9 Best Mom-Tested Postpartum Kits for Care and Recovery
Between stocking up on diapers, bottles and the billion other things you’ll need for a new baby, it’s easy to let your postpartum needs get lost in the shuffle. It doesn’t help that the sheer number of products designed to support recovery is dizzying, particularly for first-time parents who might struggle to anticipate what they’ll be reaching for in the days that follow delivery. Luckily, there are plenty of curated postpartum kits, full of recovery-boosting items that range from essential to extra. We’re here to help explain what makes a great postpartum recovery kit, and where to find the best ones out there today.
Keep reading for our breakdown of what to look for in a postpartum care kit, as well as our picks for the best kits on the market, including this year’s Best of The Bump winner.
According to postpartum doula Jada Shapiro, one of the best ways to sift through the many postpartum kit options is to consider the comprehensiveness of its contents. The most complete kit, she says, will include:
- Perineal care products
- Maternity pads
- Disposable underwear
- Nursing pads
- Stool softeners
Additional nice-to-haves include OTC pain relievers, soothing herbal teas or supplements, and anything else that promotes healing, alleviates discomfort or provides support during the postpartum period. But don’t be surprised if you have to fill in here and there. After all, everyone’s postpartum needs are unique. You’ll also want to consider quality, value for the money, educational resources provided and—of course—reviews from other parents.
But why bother buying all this stuff ahead of time when most hospitals and birthing centers supply at least some of these supplies for free? “You’ll be prepared, which will alleviate some stress in the days leading up to delivery,” says Shapiro. You can also expect these kits to contain higher quality items than hospital freebies, she says. But the best part: Stocking up on everything you need ahead of time will let you to focus on your baby (and on recovery!) once you get home—no last-minute pharmacy runs required.
To figure out which are truly the best postpartum kits out there, we enlisted new moms in the early days of their parenting journeys to thoroughly test the leading options on the market. They used these kits in their homes and hospitals, and based on their reviews of quality, effectiveness, choice of products, style and design, and value for money, as well as our own extensive research, we’ve rounded up the postpartum care kits that are best suited to your particular needs.
For more than 10 years, The Bump has been recognizing the absolute best baby and pregnancy products on the market through our awards series. Curious to see which postpartum kit was named the Best of The Bump award winner this year? Keep scrolling for the overall top pick, plus a list of carefully vetted postpartum recovery kits that are particularly good for specific needs, whether you’re recovering from a c-section delivery, prefer organic products or want a kit that also helps with breastfeeding.
Overall best postpartum kit
Earning a top score of 5 out of 5 from our product tester across all categories, including choice of products, quality and value for money, the Bodily Care for Birth Box was the clear choice for this year’s Best of The Bump award for best postpartum kit. (Head here to see all of this year’s winners.) This kit ticked every box for both childbirth recovery and breastfeeding support: “There’s nothing I needed to go out and buy and add to make the kit complete,” reported our product tester. “Each product served a purpose to aid my recovery and [they all] worked well together.”
The 11-item kit includes the essentials: A peri wash bottle, 14 giant maxi pads for heavy bleeding and three pairs of mesh boyshorts designed to keep pads in place. It’s also stocked with stool softener, which many take to avoid constipation and the discomfort of the first few postpartum poops.
To make the early days of nursing more comfortable, you’ll find two nipple creams, soothing hydrogel pads that adhere to your bra and grippy bamboo nursing pads to sop up breast milk leaks without slipping out.
The icing on top—or perhaps, we should say “bottom”—is cozy socks to keep your toes toasty in the hospital. Perhaps most helpful, though, is a pair of postpartum guidebooks—one for you and one for your partner, so everyone is up to speed on what the days after delivery will entail.
Number of items included: 11 | Organic items: Nursing pads and nipple creams
“‘Each product is made for a specific need and actually worked for that need. The kit made my recovery so speedy and easy.”
