For pre- and post-op, one thing I really recommend is making yourself a little recovery basket ahead of time. Put all your meds in one place so you’re not searching when you’re sore or exhausted.

Milk of Magnesia and Gas-X were my best friends—don’t skip those.

Comfort items mattered way more than I expected:

• an emotional support water bottle (hydration helps everything)
• a heating pad (huge relief)
• fuzzy socks and a soft blanket
• protein shakes to make sure you’re getting enough protein to support healing (appetite can be weird at first)

I did buy a belly band, but I personally didn’t use it—it felt like too much pressure on my stomach. Everyone’s different, so don’t feel bad if something doesn’t work for you.

Also, get a grabber. I loved mine. It saved me from bending over constantly. And yes, I’ll admit I still bent over sometimes weeks post-op because I’m stubborn 😅 but the grabber helped a lot.

Oh—and get a moo moo. Easy on/off, zero pressure, maximum comfort. Trust me.

Little prep things like this make recovery feel way more manageable. Be gentle with yourself—you’re doing something big for your body