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The 19 Best Postpartum Recovery Products for the 4th Trimester
Updated on
July 29, 2024

The 19 Best Postpartum Recovery Products for the 4th Trimester

Tried-and-true items that soothe, heal and help get you back on your feet.

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There’s a lot to love about the postpartum period like the tiny snuggles, that unmistakable new baby smell and the chance to drown out the world around you while you bond with your newest little family member. But, we’re also here to keep it real, and the reality is that the postpartum period for birthing parents is also a time to recover from bringing a small human into the world.

Whether you delivered vaginally or via C-section, you’ll probably have some discomfort down under, postpartum sweating, sore boobs, a sensitive incision, and everyone’s favorite enemy, hemorrhoids—all of which are pretty common and quite uncomfortable.

The good news? There are lots of smart, well-designed products that are made to help you navigate those initial postpartum days, weeks and months. These parent-tested picks are here to make postpartum recovery a little bit easier and help get you back on your feet. Plus, while it’s great to have baby’s nursery ready, this is a way you can prep your home for your own postpartum wellness. And since postpartum care recovery is just about self-care as it is about healing, adding in some postpartum treats (think bougie skin care and fancy PJs) will be a nice thing to look forward to.

Pro tip: If you could use a helping hand, like with babysitting or a home-cooked meal, you can register for those with help-and-favors cards. You can also register for your postpartum products too!

Babylist’s Best Postpartum Recovery Products

Complete Care Kits

If you’re giving birth for the first time, chances are you have no clue what you’ll need during the postpartum period. The Bodily Care for Birth Box covers all of the basics, so you don’t have to guess and hope for the best. Each item has been thoughtfully and beautifully designed to help you ease your way through the first few weeks of postpartum. The recovery kit includes essentials like cozy socks, mesh undies, a peri wash bottle, breast pads and nipple shields and so much more.

I used this kit 10 months ago when I had my daughter and, as a second-time mom with a decade age gap, I pretty much forgot what birth and recovery felt like. Everything in the box was useful but the mesh undies were my favorite product. They are as comfortable as regular underwear and work perfectly with bulky postpartum pads. The kit also includes two guidebooks to help support you through postpartum recovery.

Recovering from a cesarean delivery requires a different strategy and care. From the disposable underwear and peri bottle to postpartum abdominal support binder and silicone scar patches, this kit has soothing and convenient essentials to help make your recovery easier. The kit also comes with a cute little pouch to hold all of your products. One Babylist parent who had an unplanned c-section said “I had nothing ready for my recovery. I loved this kit— the kit bag is super nice, I am still wearing the socks, and the binder and panties helped support me and not irritate my healing (also they fit me as a plus-size woman).”

All of the Earth Mama favorites in one exclusive Babylist bundle. There are a lot of nipple creams on the market, but Earth Mama Organics consistently ranks as one of our top choices. Unlike many that are super sticky and tough to apply, this nipple butter goes on like, well, butter. The soothing formula is great for treating dry, cracked or sore nipples, a common issue for many breastfeeding or pumping parents during the postpartum period. It’s 100 percent organic, non-GMO and safe to apply before or after feeding or pumping. This giftable kit also includes other top products from the brand like their soothing perineal spray, sitz bath and more.

Wardrobe Must-Haves

A good maternity bra should take you through pregnancy, postpartum and beyond, and this one from Kindred Bravely gets the job done. It’s the perfect combination of comfort and support. Its soft material won’t irritate any already sensitive areas (we’re looking at you, nipples), and there’s no underwire or itchy tags. The dual-clip, two-layer functionality allows for hands-free pumping, easy nursing access or tandem nursing and pumping. It also comes in an inclusive size range.

If you’ve retired your compression socks after pregnancy, go dig them out of your drawer and dust them off—they are actually just as useful postpartum. When we talked to Julie Lamppa, APRN, Certified Nurse-Midwife at Mayo Clinic, about the best compression socks for pregnancy, she said that they are highly recommended because “deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism are more common during pregnancy and the postpartum timeframe.” I love this pair from Comrad because they over just enough of a squeeze to keep blood flowing and the breathable nylon didn’t leave my feet feeling sweaty.

Whether you have a vaginal delivery or via C-section, maximum comfort is the name of the game when it comes to underwear during the postpartum period. When you’re finally ready to ditch the glorious hospital mesh underwear and give real undies a go, grab a pair or two of these high-waisted ones from Kindred Bravely. They’re cut to cover your belly and sit above your C-section line, so they won’t irritate your incision if you have one. They’re also soft, smoothing and full-coverage enough to hold postpartum pads in place. And be sure to check out all of our other recommendations for the best postpartum underwear, too.

While your body is in recovery mode, putting together an outfit will be the last thing on your mind. This set from Storq comes with a pair of wide-leg, crop-cut pants, a buttoned top, and a belted wrap jacket—all made of soft cotton that will remind you of wearing your favorite t-shirt. I love that you can mix and match the pieces and wear the jacket with the bottoms for easy access for skin-to-skin or pair the top with pajama shorts you already have. Three pieces expand your closet into a whole capsule wardrobe.

