And we’re back!! Hopefully Pt. 1 gave you somewhere to start if you’re prepping for your own little one, or even helping someone you know get ready to welcome their newest member. Well, today we’re going to talk about something I’m very passionate about, and honestly the thing that first inspired this series of posts.
Today, we’re going to be talking about my Postpartum checklist that I worked off of when James was born, and what I’m pulling together in preparation for June! But first…a few more pictures.
Okay, so. Obviously I’m going to talk about my Young Living postpartum checklist, but I’m going to start with my “other” checklist for now, mostly because it’s much shorter at this point.
PostPartum Checklist – Amazon
Collagen
I like to begin using this during pregnancy, for as long as possible. When trying to maximize the budget, I’ll start during the 3rd trimester when everything starts to hurt, and baby is finalizing all of their development. I’m not sure if that’s the ideal way to do it, but it’s what I do. I like Great Lakes Collagen, and I have used the unflavored, but there’s several on there that look great, too! One of the things I love about the Great Lakes collagen is that it dissolves so well in both hot and cold liquids, so I can throw it in my coffee or a smoothie and it turns out just as good either way. It’s so great for both you and baby, so grab some now, and keep on using it throughout postpartum. You’ll thank me.
Witch Hazel
I didn’t have any Witch Hazel on hand for my first, but I’m definitely planning on getting some this time around. Whether you actually plan ahead far enough to make padsicles with it and freeze them, or just spray down your pads in the moment, Witch Hazel can be so beneficial for any swelling, tearing, or other pain/discomfort in your nether regions after delivery. After James was born, I used ClaraDerm (I’ll talk about it a little more below) and just kept it in the bathroom and sprayed it on directly, and it was such a Godsend, and I absolutely intend to do so again, but I’d like to have the Witch Hazel, too, and I recommend you do as well. This is the one I’m planning to order, as it was recommended by several other mom’s who have used and loved it. Whatever you get, just make SURE it’s alcohol-free, or else it will NOT be soothing.
Greater Than
Okay, this is another new addition to my list this year, but it’s been recommended to me by a good friend, and I’m excited. Greater Than is an all-natural performance drink that people find beneficial for lots of things, but I intend to use it both to help support my recovery after delivery, and also to support my milk supply during the early weeks/months of breastfeeding. Hydration is one of the biggest keys to supporting your supply, but it can be very difficult with a newborn, and even moreso with a toddler and a newborn. Therefore, anything you can do to help keep yourself as hydrated as possible is going to be incredibly beneficial. In addition, the coconut water has often been recommended to me as a breastfeeding support, and the electrolytes will be a Godsend after labor.
Now, I haven’t even tried this yet, so I can’t speak to the taste, or whether it’s helpful for me personally or not, but a very good friend of mine that I trust very much wrote about it on her blog, and I’ve seen a lot of other reviews from people who say it’s awesome, so I’m going to give it a shot. Even if it doesn’t make a crazy difference in my milk supply, I know I could use all the help I can get with my hydration anyway! I’m sure I’ll be back to update once I place my first order to let you guys know what I think!
So that’s my checklist for me, that I’m planning to get from sources other than Young Living. Now we’re going to dive into my Young Living checklist. This is for me and for baby, because I just made a master list of things things that I want to start adding to orders now to make sure I have a good stash on hand and ready when baby comes. Before we go any further, however, I want to remind you that I only vouch for Young Living oils here on this blog. This company has proven themselves for over 25yrs that they are the leader in quality, transparency, and the absolute best oils on the market. Please do not use any other oils on yourself or your precious little baby. Also, remember to dilute the oils on your little ones, unless you’re using the KidScents oils which are pre-diluted especially for them!
Okay. Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get some more baby pictures up in here, and then we’ll jump into the YL list!
PostPartum Checklist – Young Living
Supplements:
AminoWise: My mom made mixed up a serving of this with some Ningxia while I was in labor with James, and a few more times after he was born in the following days. If you check this out on the YL site, it recommends using this as a workout recovery, and if that’s not exactly what you need after hours of labor and pushing a baby out of your body, then I don’t know what. I can’t tell you what labor recovery is like without this stuff, because James was my first, but I can tell you that I wouldn’t want to try to go without it.
Ningxia Red: While we’re on the subject, I’m going to load up crap tons of Ningxia Red. There are so many reasons why this is a must-have for me during pregnancy and postpartum, and most of them I can’t even begin to go into here, so if you want to know all the reasons that this makes it on my list for basically everything, I would love to chat with you! That being said, Ningxia is a ridiculous powerhouse of antioxidants and so much nutritional value it’ll blow your mind. And after going through creating a human being, and then bringing that being to earth, this is one of the best and easiest ways to replenish yourself! (I did also teach a class on this a few months ago, which you can check out here).
