In my practice, mothers who made padsicles always raved about how much they helped, and I had many mothers ask how to make them. As a midwife, I know first hand how important it is to take care of your bottom after birth. Cold is best the first 24-48 hours postpartum, so be sure the padsicles are made in advance. After this, switch to warmth, like a sitz bath, for comfort.
Don’t know what a padsicle is? It is a made-up word to describe a frozen menstrual pad infused with herbs, witch hazel, and aloe vera. Icing your bottom after birth is the go-to remedy for perineal relief and hemorrhoids. The pads will stay cold for about 20 minutes, but the healing benefits of what you add to your padsicle will last between changing your pads.
Supplies For Making Padsickles
You need just a few supplies to make padsicles for postpartum recovery, and a little room in your freezer. You can easily make them in an afternoon in the third trimester. Be sure to make them before baby arrives! If you are purchasing or making an herbal sitz bath, you already have most of the the ingredients to make herbal padsicles. You need only a small portion of the herbs – a quarter cup of the steeped solution.
1. Menstrual Pads
Choose cloth or disposable menstrual pads, and then determine how many you want.
You may soak a padsicle every 2-3 hours on day one and then every 3-4 hours over the next couple of days. That means you will need at least 20 padsicles. If you run out, you can always use cold packs or freeze more pads.
2. The Basics
There are several basics you will need to assemble and saturate your padsicles. You may already have some of these supplies in your home.
Quart Mason Jar
The easiest way to measure and make the right amount of an herbal infusion for your padsicles is by using a quart mason jar.
Utility Spray Bottles
There are two ways to get liquids onto your pads: pour or spray. A spray bottle is good for applying a thin coat of liquid on your pad, without saturating it. In other instances, you need to pour the substance directly on the pad.
You have a choice of purchasing a regular, plastic utility bottle or a glass bottle. Glass bottles are nice because they do not retain odors from scents between washing. You can purchase glass bottles from Amazon:
Cosmetic Spray Bottle
If you plan on making postpartum perineal spray, you will need a small cosmetic spray bottle. Buy glass for easy cleaning:
Extra Large Freezer Bags or Airtight Container
You might already have some freezer bags in your home, but you may not have 2.5-gallon baggies. You can also use an airtight container to store the padsicles. If you can’t find large enough baggies at your local store, buy them at Amazon:
Tin Foil
To keep the pads from sticking to each other, you need tin foil. Cut tin foil rectangles just a little larger than the pads you are using. Many sites recommend re-folding disposable pads. This is also an option. I like the idea of keeping them flat, as opposed to unfolding a frozen padsicle.
3. Witch Hazel & Aloe Vera
Witch hazel and aloe vera are the main ingredients you will be using for padsicles, as they have exceptional healing properties to help soothe your bottom. Besides using these products for your bottom, they are also helpful essentials in your home remedy kit!
Witch hazel is widely known for its medicinal properties for the relief of inflammation, itching, and hemorrhoids. Aloe vera, a medicinal plant that people have used for thousands of years, has antibacterial and antiseptic properties, accelerates wound healing, and is soothing. Combined, you can’t go wrong. You can purchase the basics at a local drugstore or online.
4. Herbs
When using herbs for padsicles, you are essentially using sitz bath herbs. If you are not interested in mixing the herbs yourself, you can purchase pre-made blends. Many come in pre-measured packs, while some come loosely packed.
- Birds & Bees Organic Sitz Bath
- Birth Song Botanicals
- Earth Mama Angel Baby Blend
For those who want to mix their own herbs, you can look for them locally or at specialty online herb shops, such as Mountain Rose Herbs or Living Earth Herbs. Living Earth sells herbs in two-ounce minimum packages, while Mountain Rose sells them in four-ounce minimum packages, but they are very reasonably priced. You may be able to find two ounce packages on Amazon or Etsy. Don’t worry if you have to buy more than you need. You can always package them up for other uses or as gifts. If you are using the sitz bath recipe, you will notice the same herbs are used but in larger proportions.
For making padsicles, choose the following combination of herbs.
- Calendula Flowers – antimicrobial, antiseptic, promotes wound healing.
- Chamomile Flowers – anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, helps promote wound healing.
- Comfrey Leaf – anti-inflammatory, relieves pain, helps speed wound recovery.
2. Two to Three Supporting Herbs: Select two or three supporting herbs, 1 ounce of each herb. These herbs are your secondary healing ingredient.
- Rosemary – anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal.
- Yarrow – anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, relieves hemorrhoids, promotes wound healing.
- Uva Ursi – anti-inflammatory, urinary antiseptic, astringent, helps with hemorrhoids.
- Plantain Leaf – anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, astringent, helps with hemorrhoids.
- Witch Hazel Leaf – anti-inflammatory, astringent, helps with hemorrhoids.
3. One Aromatic Herb: Select one aromatic herb, 1 ounce. These are also healing herbs and have a pleasing scent for mom.
- Lavender – soothing scent, calming effect and has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties.
- Jasmine Flowers – lovely scent, calming and has anti-bacterial properties.
- Rose Petals – wonderful scent and has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties.
Measure and Mix
Using the above measurement of herbs, you will have more than enough to make an infusion for the padsicles. Remaining herbs can be steeped for use in a peri bottle or in a sitz bath.
Measuring Ounces
Herbs are sold in ounces, but they are not always measured in ounces in a home setting. If you have a kitchen scale, this is a great way to measure herbs – exactly. If you prefer, you can use a measuring cup – or a handful.
