This might be one of my favourite blogs, chalk full of sensitive info, recipes, and tips! It makes me laugh and cringe all at the same time … so if you are a mama to be, a friend to a mama to be, a hubby to a mama to be … THIS BLOG is for YOU!
It’s no joke that when you give birth, your “hooha” goes through a sh*t kicking and getting her back to tip-top shape is a big priority so you can feel comfortable again!! With Leo, I tore AND ended up having an episiotomy. I had a lot of stitches and was in a lot of pain. I remember so badly wanting to heal up quickly so I was doing everything I could to make sure my recovery time was as quick (and smooth!) as possible.
So, I have a few tricks up my sleeve when it comes to taking care of your sweet little ‘hooha’ post birth which I will share with you today!
1. Make Padsicles
Boy, do I have a recipe for you!! It’s totally vegan, and they smell amazing … but I wouldn’t recommend tasting these!! However, I will say that once you try them, you’ll be hooked!! LOL!! ?
They are, PADSICLES!! Yup, you read that right!! Padsicles are pads that you cover with aloe vera, witch hazel, and pure lavender oil! I like to mix all of the ingredients together and place about 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture on each pad so they can soak up the liquid properly. You don’t want to totally saturate the pads with the liquid mixture as these will thaw in your panties and you don’t want to have this dripping down your legs!! LOL!!
Once they’re ready, I pop them in a Ziploc freezer bag and put them in the freezer where they will stay until we’re ready to go to the hospital!
These padsicles are meant to go on the inside of your underwear and they are meant to SOOTHE, not soak up blood! They honestly feel so damn good!! But of course, make sure you don’t use them when they’re completely frozen as you don’t want to freeze your vagina! LOL!! (queue Frozen “Let It Go” now). Give them time to thaw a bit and when they’re not frozen but still cool, is the time when you would want to use them. Also, when making these, always go with the organic cotton pads over the plasticy ones as they will soak up the liquid better and feel much much better!
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2. Sitz Bath Tea
You are recommended to have a Sitz Bath which is a usually a little toilet like thing that you just “dip” your bottom in after birth … But lately, a new trend is having a SITZ BATH TEA (sounds like something for the queen doesn’t it!?!?). LOL!! It’s a blend of beneficial herbs that help promote healing and ease pain after giving birth. If you’re looking for a good one, So Luxury has Sitz Tea that you can purchase online!
Instead of bathing Leo, I remember I would get into a nice bath, light some candles, turn on Frank Sinatra and Justin would bring Leo into me so we could have skin on skin bonding time. I didn’t have the Sitz Bath Tea back then, so I used just Epsom salts and witch hazel which I found to be very relaxing and helped speed up my recovery time.
3. I Encapsulated My Placenta
I had my placenta encapsulated and I SWEAR it worked wonders for my body! I felt like I healed fairly quickly and I found I had so much energy after having Leo. I’m 100% doing this again with our baby girl and I REALLY hope it has the same effect on me this time around! If you want to read more about this, check out the blog I wrote, here!
4. Continue Taking Vitamins
I think everything I did here in this blog really helped speed up the healing process but vitamins are a great way to take to make sure you’re getting all of the nutrients you need while going through all of these crazy changes! I continued to take my multi vitamin and my omega after giving birth! New Chapter and Rumina Naturals are a couple of my faves!
5. Drink Lots of Water
I always make sure to bring my reusable Starbucks water bottle with me to and from the hospital (and everywhere I go on a daily basis!). Making sure you’re hydrated is so important when it comes to recovery!
6. Treat Yourself
If you want to make sure you have all of the necessities you need for yourself and for your new babe (and post-birth care!) there are some amazing companies out there who will actually put these packages together and ship them to you!!
Basic Baby Co
Basic Baby Co sent me an adorable package that included necessities for our new baby girl! They included items such as swaddles, burp pads, onesies, no-scratch mitts, and hats! Plus, they also included some mini gel pads that you can put in the freezer and use after you give birth to help with swelling!!!
Mama Bird Doula
Mama Bird Doula is an amazing local company who sent me one of their boxes to use for when baby girl is born! Their box included nipple cream, soother clip, decaf coffee, body butter and so much more! A little pampering for mama postnatal goes a long way!
Luxury Labor Bags
Most of the items I packed in my go-bag (which you can check out here, by the way!) were from Luxury Labor Bags! They honestly had all of the items you need such as toothpaste, a toothbrush, flip flops, socks, deodorant, you name it, it’s in there!!
All THREE of these companies offer up some really great items at different price points so I would totally suggest checking them out if you’re about to become a new mama! They also make for great baby shower gifts!
