Postpartum Herb Bath

There are a few gnarly parts of childbirth that are hard to ever really be prepared for. For me, the gnarliest part of all was what midwives like to call “The Ring of Fire.” That’s when the baby’s head starts to poke its way out of your lady parts. It hurts. A lot.

For some mamas, this painful part of childbirth also acts as a motivator, This is the time when some mothers get to reach down and feel the fuzz of their baby’s hair for the very first time. If you aren’t too squeamish you may even get to take a peek using a small mirror. Knowing your baby is right there often helps mothers make it through that final exhausting push.

Through you and your doctor or midwife will surely do everything possible to keep your precious perineum (that’s the thin strip of skin between your anus and vagina) intact as baby’s head pushes through, you won’t always succeed. Frankly, tears and episiotomies are a very typical part of childbirth, and while it may be excruciating at the time, the body can and does heal after it’s over.

Whether or not you need stitches after birth, your vagina and perineum will have gone through a lot by the time you get home. While you won’t be able to soak in a clawfoot tub anytime soon, you can dip your most delicate parts in a sitz bath of soothing herbs and salts to help soothe pain and encourage healing. This mixture is also an incredible replacement for plain water in perineum bottles used to cleanse stitches.