-This post is about postpartum healing "down there"...So, feel free to skip it if you're squeamish or just don't want to hear about my hemorrhoids! Also? This post is cross posted on my family blog...So sorry if you get this twice in your reader!-
Before I had Eloise, I was blissfully unaware of the pain that came after actually giving birth.
Tearing down there? Check. Hemorrhoids? Double check.
Basically, healing from having a baby was no walk in the park. But, I was happy to have my brand new baby girl-- So I tried to suck up the huge amounts of pain I was feeling "down there" and tried to numb the pain with dermoplast and tucks pads.
I'll be honest, this time around I am terrified of recovery. It was
that bad last time. My biggest fear is tearing or an episiotomy because that pain is still fresh in my mind. Really, those two words kind of make me cringe even just thinking about them.
So, this time around, I decided I wanted to be prepared!
I've been researching for months ways to make healing quicker and less painful.
Many people suggest simply freezing maxi pads in water and using them in your mesh undies (those are the best!) after you give birth, while others suggest soaking them in Witch Hazel.
Through my research, though-- I found that sitz baths (with a mix of natural herbs) are really the best way to go though. So, I thought--Hey! Why don't I just soak pads in a sitz bath solution and freeze them to make my own Postpartum Padsicles?
So...That's what I did.
I hopped online and looked for the best sitz bath combination I could find. A lot of them were way expensive...But, luckily, I found a
really affordable and organic bath tea on Etsy through the vendor Mirasol Farms (more about them later today or tomorrow...Their shop is amazing!) and I jumped right on ordering some.
And, of course, the second I received them, I had to jump right on making my postpartum padsicles.
Want to make some of your own?
Here's an easy tutorial!
First, gather your supplies. Pads, a peri bottle (or spray bottle), and your postpartum bath tea (sitz bath).
Then, measure out your ingredients. I kind of just guessed-- but 4 cups water and about 1/4 cup sitz bath seemed to do the trick for me.
Pour the water into a pan and let it come to a boil. Once it's boiling, add the sitz bath and allow it to steep for at least 20 minutes.
While that's steeping, lay out your pads on a cookie sheet.
(I tried a bowl before, but it was a huge mess and it all stuck together in the freezer. Bad news!)
Allow your solution to cool, then strain the herbs out and pour the liquid into your peri bottle.
Begin to squirt your solution generously over your pads. Make sure each pad is completely saturated.
Next, just stick those bad boys in the freezer for about an hour (or until frozen)... Be sure to take them out of the freezer and transfer them into a baggie after that, so that they don't get frozen to your pan.
It also may be a good idea to individually wrap them, so that they don't stick together.
And, there you have it!
Some frozen postpartum padsicles.
Let's hope they make healing a little more enjoyable this time around!
Disclaimer: These padsicles aren't meant to hold blood. They are just meant to help soothe the lady parts after delivery. Be sure to have something absorbant on underneath to avoid major leakage!
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On an unrelated note, thank you to everyone who has emailed me about possibly becoming a contributor. I am still accepting "applications"...I am just really slow at deciding. Internet time has been really limited lately (thanks to a busy toddler)...But, I'll decide soon, I promise!
