Maternity Pads!!

pushkii · 25-06-2012 2:32pm #1

Hi girls!!
Im just getting ready to pack my hospital bag and Id love to hear your opinions on the best maternity pads to get. Is there ones with wings available?
Thanks

cyning · 25-06-2012 2:50pm

pushkii wrote: »

Hi girls!!
Im just getting ready to pack my hospital bag and Id love to hear your opinions on the best maternity pads to get. Is there ones with wings available?
Thanks

Mothercare have them... they're the ones I got anyway. As to if they're any good: no clue for another fortnight I'd say

implausible · 25-06-2012 3:25pm

I never bought any special maternity pads, pads designed for really heavy periods are perfect for the job. If the black Kotex ones are good enough for the hospital I attended, that's a recommendation!

DollyB · 25-06-2012 3:27pm

The BV ones can be got in most chemists they look good

optogirl · 25-06-2012 3:49pm

Maternity pads are terrible - reminded me of the old Dr Whites - you are better off with ALWAYS with wings.

How Strange · 25-06-2012 3:53pm

You want the hospital grade ones, which are green, for the first few days. Most pharmacies stock them. I found the boots ones rubbish. After the first few days you can use ordinary sanitary towels.

highly1111 · 25-06-2012 4:00pm

Can only speak for Holles st but they provide all pads first few days. They sent me home with a pack with my 2 deliveries too. I just asked for them. By then it had eased off enough to use the always nighttime and I'd double up if things got bad. Was rare though - you'd just change them more frequently.

Squiggler · 25-06-2012 4:07pm

I got the green hospital grade ones in a pharmacy on Talbot St, they were great, and necessary for the first week or so. Once things eased off a bit I used normal pads, but I preferred the maternity pads, they were softer and less irritating than others. When you're wearing them all day every day for 6 weeks it makes a big difference.

0ctober · 25-06-2012 5:52pm

Are those green ones you get in the pharmacy the "Tena" brand? They seem to be the only ones my pharmacy has.

How Strange · 25-06-2012 6:07pm

No these are the hospital standard ones. They usually have them behind the counter so ask your pharmacist.

0ctober · 25-06-2012 6:17pm

How Strange wrote: »

No these are the hospital standard ones. They usually have them behind the counter so ask your pharmacist.

Ok great thanks. How many packets do you need? Sorry clueless first timer! :P

Betsie_xr3i · 25-06-2012 6:25pm

i got some of the tesco ones and i also bought some of the night always (blue packet) my cousin said she used them, guess we will find out soon enough

xzanti · 25-06-2012 6:31pm

How Strange wrote: »

You want the hospital grade ones, which are green, for the first few days. Most pharmacies stock them. I found the boots ones rubbish. After the first few days you can use ordinary sanitary towels.

+1 for this, they're huge, they look like you could comfortably sleep on them :pac: but that's what you want tbh.. You will bleed A LOT!!

I went through a full pack of these within a couple of days after having my C Section..

DollyB · 25-06-2012 6:32pm

http://www.google.ie/imgres?um=1&hl=en&rlz=1C1PRFB_enIE460IE461&biw=1241&bih=593&tbm=isch&tbnid=qCBTqHB8xCNO1M:&imgrefurl=http://www.flemingmedical.ie/epages/FlemingMedical.sf/en_IE/%3FObjectPath%3D/Shops/FlemingMedical/Products/BA486-001&docid=9Hx3H5kjyZbS1M&imgurl=http://www.flemingmedical.ie/WebRoot/Store/Shops/FlemingMedical/4F8E/D4C2/BAB2/52FE/DBA0/D5AB/DDB4/E0B9/BA486-001.jpg&w=650&h=650&ei=KK7oT66qA42XhQf3-LzbCQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=117&vpy=128&dur=6646&hovh=225&hovw=225&tx=158&ty=95&sig=105007835241656057340&page=1&tbnh=122&tbnw=139&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0,i:67

These are the "green ones" the BV ones.

How Strange · 25-06-2012 7:34pm

I'd buy 5 packs because it'll save you having to go get more. I'd rather have too many than not enough. I used 3 at a time at the start. It's not as icky as you might think but you are bleeding a lot and you don't want to leak.

Also I don't think the coombe gave them out for free.

cyning · 25-06-2012 7:36pm

How Strange wrote: »

I'd buy 5 packs because it'll save you having to go get more. I'd rather have too many than not enough. I used 3 at a time at the start. It's not as icky as you might think but you are bleeding a lot and you don't want to leak.

Also I don't think the coombe gave them out for free.

:eek: Oh. God.

I must go buy more I think.

