Postpartum preparation is something we easily overlook.

As baby #3’s due date is just shy of two weeks away, Brendon and I have been actively preparing for her arrival. I’ve washed and folded adorable, teeny clothes, bought a few things for the nursery, and have updated and crossed things off my Baby Prep “to-do” list. I’ve also purchased a few essentials off our Babylist.com registry to make sure we both feel as ready as possible for her arrival.

In the midst of all the baby preparations, it is easy for me to overlook preparing for postpartum for myself, and though it’s not at all glamorous, I know a little foresight will go a long way for the days following Baby’s arrival.

DIY Padsicles (don’t read if you have not/will not give birth…)

Over the weekend I prepared my own cold packs or “padsicles” for the days following Baby’s birth. It turns out they are so simple to make and only take about 20 mins depending on how many you prepare. I ordered everything from Amazon.com (you only need 4 ingredients) and I now have a pack of 24 in the freezer ready for use. These will help soothe and speed up the healing process of the lady parts after a vaginal delivery while serving as a feminine napkin for postpartum bleeding. I used this gal’s instructions as a guide, but personalized it -I left out the essential oils- since my doula explained they were non-essential for the healing process. I also chose different pads due to personal experience with another brand failing during past pregnancies.

Materials

1. Feminine pads (get heavy duty ones with wings if possible). I chose Always Flex Foam pads because they are so thin but absorb a lot, they stay put (flexible, so they form to you), and they don’t stick (this is super important when you’re uber tender or have any tearing down there). I know it’s probably not the cleanest or greenest product, but in this case I’ll make an exception for a week or two where comfort and functionality wins. If you know of a better, chemical-free option that performs as well, please let me know!
2. Alcohol-free witch hazel
3. Good sourced aloe vera gel (try to get as pure as possible)
4. Gallon-sized freezer bag to store them in.

Steps

1. Simply open up the pad without removing it from the liner (as shown).
2. Spread a good amount of aloe vera gel on them (but not too much as to soak it completely) from the top to the bottom (but not the wings) and sprinkle on some witch hazel on top.
3. Fold it back up and set aside.
4. Repeat with each pad.
5. Lastly, stack them up and store them in the bag to put in the freezer until use. Voila, done! Easy peasy!

If you’re expecting, I hope you give these a try! Happy DIY’ing and congratulations!