Protecting the mattress from leaking...

[flower01]

I'm preparing for 2nd baby. With first baby I was leaking a lot at night, in the bed and was always laying on top of flannel receiving blankets and such. But, they would get so soaked and uncomfortable.

I feel like I had heard of other BFing moms use the cloth diaper changing pads. Have any of you tried this...or can you recommend something else?

We got a new mattress...and I want to be more careful about protecting this one.

[ps4624]

We have a mattress cover (I think they call it a "skin") that we use. Also, I sleep in a bra with nursing pads - DD is 6 mo and I still have to wear them 24x7.

[ms.shell]

i ruined a mattress with my first baby, and so a waterproof mattress pad was seriously number 1 on my important list for being ready for baby. The kind we got is like a fitted sheet with vinyl or plastic or whatever it is and softer padding on top of that. one thing i have noticed is that it makes the bed much warmer, which i guess will be nice in the winter but has been a bit of a discomfort these past months, and was especially noticable and bothersome in the beginning. i dont know if there is a better kind that wouldnt do this; i know that the one i bought was inexpensive, about $20 and there were some more expensive and i didnt think there would be much difference; maybe there is.
At first i thought that would be good enough but i was having to wash the sheets everyday. i actually didnt have near the leaking problem this time that i did with my first, this time it is more often spit up or sometimes leaky diapers overnight and so now i ry to remember to put baby on a separate waterproof crib pad on top of my sheet. A nice thing i have done is use "recycled" thrift store receiving blankets to make like pillowcases for the lap and crib size waterproof pads. These make them look nicer and feel more comfy for baby.

[bezark]

We use a fleece-topped PUL changing mat for under DS's head/my boob, and we have a mattress protector ($100 at Mattress Giant and worth every penny) in case of any diaper leaks or projectile vomit, or in case the changing mat gets bunched up and moved out of the way.
We got our new mattress when DS was only a month old, but our old one was so stained and smelly from just that one month of leaking/puking that I was embarrassed to have it out at the curb until the garbage men took it away. Never again.

[lifeguard]

I often putted a towel folded in half under where I lie under the sheet. Then I just change it out when I change the bed.

A wool pad would work well too.

[Baby_Cakes]

Originally Posted by lifeguard

I often putted a towel folded in half under where I lie under the sheet. Then I just change it out when I change the bed.

A wool pad would work well too.

I bought some waterproof crib liners that I thought were fitted, but weren't, they were just like 3 foot square liners. I put them just under the sheet. They were fleece-like on one side and I guess PUL on the other but weren't too crinkly, and worked well to protect the mattress. The sheet may have gotten damp, but we were changing those often enough that it didn't really matter.

I also tried sleeping w/a nursing bra but it was so uncomfortable I just couldn't.

[phrogger]

I sleep on a huge fleece piece of fabric. It doesn't even soak through to the sheet. I also sleep with a bra and nursing pads.

[Heba]

Also slept on a towel. Plus a waterproof mattress cover...I leak...the kids leak...def. a good investment .

[Koalamom]

I have a organic mattress, so I really have to take care of it. I have a wool pad on the bed, then the sheets, and so I don't have to change the sheets, I have a crib size felted wool pad under me and baby. I put a todler size (the biggest) unbleached prefold underv the baby and under me, and they never shift and I can change them in the night if I need to. I am a heavy leaker. I also sleep with a flannel recieving blanket un my shirt. I don't like to sleep with a bra on at night if I have to wear one all day.