Sittingpretty · 26-06-2012 5:30am

I'd err on the side of too many. I bought the ultra thin tesco ones and the night time regular towels. Useless! Was totally unprepared for the bleeding and regular ones in my experience didn't cut the mustard at all.
Hospital grade ones all the way for softness and the absorbency required for post delivery bleeding. Don't think they come with wings but honestly, you won't care once they are soft and comfortable and won't leak!

Ginny · 26-06-2012 8:32am

I got some Mothercare ones, and some Tena night time ones for the first week or so, the Tena are bigger but not as bulky, they're a lot wider too.

kildareash · 26-06-2012 12:07pm

Definately bring two or three packs with you to hospital. I bought one pack of tesco maternity pads with me, and even tho I didn't have a huge amount of blood loss or anything you just want to freshen it up very regularly. I had a second pack at home, but I Cldnt even give himself an indication of where they might be!
I used the hospital green ones for the first few days because they were nice and padded and when my own ran out. I felt my stitches had a bit more protection.

Apparently in the states you can get pads with witch hazel already on them. Maybe someone might know if they r available here or not

Mink · 26-06-2012 12:09pm

Hospital grade ones it is then!! Good to hear people's experience of it.

Is it mothercare you get them?

holidaygirl · 26-06-2012 12:20pm

I've never seen them in Mothercare, just there own brand one's most chemist stock them, I got them online form. I had an emergency section of my first and found them great for an extra bit of padding over the scar area. http://www.buy4now.ie/sammccauley/aspx/shopping.aspx?loc=C&catid=8.20

Ms2011 · 26-06-2012 4:03pm

I used the Boots ones & found them fine, I only needed 2 packs then I used normal Always towel.

Little My · 26-06-2012 4:11pm

The doctor in Galway hospital recommended not to use ones with plastic backing / adhesive as you need ones that breathe. Also was suggested that adhesive can catch on stitches.

Chances are, you will need way more than you think you need. Make sure your partner / husband / friends knows where to get them.

I bled for *ages* and found the green ones were the only ones you begin with, even the size of them provided a level of padding and comfort when sitting. Moved on to Tesco maternity pads as they were the only ones without wings. I hate wings.

Fran79 · 26-06-2012 5:42pm

Reading here I got away very lightly (no pun intended).

I think I only used 2 packs of tesco own brand after my first son. Admittedly I didn't have any stitches so perhaps that made a difference?

Xdancer · 26-06-2012 6:32pm

Fran79 wrote: »

Reading here I got away very lightly (no pun intended).

I think I only used 2 packs of tesco own brand after my first son. Admittedly I didn't have any stitches so perhaps that made a difference?

Same here. While in hospital I was given all the pads I needed, then used a pack and a half of the maternity pads I got from the pharmacy. Bled for 2 weeks and it was fairly light when I left the hospital 2 days after giving birth.
I had a load of stitches so I don't think that makes a difference

pushkii · 26-06-2012 9:30pm

Thanks girls, i got tena pull up nappy type things and a few tesco ones but by the sounds of it the hospital green ones seem to be the best. Think ill get a pack of them too :-)

cch · 28-06-2012 10:35am

pushkii wrote: »

tena pull up nappy type things

What on earth are these?!
Another vote here for the big green hospital pads, a little bit of padding when sitting on stitches, ah... Boots ones were useless

Squiggler · 28-06-2012 11:06am

pushkii wrote: »

tena pull up nappy type things

Incontinence pants (aka adult nappies)? I don't think those would be good at all, I felt much more comfortable with breatheable cotton pants and the BV pads.

Found the Tesco ones ok but everything else that I tried was uncomfortable. Then again, I get 'irritation' from a lot of the popular brands so I'm maybe an extreme case.

I also used washable organic cotton pads and found them great, but I realise that not everyone would be comfortable using them.

pushkii · 28-06-2012 1:06pm

I only got those nappy things as they were half price and they would do for immediately after delivery. Won't have to worry about the pads moving.

Moonbeam · 28-06-2012 1:08pm

The mother Care aloe Vera ones are comfortable,I hated the green hospital ones.
Kotex/always will be useless.
Also buying the paper knickers is worth it for the 1st few days too.

implausible · 28-06-2012 3:02pm

God, I must have been lucky:eek: After both my deliveries (one section, one natural with stitches), the black kotex ones were grand. Admittedly, straight after delivery I had to wear two but I wasn't going anywhere anyway! The only pads I saw in my hospital were the kotex!

I never used the paper knickers either - just got the cheapest ones in Penneys and dumped them. I sent my mother-in-law out for more and she came back with 25 pairs! (They were €2 for 5). I got use out of them for number two!

