The world of postpartum care is a lot of things, but it is never boring. For instance, some people are taking postpartum pads to the next level with vaginal popsicles. (Yes, it's exactly what you're thinking.) If you're interested in some easy, postpartum relief, then it may be smart to look up vagina ice pop recipes.
The basic recipe is simple enough. According to Martin Wanless of Direct Advice for Dads, you can take a condom, fill it with water, freeze, and use it to rest on — not in — the healing vaginal area. Voila — you have a simple vagina ice pop on hand for all of your postpartum recovery needs. When it's go time, wrap it in a cloth or towel to prevent things from getting too cold.
That said, there are a few twists to this recipe. You can follow advice from Hobo Mama to make a slushy frozen condom by pouring about an inch of rubbing alcohol into your rubber, followed by water. When this ice pop freezes, it's more of a soft, squishy consistency, instead of a frozen phallus. Again, it's to be used on the outside parts only.
If you're feeling creative, take a cue from the DIY postpartum care community to make your own recipes. As explained in Modern Alternative Mama, typical padsicle recipes often include ingredients such as witch hazel, pure aloe vera gel, and assorted essential oils. You can try adding these to your ice condom, or using them in a cloth or pad in conjunction with it. If you're going to ice your privates, you can at least treat the area to a little extra TLC in the meantime. Obviously, though, only stick to ingredients you know are safe for your skin. This is not the time to learn you're allergic to aloe.
Lastly, because you're definitely wondering, using a regular store-bought popsicle for this purpose is not recommended. As noted in the website for Shape, putting anything with sugar near your vagina can lead to a yeast infection, AKA the last thing in the world you want to deal with right now. Save the regular popsicles for eating purposes only, and let your DIY frozen condoms do the postpartum care work.
