mama pad sewing Question

[DandK]

So I've made a few mama pads but the ones I've made are a little on the bulky side. I guess I'm worried about leakage so I'm making them too thick. I'm wondering how many layers I should be using?? I wanted to use flannel for the outer and hemp fleece for the inner. Some have a layer of pul, two even have a layer of windpro but that's really bulky.

So any ideas on layers??? All the directions I'm finding call for the batting stuff and I don't want to use that. I'd rather use materials I already have around the house for sewing dipes.

[CarrieMF]

How many layers are you putting in the middle? Did you try one on or did it just look bulky? I have pads of varying thickness depending on the fabric I used and once I have them on and my pants and stuff pulled up I don't notice the thicker ones.

2 layers of hemp works great for regular-postpartum pads. For lighter pads you can use 1 layer. PUL(the stuff I've seen anyhow) and Flannel are thinner fabrics, but how much you put in the middle can add the bulk.

[Ann-Marita]

I made my own mama pads, also.

For the main pad, I used two layers of flannel and one layer of 100% cotton waterproof baby burp cloth as the backing. Then, I have inserts that I add to this (add more for overnight and less for lighter days). The inserts have two layers of flannel, one full-size layer of cotton towel, and one more layer of cotton towel, but only in the center of the pad. So, for a "standard" pad, I have all total, four layers of flannel, 1.5 layers of towel, and one layer of burp pad backing.

To convert to overnight use (or really heavy days), I add a smaller insert that has three layers of flannel.

I did not sew-trim-turn my pads; I just overcast the edges with a pretty thread. That makes the edges more trim, where it seems to count more.

[DandK]

Carrie do you really think just 2 layers of hemp fleece plus the top layer of flannel would be thick enough?

I've been doing about 4 or 5 layers of fleece and then a top of flannel. Really the only time I notice it being bulky is when I go to fold them up and the wings wont snap together. Maybe the problem isn't thickness but wing span? I found a new template yesterday and I'm gonna give it a shot.

Some of them are overcast but some are turn and top stitch. I actually like that ridge the T&T gives because it's like an added protection against leaks.

[JLav]

I like using microfiber towels as the middle of my flannel pads. They are really absorbant and thin and I find I don't need a waterproof backing with it. I use 2 layers in my mini and regular size pad and 3 layers in my overnight/pp pad. I have pretty heavy periods and I havn't leaked through yet!

[DandK]

I hadn't even thought about microfiber towels!! I have tons of them lying around here. I'll definetly have to give that a shot.

[CarrieMF]

Carrie do you really think just 2 layers of hemp fleece plus the top layer of flannel would be thick enough?

Yes. The ones I make are 4 layers of fabric - the top, the bottom and 2 layers of thick terry or 2 layers of hemp. I haven't had any absorbancy problems. I will be stopping the terry because the stuff I was getting was 2.5times the cost of hemp and I now have a hemp supplier in Canada. The terry was also thicker than the hemp and left little pieces of terry all over the place.lol

[mother culture]

pads

I make mine out of 2 layers hemp fleece and a backing of felted wool. Some have velour or micro fleece topping. I use 3 body peices and just sew the soaker layers onto the hidden piece. My panty liners have 1 layer with a wool backing.

[maeveypoo]

for my mama cloth I did a top layer of cotton velour and then 1-3 layers of hemp french terry. the one and two layered hemp have worked great so far (I really made the 3 layered hemp ones for post partum) with not a single leak! oh and I make 6 single layer wool underpads (mine are all lay-in pads and I didn't want to use that much wool) I still can't believe I hadn't switched to cloth for myself sooner