Pregnancy can be an incredible experience for many, but it can also be physically and mentally challenging, just as it is rewarding to create a tiny human. Despite this being the case, many women are still hesitant to medicate body aches and pains unless necessary due to the concern of overmedicating. We created a natural alternative to complement traditional medication: warm and cold perineal pads.
Applying cold and hot perineal pads to soothe pain or soreness before and after labor comes with many benefits. Below is a quick introduction to perineal pads and how they can be used during the first, second, and third trimesters and for post-labor aftercare.
Using Perineal Pads Pre and Post Labor
Luckily there are pain management options that don’t include drugs and medication. By utilizing the benefits of hot and cold therapy with our maternity products, pain in the perineal area can be naturally reduced both pre and post-labor.
How Perineal Pads Can Help During Pregnancy
Did you know that using a warm compress on the perineum during labor can help reduce vaginal tearing? The best time to use the warm compress is during the second stage of labor when the baby is crowning, and warm perineal pads are usually recommended during this stage.
It is commonly understood that warmth can help blood vessels dilate and increase blood flow to areas of the body to improve tissue flexibility and stretch. Research shows that women had a better chance of having intact perineum after birth when a warm compress had been applied to the area and were significantly less likely to have a more severe, 3rd or 4th-degree tear. They were also less likely to need an episiotomy (a cut made to the perineum to widen the opening).
This, paired with perineal massages before birth, can prepare for a smooth delivery. Perineal massages are a habit to begin at 35 weeks of pregnancy for at least 10 minutes a day. These can lengthen and soften the tissues of the perineum, before
Cold perineal pads, on the other hand, offer comfort to those who develop hemorrhoids after delivering the child.
Managing Pain During and After Labor with Perineal Pads
Childbirth puts extreme stress on the female body, and studies have shown positive results when using perineal pads before and after going into labor. Applying hot pads to the perineal area increases blood circulation, reducing the risk of tearing once labor is initiated. However, if you experience pain after labor, we suggest using our cold perineal option to help with any possible swelling or discomfort.
How to Use the Pads Post Labor
How can cold and hot pads be used after labor and during aftercare? There are many different ways to use heat and cold therapy, but it’s important to understand the benefits of each method.
Cold therapy reduces swelling or discomfort in the abdominal area post-labor, while hot compresses are good for pain during labor. Cold pads can also relieve sore breasts when breastfeeding, while hot compresses boost milk production. Together, these can improve the quality of daily life for new mothers and help speed up recovery.
Products like cool gel masks are also beneficial when looking into temperature-sensitive pain management and can aid with sleep disruptions and help the user relax.
When considering hot and cold therapy, perineal pads are a great and convenient option. Not only are the Rapid Aid products reusable, but they are also designed to lock in heat or cold for prolonged pain management and relief. Created to conveniently target specific body areas, make them ideal for someone going through pregnancy as a hassle-free and natural alternative (or complement) to traditional pain-medicated suggestions.
Motherhood Is Hard Enough. Relief Should Start At Labor
Using our cold and hot perineal pads during pregnancy, labor, and aftercare can help keep a patient more comfortable and reduce the overall pain experience. It is not necessarily meant to replace medication but can work as a substitute or a compelling complement.
We specialize in temperature-sensitive equipment designed for hot and cold therapy, where each of our products fills a function to make life easier, no matter the scale of the pain or injury.
