You’re recovering from a c section (or maybe you’re about to be) and you’re wondering what essentials you’ll need. And if you really need a c section recovery kit.
The short answer is: yes! You do need a c section recovery kit. Filled with all the basics that will help you recover faster, better, and stronger!
But don’t worry, you don’t need to stress out about buying an expensive pre-made kit!
I’m going to teach you how to put together your own AMAZING c section recovery kit!
My c section stories
You might be wondering who I am and why you should listen to me when I tell you what you’ll need for your c section recovery.
I’ve been where you are. The sore abdomen, the intense nerve pain, and the unbelievable gas pain (bet nobody warned ya about that fun side effect!).
And now I’m on a mission to help new moms, like yourself, have a better, stronger, and faster c section recovery!
(click here to read my c section stories and here to read my VBAC story)
how to make your own C section recovery kit
C Section Underwear
Yes, this is actually a thing. I first discovered c section underwear after my second cesarean delivery.
To be honest, I bought them and was super skeptical. I figured it was more of a marketing gimmick than anything. But I reasoned that if the c section underwear helped me heal even a little bit, they would be worth the money.
And boy am I glad I spent that money! My c section underwear from Upspring were instrumental in a faster c section recovery. C section underwear is a definite must have for your c section recovery kit.
Pillows
Pillows are your best friend after a c section! I used pillows for everything:
breastfeeding, positioning myself to sleep, holding one on my incision when I sneeze/cough/laugh. I even used a pillow after my second c section to help hold my older child on my lap.
You’re going to want to have lots of pillows to help you with your c section recovery. And I recommend keeping them all over the house.
You do not want to get all settled into the couch, ready to nurse, only to discover that your nursing pillow is in the bed. Upstairs.
I’m not saying you need two of everything, just make sure you have plenty of pillows in strategic places around the house.
Pro tip: if you’re plus-sized like me, you might find that a standard breastfeeding pillow doesn’t really work. I like to use a king size pillow instead!
Over the Counter Medications
You will probably go home from the hospital with a prescription for pain medications. But after a week at home you’ll probably be ready to ditch the big time meds and stick to basic over the counter medications.
Here are three I recommend having on hand:
Acetominophen- aka Tylenol
Ibuprofen- aka Advil
Gas relief- any gas relief medication will do; ask your nurse before leaving the hospital what is recommended
Please be sure to talk to your provider about any medications you might be taking.
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Laxatives
Laxatives get their very own category here because, believe me when I tell you, you want to have laxatives in your c section recovery kit.
One more time for the skimmers:
you. want. laxatives.
The last thing you want during your c section recovery is to struggle to make a number two. You are going to be sore and tender for a couple of weeks, so it’s important that your bowel movements don’t cause you to strain.
Also, major surgery can really impact your digestive system, laxatives will help keep everything moving.
I prefer a natural laxative, but sometimes you just need the strong stuff! So I’ve link both for you.
Postpartum Pads
I see this question quite a bit from c section moms:
“Will I still bleed even though I had a c section?”
The short answer is: yes!
The reason you bleed after giving birth isn’t because a baby passed through your vagina! You bleed because your uterus is shedding the lining that was housing baby.
So even if you have a cesarean delivery, you can expect to bleed during your postpartum recovery.
You’ll want to have a supply of postpartum pads that will last for about three weeks on hand. You will want to have a variety of pads, particularly heavy postpartum pads with wings all the way down to liners for the light days.
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I really enjoyed this article from Motherly because it covers what isn’t normal during your c section recovery- including when it comes to bleeding. I highly recommend you give it a read.
Belly Binder
I absolutely, positively refused to wear a belly binder after my first c section. I thought it was a vanity tool to help moms “get their body back” and I wanted no part of that.
But it turns out that a good belly binder, like the one from Belly Bandit, can actually help you recover from your c section faster!
In fact, that’s exactly what the belly binder was meant for! I really cannot say enough good things about the value of a belly binder!
Even if you’re a few weeks (or even months) post cesarean birth, you can still benefit from use of a belly binder. Especially if the muscles around your incision are still tender.
A belly binder will also help stabilize your abdominal muscles so that you can get out of bed and start walking as soon as possible post cesarean birth.
And if I had ONE TIP that had the biggest impact on my c section recovery it’s to get up and start walking as soon as you can. And then keep walking as much as you can from there.
Adding a belly binder to your c section recovery kit is well worth the money! Especially if you plan to walk yourself to a better c section recovery!
I almost forgot! A super bonus of the belly binder is it can be worn during pregnancy! The belly binder can help with back strain during the late weeks of pregnancy.
High-Waisted Underwear
You will not want anything rubbing against your c section incision, and the best way to avoid that is by wearing high waisted, oversized, granny panties!
Remember that your tummy will still be pretty big for a while so you’ll want to size up.
And I suggest that you purchase some inexpensive cotton panties to begin with. These will probably get tossed once you’re healed (around 6-8 weeks).
Then you can upgrade to high-waisted, postpartum underwear that are more grown-up and feminine.
I prefer the postpartum underwear from Kindred Bravely. They’re a tad on the pricey side, but worth the money. Plus, the company has stellar customer service- which I highly value.
Clothing Post C Section
You’ll want to add specific clothing to your c section recovery kit. I recommend that you wear loose-fitting, high-waisted pants, as well as dresses!
I prefer to wear nursing nightgowns that are one or two sizes too big. And I linked my absolute favorite nursing tank tops that go well with the sweats I linked!
Boba Wrap
I really enjoy baby wearing and I find a lot of value in it. I was terrified to baby wear after my c section because I thought it would hurt too much.
But one day I got brave and decided to try it! And I’m so glad I did, it was such a special way to bond with baby.
And with the Boba wrap I was able to keep baby closer to my chest so he wasn’t sitting on my tender c section scar.
If you want to baby wear during your c section recovery I highly recommend that you add the Boba wrap to your c section recovery kit.
