rice socks

missilla · 05-12-2007, 09:58 AM

i was wondering do you use a new set of rice socks with each patient? do you give them the one that they used in labor? do you throw it away? do you was it and reuse it? just wondering what people do?

helpinghands · 05-12-2007, 11:16 AM

I make one for each client. I think it would be gross to reuse. Just my .02

missilla · 05-12-2007, 11:36 AM

no i agree i was talking with another doula and she washes the fabric i thought it was gross too but she said she learned it from another doula.

UtahDoula · 05-12-2007, 12:42 PM

There have been some other really good threads on this topic - just do a search for "rice socks" and you'll gets lots of info.

helpinghands · 05-12-2007, 01:04 PM

I guess you could use a waterproof cover? But aside from that.. I don't know how you could really get all the lil germies out.. and with all the fluids and stuff with birth.. well.. I know you will find some good stuff in those other threads.

betterbirths · 05-12-2007, 01:23 PM

I think making them for each client is a good idea. It is not only sanitary but they have something that is from the birth that can continue to comfort them postpartum. they really are not expensive to make.

DL · 05-12-2007, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by missilla

i was wondering do you use a new set of rice socks with each patient?

Yes

Quote:

Originally Posted by missilla

do you give them the one that they used in labor?

Yes

Quote:

Originally Posted by missilla

do you throw it away?

No

Quote:

Originally Posted by missilla

do you wash it and reuse it? just wondering what people do?

I do not wash it and reuse it, but I do let my clients know that they may take the rice out (I knot my socks for this reason), wash it and it's cover (I have flannel pillow case-like covers over the socks), put rice & scent back in ,and reuse it for their own use if they so desire.

As the others have said, we have lots of threads about rice socks that have some great information, from various ways of making them to when and how to use them.

b'earth angel · 05-12-2007, 05:28 PM

Thus far I have made new ones for each labor. I make mine w/one sock and then cover it w/another. So the cover can be removed and washed easily. So far, none of mine have ever been soiled by body fluids. They are inexpensive to make and nice to give to the mom for using later.
That being said, I wonder why you think that washing the covers can't be sanitary? Hospitals wash their linens and reuse them all the time. Not to mention hotels. Sheets, towels, gowns are all washed with some kind of antibacterial agent and then reused. Bleach is an antibacterial I believe.
And what about diapers? we wash and reuse diapers all of the time. Even purchase them second hand and wash and reuse them on our babes.
I'm not necessarily saying that one should wash and reuse, but I just wanted to comment on the 'grossness' of washing and reusing something that might get soiled by 'body' fluids. We do it everyday in this world. Not washing and reusing, now that would be gross, not to mention irresponsible and unsanitary.
And on top of that, they are heated in the microwave, which I assume, would be sufficiant heat to kill most bugs. {someone correct me if I'm wrong about that} Although it would be difficult to wash the rice!

I think that the covers could possibly be safely washed and reused.
My 2 cents.

DoulaYvonne · 05-12-2007, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b'earth angel

Thus far I have made new ones for each labor. I make mine w/one sock and then cover it w/another. So the cover can be removed and washed easily. So far, none of mine have ever been soiled by body fluids. They are inexpensive to make and nice to give to the mom for using later.
That being said, I wonder why you think that washing the covers can't be sanitary? Hospitals wash their linens and reuse them all the time. Not to mention hotels. Sheets, towels, gowns are all washed with some kind of antibacterial agent and then reused. Bleach is an antibacterial I believe.
And what about diapers? we wash and reuse diapers all of the time. Even purchase them second hand and wash and reuse them on our babes.
I'm not necessarily saying that one should wash and reuse, but I just wanted to comment on the 'grossness' of washing and reusing something that might get soiled by 'body' fluids. We do it everyday in this world. Not washing and reusing, now that would be gross, not to mention irresponsible and unsanitary.
And on top of that, they are heated in the microwave, which I assume, would be sufficiant heat to kill most bugs. {someone correct me if I'm wrong about that} Although it would be difficult to wash the rice!

I think that the covers could possibly be safely washed and reused.
My 2 cents.

I'm with you. DH and I have recently had some discussion about this sort of thing.

Kind of OT but, last year we travelled outside the US and we were all sitting down at a restaurant to have pizza. We ordered way too much and left at least 3/4 of a pie. DH brought it back up to the counter, I figured it was to ask for it to be thrown away. There was a woman standing at the counter and DH asked her if she wanted it. She said yes and took it. Now, could you imagine that happening here in the US? Most likely not!

I was a bit weirded out until DH and I talked about it. He made a very convincing argument that has since swayed me. WHere else in the world would we have the luxury (or audacity) to throw away perfectly good food? But would we really risk taking another person's pizza? What about the potential for germies?

Back to issue at hand......
Why couldn't they be washed?

MothertheMother · 05-12-2007, 06:39 PM

I think it is the rice being re-used that is icky. If you emptied the sock, washed it and then put fresh rice in it I guess that'd be perfectly fine. But I'd assume the rice would soak up any ewwies so it just makes sense to make an entire new one.

missilla · 05-12-2007, 07:29 PM

thank you to everyone!

UtahDoula · 05-12-2007, 07:37 PM

Yep, it's the reused rice that would be a problem for me. Rice absorbs fluids quite easily. And my thinking is that since I can't be sure there are no germs from my list client, better safe than sorry. And no, I don't think the heating we do in the microwave is enough to kill germs. If it were hot enough to kill germs, it would be too hot for human skin, too.
(Now if it were wet, and he heated the water to boiling --- well, it wouldn't be suitable for a hot pack anymore!)

helpinghands · 05-12-2007, 08:05 PM

As to washing removing germies.. Well, I know that some of the newer models have a "sanitizing" setting.. I guess that gets hot enought to kill *certain* bacteria.. but not all washers get that hot and although some of the ick would get out, I would guess that some would just remain too.

On the same line of thought.. I am a germ-a-phobe ...sort of.. (I mean.. when you think about certain things like how when you flush a toilet and invisable toilet spray goes all over the bathroom..and many people keep toothbrushes or other intimate personal care items near that point.. or that the average person's dishsink has some really nasty bugs, etc...) I love finally having a dishwasher because I feel that the silverware and dishes get really sterilized so that germs are less likely to get spread around our family if someone gets sick. I know that some germs are good and we could never truely live in a "sterile world".. but with some things, it can't hurt to try.

I hope that someday we can afford a clothes washer with a "sterilize" setting.. with kids that have puke and poops and what not.. I try not to think about it until I get one

MyDreamDoula · 05-12-2007, 11:11 PM

Giving the rice sock to the mother for PP use is a great idea. I am logging it in my notebook for furture reference!!!

wombtowalk · 05-12-2007, 11:48 PM

Yup, buy a pack of tube socks from "Target" etc... put 16oz of rice mixed with lavendar and tie it off. My mommys LOVE it!!!

Rebecca