Chux??

[sebarnes]

Okay, this is going to sound like a really ignorant question, but hey, what can I say? : I've just gotten my birth kit, and I'm looking and these gigantic chux pads, and all I'm wondering is "How the heck do you use these things??" I feel like I should just intuitively know, but I guess I'm lacking in that department. Anybody wanna give a clueless girl some directions?? TIA

[atomicmama]

They're basically lap pads! (so you won't leak on your bed, couch, etc!)
They can be purchased at most drugstores. For those who need to know.

[nikirj]

I used one underneath myself the night I gave birth, just in case I leaked blood out of my pads (it happened both previous times) but it didn't end up soiled. The rest I gave to a friend who is pregnant now. I don't know how many people they will go through before they get used. Probably until they wind up with someone who likes to use them as changing pads.

After my first was born I had 3rd degree tearing, and would lie on one, sunning my bare bottom in a sunny patch in my bedroom (since this was just a few days postpartum I was still bleeding too much to just lie there without a pad). I think it helped healing that it got dried and got a bit of UV light (UV light kills off many types of bacteria). The tear was quite terrible (even my OB said so) but healed really well.

If you deliver in bed they are handy. My mom had all of us in bed; she put a towel over a chux pad and that was all the mess she made .

[sebarnes]

Thanks! Now I don't feel like *quite* as much of an idiot!!

[punkprincessmama]

I used them a lot after my first birth. i had one in my rocking chair the first few days in case my pad leaked, and we kept two in our bed, one under me and one under the babe (diaper blow outs!). It was really helpful in the first few days and kept us from having to change the sheets quite so much.

[mwherbs]

so you use it to set under you if you have a leaking bag while in labor so your couch or bed or carpet doesn't get wet or during birth if you are not in a tub to also keep blood, poo, and other fluids off what ever surface you are over at the time. You would change them when ever they are covered- or for after birth under you on the couch or in bed when you sleep to keep blood from soaking into..... not everyone all of them and then there are some births were you need extras.I have been to births were the women used their blankets or towels and had no idea how quickly they can be used up- and the mountain of laundry afterwards.

[sebarnes]

Well, after all of that wondering, I gave birth last Thurday, and I used exactly 2 chux pads - one holding between my legs as I moved from the tub to my bed after birth and one underneath me afterwards. So now I have three packages of these things - I guess I can just keep them for the next time??

Thank you everyone for your suggestions!!

[zion]

congrats on your birth!!

[weebitty2]

Another thing they rock for - putting under the babe during diaper changes .. especially if you have a projectile pooper like we do