[Delight]

I'm just 5.5 weeks into my nursing career and I'm so sick of these nursing pads! First of all, will I always have to use them? Will my boobs always leak?<br><br>
Secondly, I started off with fleece/flannel pads, but moved to disposables (yuck!) when they couldn't keep up with the flow. The disp. pads make me sweat and that keeps my nipple area damp, which can harbor bacteria, right?<br><br>
Are there disposable pads out there that don't make your nipple damp? Or a better cloth pad? Thanks so much for the help!!

 

[rareimer]

i used disposables for quite awhile, i just leaked SO much and cloth pads weren't doing it. eventually i was able to move onto cloth pads, and now finally i don't need any pads at all. i had a VERY bountiful supply, so i used pads until about 10 months! most people don't have to use them more than a month or two.<br><br>
just make sure you change the pads as often as possible. that way sweat, bacteria, and spoiled milk aren't sitting against your nipple constantly. and keep trying the cloth ones, and as soon as you can switch, DO...it is better for you and the environment. or maybe you just need to switch to different cloth pads (alot of the mamas here make great ones!)...although i never found any cloth one to be quite good enough until my supply evened out a bit. but everyone is different!

 

[soccerchic21]

I too hated the pads and when DD was 4 months old my LLL leader mentioned that I probably didn't need to use them anymore so I stopped and I haven't had a leaking problem.<br><br>
I say every 2 weeks just try to not wear them out but have them on hand and an extra shirt and see what happens.<br><br>
My favorite were the Medela pads. They are a little more expensive than the others but my favorite.

 

[loving-my-babies]

I leak big time... so I HAVE to use breast pads.<br>
I am using lansinoh brand right now but I noticed the Johnson's type isn't as plastic as the medela and lansinoh... They are a little thicker but they seem more natural because there's more cotton in there to absorb..

 

[guestmama9972]

For disposables I like the lansinoh pads. For dd#1 I made lots of milk and needed the pads for about 6 months. For my new baby I think my milk supply is a little more under control and I don't leak as bad but I still wear pads for those unexpected let-downs.<br><br>
I also have some soft cotton pads that I use but they seem to get damp from sweat and milk, increasing my tendancy toward yeast infections. I am careful with those and don't wear them for a long period of time.<br><br>
You might try wool pads. They are supposed to be soft, hold lots of moisture, and they have an anti-bacterial property of some kind. I saw some advertised for about $20 a pair, but I bet you they would last forever and would be worth the investment.

 

[mum2tori]

I really love my wool pads. I never feel damp with them. I've tried both Lansinoh, Johnson & Johnson ones and cotton pads and they all left me feeling damp. And it really didn't like the gel residue from the disposible ones. And they can hold back a ton since they can absorb 40% their weight without feeling wet!! They are Lana wool pads from <a href="http://www.danishwool.com/products/lana/bp_nurs_pads.htm" target="_blank">Danishwool.com</a>, they have some marked down in the Factory Outlet section for a really great price. They regularly list for $14-24 a pair depending on style and size. They are VERY soft, not itchy or stratchy feeling at all!!! And since they are wool, the lanolin has hygienic properties so it's very hard to get a yeast infection from them. And they are really easy to wash when you need to.

 

[nancg]

I am clearly not normal here, but despite occasional leaks I never used them at all. When the unused side starts to let down I just press my arm against it (like to would to stop bleeding) and it stops. And in the early days when leaking is more frequent I avoid wearing solid blue or green shirts. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="/img/vbsmilies/smilies/rolleyes.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="rolleyes"><br><br>
I seem to remember my leaking problems slowed down a LOT when DD1 was about 5 months, and since I was tandemming for DD2 I never had much problem that couldn't be solved by asking the older nursling to come help me out a bit. <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/wink1.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="wink1"><br><br>
Nancy

 

[Alison]

I have only just been able to stop using pads--which is so nice! I started out with disposables, and tried lots of kinds. Only ones I really liked were the Avent and the Evenflo. However, the first time I tried cloth, at about six weeks, I never looked back. I leaked a lot, all the time, ugh. I suggest using cloth, and always carrying extras, and changing them often, don't wait for them to feel wet. Never sweated with cloth.<br><br>
Alison