Nursing pads stink!

I remember leaking through my shirt on my first day back to work from maternity leave. I was "training" myself to pump at the scheduled times, and thirty minutes before I was penciled in to the lactation room at work, I felt a cool breeze on my nipples. The breeze that can only happen when your shirt is wet.

After that incident (which wasn't a huge deal because it was winter and I could put on a sweater... and I only live six blocks from work), I tried very hard not to be self-conscious about the outline of breastpads. So instead of freaking out that people could tell that I was wearing them, I was just freaking out that they would shift out of place. There's nothing funnier than getting weird looks as you're walking down the hall and, when you get into the bathroom, to realize that one pad went all cock-eyed and is now closer to your armpit.

We have a lot of women at work who pump a few times a day, and I'm sure they use beastpads. Honestly? I've never looked to check. Finally realizing that I'm totally unaware of what the women around me are doing helped me to let go a little and figure that most people probably aren't that interested in my chest.

Good luck with your search for the perfect breastpad!

Cheryl at http://redpens-diapers.blogspot.com

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A friend (who has been breastfeeding for 5 years) swears by these: http://www.lilypadz.com/index1.html

They are little thin pieces of plastic, no bulges. I was worried about infections because you don't have air flow but she says that's not a problem.

She's the kind of person who helps organize breastfeeding challenges, attends LLL meetings and is thinking about being a LLL leader so she knows her stuff. Might be worth a try.

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Yes, Lilypadz are what you need. I will order two pair next time I'm pg so I NEVER have to use those icky padded things again. You can go braless to bed with them! Best. feeling. ever. when you have been in a nursing bra 24-7 for 7 months.

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I switched to the washable cotton ones. They conformed better so they weren't really noticable under my shirt - compared to the Johnson & Johnson ones they were invisible! I threw them into a lingerie bag to wash. I was happier with them than the disposables.

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I just want to second LilyPadz. I loved mine and never had a problem with them.

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I've six kiddos and have used many, many options. Trust me, there is no perfect nursing pad. I find that the bigger, the better - in the sense that when it is big enough go under the boob enough they don't look so obvious. A good fitting bra helps too. I think that lilypadz are just about the best thing out there.

Now for a few breastfeeding pointers that you may not now and most women either don't think to share or don't know themselves. As I have Over Active Letdown Reflex I know lots of tricks to hold back the leaking. Most women do leak for the first month or so of breastfeeding, but you can "train" them not to leak at letdown. Each time you nurse your baby press firmly against your other breast nipple to prevent the milk leaking out while letdown occurs. I know, the initial thought of this is to say, "What? just hold my boob like that in public for all the world to see?!" Actually, yes, but not so obviously. Make a habit of holding your baby's hand while he nurses and gently, but firmly press your forearm against your breast while he nurses on the other side - it's not as obvious to others (men and women who don't breastfeed) what you are doing. It just looks like you are holding your baby's hand. there's other things you can do. And trust me, I understand you pain.

Rae - presently nursing at keyboard

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I completely sympathize. I was a 34D and I know my girls were noticed, especially when I went up to a 36DD. I also nursed for 14 months. I never had a day (or night) without the nursing pads. I will say that after the first few months I didn't leak much at all and probably could have risked it (I just didn't dare!). (and thankfully I've gone down to a 36C/34D again)

I used a lot of brands (sometimes I had little choice). I usually used the Target brand (contoured so not a lot of wrinkles, but a little thick and not as soft). The Target brand was similar to Johnson & Johnson.
I also liked Gerber but it was thin (like a panty liner) so not for heavy leakage, and it was also not contoured so I had to fiddle with it.
Hope this helps.

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Dear SmockLady--I think I have the same issue you have of the let down. Will DEFINITELY try your tip! Thanks for sharing!

