Padsicles Recipe: What Every Mama Needs Postpartum (2025)

Table of Contents

What are padsicles, and what do they do? How do you make padsicles? Postpartum Padsicle Recipe: Witch Hazel Items You Need Directions Postpartum Padsicle Recipe: Sitz Bath Items You Need to Make the Sitz Bath Padsicle Recipe Directions When should I make my padsicles? How many padsicles should I make? Postpartum Recovery Items FAQs

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After I gave birth to my beautiful baby boy, several items helpedme during postpartum. And I will tell you, padsicles were definitely one of them. After pushing a human being out of your body, your bottom will be sore. And swollen. You might even have stitches. I was lucky that I only had a tiny tear from pushing and didn’t need any stitches, but I was still pretty swollen and had bad hemorrhoids. Not fun! That will happen after three hours of pushing, which is how long it took me to give birth to my baby boy. So padsicles quickly became my new best friend.

What are padsicles, and what do they do?

Padsicles are chilled, large maxi pads that help women during their recovery after vaginal births. They are DIY recipes made at home with healing ingredients that help relieve pain, swelling, and inflammation. They act as cold compresses and encourage healing after delivery.

How do you make padsicles?

There are two different types of padsicles recipes that you can make: one with witch hazel and the other a sitz bath padsicle. Both are extremely helpful and soothing to the postpartum body. Here is what you need to know about and how to make both.

Postpartum Padsicle Recipe: Witch Hazel

This is the most common padsicle recipe that most people make when preparing for their postpartum period. I made this recipe during my second pregnancy with my daughter. Here is what you need and how you make them.

Items You Need

Directions

Open your maxi pads and open the wings. (Leave the maxi pads attached to the original wrap since you will need to wrap them back up once you finish.)
Generously poursome of the witch hazel onto your overnight pads from top to bottom. It should be about 1/4 cup.
Squeeze a good amount of your 100% aloe vera from the top and bottom of your pad.
Grab a spoon and evenly smooth the aloe vera on your pad.
Now pour several drops of your lavender essential oil on your pad.
Next, you will fold up your overnight pad inside the pad’s original wrap.
Then place your folded-up padsicle inside your ziplock baggy.
Your padsicles are now ready to go in your freezer and will be ready for when you’re home after giving birth!

Postpartum Padsicle Recipe: Sitz Bath

I made this recipe during my first pregnancy before my son was born. I am so glad I made them because they gave me great relief after giving birth. Below is my Facebook Live video breaking down how I made my sitz bath postpartum padsicles, and here are all the links to help you make your own.

Items You Need to Make the Sitz Bath Padsicle Recipe

Directions

Boil some water on the stove.
Steep a bag of your postpartum herbs for 5 minutes in the boiled water
Once the herbs are ready, get your overnight pad ready—I recommend an organic option that doesn’t have chemicals.
Pour some of your postpartum herbs onto your overnight pads from top to bottom. It should be about 1/2 cup.
Next, shake up your new mama bottom spray and spray your overnight pad—spray the entire length of the pad.
Get your 100% aloe vera and squeeze a good amount of it from the top and bottom of your pad.
Grab a spoon and evenly smooth the aloe vera on your pad.
Now pour several drops of your lavender essential oil on your pad.
Next, you’re going to fold up your overnight pad. Be sure that you do not remove the paper to leave the backside sticky.
Then place your folded-up padsicle inside your pad’s original bag and then put that inside your ziplock baggy.
Your padsicles are now ready to go in your freezer.
Once you have had your baby and are ready to use your padsicles, enjoy! They may be a bit too cold and frozen to put on your bottom immediately after birth, so let them thaw for about 5-10 minutes before placing them in your Depends underwear.

When should I make my padsicles?

I made these when I was 35 weeks pregnant during my first pregnancy with my son. I didn’t want to make them too early and have them sit or too late—since baby can safely arrive at 37 weeks. With my second pregnancy, I made them at 38 weeks. Since my son arrived at 41 weeks, I knew I had a little time before my second baby came. 😉

How many padsicles should I make?

If you’re wondering how many you should make, I made 20 padsicles for myself postpartum, which was the perfect amount after my first birth. Some people need more, and some people need less. It’s entirely up to you. I think 20 is a safe number.

Postpartum Recovery Items

A while ago, I did a Facebook Live on how to make these padsicles and discussed other great products for postpartum recovery. Here are the links to those items as well.

