My favourite baby and postpartum products
* Addit: I have no affiliation with the companies mentioned in this article and I am not being paid to promote any of the products. They are purely products that I love and use. *
You might know that I am currently pregnant with my second daughter and recently someone asked me for some recommendations for postpartum and baby products to use for a first time mum. So I thought I'd turn it into one of my blogs. Sometimes you just need a recommendation to know that you’re not buying a dodgy product. I have no affiliation with the companies and just writing from my own experiences.
Everyone’s birth story will be different so the products you use after birth will also need to be individualised. Postpartum is such a special time but can also be very challenging and stressful for some. These are the products that helped me feel cared for and comfortable.
Tom’s maternity pads, soft, absorbent and hypoallergenic.
Rectogesic wipes are a lifesaver. A good friend of mine with 3 children recommended these for a comfortably clean wipe of the delicate areas postpartum and I will thank her forever.
Ural is a medication that you can buy at the chemist which neutralises the pH of your urine. This was also recommended to me to reduce stinging when you urinate postpartum incase of tears of the perineum. Worth a try, I took a few with me in the hospital bag to use which seemed to help. Be sure to check it is ok to use with your healthcare provider.
Ensure you keep up your fluids as well and what you won’t hear is that all that fluid you put on to support the baby - needs to flush out of your system. Think peeing like a horse.
Breast pads are not something that you would think about using, but a very necessary part of the breastfeeding journey. I used a mixture of disposable and washable. The softest of which was the Pea Pods Bamboo Nursing Pads, gifted to me by my sister. The disposable ones come in different shapes and sizes so may suit different breasts, I had the softest journey with new beginnings and Johnson’s Nursing Pads. You want to make sure they are absorbent and comfortable.
Speaking of comfort - lanolin for nipple cracking is highly recommended. Once you get the hang of breastfeeding you may not need it but if you are having difficulties this product will help to heal and soothe you most precious feeding device. Don’t forget nipple shields may also be needed in the first few weeks and if you aren’t sure if they are correct see a lactation consultant for advice. Don’t stress yourself about breastfeeding on your own, get some help if you are having difficulties.
When buying breastfeeding bras, get the right size! I didn’t and I thought it was ok until the midwife told me to get a stretchy crop bra and live in that. My good friend again has recommended a Best & Less brand maternity seam free crop for just $7.50. I’m going to get some this week!
I invested in 2 bras N things maternity bras to feel extra special once I got the hang of breastfeeding - don’t go too early but don’t leave it too late like I did! The comfort of a good fitting bra is priceless.
So now that you are comfortable, what do I recommend for babies? Well you can’t go wrong with Huggies newborn nappies, a perfect amount of absorbency with a tight fit to prevent any leaks. I know there are many options, so go with what you know or try a few out first. But I always came back to Huggies for the best fit and absorbency with no leaks.
Wipes, again, so many to choose from. Some babies may have allergies to some wipes so you many need to be careful. I was lucky and my daughter didn’t have any skin reactions and I loved the smell of the Curash Baby Wipes and they were soft and durable. They were a little expensive so eventually I transitioned to the bubs Coles brand and love these. For my newborn I am going to give Tooshies by Tom a go and see what they are like.
Curash baby powder and Sudocrem are my favs for nappy rash prevention or treatment. My sister taught me to lather it on when there was even the smallest amount of nappy rash starting and this seemed to prevent any serious cases of nappy rash for my first daughter. So I’ve stocked up on the big bottles. Only advice to new mums - Keep this one out of reach of children and hidden in the nappy bag. Once babies (or toddlers) find this - they love to put it EVERYWHERE.
Dummies are a personal preference. I tried to avoid them for the first 6 weeks. At 5 weeks my husband gave my daughter the dummy and then there was quiet. For the first time in 5 weeks she was quiet and it wasn’t because she was asleep or feeding. I cried. Then we continued to use the dummy and it did not affect her breastfeeding. I used the Avent brand which was a recommendation again from my sister. These worked well and I did try to change brands but my daughter preferred the Avent until she stopped using dummies. I transitioned to the Avent branded bottles once I started expressing but I don’t know if they need to be the same. She was happy to feed out of them so I continued with those also.
Obviously the list goes on, but I’ll end it here today and update you with all the new products I find after my second daughter is born.
If this article has brought up any questions at all please make an appointment to discuss with me or your GP. This information is from my own research and experience and other doctors' opinions on what is or isn’t required prenatal and antenatal may differ and is not necessarily wrong. Each patient is very different and your own needs will be different to others as we individualise your care.
Dr Hannah Bourke
MBBS, FRACGP, DIP. CHILD HEALTH
Caring, honest, calm and genuine, Dr Hannah is here for all your health needs.
