Mamas usually spend a ton of time thinking about and packing our hospital bag. We are making sure we have in there, among other things, the perfect onesie for the baby with matching swaddles, a trendy robe and slippers for us (that we will inevitably barf and/or pee and/or bleed on), and a coordinating outfit to go home in.
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BUT, what about what Mama needs? This is often overlooked in the hustle and bustle of getting ready for the arrival of a new baby, but remember, Mama’s needs are important too! Having a baby is HARD, and whether we go for cesarean birth or vaginal, our bodies go through A LOT and we need to have some easy, feel-good items to help Mama heal.
Since there is a lot of information on how to prepare your hospital bag for your newborn, here are my top picks for what I like to call “The Vag Bag” the bags for new Mamas.
- High-quality undergarments: Modibodi undies and nursing bra: Modibodi makes THE BEST period and pee-proof underwear, and they have just expanded their line to include postpartum undies and nursing bras. The nursing bra is something I wish I had 6 years ago, I’ll tell you that for free. Not only are they sustainable, but they are also comfy AF, and they absorb leaks (from up there or down there), wicking moisture away keeping you dry. I can’t tell you how many times I shoved diapers in my bra only to be soggy and get thrush. Want to search around some Modibodi products? Click HERE and enter code THEDOWNTHEREDOC2021 for exclusive savings! We love these products, y’all, so don’t miss out!
- Ice packs: think of birth as an athletic event and we need to recover and recuperate in the best way possible. Ice can be great for pain reduction, as well as decreasing swelling and inflammation. Get a few of the disposable ice packs, frozen peas work great, or long gel reusable ice packs that you can drape over your pubic bone and sling all the way back to the bootyhole. Icing 10-15 min time a few times a day can be a huge help
- Peri-bottle: get a few of these and stash them strategically throughout your home/bathroom. Trust me, you DO NOT want to be using scratchy toilet paper to wipe after you use the bathroom. That tissue down there is sensitive and fragile and an upside-down peribottle filled with warm water will do the trick
- Numbing Spray/Perineal Cooling Spray: This can work for hemorrhoids, sore stitches, and just overall ouchiness after a baby. Use this after you spray with your peribottle, or even a squirt of numbing spray before you pee or poop to take the edge off. Follow up with an ice pack
- Compression Leggings: Forgo an abdominal waist trainer and pick out a pair of postpartum-specific recovery leggings that have an abdominal panel to go up to the top of your belly. We want compression to be generated upwards, not sideways, for maximum support and healing, no matter if your baby exited through the sunroof or the lobby
So there you go! Start to put together your own Vag Bag, and remember Mama, you and your body are important and deserve to be taken care of and to have the resources you need to heal. Birth is an athletic event that takes a toll on our bodies. Let’s make sure YOU have what you need to recover and that you are Thriving too.
