How to Prepare for the Postpartum Season and Our Complete List of Essentials

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Are you ready to have this baby, mama!? You are so close and maybe you are starting to wonder about this thing called the “fourth trimester”. The hard part is not over after you have the baby! It is just the beginning into the wonderful, beautiful, and hard world of motherhood. Read this post to see how you can be prepared to face the postpartum season like the awesome woman you are!

Read this post about Everything You Need to Know About the Postpartum Season

The Three Basic Needs of the Postpartum Mom

The three basic needs of postpartum are not much different than the three basic needs of all humans. You will have many needs as your body is healing but these three will remain the core- food, water, and sleep. You will find that all the other needs revolve around these basic three being met. That is why I highly suggest that you plan now for how you will make sure these needs are a priority throughout your postpartum season.

There are some things that you cannot prepare for before the storm that is postpartum! (I am not trying to paint this season in a negative light because it is truly a wonderful time. However, we are honest here and this season can be as tough as it is amazing!) Each baby is different so if this is your second do not think you have it all figured out! You cannot control or prepare for things like baby’s sleep schedule, feed times, knowing your milk supply will be perfect, or even hormone issues like postpartum depression.

You can either choose to be overwhelmed by all that you cannot control or prepare for what you can control. These three basic needs are completely in control and very reasonable demands. Your body has to have food to function, you need water (especially if you are nursing!), sleep is a necessary part of life.

Here’s what I am saying, if nothing else gets done in the first few months postpartum- prioritize these three things. When baby is napping, sleep! If you have a good support system lean them for your three basic needs. As long as these are covered you will be in optimal position to care for yourself and your baby.

How to Prepare Meals for the Postpartum Season

Again, part of the basic three! Making sure you are ahead of and on top of having food readily available in the postpartum season can be such a game changer! This is especially true once your husband goes back to work or if he has no idea how to even boil water (I lucked out in this department!). Here are a few basic tips for creating a plan to prepare for food in the fourth trimester…

Meal train. Lean on that support system! Chances are that you have a few family members and friends who want to help you. You just need to let them know how. Organizing a meal train allows people to feel helpful and to be a true help to you in the postpartum season. Here’s how to do it…

• Make a list of people you know would love to help and that can respect boundaries.
• Make a list of the boundaries. Would it be more helpful for them to leave food at the door to respect your space? Are you a people person and you want all your friends to meet your baby? What time is best for your family? Do you have dietary restrictions? Think of all of these things ahead of time.
• Create a group text or email- be sure to include your list of boundaries. Make sure to have them respond if they are interested in helping and what day they can help.
• As people respond start penciling them in on the calendar. If you have not had your bay by the due date request that people bring meals you can freeze until baby is born to eat for later.

If you awkward asking for people to do this on your own try asking a close friend to organize the meal train for you!

Food Prep Party. Maybe you have a lot of friends and want one last chance to get together before you have your baby. Try throwing a meal prep party where all the girls come over and help you pack your freezer with all the postpartum food!

Freezer Meals. I (Tori) personally did freezer meals when I was pregnant with baby number two. My husband was allowed two weeks paid leave- which was SO NICE!! He can stinking cook so the first couple weeks were not a problem. The problem was after that when I was low on sleep, had a very busy one year old, and my wacko hormones had me feeling crazy. That was when the freezer meals literally saved the day! I highly suggest leaning on your support system the first week or two but having home cooked freezer meals or easy foods at the ready.

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Snacks! If you are breastfeeding I cannot say this enough- SNACKS!! Load up now on high protein, delicious snacks to eat throughout the day because you are going to be so hungry! Keep in mind they need to be easy to eat while feeding a baby. Things like yogurt are delicious and nutritious but they require a spoon!

Getting it all done. The truth- you do not have to get it all done. If you are thirty-eight weeks pregnant reading this food prepping you might feel like you are off the ball or that you are too late to the game. You definitely still have time but please do not let this overwhelm you!

