[Vixenmama]

Is anyone planning on using cloth for their post birth needs? I used depends last time, which were good, but I think something soft inside might be nice. Those paper products smell so bad when they come in contact with blood, etc.

I was wondering if any of the "mama pad" type products were heavy duty enough, or do you think some infant prefolds would work?

I'm sure there must be a thread about this somewhere, but who knows where.

 

[mwherbs]

after the first 3 days when my bleeding was very slowed down I went to using soft pieces of flannel. I didn't wash them though because I was a bit worn out. If I wear paper pads for any length of time I get sore. I think that it is the plastic backing,but for what ever reason. I also found that when I made my own pads later I used flannel with wool roving in the middle with out any stitching on the surface of the pads because the stitching made places for the blood to seep through. Now there are so many options for cloth pads that you can buy, but I would say that if you don't have someone to come over and help wash clothes- new babies can be diapered 40 or more times in the first week and that alone is alot of washing-- with one kid I had the first 3 moths diaper service because I didn't have a washer and someone gave the service as a gift. with that the brought 90 diapers for newborn babies- I used diapers for spit-up and to keep milk from dripping all over, but I was surprised at how many diapers we went through in a week.

 

[Kundalini-Mama]

I started a thread about this a month or so ago, probably on "I'm Pregnant".

I am now 2w PP, and my flow has been over since day 5 or so. I got a whole bunch of prefolds to use as well as flat fold gauze diapers. The flat folds I used during the first 5 days, and now I've been just wearing panty liners provided to me from a MDC mama during our baby swap.

They've worked out great

Amy

 

[Mom2baldie]

The day my DD was born I layed around on extra chux pads and after that I used a combination of flat folds and my overnight sized Pandora Pads.

This worked great for me and was so much more comfortable than using disposable pads!

 

[floridafreespirit]

I want to use my cloth pads, or some of the huge prefold I have stored in dd's closet, but the thing is: How do you ask someone(mom, MIL, friend, etc) who has offered to helpout w/ laundry to wash bloody fabric or meconium pooy diapers?
Esp when they aren't personally on a cloth kick...
They could help out w/ hubby's clothes, but what I will really need is diaper and pads!

I started cd'ing after dd was past the wet poops, so that is new to me also, but what is currently on my mind is should I take my post partum self out of bed to do the laundry, or should I ask/accept help.

Gladis
due in may 05- homebirthing this time around

 

[mimim]

Quote:

Originally Posted by floridafreespirit I want to use my cloth pads, or some of the huge prefold I have stored in dd's closet, but the thing is: How do you ask someone(mom, MIL, friend, etc) who has offered to helpout w/ laundry to wash bloody fabric or meconium pooy diapers? Esp when they aren't personally on a cloth kick... They could help out w/ hubby's clothes, but what I will really need is diaper and pads! I started cd'ing after dd was past the wet poops, so that is new to me also, but what is currently on my mind is should I take my post partum self out of bed to do the laundry, or should I ask/accept help. Gladis due in may 05- homebirthing this time around

Have your Dh deal with the body fluids and ask the other helpers to do less personal chores for you.

I'm going to use prefolds during the heavy flow in the early days and use my regular pads when the flow lightens up. I'm also going to make myself a couple of pairs of close fitting fleece shorts to hold the prefolds in place if I decide to get out of bed.

 

[tryinghardmomma]

I've used cloth post birth 3 times now, plus post 2 miscarriages. I'll never use disposables again! The first time I used old prefolds, it worked ok... but now I've got some "real" mamapads and they are so much better! Probably just about any brand will do... I have some from several different manufacturers. My Liz Cloth pads are the softest, they are hemp fleece. So absorbent and get more absorbent the more they are washed-- unlike my older cotton pads I got from Babylove which have gotten more threadbare with use. I know that there are some clearance priced GladRags here https://www.naturalfamilyboutique.co...lProducts.aspx and they have regularly priced Liz pads. I haven't paid for the option to advertise, but I am a consultant for that company. Just wanted you to know that it's not a completely unbiased suggestion

although if you don't have my "friendly" there's no way for me to get any credit for the "sale." So... just to make it free and legal.

I would say you will want about 4 "night-time" or postpartum pads, and 6-8 "day time" pads, with maybe some extra inserts to make a pad thicker if you need it. I made the mistake of not enough *thin* pads for when the flow was lighter. With the Liz day time pads, you can take out the inserts and make them pantiliner thin. Or I can add more inserts to make them more maxi. The night-time pads are longer.

