Can we talk frozen pads?

[Marie29]

We are planning a homebirth and I think I want to try out some frozen pads on my girly bits this time around. But I was wondering a few things:
1) How much liquid do you put in them to freeze and what do you use, just water?
2) Do they become soggy as they thaw?
3) Is there a particular pad that works better than the others?
4) If they are already filled with liquid, will they absorb much blood/lochia?

Anything else I need to know about freezing pads?? TIA!!

[MarineMommy]

When I had my son at a birth center, they used infant diapers and soaked them in Witch Hazel. I have never felt anything so soothing in my life. I think I had a pad on as well, but can't be sure. Maybe you could soak some of those hospital type pads in the witch hazel and then wear like a depends underwear or something for a day or 2.

HTH
katie

[khaoskat]

This could be an interesting way of doing it..

Use tampons wrapped in guaze to soak up the water. They are just about the right size to fit down there. (I think I am going to try this with comfry root tea.) Then just lay it on top of your regular pad (either fem hygine pad or the hospital pad you get).

[MamaEssie]

I loved the ones my midwife made for me! We just used whatever regular pads I had in the house....the ones w/o wings work best...and witch hazel. She knew the right amt to use so they wouldn't get so soggy. The ones my DH made later were too wet. Sorry I don't have a measurement for you. I put them into depends underwear to catch any overflow and then just took the pad out if it got too uncomfortable. I recovered soooo much faster using these than I did just using the warm comfrey tea wash.

[LoveChild421]

I LOVED the frozen pads! You definately don't want to soak the pad, just a little water on the surface, you can use a squirt or spray bottle. They still absorbed everything. I used the plain Kotex, you just don't want to use Always or anything that "locks" wetness away in the core.

[SheBear]

Here's what I did...it's a bit different from what other posters recommend, but it worked great for me, and I'll do it again!

I used Always maxi (with wings, but the wings aren't important, I just don't think I found them without wings) for Plus sizes. They are a bit longer and wider than the regular ones. They do have the locking core or whatever, but IMO, that's what made them work best--kept them from feeling soggy/drippy, but I still had the cold therapy.

Anyway, I made up a strong "tea" using a blend of herbs (I got mine from my midwife, but you can find lots of different herbal sitz baths or recipes to make your own from bulk herbs, etc. Wish Garden has a nice one). I strained out the herbs and then saturated the pads. You can use a turkey baster, or a large medicine syringe...I actually used a clean "booger-sucker" (nasal bulb)! I saturated the pads pretty well...at least a couple Tbsp per pad. Then place them on a cookie sheet, turned on their sides and curved into a "C" shape. Freeze until hard, then transfer to a large ziploc bag.

Be sure to label them, so your husband doesn't--for some strange reason--mistake them for fish fillets and start to thaw them for dinner!

I don't know if they are really very absorbent, because I only used them as ice pads, either inside Depends (for the first couple of days) or with a larger post-partum pad or prefold under them, to absorb the actual blood.

Anyway, YMMV, but that's just what worked for me, and they were awesome! I made up at least 18 of them, and I loved that I could have as many as I wanted, as often as I wanted, instead of having to ration the expensive ones. HTH!

[Jilian]

My HB MW gave me a bag of herbs to use in my pp peri bottle and I used them for the pads too. I used Always brand overnight pads that were extra thin. I soaked them in the herbs for a few seconds then squeezed them out and rolled each one individually in aluminum foil. I froze them flat. After DS was born I put on a clean dry pad then a frozen pad on top, I changed out the frozen pad as needed. During labor my MW took them out of the freezer so they thawed a bit, I tried one completely frozen and it was wayyy too cold!

They were sooo wonderful. I can't say enough good things about them. I only made 8 and ended up making 6 more the next day. Make a lot, at least 15.

[cornpicker]

The frozen pads ROCKED! I just bought the Kotex or Stayfree, the super heavy pads. Then, I squired them with witch hazel, a pretty decent amount over the whole surface, and froze a bunch in ziploc bags in the freezer. Don't use the water, the witch hazel is MUCH better. I was able to use these alone and they absorbed still.

[LoveChild421]

Originally Posted by cornpicker

The frozen pads ROCKED! I just bought the Kotex or Stayfree, the super heavy pads. Then, I squired them with witch hazel, a pretty decent amount over the whole surface, and froze a bunch in ziploc bags in the freezer. Don't use the water, the witch hazel is MUCH better. I was able to use these alone and they absorbed still.

I guess it just depends, I have very sensitive skin and witch hazel has always made me feel like I'm on fire..especially in the nether regions...My mom got me some tucks pads which are basically witch hazel and said they worked great for her but when I tried one it burned like crazy.

[Corrie]

I use super absorbency with wings, douse the pads with witch hazel and then smear aloe vera gel on top and freeze them. I freeze them in a single layer on a cookie sheet and then put them in a baggie in the freezer so they don't stick together before they're frozen. They are so soothing and still absorbent. I did have some stitches, but didn't get a burning sensation from the witch hazel.

[HeatherB]

I don't want to use disposable pads (though I did end up buying a few Natracare brand to see how they are), but want ice/cold packs yet still with absorbency. So my plan (we'll see how it works!) is to use preemie prefolds wrapped around an ice pack, quite possibly with another prefold under that. I've got some of the "mesh panties" to try to hold it all together, too, if I'm moving around at all.

I've only briefly considered freezing PFs with witch hazel, etc., on them. I'm thinking a frozen preemie PF layered on an infant PF (dry) could be quite soothing and effective. But I do wonder if it would actually be too cold to have frozen cloth directly on the area, kwim?

[2bluefish]

I'm a big fan of the Peri-cold packs you can buy from the homebirth supply stores. They're absorbant, work great, and no freezer involved.