This post is sponsored by The Honey Pot Co but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board. We only recommend products we genuinely love.
"They say the toughest battles are given to the bravest soldiers, but I’d like to respectfully decline on behalf of all women. Because what do you mean that I spent 27 hours laboring and pushing out an 8-pound baby but the struggle had only just begun? This is how I felt after I had my first baby, and my postpartum nurse was running down the list of items I would need for after-birth recovery. I vividly remember her looking me in the eyes and stressing the importance of picking up a stool softener. I, of course, was very confused. Then she half whispered, “You know… for the first time you go.”
The idea of something else leaving my body right after birthing a human gave me cold sweats. But then she put the cherry on top by saying it would also help with my hemorrhoids. I responded with, “Wait, do I have hemorrhoids?!” Her look of pity said everything I needed to know. Unbeknownst to me, postpartum hemorrhoids are quite common, with about 40 percent of pregnant and postpartum women experiencing them. Naturally, like most women’s health issues, this isn’t a widely known fact. Thankfully, there are easy ways to prepare for the possibility of postpartum hemorrhoids and treat them—we’ve broken it down for you so you go in properly informed.
What are postpartum hemorrhoids?
Hemorrhoids can happen both during pregnancy and after birth as a result of constipation, the enlarged uterus compressing the rectal blood vessels, and/or the strain of pushing during a vaginal delivery. OB-GYN Dr. Renita White states that hemorrhoids feel like enlarged bumps/masses at the anus. “These hemorrhoids are engorged blood vessels that may be painless or have symptoms such as itching, pain, or bleeding.” Hemorrhoids can develop inside the anus, which makes them invisible but can certainly still be felt, or under the skin around the anus, making them visible from the outside. A few other common symptoms of after-birth hemorrhoids:
- Itching and burning around the anus
- Protruding veins from the anus that feel like a lump or tender bulging area
- Bright red bleeding from the anus or after bowel movements
- Pressure and/or discomfort around the anus while sitting or during bowel movements
How to treat postpartum hemorrhoids
While post-birth hemorrhoids can look pretty alarming right after birth, they do shrink within a few days or weeks. Healthcare providers may suggest taking stool softeners during the last few weeks of pregnancy leading up to and a few weeks after birth to lessen the pain during bowel movements. These at-home treatment methods can also ease hemorrhoid discomfort:
- Taking sitz baths (warm-water soaks) for 15 minutes several times a day
- Using ice packs to reduce swelling (like homemade or store-bought “padsicles“)
- Taking over-the-counter pain medicine
- Applying witch hazel to the affected area
Witch hazel in particular comes highly recommended by most experts, including Dr. White and Dermatologist Dr. Tiffany Clay. “Witch hazel has natural anti-inflammatory properties, and it also helps to hydrate the surface of the skin, so irritated and inflamed skin will feel better after using it. In regards to hemorrhoids, witch hazel works by constricting the blood vessels of the perianal area and decreases the pressure causing hemorrhoids,” states Dr. Clay. Studies also show that witch hazel is an antiseptic and may decrease certain bacteria that can occur in the vaginal and anal areas. That begs the question, though: Should you use just any witch hazel product to treat hemorrhoids?
Our top product recommendation for treating hemorrhoids
In my opinion, the answer is no. Here’s why: After I had my second child in 2022, I used quite an assortment of postpartum care products, but one stood out to me amongst the rest. The Honey Pot’s herbal-infused postpartum pads were unlike any other sanitary product I’d used before with its uniquely gentle, cooling ingredients. Since then, I’ve become a faithful Honey Pot user and recommend their postpartum products to all my new mom friends. They’ve now extended their postpartum line even further, releasing their game-changing Witch Hazel Hemorrhoidal Wipes.
The Honey Pot’s soothing hemorrhoidal wipes use maximum-strength witch hazel solution to relieve discomfort, and they’re clinically tested to cleanse and soothe intimate areas. While other witch hazel products contain alcohol to medicate the area, this can lead to increased dryness and irritation. Witch Hazel Hemorrhoidal Wipes medicate the area while still being gentle on the skin thanks to its plant-derived ingredients.
The Honey Pot Co
Like their other products, The Honey Pot’s new witch hazel wipes also help maintain a healthy vaginal pH range.
Available online at thehoneypot.co and Amazon or in-store at Walmart.
Notably, The Honey Pot’s Witch Hazel wipes are sized to give you 7 by 5 inches of Hemorrhoid care coverage. These are the hemorrhoid wipes I wish I’d had after giving birth because using the much smaller witch hazel pads provided by the hospital was such a nuisance. I’d have to use two or three each time I changed my postpartum pads, and they’d always move around. At a time when your nether regions are already experiencing 10 other unfamiliar, uncomfortable, and downright painful sensations, the last thing I wanted to deal with was a runaway witch hazel pad.
Witch Hazel Hemorrhoidal Wipes resolve those annoyances, making them a no-brainer postpartum essential. Although there’s nothing quite fun about experiencing pregnancy or postpartum hemorrhoids, it is exciting when we find a product that can make a mom’s life just a little easier during unpleasant times.
Managing other common post-birth discomforts
On top of their witch hazel wipes and herbal-infused postpartum pads, The Honey Pot also added the Soothing Witch Hazel Wash to their postpartum lineup. Just like its companion products, this foaming wash cools and refreshes intimate areas and is clinically shown to help maintain a healthy vaginal pH range using plant-based ingredients. The herbal ingredients in all of The Honey Pot’s products are designed to soothe all those uncomfortable sensations post-delivery. To put it plainly, when your lady bits are swollen, achy, and maybe even stitched up, there’s no better relief than a pad full of cooling products like these.
The Honey Pot Co
Created with soothing plant-derived ingredients including witch hazel, organic apple cider vinegar, and calendula that all leave your skin feeling nourished and refreshed.
The Honey Pot Co
Made with organic certified cotton and infused with mint, lavender, and aloe, The Honey Pot’s post-pregnancy pads gently take care of your most sensitive areas when you need it most.
The Honey Pot Co
Grab all three of these postpartum essentials at once with this New Mom Set.
MEET THE EXPERT
Dr. Renita F. White, MD
Dr. Renita White, MD is a board-certified obstetrician & gynecologist and women’s health advocate. Alongside running her practice, Georgia OBGYN, Dr. White also cohosts her podcast, Cradle & All, is a medical advisor for The Honey Pot Company, and serves on the medical executive board for Flo Health and VeryWell Health. She currently resides in Atlanta with her husband and two sons.
MEET THE EXPERT
Dr. Tiffany L. Clay-Ramsey, MD, FAAD
Tiffany L. Clay-Ramsey, MD, FAAD is a board-certified dermatologist serving the Atlanta metropolitan area. Dr. Clay has been practicing medical, surgical and cosmetic dermatology with Dermatology Affiliates since 2015. Her special interests include skin of color, injectable fillers and neuromodulators as well as skin cancer detection and prevention. Her and her husband have two sons.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Steph Alleva Cornell, Branded Content Editor
Since becoming a young mama in 2020, Steph has found joy in creating beautiful yet relatable content surrounding the raw realities of motherhood. She believes showcasing both the wonders and struggles of being a parent helps other mothers understand that they are not alone in their journey.
This post is sponsored by The Honey Pot Co but all of the opinions within are those of The Everymom editorial board. We only recommend products we genuinely love.