Postpartum Essentials That Actually Helped Me After 3 Births

🌼 This isn’t a perfect list. It’s just what I actually reached for across three very different postpartum experiences — and what made those early days feel a little easier.

The days after having a baby are something you can’t fully prepare for… no matter how much you read.

There’s a quiet mix of emotions — love, exhaustion, overwhelm — and your body is trying to heal while you’re learning this brand new little person in your arms.

After going through postpartum three different times, I started to notice what actually helped me during those early days. Not just what sounded helpful, but what I truly reached for when I needed it most.

If you want to read the birth stories behind each postpartum experience, you can start here:

→ The Birth That Made Me a Mom
→ The Birth That Turned Everything Upside Down
→ The Birth That Showed Me My Strength

These are the postpartum essentials I actually reached for — the things that made healing, feeding, resting, and just getting through the early days feel a little more manageable.

Here’s what truly made a difference for me.

The Postpartum Essentials That Helped Me Heal

1. A Gentle Stool Softener

No one really prepares you for this part.

Going to the bathroom after birth can be uncomfortable, and it’s something you don’t want to wait until it becomes a problem.

Staying ahead of it made a huge difference for me.

I was really glad I had a gentle stool softener ready before I came home. It’s one of those small things that doesn’t feel important until you really need it.

💛 Look for something non-stimulant and easy on your body.

2. Magnesium

This is something I wish I understood sooner.

Magnesium helped support digestion, but it also helped my body relax a little during a time that felt very overwhelming.

I kept it simple MegaFood, and it became one of those quiet little things that helped support my body when everything felt tense and heavy.

3. An Angled Peri Bottle

If you have any tearing or soreness, this becomes one of your most used items.

Using warm water instead of wiping just feels so much better.

An angled peri bottle was one of the things I reached for constantly in those first days. It made bathroom trips feel a lot less intimidating.

💛 This is one of those things that makes everyday moments easier.

4. Postpartum Healing Spray

I didn’t expect to love this as much as I did.

That cooling, soothing feeling in those first few days really helped take the edge off.

A Earth Mama was the one I kept coming back to — it was another small comfort that helped more than I expected, especially when everything felt sore and sensitive.

5. Postpartum Underwear / Disposable Pull-Ups

Not glamorous… but honestly one of the most helpful things.

I didn’t have to stress about leaks or constantly changing. It just made things simpler.

I liked Rael for this — it made those first couple weeks feel so much easier. It was one less thing I had to think about while healing.

6. Soft, Loose Pajamas

This sounds small, but it’s not.

When your body doesn’t feel like your own yet, being comfortable matters more than you think.

Soft, loose postpartum pajamas made such a difference when my body felt sore and not fully like my own yet. I just wanted something comfortable that didn’t press on anything.

→ I also shared what I actually packed in my hospital bag.

7. Nursing Bras + Breast Pads

I didn’t think enough about this the first time.

Between feeding, leaking, and just trying to be comfortable, having the right things nearby makes everyday life smoother.

I loved HOFISH for something comfortable I didn’t have to think about, and reusable breast pads helped make the leaking feel a little easier to manage.”

The Little Things That Made a Big Difference

Having Simple Snacks Close By

There were so many moments I didn’t have the energy to make a full meal — especially when I was holding the baby or just feeling completely drained.

So I started keeping easy snacks nearby. Not anything fancy, just things I could grab quickly without thinking.

And with my third, I had to be a little more mindful of what I was eating while breastfeeding. He had a terrible milk protein allergy, so I leaned more toward simple, gentle foods.

Things like:

dairy-free protein bars
fruit
toast with avocado or something quick and filling
anything I could eat with one hand

I kept simple dairy-free snacks nearby, especially with my third baby. Nothing fancy — just easy things I could grab when I realized I hadn’t eaten enough.

Keeping Water Right Next to Me

This sounds simple… but it made a difference.

Especially while breastfeeding, I would get so thirsty and not even realize how much I needed water until I finally drank something.

Having a large water bottle right next to me helped me stay on top of it without thinking.

After my third birth, I also started using a copper water bottle, and I really enjoyed having it nearby throughout the day. I’ve read that copper water bottles may have some added benefits too, which made me more mindful about using it — but that’s definitely something worth looking into for yourself.

Mostly, I just liked having something easy to grab so I didn’t have to keep getting up when I was already tired or holding the baby.

A Quiet Shower When I Could Get One

Even just a quick shower helped me feel a little more like myself again.

Not rushed. Not perfect.

Just a few quiet minutes to breathe.

There were days that felt heavy, and something as simple as warm water helped me reset more than I expected.

Creating a Calm Space

I didn’t realize how much my surroundings affected me until postpartum.

Softer lighting, less noise, and a slower pace helped my mind settle when everything else felt overwhelming.

It didn’t have to be perfect.

Just calmer.

A little softer.

A little quieter.

That mattered more than I expected.

Letting Myself Rest

This one didn’t come easy at first.

But letting someone hold the baby so I could rest — even for a short time — made a huge difference.

Sometimes even an hour helped me feel more present and grounded.

And slowly, I started to understand that taking care of myself was part of taking care of my baby too.

Those things may seem small…

But in postpartum, they’re not.

They’re what help you breathe a little easier when everything feels new and overwhelming.

Having a Place to Let It Out

This is something I didn’t think about at first.

But postpartum can feel like a lot to hold inside.

There were so many thoughts, emotions, and moments I didn’t always know how to process. Some days felt heavy, and other days I just needed a quiet place to slow down my mind.

Even writing a few things down — how I was feeling, what the day looked like, or little moments I didn’t want to forget — helped me more than I expected.

I wish I had been more intentional about keeping a simple journal nearby.

Not for anything perfect.

Just a place to write down what I was feeling when my mind felt too full.

💛 Nothing fancy… just a place to let it out when I needed to.

A Gentle Reminder

Every postpartum experience is different.

Take what feels right for you, leave what doesn’t.

And most importantly…

Take care of yourself while you’re taking care of your baby.

✨ Thank you for letting me share this part of my journey.

I hope this helps you feel just a little more prepared and supported going into postpartum. If you’re in the postpartum chapter right now, I hope this reminds you to take care of yourself too 🤍

With love,
Rachel
RaiRai 💛