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You’ve successfully brought a tiny new human into the world! Now what? There’s a reason the first three months with your newborn are often referred to as “the fourth trimester.” Your body is again undergoing a whirlwind of changes as you recover from childbirth.
Not only are you learning to breastfeed, but your body is slowly returning to normal after stretching for nine months to accommodate that little life. Take it slow. Give your body a chance to recover. These ten tools will help ensure a successful postpartum recovery, allowing you to spend your days getting to know your little one.
1. Find Support With Virtual Post Partum Coaching From Oula
Bringing home a newborn is an extremely overwhelming experience, especially if it’s your first child and you don’t know what to expect. You’ll face a few months of sleepless nights, where you must wake up every few hours to feed your child. Having a support team can make a huge difference in your mental health.
They provide some breastfeeding coaching before you leave the hospital, but you’re on your own once you leave. Traditional doctor’s offices don’t offer the support women need post-partum. Oula seeks to change that by providing virtual doula coaching on breastfeeding and nutrition between office visits.
Oula is a New York City-based healthcare center that seeks to improve the birth experience. They work to personalize your entire birth experience from pre to postpartum. That extra virtual coaching between doctors’ visits can make a huge difference in your mental health. Your virtual doula can help you catch any symptoms of post-partum depression and get you the help you need to stay on track.
2. Stay Comfortable With Hatch
You’ll spend most of your time at home in the fourth trimester. Prioritize wearing comfortable clothing that makes it easy to rest and relax. Hatch’s maternity leggings are comfortable enough to wear daily pre and postpartum. They’re made from modal, a natural moisture-wicking fabric that is as soft as it is cool.
If you’ve had a C-section, most over-the-bump maternity leggings can aggravate your stitches. Hatch’s maternity leggings conveniently fold down for post-C-section wear. They aren’t overly tight but give the perfect amount of stretch and support while your body returns to normal.
Hatch offers a discount if you buy two pairs, and you will certainly want to wear these cozy maternity leggings daily. Pair them with one of Hatch’s nursing and pumping bras to complete your comfy post-partum ensemble.
3. Get the Rest You Need to Recover From Transfer Master
Whether you have a C-section or give birth vaginally, you’ll stay in bed for the first few weeks as much as possible to give your body the time it needs to recover. Having an adjustable Transfer Master hospital bed can make your life easier in the days just after childbirth.
If you have limited mobility after delivering your baby, having a hospital bed can help you retain your independence by making getting in and out of bed more convenient. When it’s time to nurse, the hospital bed’s controls will allow you to quickly adjust from lying down to an upright position. Transfer Master offers a selection of home hospital beds that will flow effortlessly with your home decor.
Consider investing in a home hospital bed if you plan to have an at-home birth. Transfer Matters offers stretch fabric mattress covers that are waterproof and easy to clean. Use the frame to change positions during labor quickly. You’ll be much more comfortable laboring for hours in an adjustable bed than your traditional one.
4. Recharge Spiritually With Artizen’s Essential Oil Sets
You’ll spend a lot of time these first few months with your new baby. But being with your baby 24/7 can feel exhausting. Set time aside for yourself each day to indulge in a bit of self-care. Let your partner bathe the baby while you take one yourself.
While you relax in the warm water, use aromatherapy to help rejuvenate your spirit and calm your mind. Diffuse your favorite Artizen essential oil sets to create a soothing atmosphere. Let the subtle scent of lavender calm your mind. Or reinvigorate your senses with a burst of lemongrass and eucalyptus to feel more energized for the rest of the day.
Essential oil sets are perfectly safe for you to use in the early days post-partum, but you should avoid diffusing essential oils around your newborn until they are at least three months old. Your baby is still tiny, and their immune system is just developing. Even if you don’t apply the essential oil topically, it could irritate their skin and cause a rash.
5. Do Less Laundry Thanks To Miracle Brand
Babies create plenty of laundry on their own. Cleaning your sheets every few days is the last thing you want to do in those first few weeks at home with your newborn. Unfortunately, traditional bed sheets are a breeding ground for bacteria. Sleeping on dirty sheets could irritate your skin and potentially be dangerous if you have sutures from delivery or a C-section.
Switch your bedding for silver-infused sheets from Miracle Brand. Their NASA-inspired fabric fights off bacteria for you. The silver ions in the fabric produce a positive charge. This charge attracts bacteria like a magnet and prevents them from reproducing. You can sleep easy knowing no nasty bacteria lurks, and your sheets will smell better too.
Miracle Brand claims that their sheets and towels can be washed three times less frequently than traditional bed and bath linens. That means less laundry and more cuddly mornings in bed with your little one.
