A peri bottle is an essential part of postpartum care, but if you’re a first-time birth mom, you may have absolutely no idea what it is. For the uninitiated, it’s basically a portable bidet. You can certainly use the hospital-provided peri bottle, or you can purchase one that has a much better design for your body and is a whole lot easier to use. We suggest packing one of the best peri bottles around in your hospital vag bag, right alongside a couple pairs of reliable postpartum underwear.
A peri bottle — or by its more official name, a perineal irrigation bottle — is an easy-to-squeeze squirt bottle for use after giving birth. More advanced options feature a narrow, angled neck designed to gently clean the vulva after you use the toilet. They can be filled with warm water (and even one or two drops of witch hazel for added relief) and aimed at the vulva for a gentle clean after you urinate and/or change your postpartum pad.Since your lady parts will be bruised and swollen after birth, using toilet paper to wipe isn’t the most ideal scenario. In fact, it feels pretty awful, but a peri bottle full of warm water can actually feel good and alleviate some of the burning sensation and pain — at least temporarily. A peri bottle can also be super helpful if you have a C-section, as bending over to wipe after using the toilet can be painful with your incision.
After bringing a brand new person into the world via your badass superwoman body, you’ll need a few essentials on hand for your postpartum home care: a peri bottle; Acetaminophen for perineal pain and overall body aches; witch hazel pads to ease vaginal pain and help with hemorrhoids; sitz bath to soak in for pain relief and cleansing purposes; mesh underwear for comfort; Dermoplast spray for short term pain relief; and a padsicle, which is a pad that’s chilled in the freezer and placed inside your underwear to relieve pain and encourage healing.
One of the most popular and beloved peri bottles on the market today is the Frida Mom. Does it work well? Absolutely. It’s a bit pricier than other brands at around $16, but it also has the most positive reviews. If you like to purchase items based on experiences from real moms, then the few extra dollars are probably worth it. If that isn’t something you care about, then any other peri bottle on our list will get the job done just as well.Whether you’re looking for just a peri bottle or a whole postpartum recovery kit, we have the best ones you can buy below.
Frida Mom Upside Down Peri Bottle
The ergonomic, upside-down design of Frida Mom’s cult-favorite peri bottle makes it easy to clean your vulva without worrying that you’re completely missing the area altogether. (Especially if it still feels numb.) The bottle can hold up to 10 ounces, with room for one or two drops of witch hazel for extra relief. It comes with a waterproof storage bag so it stays sanitary. You have the option of two colors: pink or white.One Amazon reviewer wrote, “I found with the regular perineal bottles, I would have to almost dip my hand in the toilet water to spray properly — yuck! With these, you can spray from above the toilet rim.”
$15.97Cynpel Peri BottleThis peri bottle is very similar to the Frida Mom — it looks similar, functions the same, and comes with its own carrying bag all for an under-$10 price. It can hold a bit more water at 12 ounces, too. Those two extra ounces don’t make a huge difference, but it might mean having to get off the toilet once less time because you forgot to refill the bottle with warm water. It’s the little things. This peri bottle comes as either a single bottle in blue or pink or as a two-pack with one of each color.One Amazon reviewer wrote, “WOW, this thing is great! The design is excellent. I love that I don’t have to unscrew the lid and tube in order to refill it. The tube retracts into the container, which allows me to fill it with water while the tube and lid are in place.”
$9.99Ninja MamaPeri BottleThe Ninja Mama peri bottle is one that new mamas rave about, because its retractable spout makes it great for storing it in the included waterproof bag and packing away in a purse or diaper bag for your postpartum doctor visits. The bottle can hold 15 ounces of water, making it one of the largest-capacity options on this list.One Amazon reviewer wrote, “The main thing that I love about this bottle, as opposed to the one they gave me at the hospital, is the extended spout. It is actually really long and perfectly angled so I didn’t have to bend around to get it into the right position.”
$9.99Douzzy Peri BottleWith an angled neck and a retractable nozzle, this BPA- and phthalate-free peri bottle is safe and easy to use — not to mention incredibly affordable. It includes a waterproof storage bag and comes in either orange or pink. The bottle can hold 12 ounces of water, and just like the other peri bottles, it can also be used to help with cleanliness postpartum or while on your period.One reviewer wrote, “[The peri bottle] holds more water than a regular peri bottle, the angle makes everything easier, and I feel like I can get more pressure going with this bottle. I may never use toilet paper again!”
$7.99Waterpulse Peri BottleThis mint green peri bottle can hold a whopping 17 ounces of water, which is ideal if you like to use a lot of water in one sitting, or if you prefer not to refill the bottle every time you use the toilet. The bottle is ribbed to make it easier to grip. It comes with a carrying case, but since it’s on the larger side, this one is probably best used at home.One reviewer wrote, “It holds enough water to only fill the one time, it’s easy to clean, the spray is controlled by squeezing the bottle, and it’s gentle enough to not hurt when things are sore, but still does a good job.”
