Fourth trimester is hard. No sugar-coating it. You’re sleep deprived, you’re physically healing and you’re hit with hormones. You’re not alone. Along with my village, here are the products that have helped me get through the first 6 weeks of fourth trimester!
Breastfeeding
For the first 4 weeks, I always had silverettes on and it was a game changer for my nipples. I love the Elvie Curve for catching my milk when leaking, it has helped me build my emergency stash. It has suctioning for active catching or can just be left in a nursing bra while leaking. Favorite clean nipple butter that doesn’t need to be wiped before feeding.
Lactation Support (All Gluten-Free)
I eat the Boobie Bar every day and it tastes so good. Oatmeal is one of the best foods for boosting the milk supply. It is also a good source of nutrients that are important for breastfeeding women and babies. I also drink Mother’s Milk Tea daily to help with milk supply.
Nursing Bras (My 3 Favs For Nursing Support)
V Delivery Healing
Tucks inside the mesh underwear = game changer. Due to postpartum bleeding and discharge, the disposable underwear and cooling from tucks was really helpful. The Post-partum kit was really helpful during the first few weeks. I spray Claraderm 1-2 times a day to promote vaginal skin healing.
Breastfeeding-Safe Skincare:
All clean & non-toxic skincare that I used during pregnancy as well. Easy steps that has my skin glowing.
PJs:
Comfortable and nursing friendly pjs are a necessity during postpartum.
5 Post-Partum Favorites
You got this mama!
They tell us how to grow a baby. What to eat. What not to eat. What vitamins to take and what bras to buy. All the prenatal yoga moves to do. But they forget to tell us how to put ourselves back together once that baby is born. They forget to tell us how we might feel like we’re drifting. Afloat. Alone. On a life raft with leaky breasts and sore stitches and a tiny little being dependent upon us for survival. They forget to tell us how weird and wild it feels to have loose organs shifting about inside of us. How there will be so much softness still. I get it. You don’t want to startle us. You don’t want us to be scared about what’s ahead. But….a little heads up would be helpful. We’re brave enough for the truth. And those things you find so scary- loose skin and leaky breasts and big feelings – we might just be bold enough to welcome them. To see the beauty there. So here’s the truth mama. Your pelvic floor will probably need work and attention. You’ll have to put in some effort to regain that muscle strength, no matter how gentle your birth. Your breasts and belly will probably never be the same. Love them anyway. Love than more than before!! Celebrate them! Buy bras that make you feel sexy. Then move on. Your identity and sense of self will change radically. Buckle up for the ride. You’ve got this. Your partnership and friendships and general relationship with the outside world might feel foreign for awhile. Or forever. Those relationships might crack and break under the weight of new parenthood. Live your truth. Leave the rest behind. In love. The whole world might feel shaken up. You’ll probably feel shaky and raw. That’s normal (they just forgot to tell you). You’re new here. In this skin. In this role. In this love. You’ll find your way. You’ll find your rhythm. It will all fall into place – with time. Until then – breathe. As deeply as you can. Drink your tea before it gets cold. If you can. Rest – whenever you can. And love on your new self. As deeply as you can.
Catie Atkinson
JOURNEY WITH DRISH 