What’s an Upside Down Peri Bottle? Here’s Why You Need One (Even If You Had a C-Section)
We’ve upped the ante in the postpartum space, and frankly, we moms deserve a little genius in our postpartum recovery tool kit. The upside down fairy bottle is exactly that, a practical invention and a splash of love for your girl when they need it.
After birth, your vagina, vulva, and perineal area may be somewhat sore and swollen, regardless of whether you experience tearing.
This can lead to stress going to the bathroom, where an upside down peri bottle can be your best friend. ‘Peri’ is short for perineum, which is the area between the vagina and the anus. This is the area most often affected by vaginal birth.
An upside down peri bottle is a ergonomically designed portable bidet designed to gently clean without pressure and ensure you always hit the perfect spot. Shop our favorites today.
Advantages of an inverted peri bottle
- Gentle cleaning
- Reduces discomfort and inflammation
- Helps reduce infection
- Offers peace of mind
1. Gentle cleaning
A gentle spray of water from an inverted peri bottle is incredibly soothing, especially when dealing with pain or stitches. It helps clean the perineal area without the need for harsh rubbing.
2. Reduces discomfort and inflammation
Postpartum discomfort is a common experience. The peri bottle design minimizes discomfort during cleaning, which allows you to maintain hygiene without additional pain.
3. Helps reduce infection
Proper hygiene is important to help reduce the possibility of infection, especially in the early postpartum period. The peri bottle makes it easier to clean delicate areas, reducing the risk of complications.
4. Offers peace of mind
There’s a lot to think about in the first few weeks of motherhood between a new baby and your recovery. Having an upside down peri bote on reduce anxiety about using the bathroom can provide invaluable peace of mind to new mothers.
How to use an upside down peri bottle?
Using a upside down peri bottle is very easy. It is small and portable, so you can even take it to the hospital.
- Fill the bottle with warm water (or the other options explored below). Expand the nozzle and secure the cap.
- Turn the bottle upside down so the nozzle is pointing down, and position the nozzle near the perineal area.
- Gently squeeze the bottle to release a stream of water.
- Use the water to clean the area, starting from the front to the back. Once cleaned, gently dry.
What can you put in an upside down peri bottle?
Water
Usually, peri bottles are filled with hot water. Always test the water temperature to make sure it’s not too hot. Cold water can be used for a more soothing sensation if desired.
Sitz Bath Blend
Sitz bath mixtures often contain Epsom salts and other cleansing and soothing herbs to aid healing. When the sitz bath is not an option, adding the mixture to a peri bottle may help support recovery.
Herbal blends
Certain herbs are used postpartum for their healing properties and healing abilities. They are often found in postpartum-specific sitz baths and balms but can be brewed like a tea and added to a bottle for additional healing benefits.
Herbs such as calendula, lavender, red raspberry leaf, yarrow, and comfrey are the most commonly used and can be found at local health food stores or online. Oatmeal is also used ease any discomfort associated with sutures.
Witch Hazel
Witch Hazel is an astringent often used for deduction swelling. It is also an antiseptic, helps fight bacteria to reduce the risk of infection, and may also help stop minor bleeding.
Related: Witch Hazel Pads for Postpartum: The Complete Guide
Alcohol free witch hazel is a great addition to a bottle of peri for aiding the healing process and offering additional relief, especially if you suffer from hemorrhoids.
Can you use a peri bottle after a c-section?
These clever little bottles aren’t limited to vaginal birth recovery either. Moms recovering from a Cesarean Section an inverted peri bottle can also be used. Some mothers will also have a combination orf inflammation of vaginal birth and cesarean recovery if they were suffering before their operation.
Even if everything is intact after birth, lochia (blood loss after childbirth) still occurs. The ability gently wash your bits not putting pressure on your C-Section wound is a blessing.
The upside down peri bottle is tin also use to clean the cut wound to help prevent infection. However, clearance from a care provider is essential before doing so.
Quickly shop upside down Peri bottles
A perfect postpartum gift
I’m sure you can think of some great gifts for a new mom, but here’s why include an upside-down peri bottle in your postpartum gift bag for a mother-to-be is the perfect addition.
Peri bottles tend to fall into the ‘but do I really need that’ category and I get it; there are so many things to add to your postpartum recovery tool kit. But trust me on this, all mothers need it.
Following the breech birth of my twins earlier this year, my postpartum doula placed an upside down peri bottle next to my toilet. Despite everything being intact and not experiencing any painful sensations on the way to the bathroom, it only took one peri bottle to realize that this was an important postpartum.
At first, the bottle of peri was perfect for refreshment after frequent visits to the bathroom. A lot of fluid from birth is released in the first few days (hello, night sweats), and constant wiping can be irritating and worsen inflammation.
A week after the birth, I went into a panic postpartum hemorrhoids. The combination of herbal blends and witch hazel greatly improved my discomfort, help clean up the area after going to the bathroom, and help reduce swelling.
Unfortunately, recovery after childbirth can be a bit uncomfortable at timesand to have something simple that could offer comfort every time I went to the bathroom was something I didn’t realize would make such a huge difference.
If you had a vaginal birth or a Cesarean Section, this simple but effective tool offers comfort, cleanliness, and peace of mind during the difficult postpartum period. So, as you prepare for your postpartum and pack your hospital bag, don’t forget to include upside down peri bottle. Your body (and bits!) will thank you for it.
Other resources that may help you
Sources
Berkowitz LR, et al. Postpartum perineal care and management of complications. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/postpartum-perineal-care-and-management-of-complications
Ridzuan MH, et al. Traditional and Complementary Medicine Use in the Postpartum Period: A Cross-Sectional Analysis in a Rural, Public Maternal and Child Health Clinic in West Malaysia. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8254049/
Vakilian K, et al. Healing benefits of lavender essential oil during episiotomy recovery. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21168115/
Cunningham FG, et al., eds. The puerperium. In: Williams Obstetrics. 25th ed. McGraw-Hill Education; 2018. https://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com
“Witch Hazel: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews.” WebMDWebMD, www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-227/witch-hazel
