Yes, the “beauty of childbirth” involves tearing down there and, sometimes, episiotomies. So after a natural delivery, it’s common for new mums to go through post childbirth pain.
It’s often ignored or simply not talked about, but post childbirth pain may last for up to six weeks or even more. Despite almost all new mums experiencing some kind of pain or discomfort, pain management after childbirth is a largely neglected area in the field of clinical research.
But mums, there’s no reason to panic. You can be prepared to deal with post childbirth pain. Just add this one important item to your hospital bag, and you are set.
Padsicles to deal with post childbirth pain
Image source: Elisa Castellanos Facebook page
In May 2017, mum Elisa Castellanos shared a wonderful tip on her Facebook account to reduce postpartum pain using padsicles.
She explains that these are “popsicles” for down there to help new mums recover. She had tried these herself during the birth of her little one, Stella, and found that it was quite helpful.
According to Elisa, padsicles are not only lifesaving when it comes to post childbirth pain, but they are also super fast and easy to make. She made 20 of them in less than five minutes. Now that’s something, isn’t it?
Make your own padsicles with this easy recipe
Image source: Elisa Castellanos Facebook page
Elisa advocates that padsicles are great for recovering from pain after childbirth. So, when she made them for a friend, she shared the love on Facebook by posting this simple recipe. Here’s how to make padsicles yourself using easily available ingredients:
4 essential ingredients that go into a padsicle:
Image source: Elisa Castellanos Facebook page
1. Witch Hazel. The astringent compound acquired from the leaves and bark of the witch-hazel shrub.
2. Aloe Vera Gel. Elisa suggests using the pain-relieving, medicated kind because it helps in numbing the area. She says that this can be particularly helpful in case you have stitches.
3. Pads. Using larger pads is advisable, according to Elisa.
4. Lavender Essential Oil. Although Elisa didn’t use any type of oil in her padsicles, she mentions that you can use it. You can also try another fragrance if you like.
7 easy steps to make a padsicle:
Image source: Elisa Castellanos Facebook page
- Open the pad.
- Set aside the wrapper for later use.
- Mix all the ingredients on each pad in the following proportions: 2 tablespoons witch hazel, 1 tablespoon aloe vera gel, a couple of drops of oil.
- Fold the pad in half.
- Wrap it up again using the wrapper you saved.
- Store all the padsicles in gallon size freezer bags.
- Put the freezer bags with the padsicles in your freezer.
Don’t forget to take the freezer bags with you when it’s time to go to the hospital!
Here are other ways to reduce postpartum pain:
1. Medication as prescribed by doctors:
Your doctor will generally recommend some medication to help you cope with the pain. Some of the common medicines that doctors prescribe can be:
- Simple medicines like Paracetamol. Effective in pain relief.
- Anti-inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen. It helps with swelling as well as pain.
- Opioids like Oxycodone. Highly effective in case of moderate to severe pain.
Medicines may have side-effects on you. So, it is important that you follow your doctor’s advice as far as medication is concerned.
2. Relaxation and breathing techniques:
You can use the same techniques that worked for you during labour and childbirth. These can be of great help to reduce post childbirth pain as well.
3. Using ice pads to relieve vaginal pain:
You can place plain ice or cold packs on the painful area for 10 to 20 minutes. To avoid direct contact with skin, you can put a thin cloth first and then place the pack on it.
4. Using warm water:
Warm water to cleanse your genitals can help ease the pain. Sitting in warm water tubs thrice a day and even after bowel movements can also help provide relief .
5. Ways to relieve perineal pain:
- For perineal pain relief, find the position you are most comfortable in, and try using it whenever you are sitting. A position that supports your back may help. This can be useful when you are carrying the baby for long periods.
- Avoid getting up all the time. You can ask someone to bring you whatever you need.
- Support the area when using the loo.
- Dress comfortably.
Post childbirth pain can be something to dread for mums-to-be and new mums, but it doesn’t have to be. With these effective tips, and a little support from your caregivers and family, you can sail through this phase with ease.
Source: Facebook