6. Fight Fatigue With Vitality Daily Greens From L’Evate You
If you thought pregnancy was tiring, just wait for the fourth trimester. You and your partner will be functioning on very few hours of sleep. You may both have a few weeks of parental leave, but you’ll still have tasks you must accomplish daily. When you’re exhausted simple things like making dinner and cleaning the house can feel impossible.
Vitality Daily Greens from L’Evate You can help support your body in fighting fatigue to help you find the energy to get things done. Their green powder includes thirty superfoods to support your immune system and a healthy gut biome.
The secret ingredient in L’Evate You is the M Charge Cellular Energy Complex. This complex can only be found in L’Evate You’s formula. M Charge helps to maintain optimal cellular health to keep you energized and feeling your best. It supports your body’s mitochondrial function – which, if you remember from biology class, are the energy centers of our cells.
7. Boost Your Milk Supply With BabyBuddha
If you plan on breastfeeding, you’ll want to invest in a breast pump. Not only is a breast pump necessary for when you return to the office after maternity leave, but regular pumping can help to increase your milk production. You can add pumping sessions between baby’s feed times to trick your body into thinking you’re cluster feeding. Your body will eventually produce more milk to meet the needs of feeds and pumping sessions.
If you plan to pump regularly, you’ll need a breast pump that’s small and easy to use. BabyBuddha offers the smallest portable breast pump on the market – their pump is even smaller than your iPhone. You can use BabyBuddha’s tool as a single or double breast pump. Use it on the opposite breast while feeding your baby, or use the double pump between feeds.
Since BabyBuddha’s pump is tiny and battery-operated, you can move around your home while you pump. You can pump while you do the dishes or fold laundry. When you return to the office, it’ll be much easier to build up a backup milk supply. BabyBuddha’s pump is whisper-quiet, so you can pump in privacy once you’re back at work.
8. Drink Healthy Soda from Olipop
Pumping and breastfeeding all day are bound to make you thirsty. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, especially when nursing. Newborns don’t drink water; they get all their hydration from you. This means you need to stay extra-hydrated to keep up your milk supply.
Sometimes water alone won’t cut it. You need a healthy soda alternative when you’re craving something sweet. Instead of reaching for a traditional soda, grab a can of Olipop. These healthy sodas only have two to five grams of sugar per serving. They contain probiotics and nine grams of fiber to keep your digestive system functioning at its best.
After giving birth, it could be a while before you’re regular again. Eating more fiber can help support healthy bowel movements. Drinking an Olipop is much more satisfying than your grandma’s Metamucil. These healthy sodas come in various delicious flavors like ginger lemon, banana cream, strawberry vanilla, and traditional flavors like classic cola.
9. Have a Frida Mom Peri Bottle Handy
Many new moms dread those first few trips to the bathroom after giving birth. Pushing out a baby will aggravate your netherregion. Especially if you tear something as simple as going pee can be a painful experience while you wait for your body to heal.
Use Frida Mom’s upside-down peri bottle to soothe discomfort when you use the restroom. Unlike the bottle they give you at the hospital, this peri bottle has a more ergonomic design, making it easier to spray water below while you do your business. The water will help prevent urine from further irritating your inflamed area or aggravating your stitches.
Pack your upside-down peri bottle in your hospital bag and use it to help you during your first trip to the restroom after giving birth. Bring it home with you and continue to use it as your body heals.
10. Earth Mama Organic’s Herbal Perineal Spray To Soothe Itching and Discomfort
Sometimes the peri bottle alone isn’t enough. As you recover, your lady parts will likely feel irritated in those first few weeks. Soothe yourself with Earth Mama’s organic herbal perineal spray. It’s made with all-natural ingredients like cooling cucumber, witch hazel, and herbs formulated to calm perineal discomfort.
Unlike competitors, Earth Mama uses all-natural and organic ingredients. Perfect for women who have sensitive skin. You don’t have to worry about spraying artificial fragrances or preservatives on your sensitive lady parts.
Simply spray the all-natural cooling mist down below to experience lasting relief. The sprayer is designed upside down to make it easy to use before or after using the toilet. You don’t have to awkwardly tilt your wrist to reach these hard-to-reach places.
Enjoy Every Moment of Your Fourth Trimester
Yes, the fourth trimester can be overwhelming – but it can be magical, too, especially if you’re adequately prepared will all your postpartum essentials. Soak up every second of these first three months with your newborn. They’ll only be this small once.
In these last few weeks, before you head to the hospital, visualize what life with your baby will realistically look like. Yes, you will be tired. Yes, your body will need some time to recover from the miracle of birth. But nothing beats seeing your little one’s face for the first time.
If you’ve already had a baby, what tools did you find essential in your postpartum experience? Share them in the comments, and let us know if you try any of our suggestions. Remember, you’ve got this mama.
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