When we’ve just left the hospital after having our babies, we usually send our other-half out to the shops armed with a list the length of our leg, filled with essentials and must-haves for the post-birth recovery process.
Dads all over the world have thus become experts in this process, and one Australian father, Martin Wanless, recently chose to share a unique nugget of advice: invest in frozen condoms.
Yes, you read that correctly – and it’s not a brand new phenomenon, either. Apparently, hospitals have been stocking frozen condoms (also being referred to as ‘vagina lollies’) and offering them to new mums after giving birth.
In his article for Direct Advice for Dads, ‘Why frozen condoms are an actual thing’, Martin shared his checklist of essentials for helping his partner.
“Have you bought something to soothe your partner’s sore bottom or to relieve the pain in her you-know-what?” he wrote, revealing how his wife recently welcomed their preemie son into the world.
On the subject of frozen condoms, he wrote: “Trust me, after a few days at home with a screaming ankle-biter, and having recently witnessed your partner’s vagina being turned inside-out and a little person pushed out of it; neither of you will be wanting nor even thinking about risking anything down there for at least a matter of weeks.
“However, make sure you’re stocked up on condoms. Filled with water and frozen, they’re the perfect shape to rest in between new mums’ legs and ease a bit of pain and swelling.
“Don’t believe me? This is actually a thing. Shortly after giving birth in hospital, my wife was taken to a fridge full of frozen condoms.”
In theory, it makes total sense – but is it totally safe for a new mum? SELF magazine did a little further digging and spoke to a certified midwife who described the idea as ‘creative’ but warned people that only sterile objects should be placed inside the vagina in the weeks after birth.
The best advice is probably to ask your doctor, and to go from there! Until then, it’s comforting to know, at least, that someone is thinking about postpartum vaginal soreness and trying to help us amazing new mums out!
