Carriwell
Hot & Cold Pack Intimate
7.1/10 overall£24.95
A reusable gel pack shaped to fit inside maternity underwear, used chilled for perineal swelling or warmed for cramping and engorgement.
The verdict
Carriwell's Hot & Cold Pack Intimate is a reusable gel insert, priced around £25, that fits inside maternity briefs — chilled for perineal swelling or warmed for afterpains and engorgement. Unlike the disposable pads in this category it needs washing and re-chilling between uses, so it suits anyone planning a longer recovery routine rather than the exhausting first days home.
Where the Frida Mom and Lansinoh products in this category are disposable, single-use cooling pads, Carriwell's version is a reusable gel insert shaped to sit inside ordinary maternity briefs. Chilled in the freezer it works like the disposable ice pads for perineal swelling in the first days after birth; warmed in the microwave, the same pack doubles as a heat pad for afterpains, engorgement, or general lower-abdomen discomfort — a use case none of the disposable pads in this category cover.
The obvious trade-off against the disposables is hygiene and logistics: it needs to be washed and re-chilled or re-heated between uses rather than thrown away, which is less convenient in the first exhausting days home from hospital when a fresh disposable pad is genuinely easier to reach for. It also needs a functioning fridge/freezer and microwave nearby, which isn't guaranteed on a postnatal ward.
Where it wins is cost over time and versatility — one £25 pack replaces an ongoing box of disposables and works for both cold and heat therapy, so it's a sensible buy for anyone planning a longer recovery routine or wanting to avoid disposable waste, used alongside rather than instead of a first box of disposable pads for the initial days.
Is the Hot & Cold Pack Intimate worth it?
- Works both cold and warm — two products in one
- Reusable, so cheaper than disposables over weeks of recovery
- Contoured shape stays in place inside briefs
What are the downsides of the Hot & Cold Pack Intimate?
- Needs washing and re-chilling between uses, less convenient than grab-and-go disposables
- Higher upfront cost than a first box of disposable pads
Specs
- Size
- One size, fits standard maternity briefs
- Type
- Reusable gel pack, contoured for maternity briefs
- Uses
- Chilled for swelling, warmed for cramping/engorgement
- Reusable
- Yes — wash and re-chill/re-heat between uses
How we scored it
Healing Comfort
How much relief it provides for perineal soreness or post-birth discomfort.
Ease of Use
How simple it is to use one-handed while exhausted and sore.
Genuinely useful but needs a fridge/freezer and microwave nearby and a wash between uses, which is more friction than the grab-a-fresh-one disposables in this category.
Value for Money
Cost per pad/use relative to how much relief it gives.
Weighted by importance for this category — see our editorial policy for how we test.
How this review was done
We haven't used the Hot & Cold Pack Intimate ourselves yet. This review is built from Carriwell's published specifications and product information, and scored the same way as everything else on the site. We'll update it, and the badge above, once we've tested it hands-on.
How it compares
|  |  |  | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £24.95 | Around £6 for 4 | About £11 | Around £13 for 24 |
| Overall score | 7.1/10 | 8/10 | 7.9/10 | 7.4/10 |
| Reusable | Yes — wash and re-chill/re-heat between uses | Yes, rinse and re-chill | — | No, single-use |
| Use | — | Chill, then insert into a maternity pad | Perineal rinsing after vaginal or caesarean birth | — |
| Material | — | Gel core, soft fabric cover | BPA-free plastic | — |
Frequently asked questions
Can this pack be used for both cold and heat therapy?+
Yes — chilled in the freezer it works like disposable ice pads for perineal swelling, and warmed in the microwave the same pack doubles as a heat pad for afterpains, engorgement, or general lower-abdomen discomfort, a use case the disposable pads in this category don't cover.
Is the Carriwell pack more convenient than disposable ice pads?+
Not in the very first days — it needs washing and re-chilling or re-heating between uses, which is less convenient than a fresh disposable pad when you're exhausted, and it also needs a working fridge/freezer and microwave nearby.
Is the Carriwell pack good value over time?+
Yes — at around £25 it replaces an ongoing box of disposables and works for both cold and heat therapy, making it cost-effective for a longer recovery routine used alongside a first box of disposable pads.
Does the Carriwell pack fit standard underwear?+
It's one size and shaped to sit inside ordinary maternity briefs, staying contoured and in place rather than requiring special underwear.
Reviewed by
Sepehr
Software engineer, soon-to-be dad, uncle to four — the tech-obsessed half of the two of us testing this stuff. Currently building this site with my wife, ahead of our own baby arriving.