8 Items I Wish I Had Waiting for Me at Home After Giving Birth

These essentials will help you settle in and adjust much easier.

May 30, 2023

By: Jen Glantz

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Stock Up on These 8 Must-Have Items

When I was pregnant, I spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to be a new mom. I didn’t have a lot of experience or knowledge around how to take care of a baby, so I took a lot of courses, read books, and asked friends for advice.

After spending months learning as much as I could and spending thousands of dollars on baby items, from a stroller to a bassinet, I felt as prepared as possible for when my baby arrived. But after coming home from the hospital, I realized there were some essential things missing that I wish I had waiting for me when I got home.

If I could go back to my pregnancy planning mode, here are the eight items I would have stocked up on before giving birth.

Frozen Dinners

Everyone warned me that when I became a mom I wouldn’t have time to cook. But since I don’t make elaborate meals for myself, I figured I’d find at least 20 minutes to make a pasta dinner or roast a pan of vegetables. I was wrong. Life with a newborn is unpredictable and you might even find that your baby wants to spend a lot of time in your arms, which makes it hard to cook, and even eat.

My freezer was empty and I wish that it was packed with frozen meals I could pop in the microwave and heat up in minutes. That way, I’d have nutritious meals ready for me without having to think about what to cook or even making sure I had the right items in my fridge to make these dinners.

Comfortable Pajamas

A few days after giving birth, I came home from the hospital and couldn’t find anything to wear. My body was sore and achy. I didn’t fit into my pre-pregnancy or maternity clothes and putting on either made me feel uncomfortable and self-conscious.

Instead, I wish that I had a few comfortable pairs of pajamas or loungewear items to put on during the first few weeks of being postpartum. Since most of that time is spent caring for the baby and sitting on the couch, or in bed, having loose fitting pants and tops would have been great for that recovery period.

A Variety of Diapers

One of the most essential items I needed for the baby were diapers. Everyone told me that I'd go through a ton of diapers every single week. They were right. But since every baby is different, every brand of diaper fits them differently. I had only stocked up on one brand of diapers and I found that my baby leaked through them very fast. A neighbor dropped off a few diapers from other brands and I found some that fit the baby well and that prevented most leaks.

Rather than buying a ton of diapers from one brand I wish I had a variety of brands to test out during the first few weeks with my newborn.

Baby Feeding Options

When I was pregnant, I assumed that I would breastfeed the baby. I didn’t know about the challenges that often occur with breastfeeding or how difficult it can be. After a few days of trying, my newborn wasn’t getting enough milk and I started to panic. I needed to feed her, but I didn’t have a backup plan.

If I could go back in time I would have prepared differently and had a few options available to feed the baby. I would have had a breast pump set up ahead of time that I could use and I would’ve had a shelf stocked with formula, in case I needed to use it.

Extra Menstrual Pads

After giving birth, I experienced postpartum bleeding for 6 weeks. While I bought a few packages of menstrual pads before giving birth, I ran out within a week. Since I wasn’t well enough to go to a store and grab more, I had to order online and wait a few days for these pads to arrive. Since there’s a lot that can go into postpartum care, it would have been a good idea to overstock my bathroom with items that I needed, not just for the first week, but for at least the first six weeks.

A Heating and Cooling Pad

During postpartum recovery, I had a lot of swelling and pain in my body. I found that taking hot showers helped me feel a lot better, but I didn’t always have time to take a shower every day.

An item that would have been used a lot, especially during the first few weeks, was a heating and cooling pad. Having one of these in the house would have helped with stomach, back, and breast pain.

A Pumping Bra

After deciding to feed my baby with a combination of pumped breast milk and formula, I found myself pumping 8 to 10 times a day for 20 minutes a session. During the first week of doing this, I didn’t have a pumping bra, so I had to hold the pumps in place, which restricted what I could do during that time. After getting a pumping bra, I could be hands free and use my computer, hold the baby, or take care of chores.

A Noise Machine

During the first few weeks, I attempted to sleep when the baby slept, which meant taking a lot of sporadic naps during the day. Since I live in New York City, there’s a lot of noise outside the window and even in the hallway of my building.

I wish I had a white noise machine in the house to help mask outside noises that often disturb sleep for both myself and the baby.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: The 5 Professional Services I Hired After Having My First Baby Because I Don’t Have Family Support, 10 Things You Should and Shouldn’t Say to a Friend Who Just Had a Baby, Unusual Things I Tried to Induce Labor and How Each One Made Me Feel

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8 Items I Wish I Had Waiting for Me at Home After Giving Birth

Related To:

Shop This Look

Stock Up on These 8 Must-Have Items

Frozen Dinners

Comfortable Pajamas

A Variety of Diapers

Baby Feeding Options

Extra Menstrual Pads

A Heating and Cooling Pad

A Pumping Bra

A Noise Machine

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