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Nursing pads DO stink! I am using cotton rewashable types myself. I found the disposables were too sticky and not in a good way. Speaking of sticky... I tried the lilypadz but I didn't LOVE them. They were good as long as I wasn't having to nurse the baby in public. If I was in public I was forever trying to figure out where to put one while I was nursing and then it was like a contact... it was nearly invisible if you lost track of it. I almost wonder if a slightly padded nursing bra wouldn't fix the outline issue... but I haven't found such a thing yet.

Good luck sorting it out!

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I fourteenth the LilyPadz recommendation! They worked very well for me.

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Could you try a thicker bra? I have these bras that I got from Cacique (in Lane Bryant) recently; they are fairly thick with molded cups but they still look natural. I think a breast pad under one of these would be undetectable.

On the other hand, I think I have an entire box of Avent breast pads which I opened but never used. I'd be glad to mail them to you if you want to try them. Just drop me an email. :)

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I tried every nursing pad I could find.. Lansinoh, Johnson & Johnson, Target brand, Medela and these funky Japanese ones with gathers on the side. The best BEST BEST disposable nursing pads were the Medela by far. They were soft, thin and absorbed my incredibly leaky boobs like nothing. (I could've fed another baby with all my leaking... there was no way I could go padless for more than 10-15 min at a time... just looking at my baby would make me into a milk fountain)

And I tried washable pads and Lilypadz. Neither of those worked for me until my leaking subsided at about 6-8 months. And the Lilypadz provided no ventilation on hot days, so I ended up wearing those only in the pool.

You must at least try the Medela disposable pads even if you have to order them online. I made my husband go to the Women's Center in the hospital to buy them for me.. and I went through a bazillion because I also had nursing injuries.

http://kingkongdumplings.blogspot.com

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Check out the nursing pads from this WAHM: http://www.tykiediapers.com/
I love that she offers different shapes and I really think washable is the way to go.
I also recommend a lightly padded nursing bra if you can find one, just to hide the tell-tale pad-bulge a bit.
Good luck!

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Lilypadz are great but they can be a pain too.....a few times I had them loose their stick and some milk would pool up an then leak out. Not fun! I liked the Avent cotton ones too.

Also use a nice think bra. I use body by victoria bras and they ar thicker so it hides the pads well.

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I hated the disposables and quickly switched to the washable cotton type. What a find! They weren't noticeable even under my t-shirt, they "did the job", and I always carried a spare set in the diaper bag just in case. You throw them in the wash and wear over and over again, so no disposable mess and unnecessary waste. They were comfortable (I sometimes found the disposables itchy), convenient, and so much better for the environment. Give them a try!

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i also LOVED my lilypadz! LOVE them! the sleeping braless was AMAZING after 8 weeks straight of 24 hour bra wearing...

and if those don't work the medela ones are great as well. they are very thin, they have the same super absorbent material in them that diapers do so they will absorb ALOT even though they are so thin. i liked them as well.

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I've nursed 5 babies and I will have to say that I NEVER found a breast pad that worked. I slowed down after a couple of months or so, but I was always leaking to some degree, even after I stopped. I resorted to making my own. I would buy an extra bag of the ultra thin, ultra absorbent diapers and cut out large circles that would cover my whole breast and then I would get a very snug and fitted bra with a little bit of a padding so that you couldn't see the pads (or diapers in my case). Yes I my boobs looked huge, but I never leaked. This might sound crazy, but it worked. Think about how much diapers are made to hold. I hope this will help.

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i'm new here. i'm one of the lucky nonleakers. I did leak minimally the first few weeks, and like that earlier blog that said to hold your other breast while you letdown works and maybe I was able to train myself not to leak; but here's a suggestion: what about maxi pads. Nowadays, those suckers hold so much fluid, breastmilk wouldn't be any different, plus, all you would need to do is trim around the edges, and with those thick adhesive strips, who could lose?

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Hey, jen--yes, the maxis would work, at least at night (they're bumpy I imagine and noticeable). I have a whole bunch of them and no period yet so maybe I will give them a whirl!

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