5 Things a New Mom Needs After Giving Birth

By Natalie Preddie, Family & Travel Writer

Becoming a mother is one of life’s greatest moments if not THE greatest moment. When the baby is born, visitors drop by with outfits for the baby, ready-made meals, and bottles of champagne. (They know their audience.) Although this is all very helpful and appreciated, there were particular gifts that stood out. When my sister-in-law gave birth a few months ago, my husband and I put together a care package that included everything she would need, and everything I loved having in my first few weeks as a mother. Here are my top five picks for making a new mom care package.

1. Huggies Little Snugglers Diapers

Newborn babies live in their diapers. Even when practicing skin-to-skin, babies are diaper-clad so it is important that baby’s skin is comfortable, cared for and can breathe. Huggies Little Snugglers diapers have GentleAbsorb Liners and tiny, soft pillows that provide a cushiony layer of protection between baby’s skin and the mess. These diapers also have a soft inside with a breathable outer cover and are fragrance and lotion free. With their pocketed waistband and special Leak Lock System, I have kept my little man in Huggies Little Snugglers since he was born.

2. UberEats Gift Card

Although the ready-made meals were great, sometimes I had particular cravings that needed to be indulged. This is when an UberEats gift card is key. Example? After my son was born, my husband and I ordered a family-size platter of sushi and devoured it in less than 30 minutes. Despite what we had in the freezer, a ready to order meal from our favourite restaurant (in one of the few moments the baby was asleep) was exactly what we needed as new parents. 

3. Cabbage

My husband read about this online. Apparently, putting a cabbage in the freezer and putting the leaves on breastfeeding breasts are the perfect remedy for sore nipples. He told me this with an air of pride as he put the cabbage in the freezer. Turns out, he was right. The frozen cabbage cooled and soothed my chapped nipples. The only bad part was the smell. It’s not nice to always smell like a cabbage.

4. Huggies Natural Care Wipes

These wipes are my favourite for a newborn baby's skin. I still use them on my son. They have a pure and gentle formula made with 99% water, which is filtered 3 times. Safe for sensitive skin and ideal for newborn skin, these wipes are pH balanced to help promote healthy skin. Natural Care wipes are also hypoallergenic and dermatologically tested. They are fragrance, paraben and alcohol-free, with a touch of aloe and Vitamin E. They are perfect for a baby's skin from newborn to beyond!

5. Disposable Underwear

After giving birth, it is inevitable that new moms will bleed for days, if not weeks. This means changing soiled pads multiple times throughout the day to avoid leaks, making sure the pad doesn’t catch on any stitches down there, and feeling like both you and baby are wearing diapers.

Cue disposable underwear. Once I switched from gigantic pads to disposable underwear, my newly busy life felt a little less complicated. I didn’t feel like I was wearing something huge and bulky, and I didn’t have to worry about leaking everywhere. I may have worn these garbs for longer than necessary because I liked them so much.

Now I need to remember all of these favourites for when I have my next little bundle of joy!

About the Author

Natalie Preddie is a new mom to a beautiful baby boy who already shares her love of adventure. From traveling solo in her younger years to more recent travels with her husband, she now captures her growing family’s adventures on her blog and through social media.

From backpacking to luxury resorts, she has traveled to more than 30 countries and looks forward to visiting much more with her baby in tow. She has worked with Visit Jamaica, Magical Kenya, Four Seasons Resorts, Island Expeditions and Visit California to name a few. She is currently focusing on the best way to travel and enjoy the world with a baby. She is a Sunwing Kidcations Expert and a Huggies #nobabyunhugged mom ambassador.

Twitter: @_NattyP  Instagram: _NattyP  Facebook: The Adventures of Natty P