Everyone buys for the baby. This is the list for you. Short, and the kind of thing you want in the house before you come home.
Five things to have in the house before the baby comes: a peri bottle, a perineal spray, a sitz bath, postpartum pads, and a stool for the toilet. One button puts all five in an Amazon cart. The card below this article does that.
I am not listing 50 things. Just the ones that work.
A peri bottle. An angled squeeze bottle. Rinse with warm water each time you use the bathroom. Most hospitals send you home with one. If yours got lost, get another. Frida Mom makes one.
A footstool for the toilet. Feet up, knees above hips. It relaxes your pelvic floor so you can go without straining. Squatty Potty is one. Straining on the toilet is one of the worst things you can do for a healing pelvic floor.
A stool softener. Not on any list, because it is the one your own doctor tells you to take. Ask before you leave the hospital.
Perineal ice packs. For the first week or two after vaginal delivery, these are your best friend. They reduce swelling and provide relief. The ones that fit inside your underwear are worth every penny.
A perineal spray. A cooling spray for sore tissue in the first weeks. Earth Mama makes one.
A sitz bath. Herbal sachets for a warm soak, and a basin that fits on your toilet. Much easier than filling a bathtub.
Postpartum pads. You will bleed for weeks. Buy more than seems right. Bleeding is heavy for the first week or two and should gradually lighten. If it gets heavier, or you are soaking more than one pad an hour, call your doctor.
A gentle belly band. It can help you feel more stable in the early weeks, especially after a C-section. It is not about getting your body back. It is external support while your core heals. Do not wear it all day. Use it when you are up and moving, and do not rely on it long term.
Recovery shorts. Medical-grade compression shorts for women who feel heaviness or pressure in the early weeks. Not a fix, but they make daily life more comfortable while you are healing.
A big water bottle. You need way more water than you think, especially if you are breastfeeding. Keep it within arm's reach at all times. Dehydration makes everything harder: recovery, energy, milk supply, bowel function.
Protein at every meal. Your body is rebuilding tissue. Eggs, Greek yogurt, chicken, beans, protein shakes. Do not worry about a perfect diet. Just make sure protein shows up.
Not for the first weeks. Once your provider clears you for exercise.
A resistance band set, light to medium. A basic set of loop bands is all you need for postpartum recovery exercises. You do not need a gym membership.
A yoga mat. Anything comfortable. Just something between you and the hardwood.
A pelvic floor trainer. The Perifit and the Elvie connect to a phone app that shows whether you are squeezing the right muscles. Great for women who are not sure they are doing kegels correctly.
Lubricant. Water-based and pH-balanced, like Good Clean Love or Slippery Stuff. If you are breastfeeding, vaginal dryness is almost guaranteed. A good lubricant is not a luxury. It is a necessity.
Anything sold as getting your body back fast. Instagram is full of women in matching workout sets three weeks postpartum. Ignore all of that. Those posts are not showing the full picture. The first six weeks are for healing.
Pelvic Floor Exercises After Birth: When to Start and What to Do
Your First Poop After Birth: How to Make It Easier
Postpartum Recovery Timeline: The First 12 Weeks, Week by Week
Exercise After Birth: When You Can Walk, Lift, and Run Again
When Kegels Are Not Working After Baby: Tight vs. Weak
Diastasis Recti Exercises: What to Do and What to Skip
C-Section Recovery Timeline: Week by Week to Full Healing
Sex After Birth: When, Why It Hurts, and What Helps
How to Check for Diastasis Recti at Home
C-Section Scar Massage: When to Start and How
Perifit vs Elvie Trainer: Which Pelvic Floor Trainer Should You Buy?
Best Peri Bottle After Birth: Frida vs the Hospital Bottle
Best Postpartum Pads: What to Buy and How Many
Dr. Meg Cochran is a licensed Doctor of Physical Therapy specializing in pelvic floor rehabilitation, a trained doula, and a mom of four. She treats women after birth through Where You Are Physical Therapy in Oxford, Mississippi.
This article is educational and is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or a substitute for in-person care. Products are named as examples. Follow your own provider's instructions. For heavy bleeding, fever, severe pain, or thoughts of harming yourself or your baby, contact your healthcare provider or call 911.
After Birth is Dr. Meg's postpartum pelvic floor recovery guide. Nine chapters, every exercise with its dose, a C-section track, the diastasis check, the return-to-run checklist, and the tight-versus-weak chapter most moms never get. An instant PDF you can read on your phone. It is educational, not physical therapy.
Get the After Birth guide$37 one time · Instant PDF