron-boosting tea. I've talked about this product so many times, and it's because I genuinely, truly love it. The ingredients are organic rose hips and nettle, and this blend is designed to boost your iron stores after pregnancy and birth.
Having this tea at the hospital will be so helpful. And what I appreciate about it is that, like I mentioned, it's just two simple ingredients. This isn't designed to optimize your breast milk, increase your supply, or do anything other than replenish your iron levels and help replete yourself after birth.
Compression Socks
Something else you'll want to consider bringing would be compression socks. These are great to help with fluid retention after birth and offer some gentle support, especially if you had a c-section.
I don't know about you, but after my two c-sections, they made me put on these big boots after my procedure and my birth that were air compression boots.
Compression socks would have been so helpful to have. On our website, you can get two pairs for $30, and they are by Kindred Bravely. A feature you’ll love is that they're graduated compression, so they're comfortable and not too overly compressed in any area.
Nipple & Lip Balm Combo
Something else you'll want to consider bringing is a nipple balm. Now, what makes this nipple balm from Nemah so genius that it's a nipple and lip balm. If you've been in a hospital, you know how dry the air can be.
So, having this two-in-one product in your hospital bag for postpartum recovery would be very helpful.
Upside-Down Peri Bottle
Another care item you can consider bringing is a Peri bottle. Your hospital will most likely provide a standard, run-of-the-mill Peri bottle.
What makes this one unique is that it has this convenient upside-down shape. We have a video on using an upside-down peri bottle on our YouTube channel if you're unsure.
So, this upside-down shape makes it easy to reach those hard-to-clean areas and get that soothing relief you deserve.
Comfortable, Easy-Access Pajamas
Some other things to consider would be a comfy pair of postpartum-friendly pajamas, and I love this Postpartum PJ Shirt from Kindred Bravely. They're so soft and made from stretchy bamboo fabric. They're very cooling, which is excellent, especially when those postpartum night sweats start.
It buttons down the front, making it comfortable, especially if you are starting to pump while in the hospital, as some people might need to. You can unbutton that for easy breastfeeding access. Also, if you had a C-section, this makes it so much easier to get dressed and not irritate your incision.
Overall, I want you to prioritize your postpartum care as you pack hospital bag
Last, I want to share one of my new favorite products in our postpartum shop: the Uterine Heat Pack from Somedays.
It's designed to fit your pelvic area and provide soothing relief after birth. This is an incredible option to ease the postpartum cramps you will experience. If you had a c-section, this can offer some gentle, soothing comfort to your incision area. And I love how heavy it is because it feels like a weighted blanket-type vibe.
We had this custom embroidered with “Postpartum Matters,” you simply just pop the inside out to microwave it and warm it up. This is filled with flax, which will stay warm three times longer than traditional rice heat packs. Depending on your preference, we have different covers: waffle and sherpa.
Also, I loved to use a heating pad with my newborn, I would place the heat pack on his bassinet before he would lay down so I warm up the cold sheets and help him feel more connected and grounded and soothed as he's having his first few nights earth side.
I just think that this is such an innovative product and something I really wish that I had in the hospital. And honestly, once you move through postpartum, it can be used during your menstrual cycle when you have your period (which can be quite uncomfortable for some!).
Final thoughts on preparing your hospital bag with postpartum items
Ultimately, I want you to prioritize your postpartum care as you are packing your hospital bag. The products I mentioned today are not complicated, right? They're not overly fancy. They aren't extravagant or unnecessary.
They are simple, well-designed products that serve a purpose and can help you feel supported after your birth, no matter how you give birth.
As you move through postpartum, I want you to remember that your postpartum experience matters and that you are so deserving of support and care after birth. It can start with how you approach your care in the hospital and take care of yourself after birth.
I hope you found this helpful. Make sure to subscribe to our channel and like this video so it can reach more new moms and parents like yourself. Oh, and don't forget to snag your Mama Tote. They're just $29. We sell out of these so fast.
