Do you use Cloth Mamma Pads also?

[MrsSmall]

I was thinking about this, I hate wearing pads. I mean HATE. The plastic feels gross, it sticks to you, it just isn't fun. This is mainly the reason I am CDing our baby. If I hate being wrapped in plastic, I sure as sh*t ain't gonna make my baby wear it. It's how I convinved my DH to go along with CDing too.

(It's a good thing he went along with it quickly, I was going to make him wear a Depends for a day )

So normally, I use OB's, but obviously won't ge able to after the bambina gets here, so I was thinking maybe cloth would be comfier for me too? How much harder are these to care for?

Any advice, reviews or comments would be appreciated.

[Carolinamidwife]

I mainly use a Keeper... going to try a Diva soon, too. When I do use pads I love love love my Freshies! pads, they rock so much I actually don't mind when AF shows up, lol. They have wool bodies and a variety of snap on soaker styles. You can get them here!

I don't use any mainstream products and I will start dd from the very beginning on natural products so it won't be a hurdle for her. You would not believe how AGAHST grown women can be at the idea of washable pads or a menstrual cup.

[jenaniah]

I use cloth pantyliners everyday for that nice fresh feeling and also use them as backup to my Diva Cup. They are really not hard to take care of at all

[FillingMyQuiver]

Check out the Natural Home and Body forum, there are LOTS of threads on mama cloth

[hlkm2e]

I just switched to cloth pads, haven't gotten up the guts for diva cup or keeper, but I'm working on it. I second going to natural body care forum. I switched for the same reasons you did.

[TRIBE]

Oh yes, I have a larger stash of mama cloth than I do cloth diapers lol They were awesome for postpartum and I got a pair of snoogiepants PP pants www.snoogiesnaps.com cannot recommend those enough for PP and overnight use.

I use the Diva as well but honestly use my cloth more than anything else.

[Max's Mami]

I have been thinking about it. Before I had Max I used only tampons, then pads after he was born. Then until he was 18 months I didnt have AF at all but when she came back I couldnt use tampons - they just hurt, didnt fit right, etc. (sorry tmi) so I started looking into mama pads. But then I only had 4 periods before getting pregnant again so I never got around to it.

Now that I know I will have to use pads again for like 6 weeks after the birth I am thinking cloth would be better. But I get the same overwhelmed feeling about figuring it all out that I did figuring out CDing before Max was born :

[mythymna]

I bought some mama pads to try after I have this baby.

Funny how I never thought of it before getting preggos... and cloth diapers were such an OBVIOUS choice for me to make for my baby. hmmm...

[GranolaMoon]

I did til I ended up prego again. Planning to get a cup when AF returns after this babe.

Cloth pads are super easy to take care of <shrug> We use cloth "tp" already, I just put my used pads in there and washed them all the same.

[CarrieMF]

Cloth pads are so easy to take care of. I toss mine in with my towels now that i'm no longer cd'ing. I don't soak or anything like that. Once they're used they get put in the pile/basket with the rest of the dirty laundry. My girls will also use them from the start. I have started the transition of using products that are different from everyone else with sending my dd to school with hankies instead of a box of kleenex. She's in grade 1, I figure i have about 4years to work on this. I don't know if they do it here, but when i was in school in grade 5 they had a big talk with all the girls in grades 5 & 6 about periods. It went right over my head but they are going to let me in there(or maybe by then I can convince the school to just let me do it,lol) or my dd will not be attending. I doubt the public health nurses will give the benefits of cloth pads.

[boricuaqueen327]

I use cloth pads too. I made them myself. They are much more comfortbale than disposable pads and do not stick to you like regular pads do. I don't know much about where you can buy them since I made my own but about washing, it'sr eally simple. I do a prerinse and then a regualr wash cycle nad they come out fine, no stains or anything. I dry pail them, I dont soak them in water or anything and I wash every 2 days when i wash dd's diapers.

[calebsmama03]

I use mostly cloth liners as backup for my divacup, but have a small pad stash for PP. My absolute fave liner design isn't available anymore Kristen's cloth. She only sells the pattern now but I have no patience for that...
Otherwise, I have Freshies, some Lunapads (skip em!!), velour liners from Funny Farm Creations, and some PP pads on the way from Mom and Me creations - I hope they get here in time!

I don't soak but I do rinse, otherwise DH would probably pass out when he does laundry I just toss in the sink and rinse till the water runs clear, then toss in with either dipes or reg laundry. I LOVE my Divacup though! I am pretty bummed it can't be used PP but I highly recommend them to anyone who will listen!

[Electra375]

I see this is your first baby... Well let me just say my last birth was my first vaginal birth and I was turned onto cloth pads when my friend who was present for the birth suggested I use my CPF diapers at PP pads b/c I was so swollen and sore for a while. And it was super easy to wrap a CPF around a baggie of frozen peas!

I could not imagine ever wearing a sposie pad again, nor could I imagine wearing a tampon again. My last cycle (my dd is 13 mo old) I tried a tampon and an Instead cup -- both were still serious no,nos for me.

