My Best Postpartum Tips

Well, I’ve only done it once, but I do have some tips (for myself if no one else!) that will hopefully make your postpartum experience as smooth and enjoyable as possible, for you and your family.

Start storing up extra groceries, frozen meals, pantry/home items, and personal care items well ahead of time.

Because I was induced 2 weeks early, I hadn’t quite had the wherewithal to do a proper food/household run before heading to the hospital. This time, I am very much looking forward to channeling my inner 90’s-mom vibe and keeping a very full pantry at least a month prior to our due date.

Focus on easy, healthy snacks that don’t require a ton of prep and won’t spoil easily. I love fresh food and salads, which TBH are the least practical to prep and store postpartum. Helpful alternatives include having some fresh veg with dips like hummus, healthy granola bars, apples and peanut butter, carbs (!!) like bread and pretzels, and nuts, especially during the wee hours of the night when needing sustenance for breastfeeding.

Also, it was very nice to have comforting pick-me-up items, such as sparkling waters, chocolate, healthy pb/choco/oatmeal energy bites (easy to make ahead and freeze), and ice cream (duh!) I’ll be researching some helpful tips for the best postpartum freezer meals, which feels a little nerve-wracking (tips welcome), but if I plan far enough in advance I think I’ll have enough gusto to prep them ahead of time.

Helpful home items to stock up on are tissues, toilet paper, pads, laundry and dish detergents, pet food, paper products (hallelujah), and trash bags!

Welcome/plan for visitors on a daily (or almost daily) basis for the first 3 weeks postpartum.

Griffin came into the world right at the beginning of quarantine in the US. For that reason, we didn’t really have a plan regarding who was coming to visit, when visitors came, and how often we wanted take visitors. We did have a meal train (100% going to do that again!) but this time, I’m hoping to have a very open door for visitors in the first 3 weeks.

Why? Honestly, emotional uplift! I’ve embraced the fact that I won’t look great and my house will be messy. My baby might be crying and I might need to breastfeed. But having someone there — trusted friends or family members — makes it all feed shared, and therefore, easier, brighter, and cheerier in some way!

Save a book especially for postpartum

One of the main things that helped me to feel comforted and like myself in those early days was to read, even if was just a couple of minutes at a time. I didn’t have the space to journal, and that was OK. This took me a few weeks to realize, but once I started reading, I felt like a little baby bud of a routine was sprouting, and that provided a glimmer of levity and normalcy. I grabbed Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts from my bookshelf and read through very slowly during naps or during the middle of the night.

While last time I spent too much time on social media (again, grasping to feel less alone/more normal), I won’t have that available to me this time, so I’ll want to be prepared with a book I’m excited about. I’ll be searching for softer, feel-good books that don’t have anything to do with newborn life (although I’ll have Babywise within reach for those moments I need a refresher on how to do the newborn life thing!)

I’ll also keep a few new issues of my favorite magazines on hand (Real Simple, Magnolia, Southern Living), and will definitely premeditate some shows I’ll want to blaze through (because let’s be honest, that was a HUGE help) either again (Gilmore Girls, Downton Abbey, The Great British Baking Show, or any other Masterpiece Theater series) or for the first time (taking suggestions!)

Make small goals for the weeks throughout the 4th trimester

I talked about my 3-weeks of resting/bonding in this post, and I intend to do that again! By week 4, I’d love to start taking small walks with the family. It will be in the heat of September, so likely these would be in the evening!

After that, small (but significant) goals include starting to make a few meals here and there, going to Target (it’s one of the closest big stores to us and is a very practical outing goal that includes Starbucks!), getting groceries (thankfully I’ve perfected the Aldi pickup!), doing laundry (including putting it away - the hardest part for me), and going to church at least one time.

Things to not have any goals for: anything related to work, writing, posting, or meeting any expectations of capturing life. If I do have an urge and a moment to journal, great! Or an urge to take a picture or video for our own records - awesome! Just no pressure for that to look a certain way.

Plan for practical house help

This time around, we have planned and budgeted for a professional house cleaner to come once a month leading up to the birth and then after the baby is here (omitting that first month, because I don’t think it’s likely we’d be able to leave the house as long as it takes for them to clean it).

I think it’s also helpful to secure 1-2 close friends or family to come over specifically for helping with laundry, tidying, and dishes. These are the things that overwhelmed me most in the early postpartum days. I am comforted by order and found myself getting really frustrated by what felt like constant disorder and my inability to keep up with housework during that time.

Plan for childcare

This time, I’ll have an added challenge of also taking care of a 15/16-month-old toddler whilst recovering with our new baby. To be honest, I think it might be helpful for me, in that we have a very established routine and something tangible to reach for. *I will repeat that last sentence to myself ad infinitum until the baby arrives.*

For the first few days, we will likely plan for Griffin to be staying with family members, but I know John and I will be looking forward to having her back home with us. After that, I hope to have consistent Griffin-care during the daytime, even if it’s just a few days of the week, for a few weeks/months after birth. (Note to self: research local preschools!)

If you’ve been in this scenario before, do you have any tips that you’d recommend?

Ask for, and then receive, help

This was the hardest for me. I still haven’t unpacked all the reasons why! But I just know that this time around I’m giving myself more of a pass to just go take a nap or a shower when someone comes over to help. If they ask if there’s anything they can do to help, say YES (I’m looking at YOU, Samantha Ray!) Canned response options: “Yes! You can (fold laundry, put dishes away, feed the cats, hold the baby) while I (take a shower, take a quick nap, eat a sandwich on the porch).” I can do it!

Take reasonable care of thyself

For me, this looked like taking at least a body shower (termed bod-showe in our home) every day. We don’t have a tub, so no baths for me, unfortunately, but a shower each day helped me to feel human. Human = good. This also included changing from night clothes to day clothes, even if the type of clothing wasn’t all that different!

Drink loads and loads of water. Keep taking prenatal vitamins and supplements. Get sunshine and fresh air each day, even if its just sitting. Get alone time whenever possible.

Take really good care of your undercarriage. For me, this looked like 3 weeks of doing almost nothing physically besides moving from the bed to the couch to the kitchen. Regularly rinse, spray with whatever recovery spray you have (my choices are here), and reset your medicinal-undies situation (witch hazel + ice pads).

If I was blessed with a few extra moments and bandwidth, I would also wash my face, apply my skincare, brush my teeth, and put on deodorant every morning and evening.

Postpartum, man. What a strange, unique, sacred, beautiful, unbelievably difficult, breaking, and building time in a woman's life. I am very thankful I get the opportunity to do it again!

Mom-vets, what are your best postpartum tips? I’m all ears!

With lots of grace and loose expectations,

Sam, mama-of-two-to-be

(P.S. To read my postpartum story with Griffin, AND enter a wee giveaway, click here!)