Did you know, according to the CDC, that there are 4 million births per year in the United States? That’s a whole lot of women going through postpartum over the course of 0-6 weeks. And that time frame can extend. Research shows that women who have had multiple births take an average of 1 week longer time to recover. Women who have had a cesarean can take even longer to recover, especially if there are complications with the sutures healing (hello, cough cough, me). I tore my sutures open, requiring an additional 4 week recovery period. That’s 8 weeks total! So we made a great “down there” recovery checklist/tip sheet, just for you:

Tylenol (acetaminophen). Take 2 for overall aches and pains, not to mention post-birth contractions. Maxi pads. Postpartum bleeding (lochia) can last for up to six weeks. Be ready by stocking up on pads, not tampons. Ice packs. Ice your perineal area: you can do it yourself with ice packs wrapped in paper towels, we suggest avoiding ice cubes as it might get a little messy. Postpartum underwear. Get your postpartum undies stocked, you’ll need about 5 pairs on average. Bonus: ours are moisture wicking and have an antimicrobial treatment. Witch Hazel. Use it on pads or a wipe to clean and soothe vaginal pain and hemorrhoids. Peri/Squirt bottle. Rinse off your perineal area before/after peeing, every time. Yes, it’s annoying but do it as the area heals. Lidocaine spray. If you’re one of the lucky millions, you’ll get postpartum hemorrhoids and this will help take the edge off. Stool softener. We are pretty sure you know why you need this. Heating pad. Ease the aches and pains in your abdomen while your uterus shrinks back to a reasonable size. Sitz bath. Soak in water up to your hips to relieve postpartum pain.