Let’s be honest, do c section moms really need different mommy & baby gear just because they had a c section?
Short answer – absolutely. Especially early in recovery. It makes a difference if the car seat is too heavy to lift on your own, if the stroller is too bulky for you to comfortably maneuver on your walks, and if your baby wrap hurts your incision.
Most pregnancy, postpartum, and baby gear is designed for new moms, without considering that a new mom might be under strict orders not to lift anything heavier than the baby.
Or might be desperate to try baby wearing, but can’t find a good baby wrap that won’t hurt their c section incsion.
Below is a comprehensive list of mommy & baby gear for c section moms. We’re talking everything from underwear to nursing bras to baby wraps and car seats – everything recommended by c section moms, for c section moms to make your recovery (and life with a newborn) as easy as possible.
This post contains affiliate links, which you can read about here.
Maternity gear for c section moms
Let’s start from the beginning with some basic maternity gear for c section moms.
These items are great if you’ve already had a c section and are expecting again or if you’re anticipating a scheduled c section.
It’s always a good idea to invest in maternity clothes that you can still wear postpartum, particularly after your c section.
If you are pregnant and expecting a c section, there is one rule to follow when shopping for maternity clothes:
You want to look for the high waist.
Recently there’s been a trend in the maternity section to find pants that sit below the baby bump. And while it might be more fashionable, these pants might be less comfortable post cesarean.
High-waisted pants might not look as cute, but they will provide a slight compression in your core (which is something you want after your cesarean section birth) and they are less likely to bother your incision.
Underwear: Stick to high-waited underwear. Your best bet is something inexpensive and bout three sizes too big that will grow with you.
Remember that your baby belly won’t go away immediately after birth, and larger underwear will be more comfortable after your a c section.
Avoid high-priced fancy underwear that claim to be for c section moms. I’ve personally tried a “c section underwear” with a pretty lacy top from a pretty well-known brand and not only were they expensive, they didn’t live up to the hype at all. They fell apart after just a few washes and weren’t super comfy.
Pregnancy Pillow: A good pregnancy pillow is worth every penny.
Not only will the body pillow keep you comfortable during pregnancy, it can double as an extra supportive nursing pillow once the baby is born.
During the earliest and most difficult days of your c section recovery you’ll need a lot of support to get comfortable in bed and feel comfy while you’re nursing.
Your pregnancy pillow will come in handy for this when you can wrap it around your body like a snake – using it to support you and keep baby’s weight off of your very tender tummy.
Click here to shop for a pregnancy pillow.
postpartum gear for c section moms
Belly Binders: Most people refer to these items as belly binders, I prefer to think of it as core support.
After 9 months of pregnancy and major surgery in the form of a c section, your core is going to need more support than every.
Belly binders – or core supports – are not for vanity reasons. They are helpful tools that will make your c section recovery easier, and in many cases, faster.
The UpSpring C Section panty is by far the best product on the market for c section moms who need core support.
The C section panty from UpSpring is affordable, easily accessible (it’s on Amazon Prime), and supportive without being super restrictive.
It can be worn as underwear or over your normal underwear and is well worth investing in for your c section recovery. Our team has personally used this product and it made a significant difference in the speed and ease of c section recovery.
Click here to shop The UpSpring C Section panty.
The Belly Bandit is also a fantastic option for core support after your c section. It’s a bit more of an investment, but provides you with the advantage of easily taking it on and off throughout the day.
Click here to shop The Belly Bandit.
I stuck with recipes that I knew would be easy to freeze and reheat like lasagna, casseroles, even some soups and chilis freeze really well. This was essential to my postpartum healing. Not having to worry about dinner every night gave me more time to rest. And it gave my husband more time to help with baby and our older kiddo, instead of cooking all day.
breastfeeding gear for c section moms
Breastfeeding after a c section is not only possible, it can help you and baby bond and help your body release oxytocin.
Oxytocin is sometimes known as the “love hormone” and it’s the stuff that makes newborn life feel so dreamy and wonderful, even though you’re exhausted and in pain. Oxytocin can help you heal faster from your c section.
So in short – breastfeeding = increased oxytocin = better c section healing
The catch is that you’ll need some good gear to help you breastfeed. Breastfeeding after a c section isn’t impossible, but it does have its own set of challenges.
Click here to learn more about breastfeeding after a c section.
Below is a list of breastfeeding gear that is recommended for c section moms who hope to breastfeed.
Breastfeeding Pillow: After your c section your stomach will be tender for a while, even the weight of your newborn laying across your chest/stomach to nurse might feel uncomfortable.
If you already invested in a pregnancy pillow (as recommended above) then you can use this as a breastfeeding pillow as well. Otherwise, investing in a breastfeeding pillow (or a couple of them) is a good idea.
One thing to note: most breastfeeding pillows are not designed for women recovering from major surgery, they also don’t fit most plus-size bodies.
One work around for this is use a large king size pillow as a breastfeeding pillow. These are typically less expensive, lay across your lap (which provides more support to baby) and don’t wrap around your mid-section- which isn’t ideal for c section moms.
Using a king size pillow or a pregnancy pillow is our preferred recommendation for a breastfeeding pillow for c section moms. However, this option from Amazon is affordable and looks to be the best option for a c section mom.
Breast Pump: A quality breast pump can be essential to breastfeeding success, this is particularly true for c section moms.
Even if you don’t think you’ll want to pump often, you might find yourself needing to “pump and dump”, meaning express your breastmilk and dispose of it, depending on the medication you are on post-surgery.
Not all medications will require you to pump and dump, but if you find yourself in this position a good breast pump will be helpful.
If you had a c section you might also find that your baby needs to stay in the NICU, which might mean you need to frequently pump bottles for baby.
Regardless of the reason you might need to pump, keeping a quality breast pump in your home is something we recommend.
Be sure to check with your insurance, many health insurance programs can help you get a breast pump for free.
lightweight baby gear for c section moms
Last but certainly not least, it might be beneficial to consider lightweight baby gear after your c section.
As a general rule of thumb, infant carseats and strollers tend to be on the heavier side, and this can make it challenging for c section moms to leave the house independently.
Remember that after a few weeks of recovery you will most likely be able to lift more weight, drive, and push a stroller on your own.
Until then, we recommend investing in a high quality stroller that can be left assembled in your home or garage so you can easily and quickly take walks with the baby.
When looking for strollers look for lightweight strollers that are meant for infants.
You might also consider a baby wrap.
Our favorite baby wrap is a Boba wrap, it is soft and stretch and sits above your incision, which means you can begin wearing this wrap early in your recovery.
This wrap is one of the more affordable baby wraps around, its high quality, and works with infants and toddlers as well.
Click here to shop the Boba baby wrap.
The right mommy & baby gear can have an impact on your c section recovery. Give yourself the best advantage possible in healing by investing in products that will help – not hurt – your c section recovery.
