Postpartum Recovery Kit: 21 Mom-Approved Essentials to Help You Heal

Postpartum healing and recovery is not a joking matter. Childbirth can leave your body scarred and possibly in pain if you do not attend to it with care. With a CS delivery, for example, you get an abdominal incision. So it's essential that you follow your doctor's orders to the letter before going home from the hospital. And don't neglect your postpartum checkup six weeks after birth or earlier.

Your obstetrician-gynecologist will tell you to take it easy. Your uterus is healing and getting back to its pre-pregnant state. Then, your doctor will brief you about postpartum recovery, including vaginal bleeding and episiotomy or tear, if you have it. For CS or belly birth moms, you'll also receive step-by-step instructions on how to care for your wound.

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We asked moms on our Smart Parenting (SP) Village Facebook group to share what we would find in their postpartum recovery kit. These are essential products that will enormously make your postpartum recovery easier and maybe even faster. Click on the links to buy them!

Maternity pads vs. adult diapers

All women who just gave birth will experience lochia or bloody vaginal discharge as your body gets rid of the extra blood and tissue in your uterus as it shrinks to its original size. It's why maternity pads were invented. Many moms recommended Modess Maternity Pads and Charmee Menstrual Pants, available on Lazada.

Some moms revealed they used adult diapers from brands like Caress and Uni-care (they come in all sizes!) for the first few days before switching to maternity or overnight pads.

Disposable and cotton high-waisted undies

Instead of adult diapers, many moms recommended Mamaway disposable panties. Since they are disposable, you can just tear and throw away your underwear. You don't even need to bend down to remove it, which can be difficult for some who are recovering. Many moms also suggested using full "lola" (read: high-waisted) cotton panties for better movement.

Feminine wash

You may experience vaginal soreness after childbirth, and it can stem from natural tearing or your episiotomy. And with your postpartum bleeding, using feminine wash can help keep infections at bay.

Most doctors prescribe Betadine Antiseptic Feminine Wash, Gynepro Antiseptic Feminine Wash, Lactacyd Protecting Feminine Wash, and NaFlora Restore Feminine Wash.

One mom shared that she used EarthMama Bottom Spray, and another mom shared that she used Hyclens Obstetric Wash. Surprisingly, many moms still swore by using water boiled with bayabas or guava leaves in cleaning their wound.

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Portable bidet

A mom had a genius idea to buy a portable bidet, so it's easier to wash your private parts at home or on-the-go. A big plus is the gentle water pressure.

Try SaniCare Manual Portable Bidet, or Sanicare Automatic Portable Bidet.

Wound cleansers and antiseptics

CS moms' postpartum healing kit varies as doctors may prescribe different types, brands, and ways to clean the wound, usually with topical medication to clean, treat, and cover the incision wound. You need to ask your doctor what would work best for you and your skin and in case you're allergic to the active ingredients.

For cleaning the wound, some moms shared they were prescribed hydrogen peroxide to dry the wound quicker. For wound antiseptics, the most prescribed by the doctors were Cutasept, Hyclens, and Betadine.

• Betadine Antiseptic solution and ointment are available in drugstores nationwide. There is also a more expensive powder spray variant for easy application.
• Cutasept also comes in a spray bottle, so it's easy to use. It will set you back about Php230 for 50mL and Php 534 for 250mL bottles on Lazada (also available in leading drugstores).
• Hyclens Wound Spray is only available in select hospitals and pharmacies so ask your doctor about it. It's also available in the Lazada official store of Galenx here.

For wound treatment, almost all moms on the SP Village were prescribed mupirocin ointment (commonly sold under the brand name Bactroban or Bactreat) by their doctors.

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Wound coverage

A lot of moms recommend Tegaderm because it's easy to use as it comes with adhesive tape. Another mom suggested Optsite Post-Op, a transparent dressing that also sticks on its own. Both are waterproof, so your wound is protected when you take a bath.

Anti-scar treatment

Like stretch marks, the incision wound from your CS delivery is permanent. If how it looks bothers you, try two of the most-suggested ointments for managing scars, Dermatix and Contractubex, both available in leading drugstores nationwide.

Abdominal binder

Hospital-issued abdominal binders worked just fine for many who had a belly birth, while many gave a thumbs-up to Wink binders, which are also safe to use for moms who underwent CS.

Recovery and healing after childbirth is a case-to-case basis. What worked for other moms may not work as well for you. Remember to follow your doctor's advice before trying any of the suggestions mentioned.

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