The best postpartum recovery products

Whether you're running an errand, taking a short trip or heading back to work full-time, you'll need a good breast pump to get you through those times when you can't breastfeed your baby directly. These are the best breast pumps you can buy.

There are a wide range of nursing bras to choose from, making it hard to know which type best meets your needs and which brand and style you should go with. Here are the best ones we've found.

A baby's bottle delivers the nutrition a child needs to thrive while offering the caregiver a chance to connect with the infant. But not all babies will like all bottles, so get ready to shop around, caregivers. These are the best baby bottles.

When your little one is screaming in the middle of the night for warm milk, having a baby bottle warmer will save your sanity, and hopefully, some sleep. Pop a bottle in one of these warmers, and you'll have a ready-to-go meal at an ideal temperature. These are the best bottle warmers.

While swaddling does come with some controversy, it's hands-down one of the best ways to get a fussy baby to sleep. But like all baby products, swaddles come in all shapes and sizes. Here are the best baby swaddles you can buy.

A great baby monitor is one of the most important and expensive purchases you'll make when you're outfitting your nursery. There are three main types of monitors: audio baby monitors, video baby monitors with dedicated viewers, and Wi-Fi baby monitors, and we've rounded up the best of each. These are the best baby monitors you can buy.

Cloth diapers are easy to use, offer money-savings, and are nothing like the ones your grandma used to use. When you get down to finding the perfect cloth diaper, it comes down to four factors: cost, sustainability, absorbency, and cuteness (your baby has to look good, after all). These are the best cloth diapers you can buy.

Prenatal vitamins help moms-to-be and would-be mothers get the nutrients they need to encourage the conception and healthy development of a child. We did extensive research, interviewed an OB-GYN, and personally tested these vitamins to find the best prenatal vitamins you can buy.

I won't be shy: Your first postpartum bowel movement is intense. You'll want it to be as minimally scary and painful as possible given what you just went through. That's why you'll be given a nonstimulant stool softener in the hospital, and you should continue to take the recommended dose (with your OB/GYN's oversight) during your first week home.

You need your stools to be soft and easy to pass to avoid bearing down hard and causing undue trauma to your body, e.g., your pelvic floor, rectum, vagina, and C-section incision if you had a cesarean.

Stool softeners work differently than laxatives, and it's an important distinction. Stool softeners literally soften your stools, allowing you to eliminate them more easily. Laxatives, on the other hand, stimulate your intestines to contract and force the stool out. They can be habit-forming, making it harder to naturally eliminate, and are not advised when breastfeeding.

Colace is widely used by hospitals and is very gentle. Its active ingredient is docusate, which according to the National Institute of Health, is "unlikely to be found in the maternal serum or breast milk." In addition to taking stool softener, be sure to stay hydrated and eat fiber-rich foods to ensure regularity.

Pros: Gentle, effective, doctor-approved

Cons: Works slowly, not intended for long-term use

Yep, your secret is the same as everyone else who is pregnant and postpartum. Hemorrhoids! Everyone's got them. Painful, burning, itching — whatever yours feel like, they are 100% uncomfortable and embarrassing.

While Tucks can't do anything about that second part, these thick, witch-hazel-based wipes do provide welcome, cooling relief. "Witch hazel comes from a plant with natural anti-inflammatory and topical pain relief properties. Those two properties help to soothe the perineal area and reduce the amount of blood flow," said Perkins. "It's important to make taking care of [your perineum] a priority. Even for women who have had C-sections, there is still a large amount of pain and swelling."

When hemorrhoids are particularly bad, you can simply press a fresh wipe against your bottom. They are also ideal for wiping gently, slowly, and carefully after a bowel movement instead of using toilet paper. It's worth leveling-up with this brand name; generics stick together and dry out easily and do not have the same cooling strength.

Pros: Effective, biodegradable, pleasantly thick, does not dry out

Cons: Provides temporary relief

"After childbirth, the perineal area is stretched and sitz baths help with pain and reduce swelling," said Perkins. "I absolutely recommend them for new moms. Sitz baths are also helpful treatment for hemorrhoids, which many people don't realize is often a part of prenatal and postpartum life for new moms. Sitz baths can act as a double treatment for both issues."

I like Frida Mom's tablets for several reasons: The container is slim and can be stashed on top of the toilet. The container is slim and can be stashed on top of the toilet. There is nothing you have to do — no scooping, measuring, or other processes that would minimize the likelihood that you sitz. And if these aren't the right fit for you? No biggie. It's a small package, so you won't have a pricey 2-pound bag of salts gone to waste.

Ask your hospital for a take-home sitz bath. It will be a simple plastic version that rests within your toilet. You'll fill the sitz basin with warm water and add one of these dissolving tablets. After the tablet dissolves, top off the sitz bath with a bit more warm water prior to soaking for up to 20 minutes. It's safe, effective, and low-cost.

Vaginal steaming is very popular in some circles. However, the touted benefits are not evidence-based and you shouldn't attempt it without proper training. Stick with a sitz bath and use these tablets to gussy up the experience. It makes it simple and as easy as possible — no big bags of Epsom salts or any measuring. Open the tube and drop a disc in the bath, and that's it. When you are newly postpartum, convenience wins over everything else.

Pros: Convenient, mess-free, nicely scented

Cons: Tablets can be slow to dissolve

This product is a game-changer after vaginal birth. This is not the time for fake scents, artificial ingredients, or additives. Your perineal area, which includes your vagina, anus, and the space between the two, has gone through intense trauma. This is especially true if you had prolonged pushing, extreme tearing, and/or were given stitches. You must treat your perineal area gingerly as it heals.

Earth Mama's spray is made of witch hazel, vegetable glycerin, cucumber extract, and lavender and peppermint oils. I recommend refrigerating it, as suggested on the label, for extra soothing relief. You'll use this after you urinate.

Here's what to do: Use the peri bottle given to you at the hospital and spray yourself instead of wiping with toilet paper. Sit, briefly air-dry, then follow up with this spray for cooling relief. You can use it as frequently as you'd like.

For additional relief, I highly recommend dispatching your partner or doula to make "DIY padsicles" for you to have on hand in the freezer.

Pros: All natural, effective, sprays upside-down, nonaerosol, natural cucumber smell is fresh and pleasant

Cons: Not a medicated spray; for relief, not treatment, of perineal discomfort

Contrary to what so many of us expect, we don't magically produce mature milk immediately after delivery. First, you'll produce what's called colostrum. It's referred to as "liquid gold" because although there isn't much of it, it's very mighty, helping set the foundation for your baby's microbiome.

Your free-flowing milk won't come in until day three — or approximately that for first-time mothers — and painful engorgement often happens as your body ramps up production and your breasts fill with this newfound milk. Preventing clogged ducts is important right now.

To ease pain and get milk moving, massage your breasts and use the Hilph ice packs to do a warm compress before a feed or pump, followed by a cold compress after. You could use a washcloth to do this or instant hand-warmer packs (for heat), but the low-cost, versatile Hilph makes it easy and mess-free.

"During these early days, it's important to try and feed frequently whenever the baby shows hunger cues," said Petersen. "For the first days and weeks after birth, that's most likely going to be every two hours and sometimes more often. It's important to not go more than two to three hours without feeding. This can lead to you becoming very engorged and may cause blocked ducts or even mastitis."

Once you've phased out of them, keep them on hand for kiddo bumps and bruises down the line.

Pros: Reusable and washable, versatile for warm and cooling relief, portable and nicely sized, comes in its own storage pouch

Cons: Made of PVC plastic, which may be a concern to some