Breast Pads

I bought lasinoh pads and did not like them at all. You could tell I was wearing them as they left a circle impression through my shirts. They were not big enough for my breasts and constantly moved. They washed fine though.

The best breat pads ever are from Baby works catalogue and they are made of wool. I have breast fed three children a total of 6 years and have tried many pads. Good luck. Miriam

hi M.
i used re-usable cloth breast pads from Kohls, i loved them, they were soft and comfortable, i also leaked a lot b/c i got HUGE...i nearly tripled in breast size at prego time for me! :) i think you can get a 2pack for $10?...been a while but im guessing they still have them!
S.

I used the non-disposable ones, but mostly around the house. They were easy to clean, but the dispoable ones were easier for being out, b/c you could just toss them out and replace them. I didn't leak very much, and I only used them for the first couple of months. If you go through a lot of the disposable pads, it will probably be easier/cheaper to use the reusable pads. I just washed them with woolite in the sink.

I leak a lot too, even six months in to breastfeeding :), especially at night. Like another poster, I use the cloth ones around the house. I just change them periodically and it usually does it's job. I find them very comfortable and I feel like things breathe more, because they are thinner. For me, they are also less noticeable through my clothes, because they are so much thinner. But she's right, the disposable ones do hold more milk, so I try to use those when I am out and about.

If you leak a lot, you'd probably be better off sticking to disposable. They cover more area, don't slip out of place as easily, don't show up as lumpy under your shirts, and absorb WAY more milk without leaking. I used two different kinds of washable nursing pads the first time around and always ended up with a wet shirt (which is SO gross!). Lansinoh brand disposable nursing pads are my favorite. I've tried a few kinds, but the others chafed more.

I used the non-disposable ones when my son was nursing 7 years ago. Can't remember the brand, but I want to say Medela. They looked a whole lot better with your shirt on than the disposable as they were contoured. I think they had a lot of cotton so they did breathe.
Jen D.-Frisco

My cousin had 2 daughters and I have one and we make washable ones with pure cotton mattress pads we found at garage sales. We used a tea cup for the circle pattern and a serger to serge around the edges. Toss them in a plastic lined basket near where you nurse and wash them with the diapers or baby clothes, etc.

I actualyy liked the nondisposable better. At first I would go through many sets a day, but it slowed down and really like them.

I used cloth breast pads them with my first child, and now with my second. I leak a lot, but found that they work wonderfully for my needs. Sometimes I wear 2 pads stacked on days where I leak more than normal.

There is no plastic backing, so if you fill the pads, you may still have damp spots on your shirt, but if you stop and change them when they start getting damp, you shouldn't have a problem.

I ended up throwing mine away. I was leaking too much and after several washings the milk would soak through the "waterproof" part. I also had problems with the pad filling up and the milk dribbling out the bottom of the pad onto my clothes. It wasn't worth the investment for me.

I did love the Lily Pads.

L.

I saw at least one response about Lily Padz--They are wonderful and easy to use...I used them with my 6 year old and now I am using them with my 4 month old. They have improved in the last few years. The only catch is they might have improved a little too much! My suggestion is to stay hydrated and keep your skin moisturized if you use them, because they adhere really well and if your skin gets too dry, they can make your skin peel a little. Note that I still use them everyday--I actually have two sets of them so I can keep them clean and fresh. I recommend using disposables occasionally at home just so your nipples can breathe. You can get them for around $20 at The Nesting Place in Grapevine.
Good luck and God Bless!!

I found the cotton ones were MORE breathable, but also more likely to leak. I used them exclusively at night or if staying around the house, etc. since they were washable and saved money and were the "greener" option. However, for work, I stuck with the disposable ones since, as the breastfeeding resource center had warned me, they were more absorbent and less likely to leak. When you look for non-disposable ones, notice they come in different sizes (by brand). If you are really large, as I was, it may behoove you to get the larger brand.

I only ever used the non-disposable ones - the disposable ones stick and don't breathe! I leaked a LOT. The ones I used were flannel and I never leaked through them. They were soft and I never had any problems with them at all. At night I would have to use a cloth diaper in a sports bra to control the leaking for the first couple of months.

I have some that I got from someone when I was pregnant with my first and I really liked them. The only bad thing is you have to wash them pretty often and with two kids it is hard to find time to always be doing laundry! I didn't really see a difference with the non disposable, they were comfortable and worked great!

