Postpartum Lady Bits – 9 Tricks to Heal Fast!

If you had a vaginal birth, your postpartum “LadyBits” are going to be sore, and swollen. These postpartum healing tips will ease the pain and reduce the swelling “down there” and help you heal faster and feel better.

Drink Lots of Water.

The more water you drink after your baby arrives, the less acidic your urine will be. If you had any medication during labor, it will also help to flush the labor medication out of your system. You also need to drink lots of water if you’re breastfeeding. Set your alarm on your phone to remind you to drink more water more often. If you’re not a big water drinker, add some flavor. During that 4th trimester postpartum, you’re going to be overwhelmed with everything and sleep deprived. So a little reminder to drink more water is one easy postpartum healing tip to do when there’s a new baby in the house.

Flavor Your Water

Add some tasty treats to your water to make it more palatable:

lemon, orange, lime,
cucumber
mint leaves
raspberries
strawberries
ginger
watermelon
GET CREATIVE

While You Pee and After

Peeing postpartum is no easy task. Get ready before by filling the peri bottle with warm water and squirt at the same time that you pee. Don’t squirt into the vagina. Just squirt the skin around the vaginal opening. You’ll get a peri bottle at the hospital or birth center and in any home birth kit. Or you can get a personal bidet. Spraying your perineum with water can cut the acidity of the urine. If you have stitches, this postpartum healing tip can be soothing and cleansing.

Cleaning your perineum postpartum actually does feels soothing. Use the peri bottle or personal bidet and warm water to clean yourself. Gently pat dry with toilet paper. Do not wipe. It can be very uncomfortable to wipe, especially if you have stitches. You can dry yourself by using the cool setting on your blow dryer to dry yourself. Be gentle and keep it clean.

Stool Softener

This postpartum healing tip is a definite necessity. Make things easier on yourself by taking a stool softener daily in those first few days or week postpartum. It can be very uncomfortable to poop especially if you had a vaginal birth or you have stitches. Medication during labor can affect your digestive system too by slowing things down or stopping you up. The last thing you want to deal with is constipation. Stool softeners can make pooping a lot more comfortable and productive. They are a much better choice and are a lot more gentle to your digestive system than using a laxative. Keep things moving witha stool softener.

Witch Hazel

You can also add witch hazel to the warm water in your peri bottle. But READ LABELS. Do not buy witch hazel that has isopropyl alcohol in it. That will sting and hurt. Some witch hazel brands that don’t have alcohol are Dr. Thayer’s. Use one part witch hazel to 4 parts warm water to clean yourself postpartum. Some people like to add essential oils to their postpartum rinse. Another soothing thing to add to your peri-bottle is essential oils. You will only need a small amount to ad to the water and the witch hazel. Add 2 drops of Frankincense and Clary Sage. Shake it and spray.

Herbal Sitz Bath

Take an herbal Sitz bath after baby arrives and you get home. It’s a combination of herbs that help to soothe and heal the perineum after a vaginal birth. The sprays are good too but a Sitz bath is better. I was amazed at how incredibly fast the herbal Sitz baths worked to soothe my perineum. This is a must have item for post-partum healing for your “LadyBits”

Epsom Salts

Take a Sitz bath in Epsom salts. Fill the bath tub with water as hot as is comfortable for you, only enough to submerge your genital/perineal area. Put in 2-3 cups of Epsom salts. Soak for 15 minutes. If you want to take a full bath, pour in 3 lbs. of Epsom salts and soak for 15 minutes. You can also fill the tub all the way and just allow yourself to soak. It will ease many aches and pains.

Ice, Ice, Baby!

There is nothing better than an ice pack on your perineum postpartum to relieve pain and reduce swelling. My husband grabbed a handful of medical gloves before we left the hospital (I’m not recommending you steal from the hospital). I put ice in them and put them on my lady parts. Ah! It felt great.

“Pad-sicles”

Create some postpartum “padsicles” before the baby arrives. Take several maxi-pads – the largest ones you can find. Pour half a cup of witch hazel into a bowl. Add 10 drops of lavender and helichrysum to witch hazel. Stir, then pour on to the pads. Place pads in a ziplock bag and place in the freezer. When you get home form your birth place, place a frozen pad-sicle on your perineum. They help relieve pain and swelling on hemorrhoids too.