A Must Have List for New Mommies | For a Smooth Postpartum Journey

A happy mother makes a happy baby. All that a new mother needs is support and availability of the prerequisites to be on a faster route to recovery. Some may already know it all, some may not. That’s why we at MomComIndia make all the efforts to provide our ever-growing community with all the necessary information. Read on and know what goes in your stash.

Sep 03,2021 by MomComIndia Share

There are no compromises here, be it your hospital bag, or your nightstand drawer. The right supply at the right time, is what will do the trick. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we had an SOS snack drawer for the erratic hours that we would put in pre and post-partum? Or, stocking up the right outfits and the necessary sanitary requirements? The following three months post delivering the baby, can be quite a dealbreaker.

Trials and tribulations have lead us to understand what could have been done better as well as many things we learnt in the process. Our detailed research ensures that MomComIndia will act as your one stop guide of a detailed list of things to-do before you rush to the hospital, at the zero hour and also post-delivery.

1. Sanitary Napkins

First and foremost, stock up on a huge collection of sanitary napkins. Bigger the better, because you will find yourself in the need of a new one quite frequently in the entire day, post birth. The initial days a new mother may go through continuous bleeding for as little as few days to a maximum of two months. One of the major factors to keep in mind is that a new mommy has fresh stitches which need to be kept infection free. It’s advisable to follow a dedicated routine of changing it to maintain good hygiene.

2. Comfortable Clothing

Comfortable clothing is one major inescapable requirement in the list. As soon as one gives birth, the first few kilograms are lost as the weight of the baby and the fluid leaves the body. One may continue with the same outfits which they wore during their last trimester. As a new mother, one must keep their head and feet covered. It is very easy to catch infections at this stage.

3. Stomach Muscles Recovery

Now to get a grip of the loose stomach muscles, it needs to be taken care of right after seven days of bearing a child. As soon as the stitches heal up, take a cotton cloth or a dupatta and tie it around your belly and secure. This takes care of the sagging stomach muscles and slowly brings it back to shape. Most importantly, this method is not applicable to new moms who have had a caesarean section delivery. It is only advisable to wear easy comfortable clothes and keep yourself fully covered whilst taking enough care during the body recovery stage. If the new mother gets proper care post birth, it is all the more easier to recover in all aspects.

4. Feeding Essentials

Feeding pillow or feeding chair is an important requisite, which facilitates mothers in feeding babies for long durations ranging from anywhere between 15-45 minutes. Since feeding a baby is a deliberate process, it gives a lot of strain on the mothers back. Hence, it is important to invest  in a good quality feeding pillow or chair. While feeding one must also ensure that the baby is fed in an upright position and not in a lying position which may result in choking or formation of gas.

5. House Help / Japa Maid

Many overlook the need of having a ‘help’. It’s crucial to take all the  help one can get in the first 40 days after birth. Especially someone who can take care of the mother’s diet. This is extremely necessary since the new mother is entirely engaged in taking care of the new born baby. Therefore help will ensure that the mother’s road to postpartum recovery is fast and she gets proper nutrients for milk production and faster recovery. This help could be anyone starting from a dependable family member, relative or a ‘Japa’ hired help ,who is specially trained for these tasks during this period or an existing maid whose service could be sought by an extra payment, to get some assistance in this sensitive time period. Getting assistance may or may not be feasible for some, but investing in this will only reap you great benefits during your recovery post birth.

Remember, weakness along with aches and pains can set in eventually which can be irritable. It can’t be stressed enough upon the fact that although giving birth to your baby is a very rewarding feeling, but taken care of during the recovery phase is of high importance. Do not lack there.

6. Nursing Bras & Pads

New mothers should invest in nursing bras and pads. These come in very handy. No major requirement of buying something absolutely alien to your understanding, just get a size bigger than the usually worn during the last trimester. Once the mother starts breast-feeding its natural to size up. Also, depending on the milk production frequency, nursing pads would come in handy to avoid any awkward moments of leakage.

7. Post-Partum Massage

Post-partum massages are a major boon especially during the first 40 days. Once the stitches heal, it is essential to start getting it done. There are professionals who are experienced in this specific area. It hugely promotes body toning, blood circulation and warmth. Ideally it should be done with warm mustard oil, which is good for your bones and to get some much needed warmth in the body. One can always suit the weather requirements and choose an oil to their liking. The sole purpose is to get a deep massage, hot water shower and feel rejuvenated. During the recovery phase, it is highly prudent to get it done every day during the first 40 days and after that reduce the frequency to a few times per week. Not doing it will only make it difficult for the sore muscles and bones to feel the same flexibility like before.

