Postpartum Essentials Every New Mom Needs | Duluth MN Doula & Photographer

From Your Northern Minnesota Doula & Birth Photographer

Your baby’s due date is approaching! You’ve probably been focused on preparing for labor and that first magical meeting with your baby—rightfully so! It’s a big, life-changing day.
But I also believe it’s just as important to prepare for what comes after birth: the postpartum period. This season is tender, exhausting, beautiful, and for many, unexpectedly challenging. It deserves just as much care and attention as your birth plan.
As a birth doula and mother of two, I’ve put together a list of postpartum essentials to help support your healing, comfort, and ease in those early days. This list includes many items geared toward breastfeeding and vaginal delivery recovery, but there are helpful options for every parent—whether you had a cesarean birth or are planning to bottle feed.
I see you, mama. And I’ve got you. 💛

1. Nursing Bras & Tanks

When I was nursing my babies, I basically lived in nursing tanks and soft bras. Not only do they make breastfeeding more accessible in those early learning days, but they also help with postpartum hot flashes—yes, that’s a thing!

• These nursing sleep bras (no clips to fuss with!)

• Affordable Amazon tanks

• Kindred Bravely bamboo nursing cami – amazing for pregnancy and postpartum!

2. Upside-Down Peri Bottle

This might not sound glamorous, but it will become your best friend after a vaginal birth. Hospital bottles do the job, but I always recommend upgrading to one that sprays at an angle—like the one from Frida Mom. It makes a world of difference when things are tender down there.

3. Herbal Sprays, Sitz Baths & Salves

I always lean toward natural remedies for postpartum recovery. Earth Mama and Mother Love offer beautiful products that soothe and heal:

• Earth Mama Perineal Spray

• Organic Sitz Bath herbs – steep like tea and add to a warm soak

• Mother Love Bottom Balm – amazing for hemorrhoids

• C-section Recovery Cream – for belly birth mamas

4. Dermoplast Spray

If you had a perineal tear or intense hemorrhoids, you might need something stronger than herbs. Dermoplast offers fast, cooling relief and is easy to apply. Find it here.

5. Adult Diapers or Period Underwear

Trust me—skip the pads for the first few days. Diapers or period underwear make those early postpartum bathroom trips so much easier. No shifting pads, no stress about leaks. Look for fragrance-free options like these.

6. Tucks Pads

These medicated witch hazel pads are cooling and gentle. Layer them right over your diaper or pad after every bathroom trip. Shop here.

7. Postpartum Underwear

The last thing you want is a waistband pressing on your belly. Get yourself some soft, stretchy postpartum undies—these are my personal favorite, and yes, I still wear them!

8. Cold Packs

Swelling after birth is real. Cold packs can be incredibly soothing—just don’t overdo it. These gel bead packs are reusable and soft enough for delicate skin. If you make your own padsicles, be careful not to create a frozen brick.

9. Warm Foods & Drinks

While cold can reduce swelling, warm foods are essential for healing. Circulation supports recovery from the inside out. I love recommending:

• Nourishing soups

• Herbal teas

• Bone broth

• This book: The First 40 Days – a beautiful guide to postpartum nourishment

10. Silverettes

These little silver nipple shields are a game changer! Naturally antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory, they help prevent and heal nipple soreness. Silverettes are my #1 recommendation for breastfeeding mamas. Learn more about Silverettes here.

11. Nursing Pads

Your body might leak while baby feeds—or even when you hear a random baby cry at Target. Reusable pads like Bamboobies are soft and eco-friendly, but I always had a box of disposables as backup, too.

12. Nipple Butter

If Silverettes aren’t your thing, Earth Mama’s Nipple Butter is a safe and soothing alternative. (Note: Don’t use both at the same time!)

13. Haakaa

Collect all that precious milk from the side baby isn’t nursing on! The original Haakaa uses gentle suction, while the Ladybug version just catches passive letdown. Both are effortless ways to build a freezer stash.

14. After Ease

Those crampy "after pains" can be no joke—especially with second (or third, or fourth) babies. WishGarden’s After Ease tincture can help take the edge off during those early nursing sessions.

15. Bedside Snacks

Midnight feedings = midnight hunger. Keep snacks like granola bars, trail mix, or dried fruit within reach. You’re burning a lot of energy, mama—nourish yourself!

16. Diaper Caddy for Essentials

A portable caddy stocked with postpartum must-haves will save your sanity. Fill it with:

• Diapers and wipes

• Nipple care items

• After Ease

• Nursing pads

• Snacks

• And anything else you don’t want to run back and forth for
  Keep it nearby while you rest and heal.

Final Thoughts from Your Duluth MN Doula and Birth Photographer

Postpartum is a sacred, tender window—and it deserves to be supported. I hope this list gives you a starting point for a more peaceful recovery, one where you feel prepared, seen, and held.

Is there anything you would add to this list? I’d love to hear your go-to postpartum must-haves—drop them in the comments or send me a message!

And if you’re looking for more support in your birth or postpartum journey, I’d love to connect with you. Learn more about my doula services in Duluth and the Iron Range, or explore newborn and birth photography packages that honor your story, right from the start.

With love,
Brooke
With Love Photography & Doula Support