Giving birth might be a painful experience, but once you are holding the baby in your arms, that pain is forgotten. Most of the times, women are caught up in the excitement of having that first baby and they might neglect caring for themselves in the form of postpartum supplies.
While pregnant, the blood count will rise between 30 to 50% in a women’s body and this could lead to potential postpartum bleeding.
This bleeding can be quite embarrassing and may even leave a few stains on your clothing to deal with, but this can be avoided with the best postpartum pads to keep you dry and absorb as much of the fluid/blood as possible to avoid these embarrassing situations.
| Postpartum Pads Name | Price | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Always Maxi Overnight Extra Heavy Flow With Wings | $ | 5/5 |
| Heart Felt Bamboo Reusable Cloth Menstrual Pad | $$ | 4.9/5 |
| Poise Incontinence Pads, Moderate Absorbency | $$ | 4.9/5 |
| Dutchess Cloth Menstrual Pads - Bamboo Reusable Sanitary Napkins | $$ | 4.5/5 |
| TENA Serenity Overnight Ultimate Pads | $ | 4.5/5 |
We have set out to look at postpartum pads and help you in that time of excitement to find the best pads that will help you.
But before we get to the details, there are a few things you will need to know about what postpartum bleeding is and how to choose the best best-suited pads for your needs.
Best Postpartum Pads: What You Need to Know
- What is Postpartum Bleeding?
- How to Choose the Best Postpartum Pads
1. Comfortable
2. Absorption
3. Size
4. Reusable or Disposable
5. Scent
6. Ingredients
What is Postpartum Bleeding?
The bleeding you experience after giving birth is quite similar to having a period and this can be really annoying to some women, especially if it is the first child you have and the bleeding is not expected.
Postpartum bleeding is called lochia and it is the process of the shedding the lining of the uterus. Unlike a normal period that could only last a couple of days, the uterus will start shrinking back to the prepregnancy size and this will cause it to shed most of the lining.
Since the lining is large due to the fact that it was home to your baby for 9 months, you will have a lot of lining to shed and this could drag out the shedding process.
Postpartum pads also serve the same purpose as tampons and pads during your period, but they are designed to have more absorption capabilities and they are also a little more comfortable since you will be wearing them for a longer period of time.
How to Choose the Best Postpartum Pads
While postpartum pads are a little better than period pads, they are also a little more expensive. But, to help save you the embarrassment of leakages, they are an essential part of the supplies that you should invest in after giving birth.
Since there are multiple brands to choose from, we have decided to create this list to help you choose the best pads. These features will ensure that you are protected and also get the best value for your money:
1. Comfortable
Since the pads will be worn most parts of the day, they can really become irritated if they are not comfortable. We recommend looking for pads that are soft, without causing any abrasions to help you be more comfortable during the day.
2. Absorption
The absorption properties are fundamental and they also need to be taken into account. Some pads are thinner, which might make them more comfortable, but they can only absorb a small amount of fluid.
For night times, we recommend looking for thicker pads with better absorption properties.
3. Size
Yes, postpartum pads are not all just the same size and having the ideal size will greatly play into the comfort factor. We recommend finding the ideal size as too big is not comfortable and too small will not have the best absorption properties.
4. Reusable or Disposable
While disposable might be a little cheaper in the short term, they are essentially more expensive in the long term and having the reusable pads will save you money in the long term.
However, we recommend that you use disposable as they are generally cleaner and could help you avoid infections.
5. Scent
Postpartum pads can also be scented, but it is not the best way to go. With allergic reactions common to some of these scents and additives, we suggest you choose to go the unscented route to get the best value for your money and to avoid any possible problems that might occur.
6. Ingredients
While it can be hard to find organic pads, there are a few bamboo pads on the market with all organic materials. These materials are great for keeping you protected and they will also allow you to avoid any possible problems that might occur from other pad types. We consider these six features to be the most important features that you will need to look at. While you might not always find all of them in your pads, you can try to find a combination of these features in your pads to help you get the best value for your money, provide comfort and ensure you’re always safe from any embarrassing situation. With that being said, here are the top 5 postpartum pads of 2020:
Best Postpartum Pads 2020: Our Top 5 Picks
| Postpartum Pads Name | Price | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Always Maxi Overnight Extra Heavy Flow With Wings | $ | 5/5 |
| Heart Felt Bamboo Reusable Cloth Menstrual Pad | $$ | 4.9/5 |
| Poise Incontinence Pads, Moderate Absorbency | $$ | 4.9/5 |
| Dutchess Cloth Menstrual Pads - Bamboo Reusable Sanitary Napkins | $$ | 4.5/5 |
| TENA Serenity Overnight Ultimate Pads | $ | 4.5/5 |
Always Maxi Overnight Extra Heavy Flow With Wings
In terms of menstrual protection, the Always brand is widely regarded as one of the best on the market and they have multiple top products that will keep you protected and free of leakages in almost any situation.