Ayla · 28-06-2012 3:09pm

I think I got away lightly as well then - at most I think I went through 2 packs of the extra heavy Always brand w/ wings. I brought one pack w/ me to the hosp & left the other pack in a bag at home w/ spare clothes that my hubby could bring in if necessary - turned out that bag wasn't necessary.

I think I had relatively heavy bleeding for about a week, then was down to normal sanitary pads for another week or two - I really don't remember it being all that severe, but perhaps I was just lucky.

After the first day or two I also just wore my normal knickers - *hated* those paper pants & found them akward & embarassing. I was sitting cross-legged in the hosp bed from the first night & never had any leaking.

Betsie_xr3i · 28-06-2012 5:18pm

i got a few packs of the hospital ones today, flattering or what :-)

How Strange · 28-06-2012 5:42pm

I bought those paper knickers but never wore them. I got cheap granny knickers from dunnes.

midnightdream · 02-07-2012 12:41pm

Just something I found, get the thick ones! They look awfull and it feels funny, but I had 2nd degree tear and stitches and went to use Always after two days when bleeding got less, but it just hurts as there was no cushioning effect iyknwim so I went back to the thick ones (Mothercare) till stitches healed! HTH

IvyTheTerrible · 04-07-2012 9:34am

optogirl wrote: »

Maternity pads are terrible - reminded me of the old Dr Whites - you are better off with ALWAYS with wings.

TBH, in the first week, the biggest most absorbent Always pad was useless for me, I found I bled a lot and the maternity pads provided were the only things useful for me. I only went onto normal pads after a week.

MintyDoris · 21-09-2012 9:25am

Just wondering if the new batch of Mums could add their experiences?

Squiggler · 21-09-2012 10:25am

I still like the big green BV ones best, they're the most comfortable because of their breathability. Have almost run out of them so using alternatives and not liking them as much. I never really get on with conventional pads though. In recent years I took to using a menstrual cup, and washable cotton sanitary towels.

Edited to add the TMI part. Day 5 now and the flow is more pink mucous than blood, and not very heavy. Noticed that the flow was more in the first few days than last time. Think the fact that I'm breastfeeding is really helping to speed things along.

cyning · 21-09-2012 12:04pm

I used the Mothercare ones: although one of the midwives told me to get the BV ones. I really liked the mothercare ones though with the aloe vera. Although one pack of them ended up in the bin because that particular pack the wings were bent around oddly and there was sticky stuff on the pad itself and no way was that getting near my stitches!

I bled for almost 6 weeks after used the maternity ones for almost 4 weeks: after the first fortnight just at night though. Just used Always after that.

Gee_G · 21-09-2012 12:08pm

I found the tesco one's awful. I ended up getting the green one's off the hospital. You can get them in chemists and they are big but good!

iguana · 21-09-2012 2:21pm

Little My wrote: »

Also was suggested that adhesive can catch on stitches.

Good God! My vagina just shrivelled up and died as I read that!:eek:

I bought the Optimama Organic ones as sanitary towels tend to irritate me so I'm hoping that the chemical 'free' ones will help me avoid an itchy rash.

Gee_G · 21-09-2012 2:50pm

I'm sick of the whole lot of them. I'd be quite happy never seeing any sort of S.T ever ever again!

Betsie_xr3i · 21-09-2012 3:57pm

i agree Gee G

i used the lovely green hospital ones for the 1st 2 weeks and im using the tesco maternity ones now or the black kotex ones, i was told by phn as i had alot of stitches not to use always as they have been know to rip stitches, and i have a few packs of them here that i had pre bought, ah they wont go astray i suppose

Betsie_xr3i · 21-09-2012 3:57pm

i agree Gee G

i used the lovely green hospital ones for the 1st 2 weeks and im using the tesco maternity ones now or the black kotex ones, i was told by phn as i had alot of stitches not to use always as they have been know to rip stitches, and i have a few packs of them here that i had pre bought, ah they wont go astray i suppose

Ginny · 22-09-2012 11:25pm

Just in case anyone hasn't mentioned it the green proper maternity pads have no sticky backing on them. Used the Tena night pads for the heaviest flow straight after birth, they were ridiculously cushiony and really made a difference. When the flow got light enough I used the boots own pads and the always night. I'd highly recommend the Tena night pads for that extra comfort level if you get stitches.

IvyTheTerrible · 23-09-2012 7:47am

Oh yes something I forgot to mention, apart from Always not being absorbent enough at the start, even after that, I found them too "plasticky", irritating to the stitches, and also I always felt "clammy" using those pads. I had to use a completely different brand. (Vania, don't know if it exists in Ireland)

Maternity Pads!!

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