Postpartum Padsicles

No matter where or how you choose to give birth, having your freezer stocked with postpartum padsicles is a game changer. A postpartum padsicle is an oversized frozen pad that can be used to sooth your swollen perineum or c-section scar.

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What you’ll need:

• Large sheet pan (make sure it’ll fit in your freezer)*
  
• Pack extra large extra absorbent pads
  
• Witch Hazel
• Optional sitzen bath herbs
  
• Aloe gel
• Adult diapers (you'll want these weather you're planning a vaginal or surgical birth)
  

*A standard bottom freezer is roughly 27"X18" and will fit a full sized sheet pan.
If your fridge requires anything smaller than a half-sized pan, you will want more than one.

Directions:

1. Lay your pads out onto the sheet pan in one even layer.
2. Soak pad evenly with witch hazel
3. Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of sitz bath tea made according to the package
4. Smear a thin layer of aloe gel over top.
5. Allow your pads to freeze for at least an hour or until frozen, then consolidate into a container to get space back in your freezer.
   

How to use your padsicles

-After a vaginal birth-
Place inside of an adult diaper. The adult diaper will absorb the melting pad and your lochia (after birth blood).

-After a surgical birth-
There are a few ways to go about using the pads on your c-section incision. If you are going to be sitting or laying in bed, place a chux pad (similar to a puppy pad, just more absorbant) under you to catch the liquid that melts out of the pad. Wrap the pad in a receiving blanket and placed on your incision. If you're sitting or standing, you can use a belly wrap to secure the pad.

If you’re having a hospital birth, it can be nice to bring enough padsicles for a couple of days when you head in for the birth or have someone bring them for you after you are in the postpartum unit. Otherwise, they are still very nice to have after you’ve returned home.

Padsicles are a great way to make postpartum more comfortable and to help speed your healing time, making it easier to bond with your baby and move into parenting more easily.