So you’re getting ready for baby. You’ve done all of the usual getting ready for baby checklist items – you’ve completed a registry, you’ve had your baby shower, you’ve set up the nursery, and you’ve installed the car seat.

But have you thought about the looming postpartum period? Have you made any preparations for the pain or your recovery?

In my hustle of getting ready for baby the first time around, I gave very little thought or attention to anything involving postpartum pain or recovery. I had a pretty miserable pregnancy and in my mind labor and delivery was the finish line!

I wasn’t prepared for Postpartum Symptoms as I was getting ready for baby, and if I had been my recovery might have been much more comfortable and smooth. (If this is your first pregnancy and you’re not sure what to expect after the birth of your baby you can read about my experience and symptoms HERE.)

(Be sure you also have your hospital bags packed with some pain management and comfort staples if this is your first time giving birth! You can read about what I’m packing in my hospital bag for my upcoming second delivery and download a printable checklist HERE.)

I’m almost 37 weeks pregnant with my second pregnancy and getting ready for baby as I write this. I felt the urge to share one easy thing that I am doing differently this time to prepare for my postpartum pain.

It’s not an original idea (you can find many examples of it all over Pinterest!) but it’s one that already has me sighing in relief as I anticipate its overwhelming benefit when I arrive home with baby sore and hurting! I felt the urge to share with you how to stock your freezer with padsicles – easy DIY ice packs for your sorest area loaded with healing ingredients.

Here’s how to make your own padsicles for postpartum pain:

(This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.)

How To Make Chilled Postpartum Pads To Ease Your Recovery Pain

1. Purchase all of your ingredients:


2. Open all of your pads.

I found it easiest to open all of the pads and lay them out on the table. I did not open the wings on any of them or remove any of the paper covering the adhesive on the back but laid them out enough that I could easily add ingredients to the top of each individual pad.

Getting Ready For Baby - Padsicles Photo2

3. Layer the pads with your ingredients!

I did not measure specific quantities of each ingredient as I added it to each pad. I simply started with the witch hazel and went down the line to spray a liberal portion on each pad. (I emptied the entire bottle of Thayer’s Witch Hazel doing 28 pads.) After the witch hazel, I drizzled a squiggly line of aloe vera gel down each pad. To finish them off I shook a few drops of lavender essential oil over each one.

You can see what my ingredient covered pads looked like below:

Getting Ready For Baby - Padsicles Photo1

4. Place pads back into their original wrappers

I debated about whether or not each pad needed to be placed back into its original wrapper but decided it was best to keep them from sticking together while freezing. This may have been the most tedious part of the process to make the padsicles, but it still did not take very long! Simply refold each pad and place it back in its original wrapper.

Getting Ready For Baby - Padsicles Photo3

5. Throw the pads into the freezer!

After all of my pads were placed back in their original wrappers, I loaded them into two-gallon size freezer bags and threw them in the freezer! When it’s go time for this baby they will be ready for my return home!

 

Getting Ready For Baby - Padsicles Postpartum

 

If you’re getting ready for baby and haven’t thought ahead to your postpartum recovery and needs, you can read about my postpartum symptoms HERE. There are steps you can take before your baby arrives to help prepare for some of the potential challenges that arise after delivery.

Start getting ready for baby AND for mommy’s recovery by stocking your freezer with a load of these easy postpartum padsicles! I think you will be glad that you did!