8. Stretch Marks

Next must have is a stretch mark cream. Many begin thinking about it after it has made an appearance. Whereas, it is always advised that it should be taken care of since the very beginning of pregnancy. The idea here is to keep your belly skin moisturised and maintain a certain elasticity, hence avoiding stretch marks to a great deal. Even if they do show up inspite of all the care, it disappears in time. I would recommend using Shea Butter, it has helped me to a great extent. Coconut oil too is a great alternative. Also, if you come across any other revered product give that a shot too. Key is to moisturise.

9. Breast Pumps

Breasts pumps are another great addition to your maternity repertoire. Many mums might feel that they would stick to good old-fashioned breast feeding, but what we don’t realise is how our body responds on certain days. Someday we experience over supply at a particular hour, and on some days it can be scanty. On some occasions the milk supply may be irregular, so on and so forth. So to combat such issues, a breast pump comes in handy. We may begin with a manual one, later you can add an electric one for better convenience. It is helpful especially on those days when one may have a heavy supply and breasts tend to feel hard . In such cases, expressing some milk out is a good idea to relieve oneself of the pain.

10. Formula Milk & Bottle for Baby

Next ,that comes in handy is a Formula Milk. Now one may ask why keep substitutes when breast milk is already available? It is just a handy substitute in times of crisis when breast milk may not be enough. If we keep our baby’s favourite tin of formula milk in your stock, at least the worry of the baby going hungry won’t upset us. The formula won’t expire for a very long time. If kept sealed, it’s fresh until opened. So it’s a good idea to keep this option worked out and steer clear of unwanted situations. We may introduce bottles at any age, the idea is to keep bottle and formula handy for those times when the situation is just not favourable.

11. Healthy Snack

As an expecting as well as a lactating mother, snacking is an inevitable part of the process. So keeping a secret stash is one such go-to idea. Eating ‘Panjiri’ is a part of our Indian tradition and full of all the yummy goodness. It is also a good source of nourishment during recovery post birth. Secondly, I recommend stocking up on Oats biscuits. It promotes good breast milk supply. Also, roasted salted Foxnuts (Makhaane) is also a very healthy snacker and store it in a jar, keeping it handy. Eating dry fruits is a no-brainer. Every morning snack on a handful and it facilitates instant energy and warmth for the body. So overall, eat tasty and healthy snacks, which do not harm you or the baby ,yet keeps you full and nourished.

12. Medication

Keep an emergency medicine box ready at all times. Keeping the prescribed pills handy during pregnancy and post birth is a good idea so that one doesn’t forget taking it. Many women do not continue taking the prescribed supplements after the baby is born and this affects their recovery in the longer run. A pregnancy takes most of the nutrients from the mother’s body and it is integral to replenish it with the right medicines.

13. Capture Memories

My next recommendation is an interesting one. Get a good camera or a phone and record all the beautiful memories. Time will fly and we forget to capture the important moments starting from pregnancy, birth and the growing years of the baby. It would be a trip down memory lane watching all of it again later. Won’t it be a great time to get that upgrade you’ve been looking for!

The must not do  for a mother is applying a perfume. Yes! At least for a minimum of first-three months. The scent will irritate the baby. They recognise their mother by the smell and warmth of the body. Any perfume will only make it difficult for them. Babies do not have their vision completely developed as a new born. So they depend on their senses.

Last but not the least, the biggest takeaway from this is PATIENCE.  It was a really long list of must-haves, but patience is one such boat that will help you sail through all the trying times. First-three months are going to be challenging in terms of understanding the newborn, emotional breakdowns, physical recovery, feeding and all the associated changes. The key is to hold on and this too shall pass. On looking back later, it will all seem so worth the effort and one would want to hold on to it so dearly.

Having said that, these were tried and tested experiences. If only we are told about these earlier. One eventually learns as a part of the process. Many parents reading this may have some more ideas to share. It would be an absolute joy to see your comments pouring in. Please share this and spread the word amongst new parents, caregivers, family and friends. We would love to read your comments and answer your questions. Keep them coming!

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Enjoy simplified parenting!

♥♥ एक नै माँ के लिए कुछ ज़रूरी चीज़ें , इस आर्टिकल में इस बारे में बताया गया है | इस आर्टिकल की जानकारी हिंदी में पाने के लिए नीचे दिए वीडियो को देखें ►