A Postpartum Doula's Top 5 Must-Haves for Perineal Healing Post-Birth

Let’s talk about postpartum healing. I’m going to preface this by saying, no, you don’t NEED any of these. You will heal with or without them, but they sure make that first week or two much more tolerable! ✨ Upside Down Peri Bottle I can’t believe I waited until my 4th baby to finally try this. Do they give you a peri bottle at the hospital for free? Yes, but this one is superior. And if you have multiple bathrooms, it’s nice to have one in each. ✨ Disposable Underwear Luckily I discovered these with my second baby, and they are hands down so much nicer to use than the hospital mesh underwear + a pad. I especially loved these for overnight, as they provide more coverage and made me feel more secure. ✨ DIY Padsicles These provide some temporary numbing relief, and you can load them up with wonderful healing ingredients like witch hazel, aloe vera, and lavender essential oil. Tip: Keep the paper attached to the adhesive on the pad wings and just cut right down the center it with scissors before opening the pad and adding your desired ingredients - this way your pad won't be stuck together once you close it back up and freeze it! ✨ Arnica Pellets I’m not a huge fan of taking Tylenol/Advil so I try to rely on those sparingly and lean more heavily on this homeopathic pain relief. ✨ Herbal Sitz Bath Made up of dried comfrey, plantain, lavender, chamomile, and calendula to help soothe your perineum. Brew the whole bag for a great excuse to take a relaxing bath solo or with your baby. Or you can brew smaller batches for use in a sitz bath basin. I offer one herbal sitz bath pouch to all of my clients - contact me if you're not a client and would like to purchase.