Totally TMI.. but pad/undies suggestions??

[mkyerby16]

So yes this may be tmi but one of the things I'm most worried about/dreading is the bleeding after labor. No idea why, it seems like such a silly thing to fret over considering everything else we're about to go through! However my mind flashes back to my pre-pill days where my periods were horrible and whenever I wore a pad I always ended up bleeding all through my pants/onto my sheets etc... it was just a mess and not something I'm looking forward to going through again. So I haven't used pads (tampons only) since I was about 13! And as crazy as this sounds and tmi as it may be I've also only worn strictly thongs since about the same time. Anything else feels like a diaper and I despise panty lines! So as silly as it may sound I was wondering if you ladies had any recommendations for which brand/kind of pads and even undies to buy for post-labor bleeding. I read on another thread that Always brand can react with stitches... what the the what!? I feel so silly and lost. Thanks!!

 

[Ashersmomma]

I would say just cheap granny panties for the undies, and for pads, I used overnight maxi pads with DS and will do the same this time once I get home and run out of the massive pads the hospital provides.

 

[Kitteh_Kat]

I've always been a thong girl too, usually hate full panties!

I went somewhere cheap like Target and bought a week's worth of black bikini/hip huggers/etc - anything that was cheap but still reasonably cute to it wouldn't be so bad. For pads I first used the pads and mesh underwear that the hospital sent me home with, then used the thick overnight extended type pads they sell at the drug stores. Pretty sure it was the Always brand (because I had coupons), and never had a problem with my stitches. Maybe check with your medical provider?

I was so busy trying to figure out this new human that was depending on me for everything that I didn't even pay attention to the pads and underwear I normally hate. ...But I was glad to switch back to tampons and thongs after two months!

 

[Cewsbaby]

I actually hate all types of undies but I recently found some that are pretty comfy. They are the Fruit of the Loom Ladies Cotton Stretch Shorties. I found them at walmart and they dont bother me that much.

 

[bucherwurm]

I'm dreading that part, too! When I first used pads I would try and almost double up at night, and it would always feel so gross. I use a cup now and rarely even need a liner. Not looking forward to this!

 

[SurpriseBub]

I was advised by a friend to buy poise pads (ie. Urinary incontinence pads in case they don't have the same brand where you are!) ...so I have those and some night period pads (I think they might be always :s). I hope one or the other will work! I also bought some cotton granny panties- apparently higher cut is a good if you end up with a c section

 

[MeaganMackenz]

Always overnights is what I use, they're longer but not necessarily thicker. Longer prevents leaks in my opinion and have always gotten me through the heavy times and we're great with dd2

 

[Tattoo]

I bought lots of cheap cotton knickers from Primark. I think they were £1.50 for a pack of five. They're huge! They come all the way up to my bellybutton! But they were so comfy after giving birth. My tummy felt so sore and stretched after the birth, I needed something soft on it.
I used Boots maternity pads initially. They're pretty horrible, but they do the job! After about a week or so I switched to heavy flow pads, just normal period ones. I think they were Bodyform night pads. They were more comfortable and discreet than the maternity pads.

 

[laura109]

Ive got full briefs. Not at all attractive but we are not going to be flashing them off lol. Ive not missed the periods one bit either. Mine were heavy for the last year before i fell pregnant and i often leaked.

 

[MrsKChicago]

I'm seriously considering something like Depends for the worst of it, and then switching to an overnight pad. I like the idea of something that won't shift around like pads do. I really don't want to deal with extra laundry because I'm leaking. And I really hate everything about pads...

 

[Cattia]

I got cheap pants from Primark as well, and I used maternity pads at first, you can also use the incontinence ones if the bleeding is really heavy - they are HUGE but they really work! I found that some ordinary pads like always that have the dry weave top sheet were uncomfortable and ended up sticking to me so the maternity pads then cheap supermarket brands were better. I also found that once the heavy bleeding stopped, my bleeding would come and go a lot for a couple of weeks. It would stop one day then if I did too much it would come back again.

