If you thought your childbirth was painful, just wait until you get home.
Your lady garden is going to be on fire. Even if you had a smooth delivery, your baby canon is going to be sore. And if you hard vaginal tearing or an episiotomy then you can multiply that pain by 10!
The pain is indescribable. It’s worse than smearing hot sauce all over your vajayjay. And that throbbing just doesn’t seem to go away. It’s so bad that your flaming coochie can even keep you awake at night.
But I have good news for you. Applying cold to your ravaged perineum can provide up to two hours of relief from inflammation, that burning sensation, and itchiness. And best of all – it’s backed by science.1
Forget that bag of frozen peas, the best way to bring winter to your lady garden is with a perineal cold pack. Using one feels like this…
Pure postpartum cold comfort.
Why are they called perineal cold packs? Because they are perfectly shaped to rest on your perineum – the vagina and anus area.
These little, chilled sachets of cooling goodness are just the thing to ease inflammation and pain in your lower regions, allowing you to relax in comfort. Well, at least until the next time your baby cries!
Perineal cold packs are a postpartum party in your pants. And I swear by them. Ice packs and my peri bottle, allowed me to have a comfortable postpartum healing experience. If you are packing a hospital bag, I recommend adding a perineal ice pack to the list of items.
Sounds good, right? But don’t just rush out and buy any old ice pack just yet. Your inflamed and swollen bits deserve the best.
In my quest for the ultimate afterbirth comfort, I have tried an embarrassing number of perineal ice packs. So many that my husband jokingly refers to me as the Ice Queen. Today I am going to share with you my favorites.
By far my favorite cold packs are the ones you don’t have to put in the freezer. Perhaps this is because my freezer is filled with frozen pizzas and breast milk, with little room for anything else. Perhaps it’s because I’m just lazy and these things require no preparation, a bonus when my baby new baby is taking up all my time.
Whatever the reason, there is no arguing that these ice packs are darn convenient.
Don’t be put off by the fact that these are sold in wholesale boxes of 24. In the quest for downstairs relief, you will very likely go through the whole box. I know I did.
Each ice pack is individually sealed keeping them clean and hygienic when not in use. Simply fold the ice pack in half and give it a quick shake. The chemical reaction of Calcium Ammonium Nitrate and water inside provides you with instant coolness. And they are latex free!
But while there are many other ice packs that act the same, it’s the absorbent padding that makes Medline’s perineal ice pack my top pick.
The padding is perfect for catching anything that oozes out of you. While it isn’t as absorbent as your regular period pad, you will only be wearing it for a short period of time.
Speaking of which, I found that each ice pack gave me about with about 15 – 30 minutes of cold. Each ice pack is single use, which won’t satisfy those of you who are looking for a reusable option. But such is the price of convenience.
One onside of the pad is an adhesive strip. If you find that the icepack keeps slipping and sliding around, peel back the adhesive strip to easily hold it in position.
Medline Also makes two other perineal ice packs…
1. Standard Perineal Ice Pack - A slightly cheaper option which is only padded on one side and does not have an adhesive strip.
2. Premium Perineal Ice Pack - A larger hourglass-shaped cooling pack (similar to the Peri-K Perineal Cold Pack). The generous size reduces the need to use the icepack with extra OB pads.
These cold packs were more than capable of providing cooling relief. But when it came to value for money vs. features I just couldn’t go past Medline’s Deluxe Perineal cold pack.
There’s no mistaking the purpose of the Vagi-Kool. It cools your vag. I always admire any company that bluntly says it as it is. The Vagi-Kool allows you to either apply cold or heat (by boiling it in water) to your lady parts.
While you may be put off by the extra effort required repeatedly freezing the ice pack, where the Vagi-Kool really stands out is its slim design. Forget the bulk, the Vagi-Kool contours to your delicate area like a chilly hug.
The biggest problem with ice packs, perineal or otherwise is that walking around with them feels like you have a frozen poop in your underwear. It’s far from invisible.
But not the Vagi-Kool. The close-to-body fit feels like it’s barely there. And perhaps, more importantly, it looks like it isn’t there. Even when combined with a pad! Check it out…
If ever you wanted to frost up your lady parts in the company of others, no one would even notice. Perfect for at work chilling or while the rest of the family is coming over to see your new baby.
The Vagi-Kool also has comfort fit sleeves (sold separately) that prevent cold burns or frostbite from adding to the pain down there. 30 Come in a pack which should be more than enough for postpartum icing. And if you really wanted to, they can be washed and reused.
The sleeve simply slides over the ice pack, providing a barrier to the cold.
Because it takes 2-3 hours for each Vagi-Kool to freeze, I highly recommend buying a second Vagi-Kool ice pack. This way one sits in the freezer while the other is cooling your beef curtains. Swap ‘em over and repeat.
You can expect 20 to 40 minutes of cold after-birth comfort from the Vagi-Kool. The first 20 minutes are the coldest before it gradually starts to warm up. More than long enough to provide icy relief to your bajingo.
Now the Vagi-Kool far from the cheapest ice pack you will come across. But it is purpose made for your lady parts and in terms of fit and discreetness, nothing comes close. Plus, you can hang onto them for future pregnancy’s or for any other vaginal pain, which definitely helps justify the initial investment.
The Vagi-Kool is the gold standard of perineal ice packs and they are made right here in America. Highly recommended.
If you are looking for Perineal cooling therapy on a budget then you really can’t go past your good old gel pack. Available at your local Walmart, CVS, or any other drugstore you will be able to pick out a gel pack at a budget price.
The main advantage of a gel pack is that it remains pliable, even when frozen. While the size might not be as perfect for your lady parts as my other picks, it will get the job done.
When choosing a gel pack, narrow and long will allow for the easier positioning against your undercarriage.
My personal favorite is the Chattanooga ColPac, pictured above. Its 3” x 11” design makes it perfect for sliding between your legs and wrapping around your downstairs area.
Delivering up to 30 minutes of cold therapy, I was able to freeze the ColPac in well under two hours. Not a bad turnaround time. Grab two so that you can freeze one while you use the other.
Padsicles? More like messicles.
Don’t get me wrong… I absolutely love the idea behind padsicles. A cold and soothing surface combined with healing promoting ingredients? In theory, they sound perfect.
But that’s all it is. Theory.
In practice, they are a chore. And in the lead up to birth, it’s a chore I can do without.
Firstly, let's talk about the prep-work. Adding witch hazel, aloe gel and other ingredients to your set of pads, pre-rolling them, and freezing them takes time. And effort.
But even if you are one organized momma and manage to prepare a whole set of padsicles for your postpartum healing there is one more problem. They are just messy. While they are frozen? Amazing. As they turn to mush they make one fine mess of your undercarriage and anything else they leak onto, such as your clothing.
And to top it all off, because padsicles are pre-soaked, they cannot absorb anything that oozes out of you.
Look, I know this line of thinking is going to ruffle a few feathers. Especially since many moms swear by how effective padiscles are. And if they work for you, then I 100% support your choice.
But padsicles were not for me – I had a superior experience with a perennial cold pack and many other moms will too. And I am just here to show you that you do have a choice of how you choose to chill your ravaged and torn baby cannon.
Did you use a perineal cold pack for postpartum comfort? Let me know in the comments below!
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