While these are intended to make nursing access easier, which they definitely do with the easy-to-access hook and eye closure, these tanks are actually perfect even if you aren’t planning on breastfeeding. The light compression helps your midsection feel supported and since there are defined, padded cups, you don’t have to wear a bra (and you can remove the pads if you prefer). I lived in a set of these tanks during my postpartum period and wore them under cardigans, robes or just on their own.

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Postpartum Health Products

If you gave birth vaginally, things will be pretty sore down there for a few days. This double-sided cushion will help you sit in comfort. One side features a donut shape to relieve pressure, while the other has an insert for the included ice pack to relieve pain and swelling. It’s discreet enough that you can take it on the go and it even auto-inflates in about 30 seconds, no pumps or blowing up required.

Sitz baths, or sitting in shallow, warm water, are great for soothing your perineal region after a vaginal delivery. Lansinoh’s sitz bath salts have calming ingredients like cooling aloe vera, healing calendula flower extract and swelling-reducing Epsom salt. To use, simply add to warm water for a comforting bath soak.

Abdominal compression has been used for centuries during the postpartum period to strengthen core muscles, ease back pain, promote mobility and even provide comfort post-C-section. The Belly Bandit fits snugly around your core without impeding your breathing or circulation. It’s made from latex-free spandex and has six inches of adjustability so you can tighten the wrap as your body continues to heal postpartum. And be sure to check with your insurance company—many belly bands are now eligible for reimbursement.

Hemorrhoids: yes, we’re going there. Did you know that you can develop hemorrhoids during pregnancy (due to the extra pressure your baby puts on your rectum) and during postpartum (thanks to yo-yo-ing hormones, constipation and pushing during labor). Tucks are the first line of defense when it comes to handling hemorrhoids. These medicated cooling pads, made with witch hazel, provide immediate relief from common hemorrhoid symptoms like burning and itching. They’re perfect for tossing in your your hospital bag and keeping on hand at home as you heal.

Postpartum recovery can be…messy. If you’re nursing, it’s not uncommon to experience leaking, especially during the first few months of breastfeeding as your supply is still adjusting to your baby’s needs. And whether you have a vaginal birth or a c-section, postpartum bleeding is another part of the healing process that can last for several weeks. Belabumbum’s Leakproof Essentials Bundle includes a set of thin, moisture-wicking and super absorbent leakproof nursing pads and two different styles of leakproof underwear. For the leakproof undies, we recommend cycling these into your rotation once your postpartum flow has slowed down.

Breastfeeding Essentials

Whether or not you decide to breastfeed your little one, it is a good idea to have a pair of reusable nursing pads on hand to prevent leaking when your milk comes in. Bamboobies are our favorite reusable pick because they’re soft and comfortable, eco-friendly and easy to toss right into the washing machine for a quick clean. This pack comes with a thinner set for daytime wear and a thicker, more absorbent pair for overnight.

And speaking of breastfeeding, clogged ducts can be a painful issue for nursing parents and even for those who don’t decide to breastfeed and need to let their milk dry up. This handheld massager helps you target the clog head-on to break up the blockage and improves flow, relieves engorgement and can even encourage a faster letdown. It’s waterproof, rechargeable and features a few different vibration modes.

Dealing with breast discomfort is pretty common during postpartum recovery, regardless of whether you decide to breastfeed or not. These pads provide two types of relief—cool and warm—for any trouble that comes your way, from engorgement and plugged ducts to mastitis or even a stalled let-down. They’re freezer and fridge-safe for cool relief and microwavable for warm, and they even fit into a breast pump.

Just for You Extras

Staying hydrated after giving birth is so important, especially if you are breastfeeding. We love this Owala water bottle for keeping water close. It’s insulated so it’ll keep water cold for up to 24 hours and has a unique FreeSip spout that allows you to drink through the built-in straw or through the open spout. It also comes in a ton of bright, fun colors and the best part? It’s completely leak-proof.

Not to be dramatic but the days leading to my due date, with no signs of labor, were like mental warfare. That is how I discovered the Expectful App. I was searching for prenatal guided meditations and stumbled upon several recommendations for Expectful. The positive mantras, soothing voices and reassurance became an anchor for me so when I was postpartum, I turned back to the Expectful meditations to guide me through those early days of my hormones nosediving and my anxiety peaking. Even if you’ve never given guided meditation a try, Expectful has dozens of options to choose from so you can easily find a good starting point to begin with.

The first three months after you’ve had a baby are a whirlwind of recovering and caring for your brand new baby. In the haze of the fourth trimester, having to search high and low for your nursing pads or Dermaplast or other thing you need in the moment is an unnecessary headache waiting to happen. This 3-tier cart can hold all of your necessities like pads, nursing pads, peri bottle, pump and whatever else you may need (we talked to a labor and delivery nurse to learn more about what after birth products you might need). You can wheel it from the bathroom to the bedroom and back again and when you’re out of the fourth trimester, you can use the cart for literally anything else.

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