Giving birth is one of the most physically challenging experiences a woman can go through. And, with the excitement of preparing for the baby’s arrival, new moms sometimes forget that they’re going to need a little TLC too.

While most childbirth instructors give you a list of what to get for the baby, they often overlook a few items that mom might need for herself, says Joyce Mackay-Perry, a registered nurse from Ottawa, Ontario. Here’s her list of what a new mom needs to survive once the baby arrives:

Epsom salts to help you heal

Add these to your bath water to ease aches and promote healing. “Using Epsom salts will help you heal faster; it’s a natural ingredient that helps draw out toxins,” says Mackay-Perry. She recommends putting them in a bath to help heal hemorrhoids and stitches (either from an episiotomy or tearing), or even just to ease muscle aches and back pain. Be sure to ask for a sitz bath at the hospital and add the salts to that as well. If you had a caesarian section, however, you shouldn’t bathe until your doctor gives you the go-ahead.

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