Using cloth pads postpartum

[amberc727]

I've used cloth pads for the past few years and want to use them after this delivery as well. I hated the disposable pads I used after my son's birth, and in general it really bothers me to use something disposable when I can use a reusable cloth product instead (not to mention that it's so much more comfortable!).

So what I need to know is, how many pads should I have on hand if I want to wash only about every 2 days? I have a stock of pads already, I'm just trying to figure out how many I need to add.

[rightkindofme]

I have the "Postpartum Kit" and the "Deluxe Kit" from Lunapads. I never ran out.

[L J]

I have about 8 pp pads so far for this time around, but last time, I just used preemie prefolds. I figure I'll do the same at home this time. They are $6 a dozen on Little Lions, and just as soft and comfy as any other mama cloth I have. I have no idea how many one should have to wash every other day, though. I can't even remember how much I bled with ds1 or for how long.

[JamieCatheryn]

I used a dozen cheap birdseye flats, worked well. I only really bled for less than a week after my homebirth then went to my normal smaller cloths just in case for the next couple weeks.

[HeatherB]

I LOVED prefolds last time! I used both preemie and infant. The infant are the perfect size to wrap around an ice pack from inhishands.com, and that combo (kept in place with the mesh undies from inhishands.com) would last the whole night. The preemie size were much more comfortable for sitting on. I had one dozen of each and that was well more than enough.

Once I was ready to be going out, I really liked the variety of WAHM pads I had. I do think it's good to have a variety of sizes to taper down as your need diminishes, but if you already have a stash, then you're most of the way there!

[Jaimee]

I used one package of sposie pads, which lasted me about 2 days and then I used my regular cloth pads from then on. I washed every other day and have about a dozen pads.

[CortLong]

I use cloth pads pp and I have about 30. They are varying 'levels' of absorbency though.

[Rhannie]

I think I had about 8 or 10 washcloth size (double layer) flannel squares for PP. I didn't bleed a lot though--not much more than when I was having long & heavy menstrual cycles.

I would think 20 plus a bunch of "emergency rags" (old soft t-shirts and washcloths) that you can toss if you're really not feeling up to doing laundry the first couple of days.

[TizTaz5]

I use cloth pads, and I'd highly recommend the overnight and queen pads from Party in My Pants for postpartum bleeding. They have a kit that you can purchase called the "Mama-Rama Kit." It contains 4 queen pads, 2 overnights, and 2 cloth nursing pads. If you've already got a decent stash of pads, I don't think that you'd have to add a whole lot more.

[Coco_Hikes]

I used infant prefolds this time around after I used up the witch hazel-soaked sposies I'd prepared (one of the not-full-of-chemicals brand). They were so soft (I'd used them with my first child) and absorbant--even better than the mama cloths my mom made for me for pp use. They were the only thing that felt slightly comfortable against my bottom for that very painful first week after my son's birth.

[Climbergirl]

Quick question since I have a bunch of preemie prefolds for DS (use them as doublers). How did you keep them in your pants? I thought the old school pads had some sort of belt to keep them in place. Or did the mess panties do this for you. Did you have to put some sort of barrier between your undies and the pad to keep them from getting the undies wet?

I was thinking that I could get a serger and serge them into more of a pad shape. I have a snap press and a ton of snap that I could use as well.

Oh, and did it stain the diapers pretty bad? I think DH would freak out if he was putting a stained (from me) diaper on the baby. He is weird like that.

[fruitfulmomma]

I used prefolds too. I didn't really worry about them falling out or whatever because it was in those first days or week when you are not leaving the bed too much anyway. If you need to go out for some reason, save the pads for those times.

I don't think they stained too badly, if at all. Give em a good rinse in cold water before washing and you should be good. Salt helps remove blood also.

I think I have about a dozen pads of varying sizes. I would like a few more but it has worked out okay.

One thing I would have on hand is some large chux-type pads to go under your bottom. A poly-fleece baby blanket would probably work. I was really upset that I totally stained my very $$ organic cotton sheets after the birth.

[Funny Face]

Subbing.

I'd wondered about the stains as well and how others kept pfs in their undies/undergarment. Doesn't it feel really bulky?

I know hydrogen peroxide takes blood stains out REALLY well but I got some on a prefold one time and it came apart in the wash after that- so won't be treating the pfs with h2o2!

I bleed heavily for weeks and can't stand plastic pads. Hoping this makes postpartum more comfortable this time.

[HeatherB]

Preemie prefolds were not bulky to me at all - they are about the size of many pads. Infant prefolds ARE bulk to *sit* on, but were awesome at night or anytime when I wasn't sitting up straight (reclining was fine). I loved them (as I'm sure I said above) to wrap around an ice pack (loved the ones from inhishands.com - perfect size with the PFs) and that felt amazing.

Peroxide is awesome but it certainly may cause issues if left to sit too long. Last time, I simply dumped all of my soiled PFs and whatever else in the wash, dumped some peroxide on it, and washed it. I didn't let it sit/soak, and didn't have issues with deterioration.

As for keeping PFs in place, the preemie size can just tuck into any undies. You do need to be careful when going to the bathroom, but it's only a minor inconvenience. I also used the mesh panties you can get from inhishands.com - or a hospital - to hold everything in place. They're SO stretchy that they worked just fine and still didn't cause additional irritation.

[foodmachine]

Thanks for prefold tip!

[Funny Face]

Thanks Heather!