Which depends-type product do you recommend for postpartum?

[heatherRN]

So, my home birth supply list has "Attends shaped pads" listed just above "maternity pads". For my last two births I just bought lots of overnight peri-pads. I know many of you highly recommend the attends/depends/poise type incontinence pads for the first few days, but when I was looking at them the other day I had no idea what to get? Just like peri-pads there are light to heavy flow options as well as different brands, so mamas what should I get?

[laerhk]

Originally Posted by heatherRN

So, my home birth supply list has "Attends shaped pads" listed just above "maternity pads".

I don't know if this will help answer your question, or not, since you've had two births before and may already know this...
the attends-shaped are probably for you to later wet down with water and freeze for ready-made, handily-shaped ice-packs (since you won't want to bloody a regular ice-pack, and you'll definitely want more than one ice-pack!). I was wondering the same thing until I read further through my own list and happened to see the "getting ready" that mentioned wetting and freezing them. ("Oh! That makes sense!") As far as brand, I wouldn't think it would matter, but the fact that they are made to hold lots and lots of fluid (plus their shape) probably make them a great choice.

As far as regular "maternity pads", I go for Depends underwear (off-brands work just fine). MUCH easier to keep the sheets/clothing clean, even compared to the "nights" or "longs" that are available. Plus, they contain those ice-packs nicely. I use about a pack and a half at each birth, myself.

What's an overnight peri-pad?

[heatherRN]

Oops, I am a nurse and we call menstrual pads peri-pads at work, like perineum pad.
BTW your post is totally helpful, my MW did mention using pads as warm compresses for 24-48 hours and then as cold compresses, so that must be what they are used for. I know in the hospital they made cold compresses out of baby diapers.
Either way I have heard that incontinence pads are great postpartum, so I bought a box and will use them up first before my Kotex overnights (my favorite overnight pad).
Cheers!

[myk]

so, is a huge pad good, or is it worth going for the disposable undies? i'm thinking the undies would have better coverage at night when you're laying down, but i can't imagine they're particularly comfortable. though probably no worse than the pullups my daughter wears to bed

[Carolyn R]

I've always loved the Depends-style disposable underwear with the pad built right in. It was so much easier to just chuck the whole deal and pull on another pair rather than deal with leaks, stains, etc in those first days. Are they comfortable? Yes, they're fine. Are they sexy? Well, obviously not...but good for a laugh!

After day three or four when the flow had slowed down I went with overnight pads, then regular menstrual pads after that.

[HeatherB]

You can also order the same stretchy mesh panties they have in hospitals and use it with any pad - disposable or cloth. I've never tried the Depends-type, but I guess I've never really wanted to. I did love using prefolds with those mesh panties last time. (Oh, and I wrapped a gel cold pack in the prefold for an absorbent ice pack!)

[myk]

prefolds! LOL! i hadn't even thought of that! "these are baby's diapers, and these other ones are for mommy..."