Right before my cycle returned I used a pattern on-line and made a few mama pads. I think I did a super job on them. I used flannel outers and hemp/cotton inserts. I ordered a "freshie" to try out and I was not pleased at all, the quality was so lacking. I'll just be making more of my own, so I can get through a few days without washing. I used dark flannel, I have stains on the inserts, but you know what -- who else is using them -- no one but me.
http://www.diapersewing.com/clothpads.htm
I made the pattern a bit longer b/c I like them that way. I used my favorite sposie as a guide for the length. I have a serger and it was so easy to do.

For PP I would recommend plain old Cotton Prefold diapers, they are absorbant and soft. I wouldn't waste my time or money on post pardum pads that you may find are too bulky or too long for you later. Personally, I've gone from med flow prior to birth to super heavy since the birth, other woman go the other way.

[MrsSmall]

Thanks for those sewing instructions! I'm going to try and do more sewing this summer while I have time off. I feel a creative bug coming on.

[JoyJoy1975]

I am going to be a cloth mamma pad user too. Just ordered a crap load of them LOL Not sure how many you need actually. I can't believe I lived my whole life and never heard of them tell just 6 months ago. Big cloth diaper fan too and wow so glad too I can't use tampons couse I don't bleed enough TMI but its true they get stuck so I been using disposable pads. I am so switching over couse those itch and make me break out bad. Tryed everybrand and someone brought up the reusable in a discusion. After reasearch I am totaly siked and thinking these have to be better for us woman. I am betting I will like them and I am also going to start my girls out on them too. I have 4-5 years for that but with three girls in the house I can't see how it could be wrong to do this. I bet we will save a ton of money too. Imagine 4 of us at the same time. Shoot that would be about 30 dollars a pop or more and then figure teens they are always on their period it seems when they first start. Here is where I got mine from. I am so excited to know about these. http://www.somethingnewcreations.com

[EnviroBecca]

Cloth is MUCH more comfy and no big deal to care for. I rinse a pad ASAP after removing it, then hang it on the edge of my laundry basket to dry until laundry day and wash in cold water w/my clothes. I have a zippered mesh bag for my pads to keep them from getting lost in the wash.

Postpartum, for the first 24 hours or so when the flow was really heavy, I used the hospital's washcloths (2 at a time) and just tossed them into the Soiled Linens bin. I bet prefolds would work even better, but we use fitted diapers, and anyway I was just as happy to let the hospital do the wash! After the flow slowed down a little, I used my cloth pads, rinsed, and put them into a small wetbag until we got home from the hospital. It turned out we were there 4 days due to EnviroBaby's jaundice, so the damp pads got a bit yucky, so I soaked them in oxygen bleach before washing.

Pads I recommend for postpartum that aren't too big to use for heavy periods:
Rhythm & Blues
Goddess Moons

CarrieMF wrote:

when i was in school in grade 5 they had a big talk with all the girls in grades 5 & 6 about periods. It went right over my head but they are going to let me in there(or maybe by then I can convince the school to just let me do it,lol) or my dd will not be attending. I doubt the public health nurses will give the benefits of cloth pads.

Ooh, good point! I should start thinking about how to spin the issue to my Girl Scouts. They go to several different schools, but I think we'll have some kind of puberty education in G.S. too (when I was a kid, the class in G.S. was so much more informative and comfortable than the one in school!!) and that's my chance to rave about how wonderful cloth pads are!

[Meiri]

I don't remember the company name for the first cloth pads I bought back when DS was little, but they fold into 5-6 layers of the pad for the width or thickness you need. Since I have no clue where the originals came from, I make my own to more or less the same concept.

One yard of flannel made 4 (or was it 6?) pads last time I made some. They have at least 3 layers where I need them, then get folded into 5 as needed.

I haven't made the full transition though. When I'm going to be out for a long time, I use obs or maybe my Luna Cup (if I know that I'll be where there's a sink within reach).

[Mynn]

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[Benji'sMom]

I just wanted to chime in as another tampon to cloth pad convert - I'll never wear another tampon as long as I live, EVER!!!! cloth rocks! Mine are mostly rhythm and blues with some Amaz Padz www.amazpadz.com and some homemade ones mixed in.

To care for them I just rinse them out and throw them in with the diapers. Or if not with cloth diapers, then with the towels. Easy as pie.

There are a lot of brands out there, it can be a little overwhelming, but I know that I like all in ones with wings (so they don't fall in the toilet), so when I'm shopping around I look for AIOs with wings. I also know I don't like a pad shorter than 9" for daytime. It just takes a little experience to find what you like, I guess.

[notamommayet]

adding my two cents...i noticed that someone mentioned skipping Luna pads so I just wanted to say that that's all I've used for two years now and I really like them. I don't sew, and two years ago I knew nothing about any of this stuff, came across their website, and ordered some to try out. they are a bit expensive, but they're good as new after two years of use and i figure they'll last a really, really long time. so in the long run, i'm sure it will be cheaper than buying bags of plastic nasty pads each month. and it's definitely "cheaper" from an environmental perspective.

i own enough to get me through an entire period without washing...i just rinse them, pour a little peroxide on the stuff that doesn't rinse out (i use the organic cream-colored cotton ones, so the stains show up a bit more), then toss into a bucket and soak them with a little soap until i'm ready to do the wash. (i change the water every other day or so...)

I've found that the whole routine is simple, and they are SO much more comfy. Cloth pads rock!