Padsicles?

Hi fellow mamas! I'm about 32 weeks and starting to think about how to prepare for the postpartum period. Has anyone ever made or used "padsicles" - thick feminine pads frozen with aloe vera/witch hazel/oils - or any similar alternative? What was your experience? Did you use a lot or just a few, and approximately how long was the healing process?

Note: I am delivering at a birth center, so the famous hospital panties I've heard so much about are not an option.