Well good luck finding what works best for you!

 

[Electra375]

I had ordered some OB pads like the hospital has from inhishands.com I ended up using my CPF diapers!
I did use for the first few hours the cool packed pad available at the above sight.
My df who was acting as my doula suggested the CPF and it was the turning point for me. I'll never go back to paper by choice.
I just made several pads for myself since AF has returned.

 

[jessitron]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mimim I'm also going to make myself a couple of pairs of close fitting fleece shorts to hold the prefolds in place if I decide to get out of bed.

What a great idea! Want to make a few more pairs and sell them?

Tryinghardmomma, thank you so much for the advice! I want to start using cloth pads once AF returns.
Is 4 big pads and 6-8 small ones really enough? It doesn't seem like it would be, from all the "oh, there was so much blood" postpartum stories I've heard.

 

[Electra375]

I've had 3 babies and my c/s babies were the most pp blood. My hb really wasn't too bad, like a heavy period for a few days and then medium to light spotting upon standing. The initial first few hours are heavier than a heavy period, but you're on a chux pad most likely -- no big deal.
Of course, the more you do the more you will bleed, that is one reason a lot of mw say take it easy and stay in bed and rest.
TMI but I have to say that if this is your first, the bleeding is heavier than a heavy period mostly because your vagina is 'gaping' open from the baby and the flow just flows out instead of being slowed down by the tight vaginal muscles. At least this is how I felt about it.

 

[jessitron]

Electra, thanks for the info. That is a better description than I've found yet, and it's reassuring.

 

[caitlinsmom]

Glad to see this thread. I have a similar question. I too wonder about cloth and post partum. I had a c-section with #1 and bled for over 2 weeks. I am a red head (we bleed more for some reason) so I went through TONS of disposibles. I am EXTRA sensitive and get yeast infections at least 1 a month (when I am not pregnant). Anyway how many pads do you think I would need???? What would be the best fabric choices (I will make them myself) that will be breathable but absorbant and leak free???

not to high jack your post.....just wondering though

 

[mehndi mama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jessitron What a great idea! Want to make a few more pairs and sell them? Tryinghardmomma, thank you so much for the advice! I want to start using cloth pads once AF returns. Is 4 big pads and 6-8 small ones really enough? It doesn't seem like it would be, from all the "oh, there was so much blood" postpartum stories I've heard.

Check here: www.snoogiesnaps.com - she's got PP fleece shorts with snap-in pads

I used a pile of junky fitted diapers for the few days where I was bleeding really heavy, then went right to my regular cloth menstrual pads. This time around, I'll be making some nice big PP pads for myself, and I have a few super-size SnoogieSnaps pads with wool holders, and I have a nice little package of Fresh Moon pads coming to me, too (www.freshies.ca)
There's really no comparison - cloth just feels so much better, especially when you have to wear pads for so long!

About when others wash your laundry.....you could always buy a box of rubber gloves to keep by the washer, just in case DH can't be there to get the laundry started. I think my MIL wore gloves when she did mine for me

 

[Kundalini-Mama]

I used mesh underwear after both pregnancies, washable & cheap. I got them here: http://www.birthwithlove.com/categor...did=Mesh+Panty

hth
Amy

 

[Vixenmama]

I'm not sure I understand the purpose of the fleece/net shorts---does it help keep the pad snug instead of the depends? Thanks for all the help with this---I'm still trying to work out what to do. I ordered a dozen ubcpf's that I thought I might use but I would order some proper pads if someone would
recommend some that would be good for pp. I have a sewing machine but I'm not confident I could get my act together and run them up before the birth---Mehndi Mama, what exactly would the big pp pads you plan to make be made of?

 

[mehndi mama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vixenmama I'm not sure I understand the purpose of the fleece/net shorts---does it help keep the pad snug instead of the depends?

Well, wearing the depends is basically wearing a diaper. But if you're doing cloth rather than disposable, you likely aren't going to want to have to buy adult diapers, right? (Trust me - you don't. Shopping for them would be highly.....um.....educational.) So, while you're bleeding fairly heavy (the first few days) and want to wear something that absorbs more like a diaper, you wear mesh panties, or fleece shorts, or a pair of men's briefs or something big like that to hold the prefold diaper up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vixenmama Mehndi Mama, what exactly would the big pp pads you plan to make be made of?

I was planning on flannel outside layers, and 3 layers of warm & natural cotton batting for the absorbent layers. But I may do some wool or PUL-backed, too, and maybe some fleece-topped, depending on what scraps I have laying around.

