Pads make me itch?

[misspriss]

Okay, so I bought Depends and a bunch of pesticide/bleach/fragrance free pads for post-partum, L. Brand from Target.

I've used the pads a few times for regular discharge, day after sex, hemorrhoid treatments EPO internally, etc - so I've used a few, right? Well I just determined it was the pads giving me this terrible irritation in the perineal and lower buttocks region, even when just used for a few hours. I had though it was the hemorrhoid cream, but it turns out is the pads.

I don't want to spend a whole bunch of money on more pads if more pads are just going to give me issues. I have the depends I guess I need to try a pair of those and see if they give me issues too. I may try one other brand of pads that I've used before, but....

But I'm terrified I'm going to be bleeding and a mess and dealing with terrible itchy rash! I thought perhaps I could do cloth (already doing cloth diapers), but post-partum cloth is so expensive, and I don't have time to make it myself. I also thought about just getting some preemie prefolds and using those, they are inexpensive enough....I'm kind of freaking out here! Also considering they may not make it in time as I'm thinking I could go into labor at any moment now.

I never use pads for AF, never. So I'm kind of at a loss.

 

[thexfadingpat]

I wonder if putting a fleece liner (or even a disposable cloth diaper liner) over the pad would work?

 

[xdxxtx]

I am very surprised you're reacting with those! I've never tried them myself, but there's nothing in them to react to! Are they leaving moisture on your skin, possibly? I could see that causing a rash. Or even them making you TOO dry. That's been known to happen. I get extremely itchy with most brands. For postpartum use, I buy Assurance brand from a Walmart. As much as I hate Walmart, I've never gotten any kind of irritation from these pads. I'm not sure what garbage is in them, but I don't use pads for anything else, either, so I figure I'll be okay to use them for a couple of weeks postpartum. They're made for inconinence, not periods, but it's the only kind I use because they make HUGE pads that cover everything for postpartum use, and like I said, they don't irritate my extremely sensitive skin. I can't even use lotions on my skin without breaking out, so I do feel your pain here. I'm very disappointed to hear that the L. Organics brand didn't work out for you! I hope you find a brand that does. I'd hate to tell you to go and buy a bunch of different brands, but when you've got sensitive skin, sometimes we need to.

Oh, and I don't react to Depends because I always put a pad over top (actually, several. I'm a real bleeder.) They tend to have some kind of fragrance, so I wouldn't use them without anything over them. Even some old cut up tee shirts just to use as a barrier should suffice if you have any old clothes that could be trash anyway.

 

[misspriss]

Well I tried a Depends today, no problems but my irritated areas are slathered in butt paste, so pretty protected lol!

I picked up Always pads as I have used those in the past.

 

[misspriss]

I tried a Depends to see if it irritated, but the reason I had them on was because I had butt paste to help the rash, only thing I found that cures it. But it also protects, so it may disguise if a rash would occur or not.

With DD, I used hospital pads, Stayfree NOT ultra thin, and Always infinity.

Stayfree has added a scent to theirs, so not for me this time. I got the Always NOT ultra thin overnight Maxi for at first (I like the feeling of a closer fitting pad when flow is heavy), and the infinity in 3 Extra heavy (5 extra heavy overnight, 4 regular overnight, 3 extra heavy day, 2 heavy day, 1 regular day) for days after the first couple (I'll wear hospital or overnight pads the first day or two) and for nights when the flow is lower (they have a bigger back like overnights) and in 2 just regular heavy for days as things ligthen up. I had used level 1 for lighter days with DD, but I figured level 2 would cover more bases...

Anyway, I'm going to try out one of the infinity and one non-ultra thin before the big bleed to make sure they don't irritate me. I have the receipt for these and I am not afraid to take them back and say they irritated me/gave me a rash. I just bought the L. ones so long ago I don't have the receipt and I'm sure it's been too long.

I've also considered cutting up some old t-shirts as a liner. We use disposable liners for DD's cloth diapers for poop and we just ran out, maybe I should chop up some old t-shirts and try that for her too....so we can wash and reuse after pee.

ETA: Chopped up a 2xl tshirt for diaper liners for DD, got a whole lot from a 2xl, 4 from sleeves, 12 from the body I think, which is good. That is about how many changes we have for her for laundry every 2 days, so we may not even need to do another. We'll try them out. If I am still getting irritation even with the change in pad brands, I'll just do something like that.

 

[dairymomma]

I LOVE the Always Infinity pads and I have extremely sensitive skin. They are the only pads I can use over the course of a period and not get itchy, rashy, and just plain miserable. I used them post-partum with LO and they worked really well once my bleeding slowed enough that I could stop wearing those huge diaper-like pads they give you at the hospital.

Just make sure you get the unscented Infinity pads. I made the mistake of not paying attention to what I bought once and I got scented ones. I had to throw out almost the whole box because the scent not only was so overpoweringly floral that I made me cough just unwrapping the pad but it made it itch so bad down below that I had to change the pad a half hour after putting it on.

 

[misspriss]

I LOVE the Always Infinity pads and I have extremely sensitive skin. They are the only pads I can use over the course of a period and not get itchy, rashy, and just plain miserable. I used them post-partum with LO and they worked really well once my bleeding slowed enough that I could stop wearing those huge diaper-like pads they give you at the hospital.

Just make sure you get the unscented Infinity pads. I made the mistake of not paying attention to what I bought once and I got scented ones. I had to throw out almost the whole box because the scent not only was so overpoweringly floral that I made me cough just unwrapping the pad but it made it itch so bad down below that I had to change the pad a half hour after putting it on.

Glad to hear that, worst case scenario I might have to take back the NOT ultra thin overnight pads and exchange them for the infinity. I know I used the infinity last birth and had no issues. Hope that is the case.

They didn't say scented or unscented, but the "radiant" ones said "light scent", so I assumed the lack of scent indicator on the outside of the package meant they were unscented. I literally spent like a half hour trying to decide which combination of pads I wanted....

 

[misspriss]

Well, I'm trying out Always Infinity level 3 pad because something happened....I was sitting in bed with just underwear on resting this afternoon. Got up to go get a package the mail brought, and came back and there was a wet spot where I was sitting. I smelled it...apparently it was pee. Yep. Leaked a bit of pee on the bed. Woo. At least, I'm pretty sure it was pee, if not it was a whole lot of wetness for fluid, IYKWIM. And I know what my normal discharge smells like, this smelled like pee.

I could not remember laughing or sneezing or anything. Guess that's 37.5 weeks on a 3rd pregnancy for ya, lol. Isn't pregnancy glamorous?

I packed up all the L pads, I had opened both the regular and the super and put in my hospital bags. If the Always work, I'm going to see if it's within 90 days to exchange for Always brand instead. One can hope.

And the sad part is, I just got DH to change the sheets out last night. There is no way my pregnant bum can wrestle sheets on a king size bed right now. I did the kids double/full and it was a hassle, but that fitted sheet on the king? Yeah DH is doing that. So now they are in the wash...again. LOL.

 

[dairymomma]

You are right on the Radiant Always Infinity being scented and the others not.

And I would like to know who thought the 'lightly' meant 'let us douse these things in floral perfume that makes me think of my grandmother'... When one opens the packet and your OH-who is sitting in the living room and can smell it thru a closed door-asks what kind air freshener you just used, it's def NOT 'lightly scented'...

 

[misspriss]

Well so far no rash from the infinity pads, they are really soft compared to how I remember them too, probably constant improvement of their starship product.

They actually have holes in them too, like I can see my navy undies, so I guess they are breathable?