MultiGreens: Here’s what the YL site says about this gold: “MultiGreens™ is a nutritious chlorophyll formula designed to boost vitality by working with the glandular, nervous, and circulatory systems.* MultiGreens is made with spirulina, alfalfa sprouts, barley grass, bee pollen, eleuthero, Pacific kelp, and therapeutic-grade essential oils.” One of the things I absolutely love about these is that because of the addition of the oils, the MultiGreens (as well as our other supplements) are significantly more bioavailable, meaning you get way more for your money when you buy these! I did a class on Supplements, too, in case you’re interested!
Master Formula: This is one of the main components in my prenatal regimen, but I plan to continue taking it for a while after baby is born. Nourishing a baby is a lot of work, and since I just had James not that long ago, I know it’s extra taxing on my body, so I’ll keep pouring into it while I’m recovering and nursing a newborn! This also makes a fantastic daily multivitamin, if you’re looking for something easy to check a lot of boxes! They even come in individual sachets so you can take them on the go!
Super Vitamin D: This is a pretty new addition to the YL lineup, but I absolutely love it. Vitamin D plays such a vital role in everything we do, and being able to get it from Young Living gives me peace of mind that I’ve got the best quality and I’m getting the most benefit from it that I can!
Sulfurzyme Power: This is one that I use all the time – I just add it to my water bottle every time I fill it up, and it helps me drink more water because I like the taste of it, and it’s so good for you! I talk about this one quite a bit in the Supplements class that I linked above.
Okay, that’s pretty much all of the supplements that are on my list. I’m also taking Super B as part of my prenatal handful of vitamins, and I really like the IlluminEyes, too, but as far as my must-have postpartum list – that’s it! Let’s move on to my list of everything else!
Other:
Progessence Plus: This one almost went up under the Supplements section, but that wouldn’t be in line with the FDA-approved labeling, so it’s here. This is another one that I can’t really tell you as much about it as I would like, but it is AMAZING, and I would absolutely never, ever go through a postpartum journey without it.
ClaraDerm: Okay, I mentioned this earlier, but this is a momma’s best friend after putting your lady bits through what they go through during labor and delivery. Even if you are blessed to come through without any tearing, your skin will love you for adding this to your basket in the bathroom. This spray contains a blend of Frankincense, Myrrh, Lavender and Helichrysum, and if you don’t know what those oils can do for your skin, then we need to get together and chat.
Charcoal Bar Soap: So, this is going to take a little bit of a left turn from the weight of the last few things on my list. Have you ever had one of these moments? You know the ones, where baby is wearing one of the cutest onesies you’ve ever seen, and then before you know it, the whole thing is covered in gooey, staining, yellow baby poop? Yeah. If you have spent any time around babies, chances are you’ve had one of those moments.
Before
After
Want results like this? Get yourself a bar of Charcoal soap. Lots of cold water, scrub with the soap and wash – I haven’t had it fail me yet!!
Checklist for Baby:
Frankincense: I kept this handy and put it on James’ feet several times a day after he was born. Again – I won’t go into all of the ‘why’ here, but Frankincense is a huge support for the whole body, and what brand new baby doesn’t need full body support?
TummyGize: Every one who’s spent any time around an infant knows that when tiny tummies are uncomfortable, everyone is miserable. This is a delicious smelling oil (in stark contrast to it’s counterpart DiGize), and it is the perfect item in your mommy toolbox to help settle baby’s tummy! This is a KidScents oil, so it is pre-diluted and you can roll it on baby’s tummy at diaper changes, and on the bottoms of their feet when there is some disquiet.
SleepyIze: This is my favorite KidScents oil for helping everyone relax and get a little rest. If your little one is having a hard time settling in for a nap or bedtime, keep this one handy! It also helps for momma’s that are overtired and having a hard time letting go and getting rest for themselves!
Seedlings Diaper Rash Cream: This is so gentle, it doesn’t stink, and it works wonders on redness in the diaper area. Plus, the non-nano zinc oxide makes it the perfect barrier to wetness while remaining gentle and safe for baby’s brand new skin!
Seedlings Baby Lotion: I love this lotion. It rubs in so completely, and it feels so incredible!! Even better – it’s gentle and formulated just for the youngest among us! I used this on James’ dry skin on his eyebrows and scalp, and it worked wonders!!!! I’ll be sure to have a new tube on hand when baby arrives, too!
Y’all – that was a LOT of information, wasn’t it? Bookmark this post and keep it handy while you’re getting ready for baby!
If you want to chat about some of the things that I didn’t say here, or you want to find out the best way to get these things in your home and hands before your little one arrives, then please don’t hesitate to reach out to me on Instagram or Facebook any time!
Or, if you want to jump in right now and get started on your own, you can get your starter bundle on order today, and get a 24% discount on all of the items listed above!!
Blessings, Jacki