Padsicles for Somatic Flashbacks

TW: discussion of somatic(body) flashbacks and periods

I wanted to share a tutorial for easing somatic flashbacks, particularly for those who have somatic flashbacks in the vaginal area like we do. I’m unsure if this would help those who have penises, though.

We make something called padsicles to help ease any pains in our vaginal region, whether this is due to flashbacks or period pains. This is something that specifically helps us who have a female body, and I haven’t ever seen someone use padsicles for somatic flashbacks as they are mainly used by people who have just given birth to ease postpartum pain. They do work wonders for us though, and I wanted to share how to make them in the hopes of helping others who experience these somatic flashbacks or for those who have really bad period pain.

Materials:

Period Pads. You can get whatever kind you wish, but we find that the wingless ones work best for this tutorial and they should ideally be chlorine free. We personally use the Honey Pot pads (which you can buy from Target) and we cut the wings off. You can also use adult diapers instead of pads.

Witch Hazel. It’s ideal to use an alcohol free witch hazel, but these can be hard to find and expensive. We use the up&up brand witch hazel for face and body. I do eventually want to use a better brand of witch hazel, but am currently too poor to do so.

Aloe Vera Gel. Make sure that it is fragrance, dye, and alcohol free. It’s ideal for it to be organic, but it can be difficult to find and is also expensive. We use the up&up brand aloe vera gel.

(Optional)Lavender Essential Oil. Make sure that it is not a synthetic essential oil, as this would cause irritation. We personally do not add this to our padsicles but some may find it helpful.

Tin or Aluminum Foil.

Spray Bottle. You can just use a small travel spray bottle which you can get from any department store.

Zip-Lock Bags or Plastic Wrap.

Steps to Make the Padsicles:

1. Open and unfold the pad, but leave it connected to the wrapper. If you’re using a pad with wings, you can cut them off, but if you want to keep the wings on just don’t expose the adhesive.
2. Add a small amount of aloe vera gel to the entirety of the pad and smooth it out with either your clean fingers or a spoon to create a thin layer.
3. Add your witch hazel to a spray bottle. If you have lavender essential oil, add 2-3 drops to the bottle. Spray a thin layer of the mixture onto the pad.
4. Take your aluminum foil and lay it over the pad before folding it back up. This is to make sure that when you unfold it later, the pad won’t stick together and rip.
5. Once your pad is folded back up, you can either wrap it in plastic wrap or just put it in a zip-lock bag. You should be able to fit multiple at a time within a zip-lock. If you’re using plastic wrap, wrap each pad individually.
6. Throw them in the freezer. Use as needed.

We just wanted to share this diy because it’s helped us so much, and when we discussed this hack with our therapist a few days ago she thought that this could help others as well. <3

Stay safe everyone,
Luna Evanstar