Want to speed up your healing after birth? Consider postpartum sitz bath alternatives. Here are some natural tips and ideas for all the benefits of a sitz bath after birth with less time and fuss. You’ll learn how to use water, herbs, sprays, and salves to get your lady bits feeling good again!
If you’ve never had a baby, I’m about to get real with you: Your entire pelvic region, from belly button down to labia might need a little TLC for a while. You might possibly feel, maybe, a little ripped to shreds?
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s definitely better to know this in advance. So you’re welcome. But, hey….maybe you will be one of those lucky ones who comes through a vaginal birth relatively unscathed. If so, feel free to disregard. The rest of you, keep reading.
You’ll find help below…for your below! (Get it? Couldn’t help myself!)
What the heck is a sitz bath, anyway?
You’re probably wondering why you might want a sitz bath to begin with? Or even what the heck is a sitz bath?
Allow me to enlighten you.
If you do a quick Google search, you get this really confusing definition that says a sitz bath is a bath where you soak your hips and buttocks. Okay, can I just say that is a ridiculous definition that seems to be attempting to keep things a little too clean. Whoever wrote that definition probably hates the human body!
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Here’s a real life answer: A sitz bath is basically just soaking your genitalia.
Why have a sitz bath after you’ve had a baby?
There are lots of great reasons to have a postpartum sitz bath during your recovery from having a baby:
- Promotes healing, especially with added herbs and other healing agents
- Encourages circulation, which then promotes healing
- Relieves pain and itching, from birth or hemorrhoids
- Gives you a well-deserved break and a little time alone
What if I can’t do a sitz bath? Try these postpartum sitz bath alternatives
A sitz bath is not difficult. You can buy a portable sitz bath that rests on your toilet so that your are literally just sitting in the water and exposing your nether regions to the healing waters.
If you want to up the effectiveness of the sitz bath during your postpartum time, a simple blend of salts and herbs can be added to the water for a lot of extra healing ooomph. A sitz bath salt and herbal blend like this one with tons of soothing botanicals can be really fabulous.
Another great alternative is to sit in a bathtub with just 3 or 4 inches of water as a simple way to do a sitz bath without buying an extra item. For a super tutorial on this method, check out what Carly at Mommy on Purpose wrote about sitz baths in the bathtub.
When it comes down to it, a fairly recent study has shown that a shower or gentle water spray provides some of the benefits of a sitz bath. Plus there is really nothing wrong with a full-on, regular bath, if you’re so inclined. But do read about these different cautions regarding postpartum bathing and check with your care provider.
However, an herbal spray or salve is one of the best postpartum sitz bath alternatives where you are applying all the healing powers of botanicals like herbs and oils and salts right to the area that is in need of healing.
My favorite super-healing postpartum sitz bath alternatives
There are some lovely products out there for moms who just pushed a baby through their va-jay-jay to bring healing and soothing to the tender tissues below. Here are some of my very favorite options:
Water Rinse Bottle
The most basic of options is simply a spray of water. Your place of birth may give you a simple squirt bottle like this one. These are fine. That is what I used. However, there’s a new kid in town that is simply AH-MAY-ZING! I introduce to you the MomWasher by FridaBaby.
This thing is a dream come true. So much easier to use than a basic squirt bottle because it is meant to have a continuous spray even while upside down. After you’ve had a baby, toilet paper is kind of a no-no while your tender parts are healing. A nice warm rinse works so much better, and the MomWasher is designed to give a nice gentle spray right where you need it. You’ll need one of these even if you never take a sitz bath! This is a necessity for mama bottoms everywhere!
Postpartum Herbal Spray
Once you’ve sprayed some water down there, why not some healing herbs? The next option in healing the nethers is a lovely herbal spray. I know of 2: The Earth Mama Herbal Perineal Spray and the Motherlove Sitz Bath Spray. Both have lovely healing witch hazel and lavender, though the Earth Mama one has cucumber and mint for more of a cooling sensation. You can either just spray directly on and let dry or spray it onto a pad to extend the time in contact with the herbs. I love that these convenient and inexpensive options are available for moms today!
Postpartum Healing Balm
After water and herbal sprays, if you’re ready to take it one further, go for the balm! If you’re just too tender, hold off on 
All of these products are great for your immediate postpartum healing of vaginal swelling or tearing, stitches, episiotomy healing, and hemorrhoids.
Oh, speaking of hemorrhoids, I also loved and used MotherLove Rhoid Balm and found it helpful immediately after birth and long after. Highly recommend if you have a specific need to calm down some hemorrhoids naturally!
Finally, there is nothing that makes these balms and sprays private part specific! They can be just as healing on swelling and ouchies in other parts of your body as well. During a particularly rough and snotty cold, I’ve definitely spread the perineal balm under my nose to keep my poor face from being wiped bloody by tissues! You can also use it for other skin irritations like sunburn, razor burn, and things like that.
The BEST way to get your postpartum sitz bath alternatives to your door
Now, I do link to Amazon in the post to help you out since almost all of us are regular customers. (And I get a teeny percentage sent my way of that order if you click through my links!).
However, that is NOT my favorite way to order my postpartum products. I like to order directly from Earth Mama Organics. Here’s why:
- Free shipping with minimum $75 order
- Get all my favorite natural postpartum products (plus teas and sunscreen) in one shipment
- Support an amazing company
- I don’t have to haul my kids to the next town over to get what I need
I seriously love their products. They have healthy, organic products for pregnancy, postpartum, and the whole family that really work.
My favorite Earth Mama postpartum sitz bath products are right here: Earth Mama’s Trifecta of sitz bath herbs, perineal balm, and perineal spray. You can buy them separately, but why not get the whole gang and get your healing going gangbusters!
The best deal, though, is this Earth Mama Organics Postpartum Recovery Collection Box. By itself it qualifies for free shipping and it includes ALL the following:
- Herbal Perineal Spray
- Organic Herbal Sitz Bath
- Organic Periodic Tea 1 box
- Organic Perineal Balm
- Organic Nipple Butter
- Organic Milkmaid Tea
- Booby Tubes®
Oh, and if you find that you have an item that you don’t use, that would make a great addition to a baby gift for a lucky friend.
The only bummer is that you can’t get the MomWasher by Fridababy through Earth Mama, so I would go ahead and get that through Amazon.
Push the easy button on postpartum healing
So if you want to push the postpartum healing easy button, make sure to grab a Postpartum Recovery box to get everything you need for lightning fast healing after you have your baby!
I hope this helps you with your postpartum recovery, mama.
Take a sitz bath when you can, and when you can’t, reach for one of these postpartum sitz bath alternatives. Your hard working body will thank you with a quicker healing than you had imagined!
And make sure to pass this knowledge on to other mamas. Unfortunately, not everyone knows about crunchy ways to improve our mama lives, so do your part and spread the word!