When it comes to preparing for a new baby, so much attention and planning goes into what the baby will need once they are born. However, preparing for the new mother’s postpartum recovery and needs is equally as important.
New mom survival kits are great pregnancy gifts for first-time moms. Even before her baby is born, she spends most of her time worrying about what the baby needs and, when nesting begins, preparing her home for the new arrival.
Just about every gift an expectant mother receives is meant for her baby. But what about her? The best new mom gifts are the ones that will help her be prepared for some of the challenges of postpartum care and take care of herself in the first few weeks of motherhood.
Here are the 11 most important items to put in a self-care kit for moms.
New Mom Self-Care Items
It’s no surprise that new mothers have trouble finding time to care for their basic needs after coming home with their new baby. Some of the most important items you can give as a new mother gift are simple, self-care items that make them feel good and help them care for themselves.
1. Face Wipes
This thoughtful gift allows mom to wash her face whenever and wherever she needs to. She can put them in her diaper bag, purse, or by her nightstand. Being able to feel fresh in an instant will be a lifesaver.
2. Dry Shampoo
Taking a shower will feel like a luxury in the first few weeks postpartum, never mind washing her hair regularly, and styling it is often not even an option. Dry shampoo can help a new mother feel more like herself, and feeling fresh in the days between washings.
3. A Really Good Water Bottle
Staying hydrated is an essential part of feeling good and healing properly. Water intake is also critical for nursing mothers whose supply is starting to come in and regulate. A well-insulated, reusable water bottle, like a Yeti, or a Camelback, will keep cold, fresh, water longer and make it easier for mom to have water with her at all times.
4. Good Hand Cream
There is a lot of handwashing and hand sanitizing happening in the first few months with a newborn. Mom is constantly changing diapers, washing her hands, bathing her baby, and many other activities that can leave her hands dry, itchy, and chapped. A good-quality hand cream will help alleviate the discomfort and protect her hands. Bonus point for luxurious fragrances that help mom feel pampered.
5. Disposable Mini-Toothbrushes
These amazing oral hygiene items require no water and no rinsing and can be kept just about anywhere! From the hospital to her bedside table at home, these toothbrushes can help mom stay on top of her oral hygiene as well as being able to feel fresh quickly and in a pinch.
Postpartum Recovery Items
Giving birth, whether naturally or by cesarean section, is a traumatic and strenuous process for a woman’s body. Postpartum recovery is so important for a new mother to heal properly and to ensure she is healthy and able to care for her new baby.
Including some of these items in a new mom gift basket will help ensure that the new mother will have everything she needs to care for herself in the weeks after delivering her baby.
1. Epsom Salt
Sitz baths are generally recommended to help with a variety of postpartum symptoms. Soaking in Epsom salt baths can help alleviate symptoms of hemorrhoids, provide relief from sore muscles, and soothe pain and itching associated with stitches or other injuries that can happen during delivery,
Epsom salt baths are relaxing and soothing as well. Every new mother needs time to recharge and refresh. Epsom salts are also available in a variety of scents, like lavender, to add aromatherapy for even more relaxation.
2. Disposable Underwear and Pads
One of the things all new mothers will experience, regardless of how they delivered their babies, is postpartum bleeding. Disposable postpartum underwear is designed to be comfortable, breathable, and absorbent.
Having a variety of pad sizes and options available helps make sure that a new mother has everything she needs at home to care for herself and manage her bleeding properly. Pads can also be frozen to provide additional relief from swelling and pain.
3. Witch Hazel and Hemorrhoid Cream
Many new mothers will experience hemorrhoids during postpartum recovery. Hemorrhoid ointment or cream will provide much-needed relief and treatment for the pain, itching, swelling, and discomfort caused by hemorrhoids.
Witch hazel pads are also a wonderful postpartum survival kit item because, in addition to providing cooling relief for hemorrhoids, they can also be used to soothe vaginal irritation. Witch hazel pads are a must-have for all new mothers.
4. Soothing Nipple Pads and Cream
The first few weeks of breastfeeding are not always as easy as a new mother anticipates. It is common for new nursing mothers to experience nipple discomfort and pain when they first start breastfeeding.
Breast care is an important part of postpartum care. Cooling nipple pads and nipple cream can help treat dryness and cracking, and provide much-needed relief from itching, burning, and pain. Nipple soreness doesn’t last forever, but having a way to treat it is a lifesaver.
5. Postpartum Belly Band
Supporting and caring for a postpartum body can help speed recovery and prevent additional symptoms and discomfort. There are many benefits to wearing a belly band after delivering a baby.
During pregnancy, a woman’s abdominal muscles are stretched and the ligaments in the pelvic joint become loose. Women who deliver by c-section, are also recovering from a major abdominal surgery.
Postpartum belly bands can help improve the healing of diastasis recti, lower back pain, and pelvic floor dysfunction. They provide much needed abdominal support and alleviate lower back pain and discomfort, and can aid in the body’s natural healing process.
6. Compression Socks
Postpartum edema, or swelling, is very common. This can be a result of water retention from the increase in the hormone progesterone, a result of fluids given during labor and delivery, or just left-over fluids from the pregnancy that the body hasn’t released yet.
Whatever the cause, postpartum swelling in the legs and ankles can be very uncomfortable and can also lead to other health problems including varicose veins and deep vein thrombosis.
The best way to treat swelling in your legs and swollen feet after pregnancy is by using high-quality postpartum socks. It has been proven that wearing compression socks within the first 24 hours after delivery significantly reduces postpartum edema.
At Pear Compression, our high-quality, Italian-made graduated compression socks were designed specifically for pregnant women and new mothers. Wearing our compression socks during postpartum recovery increases the blood flow to the lower extremities and moves fluids back up into the kidneys, making it easier for a new mother’s body to eliminate them naturally.
Because postpartum edema is generally localized to the legs and feet, wearing postpartum socks during the day helps the postpartum body to properly process the excess fluid and alleviate the discomfort caused by the swelling, and keep mom’s feet and legs feeling energized.
Our compression socks are a new mother’s best friend and one of the most important items in a new mom survival kit. Our compression socks were made to be comfortable, functional, and stylish! Our cute, fun, and trendy patterns and styles help new mother’s feel good while improving their postpartum health. Our seamless 360-degree technology and graduated compression reduce swelling, improve circulation, and increase energy for gentle yet effective support.
At Pear Compression, we are committed to helping new mother’s feel their best, one Pear at a time!