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 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.