 

[Vixenmama]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mehndi mama Well, wearing the depends is basically wearing a diaper. But if you're doing cloth rather than disposable, you likely aren't going to want to have to buy adult diapers, right? (Trust me - you don't. Shopping for them would be highly.....um.....educational.) So, while you're bleeding fairly heavy (the first few days) and want to wear something that absorbs more like a diaper, you wear mesh panties, or fleece shorts, or a pair of men's briefs or something big like that to hold the prefold diaper up. I was planning on flannel outside layers, and 3 layers of warm & natural cotton batting for the absorbent layers. But I may do some wool or PUL-backed, too, and maybe some fleece-topped, depending on what scraps I have laying around.

Ok, it's all becomming clear. I did use depends with my first birth but they were uncomfortable (and noisy). I can get several pairs of the briefs/shorts and use the cpf's or make some of my own.

I have some nice flannel here---would a felted wool sweater be good for an
absorbant inner "stuffing--What kind of wool are you referring to? I just remembered, I think I have some cotton batting lying around myself! I tried some of the links for mama pads posted above but no one seems to have in-stock right now and baby is due Jan. 4th (but I'm hoping he'll arrive sooner).

Also, do you "freeze" some of your pads for post birth? And if so, do you treat them with anything---comfry salve? herbs?

thanks again!!!!

edited to add: to be completely tiresome---could you give me estimates of the dimensions you'd make your pp pads?

 

[mehndi mama]

Felted sweater would work great for a stuffable-pad insert type thing! You'd want to top it or pair it up with a few layers of cotton, though, as wool is a slow absorber, and cotton is fast. You don't want any fluids accidentally running off, because there's nothing to catch a gush immediately, yk? But a layer of felted wool knit under a cotton insert would help absorb more fluid if needed, and provide more of a protective barrier for your clothes, too. Just make sure you felt it down real well - I made a diaper-doubler size insert for a WIO diaper once, and *thought* that I had felted it well......but it shrunk down to the size of a menstrual pad in the next 2 washes :LOL

For mine, I was just thinking of a backing of wool jersey or flannel, well felted. A friend of mine just sent me some tester pads made with a cashmere interlock for the snap-in holder, and the cotton pads were backed with a layer of wool flannel for extra absorbency. She said to wash them on cool, though, or they'd curl up, so maybe I'll just stick with the wool holders I have, and make more snap-ons.

I never did the frozen pad thing, or the herbal compress thing....but then, I didn't tear with my last 4 births, either, and was up & about before I should have been, because I felt so good. So some people probably really like the cold pads, but I could've cared less!

 

[mehndi mama]

I can't remember the dimensions right offhand.....I think the big ones were about 13" long, around 3-4" wide in the center (excluding the wings) and around 6" wide at the ends. I'm still experimenting with my pattern at the moment.

 

[tryinghardmomma]

Sorry I haven't been back all week.

I don't use mesh panties or anything else. I have 6 overnight pads, and right now only 2 daytime pads but I'm working towards 6. The 6 overnights worked OK, as long as they got put in the wash as soon as they were dirty and dh kept the laundry going continually. A few times I had to grab a washcloth or cloth diaper to substitute. So I suppose, figure out how many times per day you'd need to change your pad vs. how many loads of laundry you do. We do 2-3 loads of laundry most days, so I did ok with 6. Now I had ONLY those 6 night time pads... I'm buying 6 day time pads plus maybe 4 to 6 doublers so that would give me 12 pads total.

Anyhow... for the first 2-3 days, DH doesn't like me to get out of bed much. He likes to baby me. So I don't bother with pads at all the first day or two-- I just lay on top of some folded towels, which he changes when I get up to use the bathroom, and he keeps laundry going. He's a gem, did I mention that?

By the 2nd or 3rd day when I start wanting to get up, I just use a nighttime pad in my undies... if blood happens to get on my undies, I rinse them with cold water and hydrogen peroxide if necessary and they come clean.

DH ... bless his heart.. the very first day he threw in a bunch of the towels from about the time the placenta came (so very bloody towels) and the first half dozen or so receiving blankets we used, and he washed them on hot. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME. All the towels and blankets were stained this strange dark green/brown color.

I oxycleaned them a gazillion times and eventually got them almost white again.

I wouldn't do too much fancy stuff... I would stick with plain old cotton. It's amazing what things can bother you right after birth. I can only handle cotton. PUL would hold in wetness/moisture and who knows what else, and besides you don't need lots of "water proofing" if you just change it every time you go potty or more often.