My sons birth was very quick. I only pushed for 10 minutes and had a minor second degree tear. However, that little tear needed a few annoying internal stitches that were very painful for a few weeks. I’ve put together a few postpartum tips/lifehacks to minimize your suffering during the first few overwhelming, stressful weeks with your newborn.

Right after birth every time you go pee lean forward on the toilet so the pee doesn’t touch your stitches. Bring a bottle of ibuprofen/Motrin to the hospital with you. Don’t worry it’s safe for breastfeeding. I was discharged a few hours before my son was. They can’t give you any medicine after you’ve been discharged. They prescribed me ibuprofen but I didn’t want to leave my son at the hospital to pick up my prescription when I didn’t know exactly when they will discharge him. I spent hours in excruciating pain for no reason. Keep taking your ibuprofen for the first few weeks. Make Padcicles to put in your knickers to numb your poor bruised and irritated perineal. Padcicles work great I was able to walk around and do laundry at 1-week postpartum. Spray your nether regions with Dermaplast numbing spray or Earth Mamas natural perineal spray. Both work great. Get an over the toliet perineal soaking bath and fill it with warm water and an Earth mama’s brand organic sitz bath satchet (only $5.87). After birth you will bleed a lot. It’s like those 9 months of periods that you missed catch up with you. Change your pad frequently to prevent the blood from sticking your skin to your pad. Wear loose clothing. For the first week I only wore my knickers at home and a bathrobe around visitors. Avoid tight pants/shorts. Pack comfortable, loose pants in your hospital bag to go home in. No jeans! Sweat pants are ideal. The most obvious point — rest. You just birthed a little human. You will spend so much time with that little person before you know it he or she will be a few weeks old. It took me 3 weeks to feel comfortable enough to stop taking ibuprofen and using padcicles.

It’s SO worth it to invest a bit in your own comfort so you can be as content as possible with the little human you brought into the world. This is all I could think of. Do you have any other tips that I could add to my list?