I definitely prefer the cloth ones. If you leak a lot and it doesn't show through your shirt, maybe you could put the cloth closest to your skin and then a disposable as a back up for when you're out. Sounds bulky, but maybe it might work if you're wearing the right kind of top? I've always had a hard time with breast pads!

I made my own from pre-folded cloth diapers. I cut circles 3 across and zig-zagged them together on the sewing machine. Nothing else worked for me; I was like a fountain.

I used the Lily Padz, a reusable silicone nipple cover. It was a God send! You just boil them and they are clean and ready to use over again. They self stick to you. You press your finger in the middle of the cover, press it over your nipple, and then smooth it over the breast. I rarely had any leakage problems, even at night. If I did leak, it was because I had not cleaned them. You can get them in many stores and on line. I never wanted to use those nasty cotton ones. I didn't want to have a stale milk smell or spots when the pad got wet.

I tried both and found that my skin and nipples were more irritated by having the cloth ones against them than the disposable ones. I liked ONLY the Lansinoh brand disposables. They were so much softer than Medela and Avent. I hated Avent and the cloth ones because you could see them through my shirt.

I have heard good things about the Lily padz... never tried them though

I am a first time mom, my son is 7 weeks old. I got a pair of cotton pads at my shower which i did not register for. They have been awesome! I highly recommend them. They even came in a little mesh bag for when you wash them so you won't lose them. They are very comfortable, I think more so than the disposable. They are sold right next to the disposable ones in Babies R Us or Target.

I didn't check to see how many responses you had already so I'm really sorry if I'm just repeating everyone else :) I tried the reusable breastpads and I leaked through them constantly (they were the cloth ones). I even doubled up and that didn't work either. My sister in law told me about some silicon ones I think, they are claled "lily padz". She told me where to get them from but I can't remember. You can google it though of course :) She said that actually stop you from leaking at all. The pad puts just enough pressure on the nipple to where you don't leak and it conforms to your breast. I haven't tried them yet but they sound awesome. Hope this helped!

After I had my baby I tried disposable pads once and couldn't wear them. I loved reusable pads. There are so many choices, though. I tried three different types that I liked for different reasons. I found that the larger they were the less likely they were to show circle lines through my clothes.

Another vote for Lily Padz!! I loved them, but would recomend only using them part time. I ended up w/ several clogged milk ducts and my ob thought it was from not being able to "drain" properly. So I used them during the day and used my cloth/flannel ones at night, this helped w/ the clogged duct issue. I have found many different people selling really nice reusable cloth breast pads on ebay and diaperswappers (they might even make extra thick ones, worth a try). I also agree to the larger is better post!! Good luck!! I have nursed each of our 4 children and would not trade the experience for anything!!

I use the Lily Pads and they are ok....however if you leak alot I dont know that they would work for you because they just hold the milk and it tends to leak out of the bottom, I dont leak much so they worked ok for me. The only other thing that I didnt care for is if you leak a little by the end of the day they smell musty and soured and I have a sensitive nose so that was all I could smell. I know that your supposed to wash them everyday but after every feeding is just not practical for me. I just stuck with the cotton disposable ones by Johnson & Johnson. Hope this helps.

if you already leak alot...do not use the gerber washable ones...I didn't leak that much but still had issues with these...I preferred the Johnson and Johnson disposable ones.

I was VERY leaky too. I tried the non-disposable medela pads you can get at Target and the did NOT work for me. For one thing, that don't have anything to adhere to your bra, so they shift around and get out of place. Plus they didn't seem nearly as absorbent as the disposable ones. I tried them for a few days and ended up going back to the disposables.

I leaked a LOT when breastfeeding. I only ever tried the cloth washable pads - mine had plastic or something on one side so supposedly you wouldn't leak through. They were awful!! They would be soaking wet and, of course, get my shirt wet, slide around ... you name it. So, I always used disposable pads. However, I have had four children now. I am just getting to the end of nursing the youngest. Had I known about the way Lily Padz work, according to the posts before mine, I would have gotten some!!!

Good luck!

I see you have lots of response, but I wanted to you know that I LOVED using Lily Pads when I nursed by 2 babies. I used the cotton ones at night and LP during the day. Give them a try!