8 Things New Moms Need For Themselves AFTER The Baby Is Born
Having a baby is such a wonderful gift, but a baby isn’t the only one being born. With the birth of a baby comes the birth of a mother! To make the transition into mother easier, I’m sharing 8 things new moms need for themselves after the baby is born!
Supporting The Birth Of A Mother
After birth, people flock around the new baby.
Those tiny fingers, tiny toes, adorable smile, and sweet little face — it’s truly hard to resist.
However, who is supporting mom?
Most new moms after giving birth want nothing more than to spend time getting to know their new baby.
Many of them even fail to realize how uncomfortable or how much pain their in after giving birth because they’re just full of love and excitement that everything else is temporarily whisked away.
I’m here to remind you that it’s important we don’t forget about mom.
It’s important we take the time to ask her how she’s doing, ask her if there’s anything she needs, and be a solid support system for her.
As a mom, it’s also important to voice those needs. Let those in your close circle know you’ll be needing their support now, more than ever.
That’s why this list of 8 Things New Moms Need AFTER the baby is born will help moms feel lots of love & support!
8 Things New Moms Need For Themselves AFTER The Baby Is Born
1) Postpartum Care Kit
Giving birth is no easy feat.
It doesn’t matter if you had a cesarean or a vaginal delivery, you will need lots of rest and recovery.
One of the best ways to help you recover is to make yourself a little postpartum care kit!
Simply get a small basket or tote bag & load it up with every single item you’ll need for recovery!
For example, some of the items postpartum moms may need include:
- perineal ice packs
- belly band (for cesarean deliveries)
- postpartum pads
- and a lot more!
You can check out the full list to help you make your postpartum recovery kit here!
OR download a pdf copy and other essential checklists for new moms here.
2) Easy Meals
If there’s one thing that can become a consistent challenge after having a baby, it’s cooking.
As a new mom, many simply don’t have the time (or energy) to cook fresh meals each day.
This is where focusing on a meal prepped approach comes in handy or using an easy to prepare meal service such as Hello Fresh.
I love meal prepping, but sometimes even that can be overly time consuming (especially as a new mom).
One thing I learned, is to NEVER turn down help in the kitchen — that’s where I was introduced to a food-prep delivery service like Hello Fresh!
All the ingredients I need for a meal get delivered all sorted and prepared. I simply follow the instructions to whip up a delicious meal and within 30 minutes I have my food all ready!
If you’re a friend or family member of a pregnant mama, I’d encourage you to consider giving this as a gift to that special mom to be!
3) Self-Care
Every. Mom. Needs. SELF CARE!
Please repeat that as many times as you need. Trust me, it’s important!
Make sure to schedule in some weekly or monthly time to refill your cup, because you can’t keep giving when there’s nothing left.
I find that pre-scheduling my self-care time in is helpful so that I can ask for the help I need ahead of time, even if it’s just taking a few extra minutes to enjoy some coffee or read a book!
If you struggle to stick with your plans, you can try using a planner, calendar, or something to easily remind yourself “TODAY IS MY SELF CARE DAY”.
4) Sleep…lots of sleep!
It’s easier said than done, but new moms need sleep! In fact, one study showed that new parents lose around “3 hours of sleep every night [if not more] in their child’s first year”
I can tell you from experience, the level of sleep exhaustion as a new parent is intense.
If you find yourself feeling a bit on edge or irritable, try prioritizing your sleep by getting in a few extra naps.
If you have to ask a friend or family member to help you watch your baby to make it happen, I encourage you to do so!
5) Breastfeeding Essentials
If you choose to breastfeed, moms will need a few key essential items to make their breastfeeding journey manageable.
Here’s a few essential items I think EVERY mom should have:
- Reliable breast pump
- Nipple balm/butter
- Comfortable nursing bras & shirts
- Nursing pads
6) Mom Friends
You’ve probably heard the saying “It takes a village”, right? So, who’s in your village?
If you find it hard to make or find mom friends to lean on and get to know, you’re not alone.
Some ways you can find more mom friends and build a strong circle of friends is by joining the Peanut App!
Peanut is a free app that helps connect like-minded women throughout ALL stages of their motherhood journey!
You can choose to find friends locally or virtually across the world! From my own personal experience using Peanut, I’ve made a few really awesome friends who I can’t imagine not having in my life at this stage of my own motherhood journey.
7) Help With Chores
New Moms Need HELP!
They need help with cooking, cleaning, watching the baby, running errands, doing the chores, and more!
Besides simply asking for help, you could make a list of all your chores that need to get done and split them up with your partner!
If your primary responsibility will be caring for your baby, then it makes sense your partner will take on a little extra workload in the chore department.
If you have the budget for it, you can consider using helpful items such as:
- Roomba Robot Vacuum Cleaner (keeps your floors clean so you don’t have to)
- Housekeeping Services (can come and help you deep clean the house one a month or more)
- No Scrub, No Rinse Cleaner (Method Natural Daily Shower Cleaner – keeps your bathroom shiny clean without having to scrub or rinse)
8) Comfortable Postpartum Clothing
Lastly, every new moms need to feel comfortable after she has a baby.
This means snagging some loungewear, comfy dresses, and looser-fit clothing for ultimate comfort.
A few of my favorite stores to shop at for comfortable yet affordable motherhood clothing is Target, Kindred Bravely, and Amazon!
What Things New Moms Need For Themselves Would You ADD To This List?
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