Environmentally friendly pads

Amores0121

So I realize I will soon be wearing pads again--yuck! I am not ready to commit to mama cloth yet, but am looking for something that is better for me and the environment than what I used to use (Always).  Anyone have any recs?

stoneycakes

Can I just try to talk you into mama cloth?

wrightpalomo

I highly recommend the Diva Cup. It is not a pad but omg it is amazing! And you hardly create any waste because the thing lasts forever.

ETA: didn't read your due date in your siggy.... Diva Cup will be great later on!

Amores0121

@Mapleme Can you buy those at the store or do you have to order them via Amazon or something?

@stoneycakes I fully intend on trying it once my period is regular again, but I am just so busy right now considering I haven't moved yet and am almost 9 mos PG and have so much to do still to prepare for baby...I just prefer to buy it for now until I get back to normal periods.

stoneycakes

I love the Diva Cup, too.  The only disposable pads I've ever really liked are Always.

stoneycakes

I hear you, Amores.  One thing you might want to look into is getting some lighter mama cloth pads to try for when your PP bleeding slows down.  I don't know if this is the case for most, but I was wearing light pads or panty liners for quite awhile after I had DS and I wish I had invested in mama cloth.  Wearing the disposables for such a long time really irritated my skin.

abby8279

I am a huge mama cloth advocate.  But I am super intimidated by the Diva cup.  I have been wanting to try it...just can't make that leap.  Maybe I should do some more research on them??

stoneycakes

abby8279 said:

I am a huge mama cloth advocate.  But I am super intimidated by the Diva cup.  I have been wanting to try it...just can't make that leap.  Maybe I should do some more research on them??

There's tons of info on their website.  But honestly, I haven't invested in a new post-childbirth one since I discovered my love for mama cloth.  The mama cloth is so much more comfortable than the disposables that I don't feel as strong of a need for something else.  I have been thinking about a Diva Cup now that it's beach weather, though.

Rrrrrachel

Disposable pads really irritated my stitches pp. I ended up using premie prefolds around the house. In retrospect I wish I had had mama cloth, even though I've never used it.

stoneycakes

lindsayhilleary said:

@stoneycakes I'm very intrigued by mama cloth. Is there a particular brand you recommend?

I sew my own.  It's really easy to do if you have a sewing machine and much more cost effective.  I'm sure some other ladies on here can recommend brands, though.

abby8279

lindsayhilleary said:

@stoneycakes I'm very intrigued by mama cloth. Is there a particular brand you recommend?

Party in My Pants!  Seriously, that is the brand.  There are many different brands though.  And several on Etsy.  Similar to diapers...everyone has their favorites.

farmrose

@stoneycakes‌ do you make your own pattern or use one you find online? Where do you buy your materials/what materials do you use?

zaraceligon

I use I Korean brand. I love them. One are made of 100% cotton and the other one are made of bamboo. They are super thin and comfortable. I try 7 generation,but I don't like them much,like the Koreans brand, they are also cheap compare to American or japanes brands. The Japanese brand are also 100% cotton. There is an Italian brand on amazon the are good to, they are 100% cotton and they are very thin too.

stoneycakes

MEjack1 said:

@stoneycakes‌ do you make your own pattern or use one you find online? Where do you buy your materials/what materials do you use?

I made my own pattern based on the disposable pad I like to use.  I had to add a seam allowance and make the wings longer so they would overlap for snapping, but it gave me a good idea of what I like for length and width.

I use t-shirt jersey for the absorbent part.  I turn and topstich one layer of jersey and one layer of PUL together for the base of the pad with the wings.  Then I add three layers of jersey on top as a soaker.  I leave the edges of the jersey raw and they curl up in the wash.  I like that it makes kind of a gusset effect.  It gives me about a medium absorbency.  I have a couple where I added snaps so I can add another soaker for nighttime.

ETA: I just bought PUL at Joann fabrics and used old t-shirts.

abby8279

lbs2012 said:

This might sound silly but what about using mamma cloth instead of a liner? That's all I really need right now. Do you still need to soak if it's not blood or super minimal? Could I just throw in with cloth diapers? Not sure if my period will return since I had am IUD put in three months ago. Still EBF though so things might change as he tapers off with age.

That's why I started using mama cloth, for daily discharge especially while I was pregnant.  They keep me nice and dry.  I throw them in with the regular wash when I use them as liners.  Now that I have gotten my PP cycle back with those pads I do a rinse/spin and then throw in regular wash.  And that's another reason I like Party in My Pants is because they are so super thin!  Even the Queen PP ones are incredibly thin.

countrycotton

I'm about to order the free sample from pimp. And with cloth diapers I should probably know this, but what is the differance between cotton and flannel?

abby8279

countrycotton said:

I'm about to order the free sample from pimp. And with cloth diapers I should probably know this, but what is the differance between cotton and flannel?

Also cotton is cooler than flannel.

ETA: Not cooler as in more hip.  Cooler meaning flannel tends to be warmer b/c it holds the heat in more.

countrycotton

Thanks. I like soft and cool.

nicole336

I love cloth pads and my diva cup. I like luna pads and imse vimse.

SkyBee

wrightpalomo said:

I highly recommend the Diva Cup. It is not a pad but omg it is amazing! And you hardly create any waste because the thing lasts forever.

ETA: didn't read your due date in your siggy.... Diva Cup will be great later on!

I second the diva cup!