C-section Healing Salve (see all of our c-section recovery must-haves)
Dermoplast
Tucks
Honey Pot Co. postpartum pads
Motherlove Rhoid Balm
Stool softeners
MomWasher
Pariday TendHer Pads

I hope this helps you have the best and easiest recovery after birth! 🙂

FAQs

Padsicles Recipe: What Every Mama Needs Postpartum? ›

Like using pads for your period, you'll need to change your padsicle about every four hours to deal with postpartum bleeding. This means you'll probably be using upwards of six padsicles each day.

How many padsicles should you make for postpartum? ›

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How do you make homemade postpartum padsicles? ›

Pour about 2-4 tablespoons of witch hazel right onto the pad. Next, pour some aloe vera down the entire length of the pad. Once on, use a clean & washed back of a spoon to spread the aloe so it creates a layer on the entire pad. Finally, you will just refold and wrap up the pad and freeze.

When should I start making padsicles? ›

Make a batch of padsicles and put in your freezer at the start of your 9th month, so they will be ready to go when you return from the hospital. Remember, birth can happen between 37 and 42 weeks gestation, so you'll want them in your freezer by 37 weeks.

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Do you need alcohol-free witch hazel for padsicles? ›

Pour or spray alcohol-free witch hazel over the pad. Witch hazel can reduce swelling, pain, and bruising, plus relieve itching and inflammation associated with hemorrhoids. Another option is to add 1 to 2 drops of lavender essential oil onto the sanitary napkin.

How many postpartum freezer meals should I make? ›

How Many Freezer Meals is Enough? It depends on how much time you have before the baby's arrival and how often you plan to eat out or order takeout in those first few months with a newborn. If your maternity leave is short or you plan to eat out regularly, then 10-20 make-ahead freezer meals should do the trick.

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What pads are best for padsicles? ›

Maternity pads: Any kind of maxi pads can work for padsicles. We recommend Maternity Pads with extra long coverage, super absorbent and has wings for extra protection.

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What does mom need postpartum? ›

Postpartum Essentials For Mom

1) Pads. This is a part of postpartum that no one likes to talk about, but it's super important! ...
2) Witch Hazel Pads. ...
3) Peri Bottle. ...
4) Sitz Bath. ...
5) Heating Pad Or Ice Packs. ...
6) Pain-Relieving Spray. ...
7) Nursing Pads. ...
8) Breast Pump And Breast Milk Storage Bags.

More items...

What does lavender do for padsicles? ›

Lavender oil also has anti-inflammatory properties, as well as a calming effect to relieve anxiety and stress. Step 7. After applying the aloe vera, witch hazel, and lavender oil, gently fold the aluminum foil over the pad, and then place the wrapped pad in the freezer for at least an hour.

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Do you need padsicles after a C-section? ›

Postpartum Pads

For the first few days up to six weeks following the birth of your little one, you'll want to have extra padding. Even if you have a C-section, there will be a lot of bleeding.

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Do I have to change my pad every time I go to the bathroom postpartum? ›

Change your pad often.

Each time you use the bathroom or change your pad wash your hands both before and after. Be sure to remove the dirty pad and replace a clean pad, from front to back. Change the sanitary pad after every void or bowel movement, or at least 4x a day. Both lochia and feces are a medium for bacteria.

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How to make DIY padsicles? ›

Instructions

Partially unwrap a few pads at a time, but don't detach the wrapper. Spread aloe vera generously up and down the whole pad. ...
Add a few drops of lavender oil. Fold the pads back up to how they were and stick them in a gallon sized plastic bag, then freeze.

Dec 31, 2018

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Can you make padsicles with just water? ›

Drizzle a little stream of water over the pad, without making it completely saturated (you want to leave a little room for absorption, so it can work in your favor as a pad while also providing relief.) Rewrap the pad to make it look just like how it came. Repeat until you have the number of pads you want!

How many perineal pads after birth is normal? ›

You will experience about four weeks of bleeding, so you will go through a minimum of a hundred and fifty pads. Do not be alarmed by these numbers; you might experience bleeding that isn't as heavy or did not last for exactly four weeks.

How many reusable postpartum pads do I need? ›

How many will you need? Much of this decision will be based on how often you will be able to do laundry. We recommend a good collection of 12 pads. This will give you 1-3 days worth of pads before you need to wash and re-use them.

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