Postpartum Healing & Recovery
Everyone’s postpartum journey is going to be unique to you and what you find is useful. Just because you have a vaginal birth, doesn’t mean you will have sutures or swelling, but you will probably have some discomfort as your body heals from birth. Here are some of my favorite items to help you heal all with a natural approach.
Bottom Care
Cold care can be helpful in the first few days for swelling, but once the swelling is gone, usually within the first 24-48 hours, switch to heat. Cold should not be used for longer than 20 minutes at a time. If cold care is continued after the swelling has resolved, healing can be suspended or slowed.
Comfry & Lavendar Padsicle herbs Make your own “padsicles” full of healing herbs. I recommend making these around 36 weeks and putting them in your freezer so they are ready postpartum. Instruction on how to make your padsicles are on the bag. These herbs are also great to add to your peri bottle and Epsom salt bath too! (she also sells magnesium lotion and elderberry oxymel & gummies for local pickup only)
Make 10-12 total
Bring 2-4 pads with you to a Birth Center and have support put in freezer upon arrival
Bring all or most in a cooler with ice if birthing at a hospital. May need a support person to bring you more on days 2 and 3
Ointments, balms, and sprays are great at soothing, especially as we begin to heal and potentially get a bit itchy.
Warm water and herbs in your Peri Bottle can be healing and soothing to spray on yourself while you pee. If you have a bottle warmer, I highly recommend putting your peri bottle in that on your bathroom counter so it’s always perfectly warm when you’re ready to use it. No waiting for your faucet to run warm.
Boiron Arnica Montana 30c dissolved 3-4 pellets in your peri bottle to help heal and offer pain relief
Follow directions on sitz bath herbs for peri bottle use
Preparing for your first postpartum poop can sometimes be a bit nerve-wracking. Instead of taking stool softeners which can upset your stomach, I recommend increasing your daily magnesium intake. Chelated magnesium or Magnesium Glycinate is typically the most absorbable and easily digestible.
Body Care
Once the swelling is gone, it is a great time to start heat therapy. Unless your care provider has told you otherwise, baths are a great way to soothe your aching muscles. I highly recommend taking an Epsom salt bath after or before your first trip out of the house to the pediatrician and your first postpartum appointments.
Epsom Salt 5 Lb Bulk Bag Unscented For a regular-sized tub 3-4 cups of Epsom Salts should be used for the most benefit. If you do not have access to a tub or do not want to get into a bath, do a foot soak. 3/4-1 cup depending on the size of your foot basin. Add a splash of vinegar to help the uptake.
Magnesium lotion is also a great way to soothe aching muscles, especially in those days when you cannot get into the bath or you have not been cleared by your provider for bathing, especially after a C-section
Arnica can also be administered orally for healing and pain relief.
Tinctures are another way to get healing herbs into your body safely
Always seek the guidance of your qualified health professional with any questions you may have regarding your health or a medical condition. The content is not meant to be complete or exhaustive or to be applicable to any specific individual's medical condition.
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