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Pregnancy

Maternity pads or normal sanitry towels?

37 replies

memoo · 07/02/2009 16:17

Do you really need to use maternity pads or will super absorbant sanitry towels do? I seem to remember maternity pads being a bit naff

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bramblina · 07/02/2009 16:18

They are naff but apparently they do not contain some stuff which norm ones do which can give you an allergy or something? Ask your mw. There are some slim ones now, I think Boots do them

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NAB09 · 07/02/2009 16:18

Maternity pads are very thick. It depends if you prefer the ones where the blood is drained down into the towel. I have used both. get a couple of different ones and see what suits you as your blood loss may vary.

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Beccabump · 07/02/2009 16:39

To be honest I never thought I'd say it but I loved the thick maternity towels. They were very cushioning for my poor bruised and stitched bits! I took super-absorbent normal towels in to hospital and then begged hubby to go shopping 6 hours after DD was born so I could have some lovely big ones to sit on!

xxx

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MrsMattie · 07/02/2009 16:43

I got night time Always Ultra. They're big and long, but more absorbent than the old school maternity pads (they always give me thrush eventually). Mind you, I had c-sections so wasn't sore down below.

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MiaMamma · 07/02/2009 17:00

I loved Always Ultra ones too, maternity pads felt bit too thick. I had both, just bought was was on offer and cheaper, ended up not using maternity ones (but it was really hot summer, that's why Always felt bit more comfy)

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peachface · 07/02/2009 17:04

Kotex night-time are the way to go! They are long, thick, oh-so-soft and cushiony and I found them much more reliable than maternity towels!!! My midwife told me any thick night time towels are fine but not in fact to use Always in the first few days as they have the core that absorbs more than average and it's harder to guage how heavy things are IYKWIM if using the ultra absorbent ones....

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blogqueen · 07/02/2009 17:10

I bought washables for after baby was born. They were so comfortable. I had a little graze and my MW advised me not to use disposables because the chemicals and bleach can irritate a graze. I use them all the time now and little one is nearly 2!
I bought mine from Feminine Wear

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AccidentalMum · 07/02/2009 17:14

Definitely washables or torn up muslins for me after the nasty reaction I had to pads after DD1. You are basically putting plastic next to your wounds if you use Always Ultra (and have stitches of course).

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mummy2joshuarileyandbump · 07/02/2009 17:16

I used normal pads (always nightime) as i didnt get on with the maternity pads, although my SIL gave me some mothercare maternity ones which were really good.

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DanJARMouse · 07/02/2009 17:17

I used Always night time towels. I couldnt get comfy with the thick maternity ones and my flow was so heavy that it would just "sit on top" of the thick one and I would leak everywhere.

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soon2befamilyof4 · 07/02/2009 20:44

I was told that the normal towels had too many chemicals etc in?

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LullyMummaOfOne · 07/02/2009 20:49

I was told that normal towels like Always ultra were bad as they have plastic backing which doesnt let the air circulate and can cause infection. I used mothercare maternity pads, both the ultra & slim ones towards the end. I found them to be fine and very comfy. Hope you find some that agree with you

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techpep · 07/02/2009 20:51

Always night time, definitely the best, the thick maternity ones are just as useless as tesco value ones at about 7 times the cost. I loved the big, ugly, disposable knickers as well.

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bilblio · 07/02/2009 20:53

I was told to avoid the normal ones, especially Always as the plasticy top can make you sore (more sore).

I used Tesco's own maternity pads at first, it felt like I was wearing a nappy, but the cushioning was lovely. Eventually when my stitches had gone and the bleeding had eased I started using Always.

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notcitrus · 07/02/2009 22:12

Kotex Nighttime are cheap, soft and recommended by local chemist - were much nicer than the hospital maternity pads.

And stole some of MrNC's soft ancient boxers, whcih then got chopped up to use as wipes for nappy changes.

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memoo · 08/02/2009 13:09

thanks guys, the thing that I hate about maternity pads is that they don't seem as absorbant as sanitary towels. With last 2 DC I found that they leaked a bit (sorry TMI)

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trixymalixy · 08/02/2009 15:35

I liked the really thick maternity pads to begin with as they were good for cusioning my sore bits.

i moved onto thinner maternity pads and then onto the nighttime normal sanitary pads.

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PlumBumMum · 08/02/2009 15:39

I'm with becca bump and trixy maternity ones def better for sore bruised bums, mw told me something about plastics backing on ordinary ones too

I also got muslim squares and soaked in witch hazel put in fridge and placed on top of towel vv soothing

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ihavenewsockson · 08/02/2009 15:58

try the boots nightime-
they are lovely and cushioned, good absorbancy but they have no plastic on the top.

i found the always ultra kinda stuck to my stithes (sorry TMI) and were uncomfortable.

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plummed · 08/02/2009 17:18

I would definitely say thick maternity towels. I am a great fan. I used a giant always nighttime pad with a maternity one on top, just to stop leakages. But I used them for a while because of dodgy scarring, and the cushiony thickness was just so much more comfy!

Also I must recommend the cheap Tesco kind.

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soon2befamilyof4 · 08/02/2009 19:32

To be honest, I found that I had to change at least every half hour or so in the early days - so the cheaper the better. If I had expensive ones I would have been spending a fortune just on pads! I went through a good couple of packs a day for at least the first week! And the bleeding went on for 6 week and then I had my period back straight after!

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blogqueen · 09/02/2009 16:23

Imse Vimse Night time pads were brilliant for after baby was born, so comfortable
I bought them here

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georgimama · 09/02/2009 16:31

And buy some cheap granny knickers for comfort which you won't mind throwing away if there is leakage.

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Lotster · 09/02/2009 16:31

Another vote for Always Ultra nightime. Super long, super absorbant, wings, thin, they're great! Those and the Lansinoh disposable breast pads are fantastic for dealing with it all but staying comfy.

Found maternity pads soo uncomfy, plus they rustled embarrasingly when I walked!

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Nath · 12/02/2009 01:45

Try the sainsburys maternity ones, cheap and pretty comfy as maternity pads go! I was told by my MW not to use Always due to the plastic and chemicals........

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