Cups don’t precisely equal dry ounces, and handfuls are not an exact science, so test your handfuls out! The following will give those who like to “eyeball” their measurements an idea of how much herbs to use.
- One ounce of dried herbs equals about one large handful of dried herbs, or about one cup.
- If you want to cut the recipe in half, cut one handful down to half a handful, or a half cup.
Steep
Once your herbs are mixed, simply grab a handful or so of the herb mixture you want to use and fill the quart jar halfway or more. Pour boiling water to the top, cover loosely, and let it infuse for 2-8 hours. You will have plenty of liquid to use in a padsicle recipe. Use any remaining liquid for use in a peri bottle. Refrigerate the rest for up to 3-4 days.
Recipes
Choosing a padsicle recipe is the fun part! Select one or more of the following recipes to make your padsicles.
Aromatic Flower Recipe
Choose one aromatic herb.
- Lavender flowers
- Jasmine flowers
- Rose petals
Directions
- Steep the aromatic flower of your choice.
- Use your favorite cloth pad, a pad top liner, or unfold the wrapping from the disposable pad, but keep it attached. If it has wings, unfold them to expose the pad. Do not remove the tabs.
- Mix 1 tablespoon of aloe vera, 4 tablespoons of witch hazel, and 1 quarter cup of the steeped aromatic flowers into a bowl and pour into the spray bottle.
- Shake the bottle and spray each pad so that it feels wet but not saturated.
- Do not refold the pads.
- Lay the prepared pad on a flat surface, place a layer of tin foil over the pad, then prepare the next pad. Layer the next pad and then the tin foil, and so on
- Pick all of the layers up, place them flat in a large freezer bag or airtight container, and then put them in the freezer.
Healing Herbs Recipe
If you are using a formulated blend you put together yourself, be ready to plunge in using your hands. If you have sitz bath herbs, you can use these instead.
Directions
- Mix and steep the healing herbs of your choice.
- Use your favorite cloth pad, a pad top liner, or unfold the wrapping from the disposable pad, but keep it attached. If it has wings, unfold them to expose the pad. Do not remove the tabs
- Mix 1 tablespoon of aloe vera, 4 tablespoons of witch hazel, and 1 quarter cup of the sitz bath infusion or other healing herbs in a bowl and pour into the glass spray bottle.
- Shake the bottle and spray each pad so that it feels wet but not saturated.
- Do not refold the pads.
- Lay the prepared pad on a flat surface, place a layer of tin foil over the pad, then prepare the next pad. Layer the next pad and then the tin foil, and so on
- Pick all of the layers up, place them flat in a large freezer bag or airtight container, and then put them in the freezer.
Witch Hazel & Aloe Vera Recipe
You don’t have to use herbs at all when making padsicles. When making witch hazel and aloe vera padsicles, you can skip the aloe vera if you want and use just the witch hazel. Whichever method you choose, you will spread one tablespoon of the healing ingredients down the center of the pad.
Directions
- Use your favorite cloth pad, a pad top liner, or unfold the wrapping from the disposable pad, but keep it attached. If it has wings, unfold them to expose the pad. Do not remove the tabs.
- In a bowl, mix four-parts of witch hazel with one-part aloe vera.
- Spread one tablespoon of the mixture along the center of the pad.
- Do not refold the pads.
- Lay the prepared pad on a flat surface, place a layer of tin foil over the pad, then prepare the next pad. Layer the next pad and then the tin foil, and so on
- Pick all of the layers up, place them flat in a large freezer bag or airtight container, and then put them in the freezer.
A Word About Essential Oils
I do not recommend using essential oils on your bottom. Essential oils should not come in direct contact with your skin. Learn more about safe essential oil use. With that said, you may want to try hydrosols.
Hydrosols
You may prefer to choose hydrosols for your padsicles. Hydrosols are waters produced from the steam distillation of essential oils. Picture it this way; after distillation, what’s floating on top is what is used to make essential oils. What accumulates at the bottom is used to make hydrosols. Hydrosols are much gentler for moms and babies than essential oils.
The following hydrosols have anti-inflammatory properties, are soothing, and are effective for wound healing. You can purchase organic hydrosols at Mountain Rose Herbs or Amazon.
- Calendula hydrosol
- Chamomile hydrosol
- Lavender or rose hydrosol
Hydrosol Padsicles
Hydrosol padsicles are very easy to make. Use two ounces of each hydrosol, then add aloe vera and shake.
- 2 ounces (or 4 tablespoons) of chamomile hydrosol
- 2 ounces (or 4 tablespoons) of calendula hydrosol
- 2 ounces (or 4 tablespoons) of lavender or rose hydrosol
- 1 tablespoon of aloe vera
Directions
- Use your favorite cloth pad, a pad top liner, or unfold the wrapping from the disposable pad, but keep it attached. If it has wings, unfold them to expose the pad. Do not remove the tabs.
- Mix the ingredients in a measuring cup and pour into the spray bottle.
- Shake the bottle and spray each pad so that it feels wet but not saturated.
- Do not refold the pads.
- Lay the prepared pad on a flat surface, place a layer of tin foil over the pad, then prepare the next pad. Layer the next pad and then the tin foil, and so on.
- Pick all of the layers up, place them flat in a large freezer bag or airtight container, and then put them in the freezer.
Perineal Spray
Most women appreciate a little spritz down there once in a while. You can easily purchase perineal sprays online, or you can make your own. This recipe is a wonderful blend for making a perineal spray!
- 6 tablespoons witch hazel
- 3 tablespoons aloe vera
- 4 tablespoons of rose or lavender hydrosol
- Glass spray bottle
