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Postpartum healing pads or “padsicles” will be your best friend during your postpartum healing process. These pads help soothe your perineal area after the delivery of your baby. Keep in mind, you do not need to have a perineal tear to benefit from these padsicles.
With all the trauma and pushing mamas do during labor and delivery, these are the greatest things for any new mom, second time or even third time mom and beyond! These padsicles are perfect for both vaginal and cesarean deliveries, as some moms push and push just to end up with a c-section.
When I gave birth to my son I suffered from a second-degree tear (ouch!) and I tore again with my daughters two and three years later in the exact same place.
I was so happy that my fellow mama friend suggested I make padsicles. I hadn’t heard of them before delivering my son. After some Pinterest-ing, I came up with this awesome all natural recipe!
I wanted to change my padsicles very often because they gave me so much relief and really did help me heal from birth much faster.
What you will need:
- 20-30 Maxi Pads with or without wings to last you the first few days or up to a week postpartum. *I ended up buying a few packs to last the entire 6 weeks postpartum and I used at least half to make padsicles and saved the other half just for postpartum bleeding after my perineal area felt better.*
- 15-30 ounces of pure aloe vera gel
- 15-30 ounces of witch hazel
- Lavender Essential Oil(Optional – Some moms prefer no scent or may be sensitive to essential oils. I found the lavender to be extremely helpful though!)
- 2 Ziploc Gallon Freezer Bags for storing the padsicles in the freezer to avoid freezer burn and contamination.
Directions:
- You will open each pad without removing the backing and wrapper (if possible).
Option 1: Add about 1-2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel to the pad. Smooth it out with a spoon so that it is evenly distributed across the pad.
Next, pour about 1-2 tablespoons of witch hazel onto each pad.
Lastly, add 1 drop lavender essential oil onto each pad if desired.
Option 2: Add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl, mix it up, then pour an ounce onto each pad. For this option, add 10-20 drops of lavender essential oil if desired.
Use whichever option is easier for you! After all, we can all use some “easy” in our life as moms!
2. Fold each pad back up and store them in a freezer bag. Each bag should tightly hold 10-15 pads.
3. Place the bags in your freezer and take them out as needed.
I used my postpartum healing padsicles as soon as I got home from the hospital and until my perineal area healed (a full 6 weeks).
Please note, you may notice the aloe freezes almost like an ice cube and may be really cold to the touch at first, but it starts to melt after a few minutes. You can pull the padsicle out of the freezer a few minutes before use to thaw it a little. I actually loved the sensation of the frozen aloe vera, but it is totally up to you!
I also used my homemade ClaraDerm Spray to help me recover from birth. I highly suggest pairing these together.
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