For a woman giving birth is one of the miraculous events that they experience.
There is usually a lot of excitement and jubilation, accompanied by the birth of a young one. However, there usually is an aftermath of the woman’s body after giving birth.
How many nursing pads do you need?
As a woman, you will need nursing pads so that you don’t mess your clothes. Depending on the person one may need between six to ten nursing pads in a day.
Do I Need to Wear Nursing Pads all the Time?
This is determined by factors such as;
How much milk your breasts are producing. Different women have different quantities of milk that their bodies produce. If you are one of the people who have a lot of milk, then you may need to wear nursing pads all the time to avoid staining your clothes.
If you have to go out all the time, if you have to back to work immediately after birth, then you may be forced to wear nursing pads all the time.
Even though the people around you may acknowledge that you gave birth, it would be embarrassing to have your tops wet with milk. This can affect the confidence you have to do your job well. Such factors will propel you to either wear them all the time or not.
Are Reusable Pads Worth it?
There are two types of nursing pads that a woman can use after giving birth. You can choose between the disposable and reusable nursing pads. Both of them have advantages and disadvantages.
Some of the advantages of using reusable pads are;
- It is economical – this is an excellent option for saving money. You don’t have to keep buying the nursing pads all the time.
- It is excellent for planet earth – with disposables nursing pads you keep throwing them away, and in turn, the earth ends up having a lot of trash that is not only toxic to the environment but to human beings as well.
- Makes you always prepared – with reusable pads, you don’t have to worry if you are near a store to buy more or not. You can still run your errands at any time because they are in hand. Even if they are all dirty at the time that you want to leave, washing them is quite easy, then you can machine dry them, and you are good to go.
- It can be used for other babies later on – the same way you can use clothes that your firstborn wore to dress up your second child, is the same way you can use reusable nursing pads for different babies. All you need to do is to take good care of them, and they will serve you for a very long time.
Disadvantages of using reusable nursing pads
- Needs constant cleaning – after giving birth, a woman usually requires a lot of rest and time with the baby. Having to wash the nursing pads often can become a bother to her if she doesn’t have any extra help.
- Levels of milk absorption – disposable nursing pads have a sticky substance that makes it convenient to absorb more milk, unlike reusable ones. This makes reusable’s pads suitable for day time use when you can change them as many times as possible.
Since the pros outweigh the cons, then the reusable nursing pads are worth it.
Check: Is It Bad to Squeeze Colostrum Out
How Do You Use Nursing Pads?
Whether you have made a choice of using disposable or reusable breast pads, there are some steps you should follow before you put one on.
Clean your hands
Your hands should be spotless before you start this process. Remember, you may infect your nipple or pass germs on to the nursing pad, which may have adverse effects later on.
Preparing the nipple
The nipple is a very sensitive part of the body. If not well taken care of, a woman can get an infection.
You should ensure that the nipple and the surrounding area are dry. Nipple cream can come in handy if the nipple is irritated. Apply some before you place the nursing pad.
Position the nipple
You can then remove the adhesive from behind the nursing pads.
If the brand you are using doesn’t have an adhesive, then place it at the center of the nipple so that it can absorb the milk well hence avoiding leakages. Putting it well will help you to maximize the usage of the pad.
Put on your bra properly
After you have positioned the nursing pad, put your bra on. Ensure that it positioned well. If it does, then you will feel comfortable with the nursing pad. If it doesn’t, adjust it until it fits in well.
Put a dry one when one gets wet
It is crucial to remove a nursing pad and put on a dry one as soon as it gets wet. If you don’t, then bacteria that thrive in moist warm places will start growing on your nipple and cause an infection.
If you find yourself in a situation where the nursing pad gets stuck, then don’t pull it off with force. That may be quite painful. Put some water on it, and the pad will come off easily.
How Many Nursing Pads Do I Need?
The number of nursing pads that one can use in a day varies from one person to another.
This depends on the amount of milk that the milk ducts are producing, but a woman should change the nursing pads at least six times in one day.
Are Nursing Pads Safe?
This is a very natural question for any woman to ask. Nobody would want to use anything that may bring harm to their baby or themselves.
The truth is when appropriately used; nursing pads are entirely safe for both mother and baby. The essential thing to observe is the high standards of hygiene.
Especially for reusable ones which need to be cleaned after every use, one needs to wash them properly and let them sundry if they can. The sun helps in killing bacteria that may cause fungal related diseases like thrush.
In case you are using the reusable nursing pads and you still end up getting a fungal growth.
For your safety, you can dispose of the pack you have and get new ones because eliminating the fungus from the cloth can be very tedious, and you may end up getting re-infected again.
Can One Wear a Nursing Pad Without a Bra?
Yes, you can. There are silicone nursing pads that can stick to the breasts directly. This can be ideal in a case where you have to dress up, and your outfit will look better without a bra.
Some of the nursing pads that you can get on Amazon include:
Bamboobies nursing pads
These are reusable nursing pads that come in different sizes. The packages have different numbers of pads inside depending on what the consumers needs.
Lansinoh nursing pads
These brands have both disposable and reusable pads. The boxes come with different quantities inside. The price typically depends on the number of nursing pads inside the box.
Lansinoh also has silicone nursing pads. With the variety that they give their clients, one will be spoilt for choice.
Johnsons nursing pads
Johnsons have disposable nursing pads convenient for today’s woman. They pride themselves in having breathable and comfortable nursing pads that easily contour on the woman’s body.
Check: How Long Can Breast Milk Sit Out Before it Goes Bad?
Conclusion
You should note that pregnant women who are almost due may wear nursing pads too. You should take your time and find a brand that works well for you, whether disposable or reusable.
Most of the women usually use the disposable nursing pads for the first few weeks after giving birth due to the amount of milk that their breasts produce and later on the move to reusable one because they are economical.
