Maternity pads... your advice please!

[curl]

dach, I laughed out loud when I read your post. My 3 yo dd came to see what was so funny... can't explain it to her! Tempting thought though, icy poles for MIL....

As for pads, I found the bulk of the standard maternity ones annoying as they always moved. I used the ones with wings and when the swelling subsided enough I switched to normal nighttime pads that are extra long with wings.

[visitor1]

Def Libra for the first 7 days, then Kotex for the last little bit of bleeding!

[Snoopea]

Kotex, I used them with both births (and after) and never had a problem! Even held most of my waters when they broke! Was very impressed with them.

[~breeze~]

I used the kotex but the hospital supplied pads so I didn't end up using more than 2 of my 2 packs! Maybe find out if your hospital supplies them first as they have good fat ones that you can stick the ice into if needed (godsend for me!) at least thats what my hospital has but every hospital is different. Wont hurt to ask next time you're there or to even call them & ask!

From my personal experience I only used the fat pads while in hospital, prob for maybe 3 days max then I used the ultra thin pads as the bleeding slowed waaaaaaaay down. Can I suggest you dont buy too many to start with & see how you go while in hospital & I'm sure Shel wont mind grabbing you whatever you need before going home, whether it be more maternity or thinner pads. That way hopefully you wont end up having to throw away as much as I did, as everyone has said... they're so expensive!
Can I just throw something else in while we're talking about "down there"..... my hospital supplies sandpaper as toilet paper (a little over exagerated but when you've just had a baby, especially after getting stitches aswell, it FEELS like sandpaper!) Can I just suggest you take a roll of SOFT toilet paper to keep in your bathroom or your room if you're sharing. It sounds so trivial but trust me when you're using that compared to the sandpaper you will be so grateful you threw it in your hospital bag (boy oh boy I was thankful! Luckily my lovely MIL dropped a pack off for me as she knew as a first timer I probably wouldn't have thought about it... she was right!)

Sorry I've gone on a little bit, just want to be as helpful as possible.

What it mainly comes down to with the pads is how much you bleed & for how long. Everyone is different so unfortunately you just have to wait & see. I did find the kotex soft (the couple I used) but my hospital supplied ones were soft aswell.

Oooooh, how exciting, getting to the business end of the pregnancy!!!!!

[jenjams]

I used the hospital ones for the first day or so then went to Kotex on top of Libra!
I had a heavy loss with a couple of huge clots (TMI Sorry!) so I had the libra on then the Kotex on top. I also had a 3rd degree tear so anything soft is good.

[Cassius2]

I used the kotex ones in the first week, as they were cushiony and helped with the pain of stiches and grazing. then after that i used the libra maternity ones (in a pink packet, with a waaay too peaceful and serene mum and bub on the cover LOL!). they were good after the initial heavy flow and when the stitches settled down.

Also, the kotex ones are good to rip open and stuff ice into when you first get out of hospital and need some cooling pain relief...(good idea to wrap ice in placcy bag or clingwrap first)...

[blackduckies]

Hi, sounds like I'm in the minority, I thought maternity pads were just to expensive and bought regular super pads that worked just fine, maybe my loss is'nt as great as some of the other girls. Also my hospital provides big cotton liner thingys that I used for the first couple of days, while in bed they are fantastic. Also I used nightees instead of PJ's, no worries about, monster pads sticking out, seemed heaps more comfy to me anyway??????

[tan32]

OMG at green icy poles and at condoms filled with water and frozen.
I have been lucky not to have had stiches with either of my bubs but will def keep it in mind for this one.

I must admit Leasha i was a bit daunted at the supermarket as well, loads more on the market now, didnt help with a four yr old pulling all the pads of the shelf asking what they were for.

