Padsicles are frozen maxi-pads that help relieve inflammation and promote healing after a vaginal birth. A vaginal birth can lead to tearing and/or swelling. Even without significant tearing, your perineum and vaginal tissue can be sore for the first week after birth, so it’s nice to have some tools to ease the discomfort.
This padsicle recipe have aloe vera and witch hazel. Aloe vera has anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, to relieve inflammation and soothe pain, and witch hazel can reduce swelling, as well.
Make a batch of padsicles and put in your freezer at the start of your 9th month, so they will be ready to go when you return from the hospital. Remember, birth can happen between 37 and 42 weeks gestation, so you’ll want them in your freezer by 37 weeks.
Padsicle Recipe
What you’ll need:
- A pack of Sanitary Pads. I recommend getting the “heavy” kind because postpartum bleeding is most significant in the first week, and your pad will a do a great job absorbing the blood (aka lochia).
- Witch hazel (alcohol free)
- 100% aloe vera
- Large freezer ziplock bag
Follow these steps:
- Open 8 – 10 sanitary pads, but keep backing to the sticky part.
- Place the open pads on a flat surface, like a kitchen counter.
- Pour or spray alcohol-free witch hazel over each pad. The sanitary napkin should be saturated but not soaked.
- Cover each in a generous amount of Aloe vera, using your finger or the backside of a spoon to spread the gel across the length of the pad.
- Stack the pads into two piles and put into a freezer ziplock bag.
- Put bag of pads into your freezer.
Local to Los Angeles? Find out more tips and tricks at our Fourth Trimester Class. This facilitates the conversations that will help prepare your life for postpartum. It also has a list of tools that will make your postpartum time easier and more practical.
Village Birth offers doula services, childbirth classes, newborn care classes, lactation and pregnancy support for Los Angeles. Our space is in Sparrow’s Nest in Pasadena (bordering Eagle Rock) where we hold classes, support groups, workshops, and meetups.