$8.99Mama & WishCare KitWe wanted to include a couple of kits that include the most essential postpartum care items. This 11-piece kit includes a peri bottle and storage bag, a three-pack of disposable underwear, socks, healing foam, four instant ice maxi pads, and a caddy bag to keep everything organized. The peri bottle comes with two nozzle heads for stream options. Not only is the kit an important purchase for yourself, it also makes for a thoughtful baby shower gift.One Amazon reviewer wrote, “I know the hospital gives you these items, but when you come home, you’re on your own, so this kit is great!”
$46.99LansinohRecovery BundleBuying a kit packed with postpartum essentials lets you check a bunch of things off your hospital bag list all at once. This postpartum recovery bundle is all about cleansing, soothing, and relieving. It includes an angled peri bottle and carrying case, hot and cold postpartum pads, and herbal postpartum spray.One Amazon reviewer wrote, “The angled spray bottle was my absolute favorite and worth every penny! I’ve had three babies, and this was my first time using a bottle like this. I regret not having it after each baby. It makes the messy after-birth bleeding cleanup a breeze, and if you tear, it’s a godsend for at least a few weeks.”
SHOP THE STORY
Frida Mom Upside Down Peri BottleThe ergonomic, upside-down design of Frida Mom’s cult-favorite peri bottle makes it easy to clean your vulva without worrying that you’re completely missing the area altogether. (Especially if it still feels numb.) The bottle can hold up to 10 ounces, with room for one or two drops of witch hazel for extra relief. It comes with a waterproof storage bag so it stays sanitary. You have the option of two colors: pink or white.One Amazon reviewer wrote, “I found with the regular perineal bottles, I would have to almost dip my hand in the toilet water to spray properly — yuck! With these, you can spray from above the toilet rim.”
$15.97Cynpel Peri BottleThis peri bottle is very similar to the Frida Mom — it looks similar, functions the same, and comes with its own carrying bag all for an under-$10 price. It can hold a bit more water at 12 ounces, too. Those two extra ounces don’t make a huge difference, but it might mean having to get off the toilet once less time because you forgot to refill the bottle with warm water. It’s the little things. This peri bottle comes as either a single bottle in blue or pink or as a two-pack with one of each color.One Amazon reviewer wrote, “WOW, this thing is great! The design is excellent. I love that I don’t have to unscrew the lid and tube in order to refill it. The tube retracts into the container, which allows me to fill it with water while the tube and lid are in place.”
$9.99Ninja MamaPeri BottleThe Ninja Mama peri bottle is one that new mamas rave about, because its retractable spout makes it great for storing it in the included waterproof bag and packing away in a purse or diaper bag for your postpartum doctor visits. The bottle can hold 15 ounces of water, making it one of the largest-capacity options on this list.One Amazon reviewer wrote, “The main thing that I love about this bottle, as opposed to the one they gave me at the hospital, is the extended spout. It is actually really long and perfectly angled so I didn’t have to bend around to get it into the right position.”
$9.99Douzzy Peri BottleWith an angled neck and a retractable nozzle, this BPA- and phthalate-free peri bottle is safe and easy to use — not to mention incredibly affordable. It includes a waterproof storage bag and comes in either orange or pink. The bottle can hold 12 ounces of water, and just like the other peri bottles, it can also be used to help with cleanliness postpartum or while on your period.One reviewer wrote, “[The peri bottle] holds more water than a regular peri bottle, the angle makes everything easier, and I feel like I can get more pressure going with this bottle. I may never use toilet paper again!”
$7.99Waterpulse Peri BottleThis mint green peri bottle can hold a whopping 17 ounces of water, which is ideal if you like to use a lot of water in one sitting, or if you prefer not to refill the bottle every time you use the toilet. The bottle is ribbed to make it easier to grip. It comes with a carrying case, but since it’s on the larger side, this one is probably best used at home.One reviewer wrote, “It holds enough water to only fill the one time, it’s easy to clean, the spray is controlled by squeezing the bottle, and it’s gentle enough to not hurt when things are sore, but still does a good job.”
$8.99Mama & WishCare KitWe wanted to include a couple of kits that include the most essential postpartum care items. This 11-piece kit includes a peri bottle and storage bag, a three-pack of disposable underwear, socks, healing foam, four instant ice maxi pads, and a caddy bag to keep everything organized. The peri bottle comes with two nozzle heads for stream options. Not only is the kit an important purchase for yourself, it also makes for a thoughtful baby shower gift.One Amazon reviewer wrote, “I know the hospital gives you these items, but when you come home, you’re on your own, so this kit is great!”
$46.99LansinohRecovery BundleBuying a kit packed with postpartum essentials lets you check a bunch of things off your hospital bag list all at once. This postpartum recovery bundle is all about cleansing, soothing, and relieving. It includes an angled peri bottle and carrying case, hot and cold postpartum pads, and herbal postpartum spray.One Amazon reviewer wrote, “The angled spray bottle was my absolute favorite and worth every penny! I’ve had three babies, and this was my first time using a bottle like this. I regret not having it after each baby. It makes the messy after-birth bleeding cleanup a breeze, and if you tear, it’s a godsend for at least a few weeks.”
