March, 2026
When the question of “What do new moms need?” comes up, the answers are usually baby-oriented: diapers, wipes, a crib, a breast pump… The list goes on. You don’t as often hear answers about what the mother herself may need post-partum. Of course, taking care of the baby is highly important, but getting the resources, care, and healing you need as a mom is an important ingredient for motherhood.
From physical needs like nutrition and postnatal vitamins to emotional needs like assistance from a partner or family, rest, and community support, here are eight essentials to consider if you are a new mom.
1. Rest
The first aspect of the postnatal period that comes to mind for me is rest. Some mothers are able to spring back to normalcy quite fast after giving birth, while others have a long recovery period. This depends on many factors, such as age, birth history, if it was a vaginal birth or C-section, and other factors. Either way, rest, relaxation, and gentle exercise are extremely important. The immediate post-partum recovery period lasts about 6-8 weeks, although complete emotional and physical healing can take many more months than that (Cleveland Clinic 2024).
If possible, unless you already don’t work (in the case of homemakers/stay-at-home moms), try to take as much time off from work (or school, if applicable) as possible. This is obviously much easier said than done, and is quite a hard piece of advice for single moms to follow, especially. It’s made ever harder by the fact that the U.S. does not have a national maternity leave policy guaranteeing payment during that non-working time (although several states have mandated a maternity leave policy of their own, such as California). Fortunately, eligible employees are entitled to three months of job-protected leave under the FMLA, or Family and Medical Leave Act (Family and Medical Leave Act 2025). This isn’t a huge win considering it’s unpaid, but it’s a possibility nonetheless.
While the U.S. is playing catch-up with maternity rights, it’s vital that a mother take as much time to rest as she possibly can. Don’t worry about being “productive” during this time. This is a time where laying in bed is perfectly acceptable as your body reverts back to it’s pre-baby self and all the physical and emotional fluctuations that happen to you during this time. So in this recovery period, in between caring for your baby, take the time to indulge: read a book, take a bath, and take naps. You deserve it.
2. Don’t Avoid Asking for Help
This is also a time where help from a partner or friends or family is vital. Asking for assistance, especially if you feel unwell and unable to do basic tasks, is not a bad thing. Tasks as simple as making a meal, sweeping the floor, doing laundry, or watering the plants may feel impossible if you don’t feel up to it. After all, you did just bring life into the world, and its normal if you simply don’t feel up to doing anything. This is a time when being waited on like a princess by a partner, friend, family member, or even trusted neighbor is perfectly acceptable. Don’t feel guilty for one second for asking for help.
3. Doctor Checkups
Another aspect of postnatal recovery that’s very important are checkups, not just for the baby but for you too. Alongside regular baby checkups, having your healthcare provider monitor your own body is essential for ensuring that your body is recovering properly and that your overall health is in shape. Remember, it’s not just regular checkups during pregnancy that are important!
4. Mental Health Care
Even if you don’t feel like you’re struggling with any specific mental health concern (either that existed before or cropped up only during or after the pregnancy, like post-partum depression or PPD), talking over new, challenging, or concerning experiences with a therapist can offer a significant amount of relief. Luckily, therapy is being made more accessible, such as with video calls as well as in-person appointments.
5. Community
Aside from professional care, finding your community is vital, as you want to avoid isolation at all costs, for yourself and for the development of your child. Community can look like many things, such as a neighborhood mommy group, a church group, friend group, or even an online-based group. It does indeed take a village, so invite a village into your mothering experience. Having a support team will save you much emotional and physical energy and lead to a more fulfilling motherhood.
6. Exercise
We all know regular exercise is extremely beneficial to your overall health, but you might be wondering if exercising post-birth is advised. Of course, if your birth was more difficult than average or required some surgical intervention (such as needing stitches due to tearing or a C-section), resting for as long as your health providers recommend is very important.
But for an average vaginal delivery, lightly exerting yourself a few days after giving birth is generally safe (Mayo Clinic Staff 2024). Exercise after pregnancy can promote weight loss, strengthen and tone abdominal muscles, boost energy level, relieve anxiety, promote more restful sleep, and reduce symptoms of post-partum depression (Mayo Clinic Staff 2024).