Meal prep is such a blessing but don’t get too overwhelmed by it. I was planning to do my freezer meals at 35 weeks but got put on bedrest and wasn’t able to do any of it. The Lord knew and provided weeks of meals from friends and family postpartum.

-Anna

Preparing Your Body for the Postpartum Season

Preparing your body for ultimate postpartum healing is essential! It is also very simple to do. You do not have to do intense workouts every day or stick to some bizarre diet. Follow these simple steps to optimize your body for birth and postpartum….

• High protein, low carb, lots of veggies. You do not need to follow a rigid diet unless you have a health issue such as obesity, high blood pressure, or gestational diabetes. The main rule of thumb for a healthy pregnancy and postpartum diet is lots and lots of protein and low (not no!) carbs. The balance of a lot of protein and some carbs helps balance the body’s blood sugar levels. This will keep you feeling energized throughout pregnancy and healthy in the postpartum season. Adding a decent amount of green leafy veggies, other vegetables, and fruits will help balance vitamin and iron levels for a healthy pregnancy and optimal healing.
• Move your body every day during pregnancy. No rigid exercise program is required, just make it your goal to move your body. Maybe it is just walking to the mailbox and back a couple times a day or going to a park to enjoy a nice walk. Maybe you thrive best when you follow a daily exercise routine. The idea is to just keep your body moving- even at the very end.
• Rest. After you give birth make rest your priority. You may feel like you need to get back in shape right away but adding stress to your body does not help the healing process. Allow yourself several weeks of rest. Then after about six-eight weeks begin slowly doing workouts created for postpartum mothers or just by walking and moving your body a little every day.

Read this post about Why We Chose Natural Birth

Prepare Your Mind

Pregnancy, birth, motherhood- it is all in the mindset! Whether you have a great postpartum season (even with all the difficulties) or a miserable one will largely (not entirely) depend on your mindset going into it. The biggest key to conquering the mind game of the fourth trimester is found in the word “surrender”.

Surrendering to the fact that you are going to be awake throughout the night, that you will be dealing with raging hormones, and that breastfeeding is hard will help you mentally prepare for life postpartum. Again, not trying to paint the room negative but these challenges are real. You will likely have to face them in some ways.

Another key way to prepare your mind now is to not obsess over the hard. Pregnancy can be hard, postpartum can be challenging, motherhood is certainly not a walk in the park! However, when we choose to obsess on all the hard things we are preparing to live in a state of mental and emotional defeat. Practice now on finding the good things about pregnancy and choose to focus on those things.

When you find yourself in the postpartum season focused on the negative try shifting that focus. Remember things like…

• It is only a season.
• You will eventually get more than two hours of sleep.
• She will eventually stop crying.
• Soon she will be sleeping all on her own.
• One day he will not want to snuggle with you at two am.
• Breastfeeding will eventually get easier.

Preparing Your Space

This is a decision I (Tori) made with my second baby. After experiencing the long nights with my first and having a general idea of what was coming I made a decision. I decided that if I was going to be awake 3/4 of the night with a hungry or crying baby I was going to do it in the coziest place ever!

I have zero regrets!

She was due at the very end of November, Thanksgiving time. I decided that part of my nesting to-do had to be decorating for Christmas before she arrived because I knew I would not have interest in doing it after! My husband loves Christmas and had no complaints so at the beginning of December we put up the tree and all the things Christmas!

Three weeks later while awake at three am feeding a hungry baby I was thanking myself big time! I was snuggled up with a nice warm blanket feeding a sweet baby by the light of the Christmas tree watching a ridiculously sappy Hallmark Christmas movie. Can we get any more cozy?

Maybe your due in July, no where close to Christmas time. It is never too early to put up the tree- just kidding! There are definitely other ways to cozy up your space. What makes you feel the most comfortable? Maybe it is a soft blanket that is a certain color, warm lighting, a good snack or drink. Whatever it is prepare your space with the things that make you feel warm inside!

