Mama J's New Mom Essentials

To round out my "essentials" list (I have already covered pregnancy and newborn essentials), I figured I would do a list for new moms. When I was getting ready for Baby J to arrive, I didn't think that much about what my needs were going to be after he was born. I figured my needs would be the same and I just had to focus on what he would need. I was wrong!
Although there aren't as many things that a new mom needs compared to the needs of a newborn, there are some key things that make life more comfortable. So here it is mamas!
Nipple Cream
For the first week or so, breastfeeding can be painful. I hear it is not this way for all moms, but for me it was. I'm not going to lie, I thought about giving up. Breastfeeding is extremely important to Daddy J and I, so we stuck with it. I  wouldn't have made it through without my lanolin! I slathered those puppies so much that it stained my shirts! I didn't care, though. It made them feel better. I probably used less than half a tube, so don't buy stock in it or anything!
Nursing Bras
Nothing is more frustrating than having to take your bra off every time your baby needs to eat, especially in the first few weeks when it seems like they are attached to the breast. And pulling your breast up over your regular bra could cause some blockage to milk flow. Do yourself a favor and invest in a couple of good nursing bras. I love the Bravado bras - it's so comfortable, you can't even tell it's on.
Accessible Food and Drink
If you don't have a helper to get you these things, you are going to want to keep a basket with some snacks and drinks near your favorite nursing locations at all times. When I first started nursing, I was always thirsty when I had a let down. Get yourself some bottles of water and granola and throw them in a couple of baskets around the house.
Alone Time
Daddy J would often take Baby J for a couple of hours so that I could get some much needed rest. Sometimes he would take him to visit family, but most of the time he would just sit in the living room, playing video games with Baby J on his chest. I got great rest knowing that I could be alone, but if my baby needed me, he was just in the other room. Take as much alone time as you can get. You are healing and tired. You deserve it!
Magazines, Books, and Television
Get something to entertain yourself while you are feeding the baby or while they are asleep. It isn't your job, at this point, to get up and clean the house or run a marathon. Settle in with a good book or TV series and just relax. Life will get crazy soon enough, believe me.
A Listening Ear
Loose Clothing
Don't worry about getting back into your skinny jeans, or any jeans for that matter, right away. I had a c-section, so loose comfortable clothing was a must! I don't know what it is like for vaginal deliveries, but I can't imagine putting on a pair of jeans after delivering vaginally will feel too hot either.
In addition to these things you can also find an assortment of sprays, healing salves, and teas at Earth Mama Angel Baby's Postpartum Section of their website. I haven't used any of these, but they look amazing!
What did you find helpful as a new mom? I would love to hear!