To despise breast pads to my very core

[Justasconfusedwithnumber2]

What the hell. Second baby, leaky boobs but breast pads are the absolute worst. The reusable ones are sodden by 3am so I wake up damp. The lansinoh ones in the day scrunch up during day feeds so when I clip up my bra I have a sticky sausage in my bra which I then have to try and discretely unravel which in a coffee shop is far from discreet or graceful. Oh and the delight when the adhesive sticks to your nipple. Am I just inept or is this the worst bit of breastfeeding (difficulties, mastitis etc aside)

I realise this is actually just a rant... Sorry

I'm with you. First baby and I'm so sick of leaky boobs. She's only 3 weeks and I'm hoping at some point it'll stop. I have to say I've found the reusable ones more absorbent than the lansinoh ones but when using those I don't bother with the sticky bits I just wedge them in

I had huge oversupply with my first and no pad could cope with it. People will say use the little lamb ones but I found they move about too much and get soaked in an hour or so. In the end, at night, I ended up using a sleep bra that was more of a boob tube with straps and used two triple ply bamboo nappy boosters in my bra which stopped me waking up in a puddle

Do you take them out while feeding? I just don't get how I seem to end up having to stuff and wriggl my bra after every feed. Other mums don't seem to have to rearrange everything after a feed

I'm with you. I've given in and just leak at night. Even the reusable ones are pants at night. Sticky nipple is the worst

Sounds horrible but use sanitary towels. Sticks inside your bra, shouldn't move much and generally take more liquid. 🙈

I actually cut sanitary pads in half during the leakiest time and but one half in each bra cup. Was so fed up.

I had reusable bamboo ones that's just go in the wash. Life savers!

@Jessie9323 I use the reusable bamboo ones at night but I could wring them out by the early hours and they stay so damp I get paranoid about thrush

Hmm OK maybe I should try sanitary pads. It's so difficult to be discreet. I'm not paranoid in public but no one wants to see me rearranging my boobs while I balance my baby in one arm

The bamboo ones are ace but take about ten washes to get up to full absorbency.

I used so many different types but these are still in use and my son is 11 months old!

They contributed to me deciding to stop BFing.

I had a very good supply which like you just waterlogged “normal” breast pads after a fairly short period of time. I HATED how they rolled up and dislodged every time I fed and overnight was a joke, I had to sleep on a towel. I constantly stank of milk and felt unclean, and showering didn’t help because it stimulated my let down and I just ended up drenched again!

It does get slightly better, but no one ever tells you how messy BFing is. I did it for four months and eight months on from quitting I can still squirt milk, but at least my bras are dry!

Reusable honestly are so much better! And it was a bit gross but I just didn't wear anything at night so didn't have to worry about damp boobs. Lots of washing though!

Uh, yes. Massive oversupply.

-reusable breast pads better than disposable
-changed pads regularly in day and after each feed at night
-slept in nursing bra and on towels!

I ended up with Tommy Tippee ones and would have to double up at night. During the day I just lived with the fact they would ride down. Once I'd finished a feed I'd reclip my bra, put my wee one somewhere safe or ask a friend to hold them then sort the pad out.

Also used to put breast shells in around 5am as nothing was absorbent enough from that point on. As a bonus the shells collected the milk so I'd have a head start on expressing.

I remember someone saying to me that they never had to use them and I was almost furious as I had to use them day and night. The worst bit for me was trying to work out where I’d subtly put them while feeding in public, was eternally worried it’d be stuck to my leg

I second reusable but I had a period when I wet through everything and the pads were a desperate move 😉

Oh gosh YANBU OP, the rearranging and the dreaded ‘I think you’ve dropped something’ when before even glancing round you know it’s the aforementioned smelly, half rolled up sodden disc. I also used those bamboo ones.

I remember overnight having to use a menstrual pad cut in half to soak it all up. Daytine not so bad, but Ds1 would hang onto the pad and put it on his head like a hat when I fed him, he'd growl at me if I tried to take it before he was finished eating.

The lansinoh were by far the best for me. I leaked loads in anything else. They are still annoying. I detested that constant damp feeling. It didn't last that long in the grand scheme of things, but yanbu to be fed up of it!

The Tomee ones were good but that's over ten years ago. A night bra is a must. It does pass eventually.

A long time ago for me but I do remember that when out and about I used to use two at once - a reusuable one and a disposable for each breast. When feeding at home I used a breast shield and was always amazed how much milk came from the non feeding side! After three feeds I had enough for a bottle instead of expressing.

The reusable ones need a few washed to get to full absorbency but I still found I needed to change to fresh ones with every overnight feeds. I’d often (even overnight) put a medela shell in the other side while feeding to take a bit off - and at the beginning no pads could deal with the let down / leakage while I was feeding.
I got good at juggling baby, muslin to deal with leaks / spluttering and a shell on the other side while feeding out and about but couldn’t complain because the rest of my NCT group were worrying about undersupply.

Lansinoh pads for me - they’re great! But I don’t put them in a bra (I find they don’t stick that well and roll up etc) I stick them in a nursing vest and just wear that instead of a bra. Works so much better. Appreciate that’s not an option if you have massive boobs though...

Try lilypadz (can get them from amazon) They are silicone moulds that stop the leaking. Total game changer for me. Good luck.