My list of "Do's/Don'ts" for After Birth:

DO:

• Purchase a doughnut. Not the edible kind, but the inflatable kind that you can safely sit on in the bathtub. This is really important if you had a vaginal delivery. You are told to take warm sitz baths and this makes it easier to sit in the bathtub.
• Have an extra set of hands for the first few days to a week. Whether it's one of your parents, sibling, or really good friend, just have someone else on hand. For the first few days, you can somewhat catch back up on your sleep while they take care of the baby.
• Keep a couple of sports bras handy. And these would go over your nursing bra when your milk comes in - IF you are only bottle-feeding. No one ever told me this beforehand, but my sister did recommend it when the time came. For over a month or so, I wore the nursing bra and then 2 sports bras over top of that. The more constricting thing you can wear, wear it. And make sure you ice the crap out of your boobs. Stick a head of cabbage in the fridge and apply single leaves on each boob. It also helps reduce the swelling.
  

DON'T:

• Have a house full of people staying with you when you get home from the hospital. Never a good idea especially when you have the added stress of taking care of your new baby. And plus, you don't feel like entertaining afterwards.