- Postpartum guide book helps both partners alleviate uncertainty
- Includes stool softener
- With just 14 heavy pads, you’ll likely need some extras
- Ice packs and perineal healing products aren’t included
Best practical postpartum kit
Frida first made their name in the US by offering simple but highly effective products that parents didn’t even know they’d need, and their postpartum recovery kits are no exception. The Labor and Delivery + Postpartum Recovery Kit is ready to help from the moment you arrive in the hospital, starting with comfy socks and a delivery gown that goes above and beyond the usual paper hospital fare: It includes snap access for nursing and skin-to-skin contact, and even pockets!
The effectiveness, quality and choice of products impressed our product tester, with 5 out of 5 ratings across all categories. “I love the amount that comes in each pack,” she told us. “I used everything in my postpartum kit! It’s all practical!” Between an upside-down peri bottle (so the water doesn’t run down your hand), four pairs of disposable postpartum underwear, four ice maxi pads (pads with built-in ice packs—genius!), 24 perineal witch hazel pad liners (long strips, not round pads, so they actually fit in your underwear), perineal healing foam and even a carrying case, this postpartum recovery kit covers the bases with elevated basics to get you through the acute postpartum period. Our tester even gave it a 5 out of 5 for style and design, noting that the included storage caddy kept everything organized and accessible right on the back of the toilet. “You get excited instead of dreading using the bathroom!”
Number of items included: 8 | Organic items: None
“I’ve used this kit for both of my kids postpartum and have loved it both times!”
- Cute carrying case minimizes bathroom clutter
- Simple and entertaining instruction booklet makes each item’s function clear
- You’ll almost definitely need refills on certain products, like pads and disposable underwear
Best budget-friendly postpartum kit
New parents have so many new expenses; whenever you can find an effective product at an affordable price, it’s a welcome breath of fresh air. The Lansinoh Postpartum Recovery Essentials Kit received a 5 out of 5 for value for money from our product tester, who told us, “I think this kit is the best bang for your buck in terms of the available products and their usefulness postpartum.”
The kit includes an upside-down peri bottle with an angled spout to rinse the hard-to-reach perineum area after vaginal birth, a 99 percent natural herbal postpartum spray made with soothing witch hazel, aloe and calendula, and two reusable hot and cold therapy packs to relieve any ache you’ve got, from hemorrhoids to c-section scar pain and postpartum uterine cramping (used with 12 included disposable sleeves). It’s an impressive lineup that our tester gave a 5 out of 5 for choice of products, all clocking in at under $40.
Number of items included: 5 | Organic items: None
“Very good quality products, and much cheaper than some of the other postpartum kits I’ve seen on the market.”
- High-quality products at an affordable price
- Provides precisely what you need to treat the delicate perineum area
- You’ll need to purchase your own pads
- Doesn’t include many extras to make you feel pampered
Best postpartum kit for breastfeeding moms
The postpartum journey doesn’t just happen below the waist; breastfeeding can throw new parents for a loop, but products that can help smooth this transition aren’t always included in postpartum kits. The Earth Mama Organics Postpartum Collection takes care of that: Like a seasoned mom who thinks of everything, it includes a series of products designed to ease you into nursing, including a non-GMO and lanolin-free nourishing organic nipple butter, an herbal tea made with fenugreek, fennel, milk thistle and other galactagogues to help boost milk supply and two Booby Tubes, which are organic flax-filled cotton pads that can be warmed to help get milk flowing or cooled to reduce tenderness and swelling. These inclusions definitely made an impression on our product tester, who gave the kit a 5 out of 5 for choice of products and effectiveness. “I breastfeed, so the nipple cream is a must, and I love the teas,” she said. “Every product has been helping my postpartum recovery go smoothly!”
This is all on top of the kit’s perineal spray, perineal balm to treat pain and swelling and six organic herbal sitz baths. It also includes a second herbal tea that promises to reduce both initial postpartum cramping and discomfort down the road when your period returns.
