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If you’re having a Cesarean birth; congratulations! This is such an exciting time!
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Often, as a doula and Bradley Method® educator, I’m asked “Since I’m having a cesarean, what special things should I include in my hospital bag?”. My own cesarean was unplanned, so I’m writing based on what I WISH I would’ve brought, and on what clients and students have reported that they’ve found helpful to have at the hospital.

Luckily, I was given a simple elastic abdominal binder from a sweet postpartum nurse at Baylor Grapevine. This was a lifesaver! It helped me feel like everything was being held in place.

So, definitely not the most glamourous, but these disposable undies would have been great to have during postpartum. Just pull on a fresh pair and go.

 
The C-Mama Healing Salve is full of really healthy and pure ingredients to encourage healing around your cesarean incision. I LOVE this brand; Earth Mama Angel Baby. They also make a really fantastic nipple butter! (See below)

This nipple butter is the BEST I’ve found. Plus it smells like chocolate. Also makes a great lip balm!

Speaking of nipples, if you’re planning on breastfeeding, I prefer this nursing pillow, since it helps take some of the pressure off your tummy.
 
These are just a few of my top ideas. What would you add?
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-Bethany

Birth With Bethany provides Bradley Method® natural childbirth classes, doula support, certified car seat checks and placenta encapsulation to families in the Flower Mound, Lewisville, Denton, Argyle, Plano, Dallas, McKinney, Frisco, Southlake, Trophy Club, Colleyville, Coppell, Carrollton and Grapevine areas. 
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Back in our grandparents’ day, they didn’t even OWN car seats! We rode around in the back of the truck, gleefully bouncing across every rail road track and bridge, right?

Fortunately, today’s technology has really shown us the importance of child safety seats and even vehicle safety standards. But wading through your child’s car seat manual can be a daunting task. It can feel like you’re swimming upstream, so let’s break it down.

First, start by reading the glaring RED warning section in the front of most manuals. This is a quick way to find out the most important facts when it comes to proper car seat usage. Next, you’ll need to get an accurate height and weight of your child. This will determine whether you’ll install the seat with LATCH (lower anchors and top tethers for children) or a seat belt, proper harness height, correct seat direction and more. If you have a car seat that can transition into a belt positioning booster, you may not need to read all of that info just now if you have a 2 week old. From there, you’ll want to thoroughly read your child’s car seat manual. Many manufacturers have YouTube channels so customers can see the installation process in action.

Older generations sometimes need additional help and guidance installing their grandchild’s car seat. Accommodating their unique needs by scheduling a private car seat consultation in Denton County via Birth With Bethany can provide them the hands on, relaxed and professional support needed to ensure correct car seat installation. These one hour long appointments are done in the privacy and comfort of their own home or driveway, with the opportunity to have all of their questions answered, without feeling rushed.

Proper car seat safety doesn’t have to feel like a sink or swim type of situation! Clients rave about the gentle instruction they’ve received from Birth With Bethany when installing their child’s seat. Most importantly, clients can be confident that their children are safe and secure even when riding with Grandpa and Grandma, because they too know how to safely buckle their grandchildren.

To schedule a private, one-hour car seat consultation in your home, or the home of a caregiver in the Denton or Dallas areas, please fill out the Contact form at www.BirthWithBethany.com