Top After-Birth Essentials: What's in Mama Meals Founder Holly's Postpartum Cart

This will be my third birth, and here are the bulk of the things I'm keeping in my postpartum cart at my bedside. Many of these items were things I registered for and received as a gift, were gifted by the company, or things I already have. I actually spent very little money on everything for this cart. Not everything here is a must—some of these are "nice to have"—and I tried to rank them in order of things that I felt are most necessary for me!

Let me know what I've missed in the comments!

You can shop most of the products on the list HERE.

Postpartum Cart: 3-tier rolling cart

After-Birth Contractions Support
- Nova Rising Cramp Ease or Wish Garden After Ease
- Magnesium Oil to rub on belly
- Arnica Gel to rub on belly
- Arnica Pellets
- After Birth essential oil roller by @TheGreenMamma - DM her for orders

Healing Tinctures/Elixirs: I got these all as gifts from either my registry or the company, so I will rotate between all of them!
- Anya Recovery Drops
- Milk Moon Postpartum Tonic
- Wish Garden Postpartum Baby Blues
- Nova Rising Motherwort Elixir

Peri Spray: I was gifted all of these as well, but if I were going to choose one to buy, I'd choose to support any one of the smaller brands!
- Nova Rising Healing Mist
- Skin to Skin Recovery Spray
- Earth Mama Perineal Spray
- Peri Spray by @TheGreen Mamma

Lip Balm
- I love Simply Eden Tallow lip balm, just plain tallow to rub on my lips or the Skin to Skin Lip Balm.

Mini Trash Can - Having a little trashcan by your bedside is so crucial. Trust me on this one! Saves you from throwing tissues or whatever all over your floor for someone else to pick up! haha

Silverettes - I've never used these before, but people rave about them and I am so excited to have them on hand to heal sore nipples during those first few weeks of breastfeeding.

Boiron Hem Calm Suppositories for Hemorrhoids - I'm no stranger to hemorrhoids after birth and I'm glad to have these around for faster healing this time.

Hakka - Regular and Clam Shells  - I've never used the lady bug/clam shells before, and I've heard great things. I've had my Hakka with my other 2, and that thing is amazing for latching on the other side that your baby is feeding on to catch any leaking milk to freeze for later.

Socks - Traditional Chinese Medicine says that cold feet = cold uterus. If you're pregnant, postpartum or trying to conceive... keep those feet warm! It's pretty hot right now so I doubt I will need socks, but definitely want them close by to keep the toes warm at night if needed. I like these organic cotton socks!

Lumebox Red Light  - This link is from @ALittleLessToxic and will give you $250 off. This is not something I bought specifically for postpartum, but something I've had for a long time and use every day. I meditate with it every morning, and we use it for all kinds of aches and pains.  For postpartum I plan to use it on my belly for after-birth cramps, as well as down there to heal hemorrhoids and perineal tissue.

Non-Electric Heating Pad - I love this little water heating bottle because 1. I try not to be attached to electricity, and 2. a plug in heating pad keeps me confined to be near an outlet. This warm heating pad will be used for after birth cramps (especially after I put on arnica gel and magnesium oil), and just in general to keep the womb area warm as it heals.

Postpartum Journal - I love to journal in the morning, and I am excited to have this specific postpartum journal for different prompts to help process the birth and all of the emotions swirling around.

Sitz Bath and Sitz Bath Soak or Bath Salts - My midwife has herbs to make an herbal solution for my peri bottle when I use the restroom, but I will also use some to make a sitz bath to help heal perineal tissue.

Vata Massage Oil and Beauty Balm for Massages - Massage is a main pillar in Ayuervedic postpartum healing.  I LOVE this massage oil and balm, both of which are great for postpartum with all the herbs in it. I can rub it onto myself, and my husband will give me daily massages as a part of my healing. I also plan to have a few in home massages and will have them use this oil. 

Redmond Real Salt - A high-quality salt will provide necessary minerals and assist with hydration. Having some salt by your bedside will make it easy to salt your food as needed when people bring you food in bed!

Baby Nail Clipper - I think this one is pretty self-explanatory :)

Reusable Milk Pads - To help with leaking!

Essential Oils - Rose, Peppermint and Orange - A friend gave me the rose oil because rose is an extremely uplifting scent and great for postpartum, so I plan to smell it throughout the day as desired.  Peppermint is great for headaches/nausea, so I always have it around just in case. Note that peppermint *can* decrease milk supply, although I've never had that issue. Lastly, another friend gifted me orange essential oil, which I also love the scent of, so I'll keep it around for a little energy boost. 

Nasya Oil - This was a birthday gift, and not something I would have necessarily deemed necessary for my postpartum cart. However Nasya oil (an Ayurvedic oil that goes in your nose), is extremely grounding, which I know will help me during such a vulnerable time.

Mama's Milk Oasis Essential Oil Roller - This was gifted to me by this company. I tend to have almost oversupply, so I don't plan to use this unless for some reason I am battling low supply... but I probably wouldn't try messing with my supply for the first 6 weeks while things are regulating.