Recovering from birth can be painful! Even with no tearing or stitches the vaginal area is sore for awhile. Here is a tip for some relief after all of the work you did. You deserve it!
Take your disposable pads, “mama cloth” or Depends that you will be using for postpartum bleeding and pour a generous amount of witch hazel into it. Let it soak in there and throw it into the freezer. Make a bunch of these “ice packs” ahead of time so that they are ready for you right away after giving birth. When you take them out of the freezer to use you will be surprised at how rock solid they are, but go ahead and throw them into your recovery panties, they will loosen up quickly. You are certain to feel relief quickly! My doula filled my freezer with these; I recommend getting one of those too!
Be sure to wear the mesh recovery panties or a bigger size of panties during your recovery period. I made the mistake of wearing my usual underwear then sitting up straight with my body putting direct pressure onto the pad and it got stuck to my skin. Ouch!
This can work for cesarean recovery as well as there can still be soreness in the area!
Abby Theuring, MSW
