Editor’s Note: Today’s guest post is from Karli Von Herbulis who lives just outside of Baltimore, MD with her husband Matt and their daughter, Hallelujah, born January 2014! She is the blogger behind Feed Me, Mama, as well as the co-author of Set Apart: Becoming a Woman of Virtue in a Modern World. She is passionate about natural health, home remedies, and responsible consumerism- she believes that each action we take is one that builds the Lord’s Kingdom. Karli is excited to be a mama and to raise her daughter up in the way of the Lord. Karli would love to connect with you on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram!
One of my favorite projects to prepare for the birth of my daughter was making ‘Padsicles.’ These frozen pads of postpartum healing goodness are so easy to make, and they are full of great ingredients to speed the healing of the perineum and surrounding areas!
How to Make Padsicles
You’ll need the following supplies:
- Feminine pads (any kind- we recommend either chemical free pads or cloth pads)
- Witch Hazel (astringent, helps to close pores and heal skin)
- Aloe Vera gel — the pure kind
- Lavender Essential Oil (calms swelling or inflammation of the skin, supports cellular regeneration)
- Frankincense Essential Oil (supports tissue regeneration, prevents scarring)
- Rosemary Essential Oil (fights infection and inflammation, strengthens muscles)
- Geranium Essential Oil (helps heal broken capillaries, conditions skin)
- Small Spray Bottle
- Aluminum Foil
Step 1: Fill your small spray bottle about halfway up with witch hazel.
Step 2: Add 5-10 drops of each essential oil.
Step 3: Top off with witch hazel.
Step 4: Open up feminine pads and spread with a thin layer of aloe with clean hands.
Step 5: Spray with spray bottle mixture- enough to dampen the pad but not soak it through- you want to preserve some of the absorbency of the pads for postpartum needs.
Step 6: Let dry a little bit, then wrap with aluminum foil and store in freezer. Your padsicles are done! After baby, use 3-4 pads per day straight from the freezer to soothe and heal!
BONUS: The spray bottle mixture is a perfect perineum healing spray! When I had my daughter, I took this bottle with me to the birth center and would spray my perineal area each time I would go to the bathroom. I would also spray my other regular pads before I would put them on to get even more healing benefits from the oils & witch hazel!
What are your best postpartum healing tricks? Have you ever made padsicles?
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Perfect! My baby is due in 4 weeks. I’ll be making these. Thank you 🙂
[…] I’m sharing the how-to’s of padsicle making over at Modern Alternative Mama. Follow me there and get the full instructions after the jump! […]
I had my babies many years ago, when you could still get comfrey tea bags – that’s what my midwife had me use, I made a “padsicle” out of the comfrey tea bags on a pad – after doing the first postpartum without these, and the second and third one where I used them, they made a HUGE difference in quick healing and comfort.
[…] way I know (or research) how. What does that include? Hospital/Labor Bag checklist & pack, making padsicles, organizing the mounds of clothing we have been gifted (thank you everyone for these, but oh […]
[…] ended up using this recipe because it described the healing properties of each of the 4 essential oils used. (Calming […]
how much aloe vera do you add? It’s not clear from the instructions (reads like you add witzh hazel twice).
Thank you for posting!
Did you use the witch hazel shown in the photo? Just wondering if the witch hazel should be alcohol-free? I do like the idea of using the aloe vera one. Just curious, as I am prepping for post-baby!
How far in advance can i make these padsicles, my daughter is due in 6.5 weeks. Thank you.
Better than Tucks in a pad, perineal ice packs, and other suggestions I received. I loved these! A post-partum must!
[…] Now that the Healing Herbs soak is all ready for me to use however I want, on to more typical padsicles. There are many recipes on the internet – I pinterested several, and am going with Witch Hazel, Aloe Vera, and lavender and geranium essential oils. One of the recipes I found also did it as a bonus spray, so I’m making that too. I used this website: https://modernalternativemama.com/2014/04/18/making-postpartum-padsicles-plus-bonus-perineum-heal… […]
[…] Tuck’s Witch Hazel Pads These were a lifesaver for me. I didn’t get hemorrhoids (thankfully) but they soothed the general pain and stinging. The coolness felt incredible against broken skin. You can also make your own. […]
[…] used this recipe from the Modern Alternative Mama. I omitted the aloe and simply wrapped my padsicles in the wrapper they came with. I personally […]
Major thankies for the article post.Much thanks again. Fantastic.
[…] oils if you want. (Side note on the essential oils: I got into them when I was making these witch hazel pads, which are an absolute must if you plan on giving birth. They are like a frozen treat for your […]
Hi,
Could you tell me more about the small spray bottle? How many oz or anything..
Thank you
Haven’t had a chance to research- are these EO’s ok when nursing too?
I made quite a few of these pre birth. I ended up in hospital where they provided pads and a stockpile of frozen rectangles in little plastic bags that you can insert into the thick pad (rip a little slit in the center). This made way more sense to me than the padsicles I had made. It allowed for a dry pad to soak up the flow (and keep your tear dry if you have one) and a icy coolness to be there but not directly on the skin. Plus, it is only recommended to apply cold to the area for 24 hrs after birth, which I’m not sure why none of these sites mention (after that you have 2 warm sitz baths a day to encourage healing). The effort to make these just wasn’t worth it to me. Just a head’s up!
[…] Post-partum care items […]
[…] Modern Alternative Mama: Making Postpartum ‘Padsicles’ (Plus Bonus Perineum Healing Spray […]
[…] Mama Angel Baby New Mama Bottom Spray, but you could totally make your own using a recipe like this. These sprays are also good for soaking your padsicles. Spray it every time you use the […]
Can I use witch hazel with alcohol?
[…] Making Postpartum ‘Padsicles’ (Plus Bonus Perineum Healing Spray!) […]
Made these today. Didnt have frankincense but used clary sage instead. I used a clean makeup brush for application which made it easy, put the aloe vera, witch hazel and oils together and wiped them on. Although might have made me use more than necessary or if I were to use spray bottle. I did two packs and instead of aluminum foil I packed them in their own wrappers again and in the original overall wrapper. House smells great after I spilled some!
[…] Padsicles: These frozen pads are a dream come true during any season of birth, but especially summer! Your labia and anus will be craving them for weeks after birth. They help with swelling and soreness – and they just feel GOOD. Witch Hazel, Aloe Vera, essential oils, and other goodies are mixed together on an overnight pad and frozen. Is your bottom excited yet? […]
Can I use rosewater and witch hazel blend?
Many thanks