Thanks ladies will be off to get a few more packs of Kotex tomorrow

[kellsbells]

I must say, I was also glad for the ones provided in the hospital and the Kotex I bought to stick the ice packets into easily. After I didn't need ice anymore, 1 week maybe?, my MIL picked up some disposable underwear for me. I think it they are made for urinary incontinence but I loved them as I bled a lot for a long time after. They were comfy, absorbant, and I didn't get and blood on my undies.

[smiles4u]

I'm a huge LIBRA Goodnights Extra Long with Wings pad girl myself !!!!!!!!!!

.... They worked fantastic after my birth

You can buy a pkt of 20 for less than $9 in BigW

... Or I also used the cheap hospital pads they had in the bedroom draw there a couple of times BUT found I needed to use two of them kinda of overlaping each other & it worked ok. BUT I had more security with the LIBRA GOODNIGHTS ... And I never leaked !!!

P.S - Dashlostar ... That was soooo damn funny I loved it !!!!!! ... Gotta have more funny stories like that here !!!!!!!!

[The[cookie]Doctor]

I loved the kotex - for a girl who hates pads always, the kotex have made me think about going back to them... Couldn't stand the libras, they just made me feel like i had something wedged between my legs whereas the kotex were soft and comfy. I ended up wearing a libra underneath though to extend the length as i seemed to have little gushes at the front, but wanted length at the back too.

I didn't have any leaks anywhere!! *scoffs at everyone that told her whatever she wore the first night would be ruined*

[DoubleK]

I just bought the coloured icy-poles from the supermarket for ice packs.
I used the green ones for my fanny and I ate the other ones (it was ever so tempting to ofer MIL a gree one lol)

aahh you crack me up Chloe!

i think i bought about 5 different types, coz i just picked up whatever was on special in the last few weeks before i gave birth.

i loved the thin ones for when everything has eased up, but i still pannicced(sp) about leaking when out in public, so i felt a bit safer with those, even though i didnt really need to wear them.. IYKWIM.

Not long to go Leash!

ETA: i bought a cheapy packet of 6 dark coloured nana undies to wear after birth too.. i just chucked them out. and saved my own knickers from any blood staining!

[Butterfly_Princess]

Libra Goodnights with Wings for meeeeee...
But ive always liked them, and use them usually with AF any ways..i feel comfy in them (Am i weird??)
I bought 3 packs..and 3 packs i used..and now im just using liners for the light bleeding i STILL have..(which i wish would go away *hint hint*)

[Naomi]

I used Kotex too, so soft and comfy
I also used the ones provided by the hospital, but wore the kotex at night because i found them more absorbent.

[Gigi]

i didn't know about cloth post partnum pads when i had my bub, but i do now, so if i were in that position again, i would buy post partnum pads, topped with cotton velour, bamboo velour - something lovely and soft like that. The disposable pads chafed me and irritated my skin no end (i think it's the bleach).

here are some brands that do the postpartnum pads:

nice knicker brand (sold on the wild child nappies site)
obsidian star (on the obsidian star site, the clothpadshop site)
noonee wilga (on teh clothpad site - she does customs too, so you could choose fabric)
sustainable hemp products brand (on the sustainable hemp products website)
girly bits (on the cloth pad shop site)

You could use them afterwards as night / heavy flow pads.

hth

[amberj]

OK, so I have to ask- many of you talk about putting ice into the pad....how do you do that? Like cut a slit in the side and put ice in a plastic bag in there?!

Also, has anyone tried or heard of putting witch hazel on a pad and freezing it and then putting it on? Apparently quite good for healing, but I wondered if it really worked....

[Olive]

amber in hossy they have special iceblock things for the pads, at home i just froze water filled condoms!! you split one end of the pad and slip it in!

[mrsmac]

I was given the Kotex by the hospital and they were great. I think after 5 days when I went home I just used thin ones.
PMSL at the ice pack stories, I remember when I had DD1 and they bought in a frozen finger of a glove and I nearly died thinking "OMG where do they expect me to put that" LOL but it was a godsend for the stitches.