PP RECOVERY: THE ONLY THINGS YOU ACTUALLY NEED

I discussed my delivery in this post and my c-section recovery in this post, but one thing we haven’t yet touched on, was what I ACTUALLY ended up using post-surgery.

Let’s start here – you might recall my post, sharing the details about what I packed in my hospital bag? HA. Well, the jokes on me, because neither of us even OPENED our bags. I had a separate bag with snacks, which of course I dug into, but in terms of much else.. probably could have saved my husband a few trips up and down to the car. We were running so high on adrenaline that I couldn’t have cared less what I was wearing or what I looked like in the hospital. Obviously, I can only share from my experience with a c-section delivery, but here’s what I found.

THE ONLY ITEMS I NEEDED:

Before my due date I stocked up on a few items I thought might help make the experience somewhat more enjoyable (like Frida Mom ice pads etc.), but sadly most of them went unused (due to c-section). Instead, here are the main items I tried and would recommend:

I bought the Frida Mom Boy Shorts, but ended up wearing the hospital mesh underwear for weeks after we got home (came home with a few extra pairs lol). Between bleeding, pads, and a fresh wound, they were all I wanted to wear. While in the hospital, I couldn’t bear to even think about wearing anything that was tight against my incision or my waist for that matter, so I actually ended up wearing my hospital gown for the 2 days we were there. Kind of gross.. now that I think about it, but thats’ the honest truth. That and the hideous, thick, knee-high socks they give you before surgery. Ended up wearing those for 2 days straight too. While hideous, they were comfy.

Once we got home and I was able to shower and feel somewhat human, I switched over to my Knix leakproof boy shorts and their nursing bra & tank. I would highly recommend these. Everything is leakproof and made with this buttery soft, stretchy fabric that is so comfortable and forgiving.

OTHER NOTES + RECOMMENDATIONS:

Frida Mom Peri Bottle: this is a genius product. If you’re like me, you had no idea that peri bottles are very important for mom’s post birth. You basically use it to wash yourself after going to the washroom (which the nurse will advise you must be done after each time to keep things clean). The cheap ones they have at the hospital are very basic and harder to use, but the Frida Mom ones are created specifically for moms, and are designed with an angled spout head so it’s so much easier to use. If you haven’t had a kid yet, you’ll have no idea what I’m talking about but trust me on this one!

Frida Mom Ice Pads: I bought these and was interested in seeing if they worked, but never ended up being able to use them.

Frida Mom Boy Shorts: I did buy and go through a box of these after we got home from the hospital but found them to be rough and not the comfiest. I actually ended up taking a few extra mesh pairs from the hospital and wore those for weeks after, while my tummy was still tender.

Knix Leakproof Underwear & Boy Shorts: I also bought some leakproof underwear and boy shorts from Knix and they were SO much more comfortable than the Frida Mom ones. Mainly bc they are made with super stretchy, soft material, easy to wash and of course, leakproof.

Buy shitty bras & nursing tops: bc yours will get trashed! I don’t know why but breastmilk stains the shit out of everything! Do yourself a favour and do not wear anything you hope to wear again.

Hospital stay needs: all we ACTUALLY used while staying at the hospital for 2 days were: our pillows and an extra blanket (bc I’m always cold), charging cords for our phones, lots of snacks & a water bottle.

Breast pump: I made the mistake of not buying a pump beforehand and sent my husband to get one once I realized how much more proactive I could be by pumping and building up my supply. I wanted to get the Elvie pump, but it’s not available in Canada, so I got the Medela electric pump. It’s been fine and works well but if I had to do it again, I would get one that you could be hands-free (bc I hate feeling like a trapped prisoner).