Another tip- prepare your space for functionality. Get things in order for what is going to work best. You might have to rearrange it later but having things in place will help you find a flow in the first weeks postpartum. Put diapers and wipes at a readily available location. Have snacks stored in places you will be feeding near. Have your postpartum essentials set up in the bathroom to streamline the potty process (it’s a whole ordeal!).

Prepare Your Husband

All men are different. Some want to be very involved with baby and others do not feel that desire as strongly. If your husband does not seem as involved as you feel he should be (even during pregnancy) this does not make him a bad dad! Think about it. You have carried this baby inside you for nine months. You have been literally, physically connected to this person. You have felt them move, had to change your habits, experienced the changes in your own body. They have not. It is natural for most men to not be as connected or know how to be involved.

They also are not a mom. They do not get motherly instincts. Motherly emotions do not capture their heart like it does ours. They also have no clue what we are going through in our minds and bodies. I would say that most men have a desire to help, to do something- they just do not know what or how. That is why communication on our part is so essential.

If you want help you are going to have to say it and in detail.

This is true in pregnancy, during birth, and the postpartum season. Mapping out how dad can best help you in these areas now is key to him feeling like a champion of a man and you feeling well loved and supported. Try to think through what might be difficult for you postpartum. Things like staying hydrated, resting well, having a clean space. All of these are things he can help (and would probably love to help with!).

Also try to prepare him for what you will be going through physically. This will help him better understand the hormone surges and the reason you need to rest for the next several weeks. When they know what is happening it takes away the unknown and the uncertainty of the situation. It puts them in the place of control so they can better accomplish the role of support.

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Preparing Your Other Children

If you have other littles or even older children it can be overwhelming adding a baby to the family. You may have concerns about how they will get along, how you will find time for the other children, or things like jealousy. First of all, try not to get overwhelmed with these thoughts! Children are very adaptable, way more than we think!

If you have littles prepare by letting them play with a baby doll. Teach them how to properly hold them. Teach them that eyes are not things we poke! Another great idea is to buy them some new toys or things to keep them busy. Buying a busy book or blocks that they only get to play with while you are nursing can help keep them occupied.

Older kids do best when they get to help. Allow them to help with tasks like giving the baby a bottle, changing a diaper, bringing you water, etc. Prepare them by talking about some of the challenges of having a newborn in the house. Ask them what they are most excited about.

Read Anna’s All-Natural Hospital Birth Story Here!

Postpartum Essentials

Well if you made it through that whole list of how to prepare- congratulations! Remember, you cannot prepare for everything but preparing for what is within your control is so helpful. A great way to prepare is to make sure you have everything for the best postpartum experience before baby arrives. Here is our list of postpartum essentials we could not live without!

• Ice maxi pads. Purchase these or prepare your own at home to keep things feeling good down there!
• Silverettes. I (Anna) used the Koala Babycare brand because they were cheaper. I never struggled with cracked nipples. Put a little breastmilk in them, place them in your bra, and go. Worth. Every. Penny.
• Peri Bottle. Most hospitals will give you one of these. They help to keep everything clean without having to wipe tender areas.
• Tucks pads. These are mad with witch hazel and they help to cool things and relieve itching while things are healing up. Don’t skimp on the name brand! The off brands tend to be too dry.
• Adult diapers. JUST DO IT!
• Mattress cover. These are great for keeping birth and afterbirth fluids off your mattress!
• Nipple cream.
• Cozy lounge clothes and pajamas.
• Things for a cozy space (talked about in Preparing Your Space)
• A good show or podcast to keep you company in the late night/early morning hours.
• Large water bottle. Invest in a pretty one, you will be looking at it a lot!
• Earthley Milk Flowin’ salve for clogged ducts. Worked out a clog in less than 10 minutes and saved me a trip to the doctor for mastitis!
• Favorite high protein snacks

We hope this post has helped you in knowing what you need to do to prepare for the postpartum season! It is truly a great time filled with baby snuggles, sweet laughter and tears, and forming a beautiful bond with your baby. We wish you the best mama!

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