Number of items included: 7 | Organic items: Sitz bath, herbal teas, perineal balm and nipple butter
“Overall amazing products. It’s the perfect kit for everyone—it made postpartum much easier. Worth it!”
- The Booby Tubes can be used from the early days of nursing until it’s time to wean
- The teas feel like a treat and make the kit gift-worthy
- Some of the items may feel superfluous if you deliver via c-section
Best organic postpartum kit
Made entirely from certified organic and vegan ingredients, the One Tough Mother Postpartum Care Kit contains 10 essentials that can be personalized with a hand-written note and sent as a welcome gift to a new (and probably too exhausted to shop!) mom. It contains a holistic mix, including four heavy pads, a peri bottle, vegan, paraben-free perineal spray, six disposable nursing pads, four reusable nursing pads, two pairs of mesh underwear, an herbal sitz bath, nipple balm, an aluminum straw for staying hydrated and even a postpartum handbook.
The scope of products in this box is pretty wide, but the quality of the products is what stood out for our product tester, who awarded it 5 out of 5 and told us, “The pads were an incredible quality I’ve never seen before. They provided me with so much comfort when I really needed it. They were very comfy. I sprayed the perineal spray on them and it felt so good on my healing stitches.” And this wasn’t even her favorite item in the box! “The [peri] bottle was my favorite; it’s a great tool and works way better than the one at the hospital.”
Number of items included: 10 | Organic items: All products
“Almost everything was way better quality than the products they give at the hospital and the products I’ve seen in drug stores.”
- All items are organic
- High-quality pads
- The kit is infused with little notes that add an element of surprise and fun
- The kit is focused on vaginal births, not those who give birth via c-section
Best c-section postpartum kit
You can’t always know how delivery is going to go. But whether your c-section was planned or not, moms recovering from an incision will find the Frida Mom C-Section Postpartum Recovery Kit “very impressive,” as our tester put it. Like many kits, it includes an upside-down peri bottle, grippy hospital socks, a carryall bag and four pairs of latex-free, microfiber disposable underwear. But this kit goes the extra mile for c-section moms, with a postpartum abdominal support binder, 10 “Skip The Shower Wipes” and four silicone scar patches.
Our tester rated this kit 5 out of 5 for effectiveness and quality of products, especially the thickness and comfort of the high-waisted underwear, and the support offered by the belly band. As she puts it, “The convenience of having exactly what you need for recovery in one box is extremely valuable to a new mom.” And as far as we’re concerned, that goes double for any mom dealing with an extra challenge in their recovery.
Number of items included: 7 | Organic items: None
“Each product seemed extremely well-made and thought-out.”
- Thick, comfortable high-waisted underwear
- Supportive belly band
- Cheeky packaging
- The price point is high, particularly compared to hospital freebies
Best postpartum kit for body and mind
There’s no question about it: Childbirth is physically grueling. But the Fourth Phase Every Birth Box is one of the only postpartum kits on the market to acknowledge that bringing a baby into the world takes your mind for a real ride too.
The box includes a whopping 13 items, including a peri bottle, two pairs of postpartum panties and a belly wrap for core support. For the skin, there’s a belly birth balm to treat c-section scars and a shea butter lotion to reduce stretch marks. For lactation, you’ll find an herbal loose leaf tea made from fenugreek, rooibos and ginger, a flaxseed and lavender hot/cold compress, a gua sha rose quartz massager to help release clogged milk ducts and a coconut oil nipple salve for dry, cracked nipples.
And all of this is well and good for the flesh, but Fourth Phase knows the spirit needs a little recovery too: The set includes digital download instructions for a series of daily affirmations, a journal and, just because, a floral elixir and an essential oil blend—because don’t you deserve to feel pampered after birth? “Everything about these products is great,” proclaimed our tester, who swears by the nipple salve and disposable underwear, and gave the whole kit 5 out of 5 for quality of products. “The scents and packaging are over the top.”