 

[amy8686]

Regarding the stitches thing, I read somewhere else that Always Infiniti does a better job of not catching on stitches, if that becomes a problem with the regular kind. You might like the Infiniti kind anyway, because they're much thinner and less diaper-like. They're what I use each month... a bit more expensive but totally worth it.

 

[Surprised26]

I had my baby last week and left the hospital wearing Always brand disposable panties. Yes, it's a diaper, but I'd rather wear them than ruin my clothes or bedding. Not like we can dtd for a while anyway, so no need to look sexy. Now 9 days post partum and I'm going to finish out the pack and switch to extra long pads. No issues with them harming my two stitches.

 

[LisaL79]

With my first, I just used the mesh underwear and gigantic pads they give you in the hospital. I think I remember still leaking when the bleeding was still heavy though.
I then switched to what I normally wear for periods which is Always overnight pads.

This time though... I just bought myself some Depends silhouettes. Yes... diapers. With how heavy I bled (which was just like the first couple of days of one of my normal periods.... plus giant clots) and having to also take care of a toddler... I don't want to have to worry about a pad shifting causing a leak.

If you don't want to go that route... type of underwear to buy... maybe some cheap boyshort types would feel less like diapers than normal granny panty types?
Definitely buy some that fit very well and won't shift around though.

 

[SurpriseBub]

Hmmm,... I might just go buy some depends! Just wondering how you size them? would they leak if you bought an L but it turns out you would better fit an M...? (Ie. If I don't get it spot on, would a little too big beat out a little too small?)

 

[Beanonorder]

I was in hospital for five days despite having a natural birth. I spent most of that time naked from the waist down. The hospital provided fantastic absorbant pads for the bed. Air is good for healing the stitches. BUT I was really lucky because my bleeding wasn't that heavy and I had no clots or anything. I had a manual placenta removal and the doctor kind of 'cleaned' me up! I mostly used overnight pads after that and had cheap maternity underwear that went over my stomach. Nothing could move so leaking wasn't an issue.
I'm kind of dreading it this time because of potentially heavy bleeding and things...

 

[misspriss]

I had a c-section and spent the next day and a half still numb (watching for pre-e), so the nurses changed my pads and cleaned me up. My regular bikini underwear sat right on my scar, so I bought some cheap full briefs a size big, they came up high but were super comfy. I used hospital pads in the hospital, but my bleeding slowed pretty quick, probably because of the section. I switched to Stayfree regular with wings (or no wings?). I prefer being able to "feel" the pad when I am heavier, and then always infinity regular when it got lighter and I was moving about more. I had really light flow for a while.

I was planning to go the depends route when I was planning my home birth! I will probably pick up a pack just in case this time..

 

[LoveMy2Boys2]

I'm with you on this whole situation.... If u can't stand GP you prob won't enjoy the gigantic mesh undies the hospital gives you... Those drove me nuts !!! I normally wear things too because I can't stand undies, I bought a pack of maternity bikini undies and plan to use those for after.... I can't stand the hospital pads either , they are super long , skinny, and like 2" thick .... They leak horribly ! I like to use Always Infinity Overnights.... I even bring those to the hospital.... The infinity are extra thin yet super absorbent.... They never bothered me, stitches are stitches.... They hurt regardless :/ so for that part I was just addicted to the numbing spray they sent me home with.... That reminds me I should stock up on some of that too lol. Lots of numbing spray!

 

[RaspberryK]

Naked on a disposal bed mat is good for the really heavy bleeding.
I loved the big pads from the he hospital and thick maternity pads with boy shorts (black) and then just pant liners after the first 10 days.
This time after the worst is over I'll be using washable cloth pads as I hate disposable ones.
Xx

 

[Wannabe Mommy]

I had a 2nd degree tear and found that pads for periods really stuck to the stitches. They have chemicals I. To help absorb the blood and draw it away from your skin so dry out the stitches and you seriously don't need anything making you more uncomfortable down there!!

I went for tesco plain black full briefs and tesco maternity pads, knickers are ugly and pads were thick but hell it was comfy and that was way more important than looks