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 essentials 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!

In this post you’ll learn exactly what you need to have in your c section recovery kit (and why you need it).

how to make your own C section recovery kit

Before we dive into all the things you DO need, let’s cover some things you DON’T need.

You definitely DON’T need:

• crazy expensive, top-of-the-line everything- choose which items you’ll splurge on and which one you can save on, not everything needs to be luxury & pricey
• as much as you’re thinking- you don’t need all the things, just the right things
• a fancy kit- I’m using the term “kit” loosely here, it’s ok if your “kit” is really just a pile of stuff in your bathroom
• to stress- yes c section recovery can be tough but it’s also incredible time because you get to meet your baby!! Don’t let the stress of recovery overshadow this special time in your life.

And now for all the stuff you DO need (everything recommended below are things I have spent my own money on and used to help me recover from my c sections)

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you purchase through one of my links I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. If you really like legal jargon you can read more about that here.

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 yourself to sleep
• hold a pillow on your incision when you sneeze, cough, or laugh
• you can even use a pillow to help hold an older child on your 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.

You don’t 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.

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. I prefer the Seventh Generation brand because they are chlorine free.

Pro tip: purchase some thin maxi pads as well – you can soak them in water, freeze them, and use them as homemade icepacks against your incision

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 Shrinxx wrap from UpSpring, can actually help you recover from your c section faster!

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.

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

One of the most common questions women ask about c section recovery is what they should wear after surgery.

The best type of clothing will be comfortable, loose-fitting clothes with lots of layers for those postpartum hormonal temperature swings!

You’ll want to stock up on:

• loose-fitting, high waisted sweats
• high-waisted leggings
• nursing nightgowns
• nursing tank tops
• nursing bra
• sweatshirt or robe
• no-slip socks (so you don’t accidentally slip on the floor in the hospital or at home….which I can tell you from experience is awful!)

BUILD YOUR OWN C SECTION RECOVERY KIT THE EASY WAY!

You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on expensive postpartum recovery kits, filled with a bunch of stuff you just won’t use.

Build your own c section recovery kit the easy way: by shopping the links in this post or grabbing your FREE C Section Recovery Checklist. Get stocked up on all of your c section recovery kit essential today!