As a mom who has been through the postpartum recovery phase three times now, I wanted to share some items that I think are truly so useful. Whether you add them to cart yourself or put them on your baby registry, I think you’ll be glad you have them once you’re in the recovery/newborn phase!

Now, some of these items are vaginal delivery specific (like the recovery kit and donut pillow), or breastfeeding-specific (like the lactation massager, fridge and haakaa) but the swaddles, Doona and magnetic onesies are definitely a recommendation for everybody! Let me take you through each item and why I suggest you put it on your list of must-haves.

Hakaa Pump

I first discovered this simple little silicone breast pump after I’d had my first baby and he was struggling to gain weight in the beginning. You simply squeeze the air out of it, apply it to the breast your baby isn’t nursing on and watch as you effortlessly collect extra milk! It catches the otherwise wasted milk during your letdown and also is able to extract more. It’s great for helping to make sure your breasts are emptied during feedings and the milk you collect can help you quickly build a freezer stash! In the early weeks when my milk is super plentiful, I like to freeze some of it and then use a few ounces here and there to offer baby a little more after a feeding or two throughout the day. Just to make sure they’re on track with weight gain and to keep them on track for sleeping well. Trust me, the haakaa is a LIFESAVER. I’d even suggest keeping two on hand so you don’t always have to worry about whether you have a clean one or not!

Frida Mom Lactation Massager

I snickered at this when I got it in the mail because it looks like something else, haha, but it’s a REALLY handy tool to have on hand if you’re planning on breastfeeding! You never know when/if you’ll be dealing with engorgement or clogged ducts. Personally, I am prone to both and had a particularly rough go of it this last time. My milk came in early and FAST and caused a ton of pain, discomfort and even mastitis. As I laid in bed one night googling recommendations for relief, I came across recommendations for this lactation massager and Amazon primed it so fast, lol. It helped so much because it utilizes both vibration AND heat! Feels so good on clogged ducts and helps to get your milk loosened and flowing again.

Tabletop Mini Fridge

This is something I don’t see a lot of people talk about or recommend and I’m not sure why! I LOVE having this in our room – especially since we’re on a different floor than the kitchen – because it makes it so easy to pop milk into in the middle of the night. After feedings, I’ll pour the milk I collected from the hakaa into either a bottle or milk storage bag and stick it into this little fridge to keep from going bad until morning. Maybe it’s a bit of a luxury item, but it saves me from having to run breastmilk downstairs in the middle of the night and for that I think it’s worth it!

Frida Mom Recovery Kit

I had a few elements of this kit for recover with our second baby and loved them so much that I registered for the whole kit this time with our third. I loved EVERYTHING about the items included in this – even, surprisingly, the disposable underwear! It has cooling wipes and which hazel foam, which I use to line my pads during recovery and it seriously helps so much. It also includes a few ice packs like the ones you get in the hospital and comes in a nice little organizer than you can put on top of your toilet tank to keep everything neat and within arms reach.

Cooling Donut Pillow

I bought this on a bit of a whim this time remembering how much it hurt to sit in bed and nurse during those first few weeks after delivery. Not only did it help keep my off my stitches during recovery, but it also helped with my tailbone pain! They make so many versions of these donut pillows, but this is the one I have personally and love.

Velcro Swaddles

Trust me when I say once you go velcro swaddle, you’ll never go back. These have been my favorite ones I’ve ever used. They have the velcro up top for the arms and then the bottom part zips open so you don’t even have to release baby’s arms for a diaper change. Velcro swaddles make middle of the night changes SO MUCH easier and less stressful in my opinion. Unless you’re really confident in your swaddling abilities – do yourself a favor and grab a set of these!

Magnetic Onesies

I received magnetic onesie as a gift for our first baby and I’ve been using them for each baby since. They’re the first onesies I look for at bedtime so I suggest having at least two or three on hand! Again, they make middle of the night changes so much easier on your poor sleep-deprived brain. All you have to do is put each side of the onesie close to the other and they snap together – simple as that! Faster and easier than a zipper and DEFINITELY easier than button closures.

Doona Stroller Carseat

Last, but certainly not least: the Doona Stroller Carseat. I wish I’d had this for all three of my babies, but I will say it’s been especially nice while juggling three kids in and out of the car. The fact that I don’t have to get a whole separate stroller out from the back/put it away during errands or preschool drop-off is really so nice. One thing I will say about the Doona though is that it is a little heavy. During those first couple weeks of recovery I definitely suggest having someone help you get it in and out of the car if possible!

And that’s it from me on this! If you have something else you’d highly recommend to a new mama for the early postpartum phase, feel free to leave it in the comments below!!

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