Maternity Pads - Cloth vs Disposable

[maz]

I was hoping I could just get away with cloth, is there anyone that has just used cloth I wonder?

Yep that would be ME!!!!

I took a wet bag in to hospital with me, made myself about 15 hour glass pads and everynight DH took home the 'soiled' ones and washed and dried them for me to use again the next day.
I made sure that I prerinsed them...eg I had a morning shower and put them in the bottom of the shower with me to rinse out.
I had no troubles with leaking what so ever, i had time to wash them when I came home..bugger me I was washing clothes and nappies anyway.
I was aware of when I would 'gush' and made sure that I went and changed my pad straight afterwards.
Its not that hard...honestly..man Ive done cloth for over 4 years now and had 2 babies in that time and used cloth both times.

ETA - PMSL at the lot of you saying you wont have time to do anything...come on girls your making it sound like she's not going to have a life and for those who have never used cloth but think it wouldnt work...hmmmmm you cant go judging something when you havent tried it

If you want somemore help honey, you know were to find me

[melbel]

I also used cloth post partum....You can get post partum pads that are designed to absorb more flow...I bought I think 12 post partum pads and hubby took them home in a wet bag with bubbas cloth nappies and did the washing each day. I had a disposable placed on me in theatre when I had the c-section but as soon as the nurses had established I had a normal flow and didnt have any bleeding/haemorraging issues I started using the cloth ones, so maybe had sposies for 4 hours tops......

I had no leaks, nothing like that at all and it was nice to have something soft against my bits after all they had been through.....

[~Saram~]

I didn't know about cloth pads post partum but have used them for 2 years now and love them. Honesty after the first 6-24 hrs the bleeding wasn't that heavy anyway. I sent home plenty of soiled undies and bras with hubby to soak until I came home - stupid disposables always leak - so sending home cloth pads wouldn't be a problem. Would your partner wash them for you?

Btw don't forget cloth breast pads too they are the BEST

[meow]

PMSL at the lot of you saying you wont have time to do anything...come on girls your making it sound like she's not going to have a life and for those who have never used cloth but think it wouldnt work...hmmmmm you cant go judging something when you havent tried it

I have to agree with this as I heard these comments about using cloth nappies from birth and we used themfine without using disposables.

My only concern about using cloth pads is the amount required for such a short time. With nappies I know I'll need lots for a while so the investment isn't a problem but I don't think I can justify buying that many cloth pads. If I could make them then that would be great

[maz]

Meow - dont forget that after day 2 that your loose tends to 'quieten' down in comparison to day 0. J man took them home at the end of the night and washed them so I had fresh ones for the next day..In comparison to having my eldest 2, which I used disposables, I had no rawness, no harshness, none of that itch and the smell wasnt there. Cloth mould's to your body a hell of a lot better to sposies, its fabric its moveable and itsnt as stiff. this factor alone allows for less 'leakage' then in sposies.

I think I know what to get you for your baby shower now S

[meow]

We'll see how I go I guess. I agree cloth are way more comfy- but disposables are also good for sticking icypoles into We don't have a dryer so my pads wouldn't be dry that fast unless it's hot. I think I'll mix it up till the disposables I have run out.

[Eenee]

Yep that would be ME!!!!

I took a wet bag in to hospital with me, made myself about 15 hour glass pads and everynight DH took home the 'soiled' ones and washed and dried them for me to use again the next day.
I made sure that I prerinsed them...eg I had a morning shower and put them in the bottom of the shower with me to rinse out.
I had no troubles with leaking what so ever, i had time to wash them when I came home..bugger me I was washing clothes and nappies anyway.
I was aware of when I would 'gush' and made sure that I went and changed my pad straight afterwards.
Its not that hard...honestly..man Ive done cloth for over 4 years now and had 2 babies in that time and used cloth both times.

ETA - PMSL at the lot of you saying you wont have time to do anything...come on girls your making it sound like she's not going to have a life and for those who have never used cloth but think it wouldnt work...hmmmmm you cant go judging something when you havent tried it

If you want somemore help honey, you know were to find me

Thanks Maz, good to know. I feel more confident about using cloth now. Will have to get the sewing machine out and sew myself some more- as dodgy as the ones a make are LOL and given that they take me 2hrs to make one but bloody PUL is a bugger to sew and I velour top mine and thats also a bugger to sew! How many layers of bamboo do ya reckon?

Plus i'll have more babies so will be able to use them again.


And having a homebirth I won't have to worry about DH being too scared to touch them, although maybe I can work on him. Also being summer shouldn't have a problem getting them dry.

[maz]

Em, I had one layer for some and 2 layers for others. I made them a little longer then normal pads also for flooding
Im more then happy to come around with my sewing machine and have a sew up with you soon hun I can bring the snap press

[Eenee]

Maz: I've got a snap press cos I had started to make pads for myself. plus it's fun to put snaps on everything lol- was good for fixing my doona cover! (insert embarrassed face here) you would then have to see my utterly terrible way I sew haha Although maybe you could show me the propper way to do it.

[S'rose]

Oh Maz - that's the world's greatest gift!! I have umm'ed and ahh'ed and have no 'real' idea about how it goes, but the idea of using sposies is a bit yuk now. I figure if I am going cloth nappies, then surely I should be as kind to myself and get cloth pads too. DH would most likely wash them for me, he's pretty amazing.

Ladies, I am so grateful for the responses... There is so much I don't know about what would be good etc to use and who to buy from and so on... so you have all been wonderful in educating me. I feel so much more confident going with cloth from now on!!

[luna moth]

Im more then happy to come around with my sewing machine and have a sew up with you soon hun I can bring the snap press

Come to my house! It's sunny....

You might just have me convinced. I have a velour topped Obsidian Star pad which would be nowhere near adequate for maternity flow but I am so so so in love with it. Got no munnies to buy more, so probably have to make my own.

I hate the snaps though... no princess and the pea! Any other way to do it?