There you have it! I hope you find some of this information helpful! What are some ways you take care of yourself “down there” post-baby?! Make sure to comment below!
xo
Jilly
Young Living Claraderm spray!
Jill you forgot a few things like sleep, essential oils for healing& mood, dreaded yeast infections, using a peri bottle instead of toilet paper and MOST Importantly EVERYONE should see a pelvic floor physio after birth!!!! (Seriously, this last one is a MUST)
Do you ever think of the terrifying thought that you may need a csection? With my first I had read everything I needed to know to deliver my baby and everything I needed to know about the after birth. Turned out my plan did not go as planned. 9cm dilated and was wheeled to the operating room! Terrifying! I hope this doesn’t happen to you (if it does it’s really not that bad, and hey my vagina is still in tact lol) but I did regret being so nieve that anything could happen. I ended up having a planned section for my daughter who is now 8 months old!
I have one other little tidbit or trick for healing. That is to use calendula oil. Put 10 drops in your peri bottle each time you use it. You could add it to your padsicles too. Calendula is a flower that has healing properties, midwives always recommend it. It seriously is magic! You should be able to find it at your natural food store.
Tucks pads (can make your own!) and numbing spray! Literally went through 5+ bottles and countless tucks after delivering my first ?
Love this!!! Thank you for padsickle recipe. This is the part that scares me the most with birth coming in december
No coached pushing ( better yet, no forced pushing ) and birth in a squatting or side laying position!
Padsicles and sitz baths were a serious lifesaver after having my 9 lb 11 oz baby boy ?
Such good tips! After delivering both my girls vaginally…things down there are still not the same. I tell me husband “I used to have a closed book down there…now it’s an open book and the corners are all ‘dog eared’.” ??♀️ So worth every dog ear but totally open to a little vagina reconstruction one day? ??♀️
Pelvic floor physio can help “close the book”! If the pelvic floor muscles are too ‘loose’ it can feel like there is no pleasure from low tone. On the opposite end of the spectrum, the pelvic floor muscles can be too tight/tense and make intercourse painful. See a pelvic floor physio 🙂
Reconstruction is not all what it’s made out to be. It’s like giving birth without the joy of holding the baby making it all worthwhile. It’s all the pain of recovery for minimal reward. I had it done after my first because of severe PP complications that spanned 6 months until I got the procedure done. I only felt close to “just OK” after 9 months PP. It’s only for severe cases, “traumatic vaginal damage” is what the doctors were calling it. It’s not for aesthetics, it’s for health. I think it’s an important story to share with anyone even joking about it, because sometimes what you have now is better than what you could have should you mess around with nature. Lady bits do not take nicely to being unnecessarily altered.
You have so many amazing tips! I will be a new mom in a few months and I’m soaking up all your wisdom and knowledge with these extremely helpful posts – Thanks Jill 🙂
Hi “BO” – I’m positive Jilly asked her doctor prior to making any decisions that may affect HER and baby’s body. Let’s give her a little credit, ya?
ACOG does not recommend placental consumption. There have been recorded cases of infant death in rrlation ti encapsulation or eating. The cause was from a bacteria, group b step, or chorioamnitis infection the mother had, however unaware of. Please be smart and do your research to all mama’s! And not just Google or wiki. Make sure you are getting the most up to date information from are licensed or board certified/eligible provider.
I would add to the list GO SEE A PELVIC HEALTH PHYSIOTHERAPIST. Any woman that has a baby should do rehab for their pelvic floor.. your body goes through major trauma giving birth and rehabbing your hooha is just as important as rehabbing you knee!! Look up the closest one to you and tighten, strengthen, and never pee yourself again!!
Water consumption is also really important for milk production – the more water you drink, the more milk you’ll make. Just a tid bit I picked up on during my OB rotation in med school ?
Something we do with pads on our Maternity unit is put slightly moistened tea bags (3-4) on the pad. They help reduce swelling, promote healing and are soothing. Use good quality black tea ones like Tetley. Quick, easy, not messy and effective.
You’re amazing Jill! I am 25 weeks now and counting ! I wish you all the best with baby girl. Can’t wait to find out her name ?
??♀️ I second the PELVIC PHYSIOTHERAPY and TUCKS PADS! In France, every woman who gives birth gets 6 weeks of pelvic physiotherapy as part of their recovery plan! Good luck with the next delivery Jillian!
The picture of you by the window is fantastic! My babies are 14 and 11 and they make me laugh, think, and proud as a peacock daily:) So many great moments ahead for you. Enjoy!
It’s Annie Jillian announced it
Also sit or lay down as much as possible during the first two weeks to help your pelvis floor recover. The gym can wait!
