Helpful Tips to Heal Your Bottom After Childbirth: 

Perineum Rinse

Soothing and healing for swelling, pain, abrasions, tears, bruising. It’s safe to use with stitches. Prepare you own calendula tea or use Earth Mama Baby Angel’s New Mama Bottom Spray, which is an excellent healing formula and so easy (it is available at Head to Heal’s Wholistic Dispensary). Spray on perineum after every washroom use, shower/bath, or in between if extra relief is needed. Do not rinse solution off. If urination burns then use a “peri-bottle” filled with water or calendula tea to rinse while urinating.

Sitz Bath

Soak your perineum in a bath for 15 minutes, 3 times daily. Shallow water is fine. Add Epsom salt and if you wish to use herbs, add 2 cups of herb tea* or up to 5 drops of pure essential oil. Or do plain or Epsom salt baths and spray your perineum with the herb rinse after the bath. Some women like cool water for inflammation while others find warm water soothing. Experiment with temperatures but avoid the extremes during the initial postpartum days, and keep the rest of your body warm.

* Calendula is healing, along with other herbs such as comfrey, lavender, witch hazel, tea-tree, yarrow. Nice sitz-bath blends can be purchased – look for an Epsom salts base with herbs or pure essential oils; no fragrance or additives.

Tips for Recovery from Difficult Birth

After a difficult birth follow the above recommendations plus:

• Keep knees together as much as possible for the first 2 weeks, even while walking
• Avoid stairs
• Lift nothing heavier than the baby
• Allow area to “breath” – air time or cotton panties (no synthetics)
• Dry with cool blow-dryer after using toilet or bathing
• Avoid sitting or standing for long periods of time
• Avoid perfumes, chemicals
• Avoid straining on the toilet – good nutrition and lots of water, support perineum with a cloth during bowel movements (like pooping into a cloth)
• See a Physiotherapist who specializes in women’s pelvic floor to heal pelvic floor muscles; recover from perineal tears; avoid or heal incontinence, painful intercourse and pelvic pain

Written by Angie Evans is a Master Herbalist, Doula/Trainer, Childbirth Educator, Placenta Encapsulation Specialist and the co-founder of Birth Ways International. You can reach her at angie@AngieEvans.ca.