Number of items included: 13 | Organic items: All products
“I feel like this box brings everything you need right after you give birth. I used almost every product already and it’s only been a week since I had my baby. ”
- For every box sold, similar afterbirth care products are donated to new mothers experiencing homelessness in the US and new mothers in sub-Saharan Africa
- All products are organic, free from phthalates, non-toxic, cruelty-free and sustainably sourced
- Both the underwear and wraps come in two sizes: S/M and L/XL
- Pads, perineal healing products and ice packs are missing from this kit
- High price tag
Best postpartum kit for relaxation
MotherMother is a brand dedicated to clean ingredients and eco-conscious packaging, so it’s no surprise that they designed a postpartum kit that includes organic pads and an organic herbal sitz bath. But they didn’t stop there: The kit also includes an ergonomically designed peri wash bottle and five pairs of mesh underwear designed to accommodate postpartum pads and a changing body. Our product tester gave the Postpartum Recovery Bundle 5 out 5 for choice of products, telling us, “I can’t think of anything else that I needed that it didn’t have.”
The sitz bath can also be used in a peri bottle, bathtub or as a facial steam, in a way that our product tester found “so relaxing,” giving the kit 5 out of 5 for effectiveness. “It gave off spa vibes to help me relax, which was exactly what I needed postpartum.” And recovery is hard work; if a product can help you unwind, we say you deserve it.
Number of items included: 4 | Organic items: Pads and sitz bath
“All of the products worked well and I loved the aesthetic.”
- The boxer-style postpartum undies offer stretch in all the right places
- 20% of proceeds from this kit are donated to Black doulas, midwives, lactation consultants, and organizations working to end the Black maternal health crisis
- You’ll likely need to purchase additional pads
- Our tester thought the underwear could be softer
Best basic postpartum kit
While an overflowing box with a multitude of products can be nice, sometimes all you really need is a little TLC from the basics. The Frida Mom Postpartum Recovery Essentials Kit comes with the staples you’d expect from a good recovery box: Four pairs of disposable postpartum underwear, four instant ice maxi pads, 24 perineal witch hazel cooling pad liners, perineal healing foam and a toilet-top storage caddy. “I love how it comes with a cute container that you don’t mind keeping on the back of the toilet not only for ease but also for looks,” our tester shared. “It’s nice that everything you need is included and that it’s all contained in a way that is easy to use.”
Number of items included: 5 | Organic items: None
“I’d recommend this kit for first-time moms to help them understand what’s needed for recovery care.”
- The cheeky branding makes postpartum care feel fun
- The storage caddy is a convenient way to keep things organized
- Kit may not provide enough ice packs or pads
To help you find the best postpartum kits on the market today, we did extensive research to find the best-selling, most complete and highest-quality kits out there, combing through user reviews, leveraging our familiarity with leading pregnancy brands and relying on our own experiences as new and expectant parents. But we didn’t stop there; we enlisted the help of new parents who then put those kits to the test in the days following their deliveries, and carefully assessed each one for quality of products, choice of products, effectiveness, style and design and value for money.
We stacked this rigorous testing against our own expertise to bestow the prestigious Best of The Bump award to the overall best postpartum kit. And then we went a step further, using the testing results to identify other standout options that are particularly good for your specific needs. All this to ensure that you find a quality product with plenty of bang for your buck that’ll prove a good fit for you and your lifestyle.
Interested in learning more about our editorial process? Read about how our team develops and reviews all articles here.
About the writer:
Elizabeth Narins is a Brooklyn-based freelance writer who has previously held staff positions at Women’s Health and Cosmo. A mother of two, she delivered her first child in March 2020, when unexpected pandemic store closures and supply chain issues taught her the value of being prepared.
Interested in becoming a product tester for The Bump? Head here to apply.
Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.
Plus, More From The Bump:
Jada Shapiro is a postpartum doula and the founder of Boober, a platform that connects parents with doulas, lactation professionals and other postpartum care providers.
