What Helped Me Most After Abdominal Surgery: 10 Recovery Must-Haves

Recovering from abdominal surgery? These 10 practical recovery tips and must-have items made my healing smoother, more comfortable, and less stressful.

I recently underwent a robotic hernia repair surgery for an umbilical and incisional hernia, both related to my last pregnancy and C-section over a decade ago. 

And the short version? It’s been a long time coming.

I never had pain from my hernias, but they were always there… bothersome and definitely not going away on their own. My doctor finally told me it was time to take care of them, and I’m so glad I did! It’s so good to have it behind me, and be on the mend.

Now, let’s be honest… surgery is never fun (this was my fifth 😅). But if you do have to go through it, having the right things in place can truly make all the difference. And thankfully this has been my smoothest recovery yet. (So far… knock on wood!)

So today I’m sharing the things that helped me the most, in hopes they’ll make your recovery just a little easier too.

2. MediSafe App

When I got home from the hospital, I was juggling 4–5 medications at different times of day… and there was no way I was going to keep that straight on my own.

Using a medication tracking app was a lifesaver.

It reminded me when to take everything and even flagged any potential interactions, which gave me so much peace of mind.

3. Stretchy, Comfortable Clothes

Let’s just say that anything with a tight waistband is not your friend after abdominal surgery.

I lived in:

• Stretchy lounge pants
• Leggings
• Flowy tops
• Slip-on shoes

But I also wanted to feel a little more “put together” when I was up and about. A few pairs of soft, stretchy pants that looked nice but felt like pajamas were perfect.

Bonus: I’ll be wearing them all summer long as easy swim cover-ups!

4. Abdominal Binder (Supportive Band)

Oh my goodness! This was a game changer.

The hospital sent me home with an abdominal binder, and I’ve worn it almost nonstop (except for showers). It helps everything feel supported and just makes moving around so much more comfortable.

I did start wearing a soft tank top underneath it to prevent irritation, which helped a lot. Looking back, I really wish I had one of these after my previous surgeries!

NOTE: This is the exact abdominal binder I received from the hospital. And I love the turned down corners. It’s very comfortable and easy to use. I bought one before my surgery, but I didn’t like it as much as the one the hospital gave me.

5. Ice Packs

Simple, but so effective.

Anytime I felt swollen or tender, I used a large ice pack across my abdomen. It helped reduce inflammation and brought so much relief.

This is one of those things that’s great to have on hand before surgery. You’ll definitely use it! This ice pack one was left over from my husband’s hip replacement surgery, but was the perfect size to cover my whole abdomen. It’s a great thing to have in your arsenal for any post surgery help!

By the way, my large nightstands with the lip around the edge were so nice to have when I piled on all of my essentials next to me in the bed.

6. A Grabber Tool

You don’t realize how often you bend down… until you can’t.

This little tool came in so handy for picking things up off the floor without straining my core. It’s one of those small things that makes everyday life so much easier during recovery.

I would be extra careful not to drop things, because I didn’t want to have to pick them up. But when I did, I loved having this grabber tool around to make it easier on me.

7. Raised Toilet Seat with Handles

This isn’t the most glamorous topic, but very practical. 😉 Another item we had leftover from my husband’s surgery from two years ago and I’m so glad we kept!

Getting up and down can be tough those first few days, and this made it so much easier (and safer). I’d call this a “nice to have” rather than a must, but if you can swing it, it’s incredibly helpful early on.

I love this particular raised toilet seat with handles because it fits directly on top of the existing toilet seat, and has handles for pushing oneself up from a sitting position.

8. Freezer Meals (Such a Blessing!)

If you don’t have a meal train lined up, prepping ahead is the next best thing. And I’m so thankful I did this for my family! Before surgery, I bought two week’s worth of groceries and stocked the freezer with meals for the first week or so.

A few ideas that worked well:

• Freezer dinners (Baked Ziti, Chicken Pot Pie & Beef Enchiladas were big hits!)
• Breakfast burritos
• Overnight oats

It took the pressure off completely and made those first few days at home feel so much more manageable.

9. Laptop Pillow

This was perfect for working from bed without putting pressure on my abdomen. I know not everyone is self-employed and needs to work while in recovery, but a laptop pillow is a nice luxury for anyone who ever wants to work from the bed or sofa!

Even if you’re not working during recovery, it’s great for:

• Reading
• Watching shows
• Being on your laptop comfortably

Just one of those little comforts that makes a big difference.

10. Hot Tea (Trust Me on This One)

Okay, friend… we’re going there. 😅 If you’ve ever had surgery, you know things can get a little… slow… afterward.

A friend recommended hot tea with Miralax, and let me just say, it worked within a couple of hours. If you’re uncomfortable at all in this area, you’ll be so glad to have this on hand.

Honorable Mentions

• Stay Hydrated: Don’t underestimate this one. Keeping a water bottle nearby and staying hydrated helps with healing, energy and digestion! It’s simple, but so important.
• Line up Entertainment: This seems a little “duh” but I saved a TV show to watch during recovery, and that was so clutch for me to be entertained while just laying there for a few days. I hate to stay still, so it was really helpful to be entertained. (I watched the latest season of Virgin River, and loved it!)

A Little Encouragement and Final Thoughts

If you’re heading into surgery (or recovering right now), I just want to say, you’ve got this! Keep going and taking good care of yourself.

Prepare what you can, give yourself lots of grace, and don’t rush the process. Healing takes time, but having a few simple things in place can make it feel so much more manageable. I’m so glad I already had so many great tools on hand this time.

And honestly? This experience reminded me how important it is to care for our bodies well… and to accept help when we need it.

If you’ve had surgery before, I’d love to hear—what helped you the most during recovery?

Let’s share ideas and help each other out! xo, Laura