If you’re wondering where to begin with proper post-birth exercise, there are many books, videos, and websites that offer a range of safe stretches and exercises to practice. Also, don’t forget the community that surrounds you: local gyms, other fitness facilities, churches, and even hospitals may host regular yoga or exercise classes for pregnant and nursing women. When exercising, remember to take the time for warm ups and cool downs, increase your pace gradually, drink plenty of fluids, wear supportive bras for sensitive breasts or leakage, and immediately stop if you feel pain (Mayo Clinic Staff 2024).
7. Nutrition
Having the right diet during pregnancy is important, but what you might not expect is that having proper nutrition after pregnancy is just as important too. While caloric intake depends upon multiple factors, such as whether you are exclusively breastfeeding, exclusively using formula, a blend of both, your current weight, age, and activity level, your caloric intake doesn’t need to drastically drop just because you are no longer carrying a baby. If you do happen to be breastfeeding, especially exclusively breastfeeding, your caloric intake should be higher than before you were pregnant at all (Maternal Diet and Breastfeeding 2025).
Alongside a postnatal supplement, your diet should look similar to when you were pregnant. Think nutrient-dense, protein-packed superfoods that will keep you energized throughout this often tiresome time (Maternal Diet and Breastfeeding 2025). Focus on nuts, legumes, whole grains, vegetables, beans, and fruit. Stay away from highly processed foods and items with laundry lists of mystery ingredients. As usual—avoid the junk! Getting plenty of calories is good during this time, but they should mostly come from whole foods (Nutrition for New Mothers 2026).
8. Important Items
And last but not least, you may be wondering what important items you should have in your post-birth arsenal. Here’s a list of eight items you should consider:
- Perineal care: Oftentimes after birth, a woman’s perineal area (or the area between the vagina and anus) can become swollen and sore (Postpartum 2024). You can purchase perineal bottles (bottles with angled necks that can ease soreness and swelling with warm water), a regular warm compress, or a perineal healing spray.
- Breast care: Even when you choose not to breastfeed, your breasts will be swollen and sore. Supportive bras are a must-have during this time, as are nursing pads for leakage and ice packs for discomfort and swelling. You can also purchase balm for sore nipples.
- Digestive help: While a good diet can facilitate regular bowel movements, it’s normal to experience constipation during and after pregnancy. Make sure to have some gentle laxatives on hand in case you experience this issue.
- Comfy clothes: You may want to dress up and look nice, but the truth is, nice clothes are not as comfy. During this healing period, especially if you’re recovering from tearing or a C-section, it’s essential to wear your comfy pants. Step 2 is to not let anyone judge you for doing so.
Whether your next step as a new mom is to put in an Amazon order for ice packs or to create a gentle exercise plan, I hope this time is as restful for you as possible!
Works Cited
“Family and Medical Leave Act.” Dol.gov, U.S. Department of Labor, 2025, www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla.
“Maternal Diet and Breastfeeding.” Breastfeeding Special Circumstances, CDC, 19 Dec. 2025, www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding-special-circumstances/hcp/diet-micronutrients/maternal-diet.html.
Mayo Clinic Staff. “Exercise after Pregnancy: How to Get Started.” Mayo Clinic, 13 Mar. 2024, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/labor-and-delivery/in-depth/exercise-after-pregnancy/art-20044596.
“Nutrition for New Mothers .” Corewell Health, 2026, corewellhealth.org/care-and-specialties/womens-health/pregnancy-hub/nutrition.
“Postpartum.” Cleveland Clinic, 27 Feb. 2024, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/postpartum.
Author Bio Krista Ruffo, born and raised in Orlando, Florida, began blogging with South Project in February of 2025. She’s a University of Central Florida graduate with a BA in English and a Certificate in Editing and Publishing. A passionate writer and reader, Krista aspires to work in book publishing in the future. She currently works as a Content Coordinator for a family magazine and as a Marketing Representative and in Data Entry for a water treatment company. In her free time, she enjoys creative writing, taking photos, hiking, and gardening.
Beautiful writing! I’m becoming a fan!