Buy thinx!!! Or any other brand of period underwear. Seriously the best for postpartum! No pads and no feeling like you’re in a diaper. Just nice cotton panties soaking up the mess.
Thanks for the great tips Jill! Can you provide when you had the placenta encapsulated pills made? Do you personally take your placenta there? Thanks!
I used the pads for baby #1, but for baby #2 I moved up a notch in life and splurged on adult diapers like Depends.
Using the water spray bottle from the hospital was essential every time I went to the bathroom for the first 3 weeks. I also found stool softners and prunes made bathroom visits much less scary. What about intimacy after baby? I think that’s a topic that’s rarely covered when it comes to recovery and life after baby. I know it is different for everyone but I am curious what peoples advice is there.
Wish I had known about padsicles!
Very helpful for healing to sit on hard chairs afterwards… like a kitchen chair vs. a sofa.
Also, I saw someone recommended side pushing… I did that on my fist baby and it caused the baby to get stuck and I ended up with an episiotomy and dislocated hip. Food for thought.
My friend did the placenta capsules with her second one cause she had depression so bad with her first she couldn’t even take care of him her mom did for about six months … the second was so different for her … she healed she had energy she was happy she said she would never do it again without the placenta thingy …
This is amazing info! I wish I knew these tips when I had my children! You always keep it real, open and honest 🙂
Way back when I had my little guy and had a fourth degree tear the padsicles were a life saver. I was sure I would be in a similar situation with my second born. Her delivery was a breeze and she was quite a bit bigger than my son, 7 lbs 4 oz vs 5 lbs 15 oz. I felt like a million bucks after her delivery. Hopefully you don’t even need the frozen pads! Best of luck ❤
I couldn’t run anymore after my 1st child and it was the same with my 2nd due to leaking. I started physio for my vagina and wow it has done wonders. I didn’t realize it was even a thing but it is!
Hi! Great post! How long after you had Leo did you feel comfortable getting in a bath tub? There is just so much blood so I was always nervous to do that. I’m pregnant again so I was curious if you had any advice. Thanks!
Jillian Harris…. I think I love you! I was really hoping for a post just like this as I’ll be having our first in December. xx
This is great but you forgot pelvic floor physio!!
Check out @mommyberrieshealth for all sorts of juicy pregnancy and postpartum info plus an online pelvic floor and core program that can be started in the early postpartum phase because it teaches you how to get your pelvic floor and core gently working for you in everyday “mom tasks” like carrying your baby or lifting your laundry basket!
Thank you for being so relatable and honest and writing this all down so women like myself can read it and feel a little less terrified about what’s to come. I’m saving your padsicle recipe as we speak 🙂
You hit the nail on the head with your tip about water. Water water water!!! I tore a bit with my first and every time I peed it hurt/stung SOOOO bad. To the point that I started googling “how long can you live without going pee?!” LOL! I ended up going to the hospital thinking I had an infection and it turns out, I wasn’t drinking enough water. Therefore, my urine was like ammonia!!!!! After that, I aimed to drink 3 liters a day. And it diluted my urine. Problem solved!!!!!
Check out “Mom Friends Kits” for all post partum needs in one very giftable box! Don’t forget to use that peri bottle and you can put your padsicles directly into an adult diaper!
Where are the organic cotton pads from?
I actually got those ones in my Luxury Labour bag but I’m sure you can find them at any natural foods store!!
they are Natracare Maternity pads, amazon has them!
Congratulations on the birth of Annie! Previously you mentioned a cream that you used for stretch marks, what is the name of it and where did you purchase it? Also, you raved about leggings that you wore during your pregnancy, where can did you get them?
The cream is stretch mark cream from Saje! xo
What nursing bras do you use?! I’m loving the lace trimmed one in your picture!
I love Medela nursing bras!! The one pictured in this blog came in my Luxury Labour bag!
xo
I used Calomine Tea in my Sitz baths, and helped alot with my healing! I was cut with all 3 of my kids, down straight and on the side! ?
I had a difficult birth and while my twins and myself are fine, my vagina was not. I felt so much looseness and pain and then used the Myotaut serum and it took me two months to get my vagina back to normal, but it really worked
My friend bought me the myotaut vaginal tightening serum after I had my baby (I paid the price) . Now I’m feeling more confident after using it daily for a week now. The clients service was great as I live remotely, but got the product easily
I know this post is older now, but it’s a Godsend to me right now! I will be a first time mom in March 2020 and am looking into postpartum care now while I’ have the time. I had not considered encapsulating my placenta, but I am going to ask my midwife about it to learn more. Thanks for keepin’ it real, Jillian! I love you!