What is on your "must have" list for pp recovery?

[Jilian]

I'm starting to build my labor and pp stash and wanted to know what you mamas absolutely must have on hand for pp recovery. I tend to be really sore, rip to shreds, and have issues with blisters from nursing. I need all the help I can get! Here is what I'm planning on so far:

After Ease tincture by Wishgarden for pp cramping
Arnica tablets
Advil for when the cramping gets really bad
disposable pp pads soaked in herbal bath then frozen
PP herbal bath for my peri bottle
Earth mama angel baby bottom balm - AWESOME STUFF
EMAB natural nipple butter butter

I need something to relieve the pain of engorgement. Last time it was so insanely painful. I had gerber hot/cold packs and they didn't do a thing.

What are you mamas planning on getting?

[spiritedmama]

Cabbage leaves worked awesome for engorgement for me with my DD's. Put them in the fridge, when you get them out give them a rinse in cold water and pat dry, cut a hole out for your nipple and put inside your bra. Once they wilt, get more. The coldness of the leaves feels great when you are engorged and the cabbage produces a chemical that reduces your milk supply.

[sky_and_lavender]

Thank you for mentioning this and for sharing your list! I am just having my first baby, and even though I have planned much for the birth itself, I have been timid about thinking about the post-birth recovery for me. So I'm excited to hear what others have to say.

spiritedmama: how amazing about the cabbage leaves! Thank you!

[ChaoticMum]

I'm going to haunt this one as I'm delivering with an OB and won't have my midwife for support this time (different province, no midwives here available!)....

[Spring Sun]

Just as a side note, I used to date the Wishgarden lady's son and he is now a good friend of mine I should have stocked up on tinctures, hers are AWESOME

[Spring Sun]

I loved my sitz bath afterwards. But other than that, there was nothing else I really needed. maybe some nipple cream?

[Spring Sun]

Sorry, also wanted to add that I love this mama for all my tea and have been ordering mama stuff from her for a couple eyars now (and she is a mdc mom). I noticed she now has a sitz bath, so I am going to for sure order that!
Love and Tea

[wombatclay]

The Love and Tea mama was in my dd1's DDC. She's wonderful and I'm so glad her business has expanded.

My pp kit (a lot of this is doubled in my birth kit, or just around the house first aid kit):

--honey infused with comfrey for putting on tears
--lansinoh or other nipple cream (I make my own because lanolin and I don't agree)
--aloe gel also for tears
--breast soothies and breast pads (though a prefold in a nursing tanks works at home)

--sitz bath blend (homemade)
--pp pads soaked in sitz bath and frozen
--disposable "heat pads" (alternate hot and cold to speed healing)

bach remedies
--Rescue Remedy for everything
--Olive for exhaustion
--Rock Rose for any birth trauma (from skid marks to c/s)

homeopathics
--Arnica for all sorts of physical birth trauma
--Aconite for any emotional shock or trauma
--Sepia for emotional numbness or exhaustion

herbal/aromatherapy
--RRL tea and Nursing tea
--lavender and clary sage oils for relaxation
--rose
--peppermint
--geranium
--ginger for circulation and warming

medications
--tylenol for pain/swelling
--gas x for gas
--colace for constipation

[Flower of Bliss]

Originally Posted by spiritedmama

Cabbage leaves worked awesome for engorgement for me with my DD's. Put them in the fridge, when you get them out give them a rinse in cold water and pat dry, cut a hole out for your nipple and put inside your bra. Once they wilt, get more. The coldness of the leaves feels great when you are engorged and the cabbage produces a chemical that reduces your milk supply.

Just as a warning, cabbage is can really really dry you up quickly. So, if you're going to try cabbage leaves, be careful. Here's what KellyMom recommends as far as cabbage leaves goes.

[spiritedmama]

Thanks Flower of Bliss! I was thinking I probably should have put a bit more info. in there about that

[stardust swallower]

ooooooooh. great links! thanks for thinking ahead, ladies.

[jlmack45]

After the hemorrage(sp) and 3rd degree tear with my daughter, Tucks pads or just cloths doused in witch hazel were my best friends!!!! Ahhhhhh!

Extra large maxis or a large cloth- the first time I gave birth, I was completely unprepared for the 5 weeks of bleeding that came afterward. Someone left that out of my pre-birthing talks.

I'm not sure about BF, I never had any milk come in, and I never got engorged... I tried to BF, but I was unable to. I will try again this time, but if he is not getting anything, I will be more prepared and not feel as guilty this time.

[Jilian]

I love cabbage leaves for extreme engorgement. I used them as a last resort both times because for some reason my body makes enough milk to feed a small country. When you say it can "dry you up" do you mean your milk, your skin (ouch!), or both? I could stand to lose a little milk but would hate to get dry skin because I usually get blisters and don't want to make things worse.

[wombatclay]

Cabbage leaves can reduce milk supply... so they can be an over-supply mama's best friend, but a nightmare for a low-supply mama.

For engorgement they work well, but if you know you have supply problems or suspect you might then it's better to stick with something else or to only use the cabbage leaves as a "one time treatment" option.

[August09baby]

Uh..lets see..A house cleaner and a cook ::

I have not actually thought about this yet but I am :

Thanks to all

[ombrooklyn]

the only thing i had really thought of was arnica and sitz.
i'm so glad this thread came up. Although as we get closer i'll have more talks with my MW about this so i'm not really worried.

[JudiAU]

The hospital I delivered at had these pads that you twisted and they would get cold. Heaven. Anything cold was great.

[Mamatoabunch]

Advil, tylenol and cal/mag to manage after birth cramps. W/ all that they still sucked last time.
Some new nursing/lounge jammies. I had some last time w/ Eiley I loved and was just thinking I want another pair.

[Koalamom]

I love this thread. Great ideas ladies!

One thing I am planning on having on hand this time around is more food. I ate so much pizza and junk food after DD was born. I asked my hubby to start a big pot of nourishing soup when I go into labor, and I can chop veggies to have the time pass. Then when I have the baby, all the midwives and I can enjoy a nice bowl of soup.

[chi_mama]

Colace
curved Poise pads for pp bleeding (I think they are actually for incontinence but someone gave them to me after ds and they were great)
a couple pairs of pj's I can answer the door in and feel comfortable visiting w/ people in
oatmeal cookies: they are supposed to help w/ milk supply (and easy to eat)

I'd like to try some type of tea(?) in the peri bottle this time. Any suggestions?