Any tips to stop irritation from maternity pads?!

[Twitchett22]

Had maternity pads on for 4 days and they're now starting to irritate me. They're making me itchy (higher up than my stitches so not that) and I usually get it when wearing sanitary towels but when I'm coming to the end of my period. My lochia isn't light enough yet to put on small enough pads, does anyone have any tips to stop/soothe the itching and irritation?!

I’ve heard putting witch hazel on maternity pads really helps cool & soothe, maybe that could help? I’m not sure you put it on neat though, have a google!

How would you feel about trying cloth ones? I wish I'd done it post partum as I hate sanitary pads (same as you, find them itchy and hate the perfume smell!) and I've not switched and they're so much better.

I had similar itching and discomfort after a miscarriage and I ended up using organic cotton maxi pads I bought in a health food shop. They were transformative, I can't remember the brand but basically unbleached, organic, somewhat huge but such a relief.

The only thing that helped me was tea tree oil.

Reusable pads or maybe just plain cotton disposable ones, boots do them.

www.amazon.com/Tucks-Medicated-Witch-Hazel-Hemorrhoidal/dp/B000JJNUE0?tag=mumsnetforum-21

This were a total lifesaver for me! I would pop three of them spread out across the maternity pad, really soothing and also helped with healing.

Waitrose sell Natracare sanitary pads. And you can get the maternity ones on Amazon.

They are no chemicals. Only pads I wear now as allergic to most supermarket brands.

Thanks all!

Have you tried some with wings? I found they didn’t bunch as much. Mothercare sold the only ones I could find.

Sudocrem on the sore bits works a treat! Best applied after washing as a barrier cream on clean skin.

Cloth pads will make it all better.

Sudocrem worked for me

I found the super cheap Tesco value thick ones best for me. They are unscented, breathable and don't have that plastic-y weave topsheet that really irritates my bits. Just change them frequently as they aren't as leakproof as the plastic sweaty sort.

Actually yes, Natracare was the brand I used, and were wonderful

I had the exact same thing after having DD- I’ve been using a mooncup for years so just wasn’t used to wearing pads anymore.

Do you have any of the maternity mats, the ones like puppy pads? You could put those down and go knickerless under a nightie, I found that helped. And a thin layer of sudocreme where it was really rubbing.

I’ve learnt my lesson and will be buying cloth pads when it comes to DC2!

Yeah i was thinking about sudocrem, I'll give it a go tonight. Its only really the end of the day it startsto irritate, i do feel like it just needs fresh air so getting some mats and leaving my knickers off for a bit sounds good.
I've been using the boots maternity pads, they don't feel too plasticy and they're nice and soft, I'll see how i go with the other bits and try cotton if not (hoping it won't be worth me buying any more as lochia will slow down soon fingers crossed)
Thanks for all the replies, glad it's not just me!

Those of you who used cloth? Which did you use that were absorbent enough for post partum flow? And did you use them again for a normal period or are they too absorbent/ big?