The Maxi Overnight Extra Heavy Flow Pads are designed with wings to make them a little more comfortable and line the entire area to keep you from leaking on your clothing.
These pads are also a little thicker than most of the other pads that you will see, which does make them ideal for overnight use.
The pads are also unscented and this might not stop any odor from getting out, but it will certainly help you to avoid any bacterial infections or even infections caused by the scented ingredients found in many other pads.
At about 15 inches long, these pads also feature an extra-large back area and will keep you protected for up to 10 hours.
The pads also feature deeper channels that will pull the fluid in and have it absorbed in a matter of seconds to help avoid that wet and mushy feeling that you might sometimes have.
While postpartum pads are generally not expensive per pack, these pads are also quite affordable per pack.
Since the average women use 22 pads per month during a menstrual cycle, these pads should be a great budget buy for the month and keep you dry and leak-free all month long. You might need to invest in a few extra packs during the postpartum period.
- Extra-large design
- Absorbs in seconds
- Really affordable
- Promotes comfort
- Unscented
Cons
- Might cause rashes from time to time
Heart Felt Bamboo Reusable Cloth Menstrual Pad
If you are looking to save a few bucks, the Heart Felt Bamboo Reusable Cloth Menstrual Pads will be the ideal way to go. These pads have been designed from organic bamboo materials and they will help to absorb most of the leakage during the postpartum period.
The pads also feature a unique charcoal color and this will certainly help to avoid any stains on the pads as well.
These pads have been designed for medium flow and they might need to be swapped several times during the day when you are suffering from postpartum bleeding. Once the process is over, you can simply wash them and use them again during your periods.
All of the materials used in the creation of these pads are organic and eco-friendly, and you will not need to worry about having them cause harm to nature.
These pads are also hypoallergenic and will not cause any allergic reactions that you might have. Since all of the materials are from nature, it should help keep you from any significant problems.
Unfortunately, thoroughly cleaning these pads can be quite a hassle and they might eventually have bacteria built up if they are not properly cleaned after every use.
These pads are a little expensive in the short term but should save you money in the long. You will also be able to choose between medium and larger flow pads and we do recommend that you keep them thoroughly cleaned after every use.
Pros
- Reusable
- Removes odors and stains
- No allergic reactions
- Eco-friendly
- Reasonably priced
Cons
- Washing them thoroughly might become a chore
Poise Incontinence Pads, Moderate Absorbency
While these pads might not be the best for immediate postpartum bleeding, they will certainly be great to have when the major bleeding has started to die down.
The Poise Incontinence pads are designed to be a little thicker than the average pad on the market, but it can only really absorb moderate flow, which might not be enough for postpartum bleeding, but luckily you will receive 66 pads per purchase that should keep you for a while.
They also feature a new and advanced absorb-loc feature that will fully absorb as much fluid as possible and keep the pad from becoming mushy and irritating when it’s wet.
These pads are also unscented and fragrance-free, they have also been tested to avoid any possible allergic reactions and they are safe for use by most women.
The only downside we found is the inability of the pads to keep you dry during the night time. Luckily, you should be up quite often with the newborn baby and this will certainly allow you to change pads more often.
We highly recommend this for the stay at home mom during the postpartum period. With more movement, these pads could fill up much faster and this could potentially cause you a few problems. If you manage to change them often enough during the day, these pads should be ideal for all women.
- Comes in large quantity
- Really cheap
- Does not cause allergic reaction
- No mushy feeling
Cons
- Not the best for the night times
Dutchess Cloth Menstrual Pads – Bamboo Reusable Sanitary Napkins
The Dutchess Cloth Menstrual Pads are the second reusable type of menstrual pads we have on the list and they are also quite similar to the first set.
These pads are a little better designed and while they have also been designed from organic materials, including eco-friendly bamboo, they do have much better absorbance and you will be able to wear them during the night times as well.
Also, they feature the darker pad color to hide the stains, and while this might hide it, it doesn’t ensure that there are no stains that can cause bacteria to arrive and eventually lead to bacterial infections and problems for you.
The pads also feature a microfleece material that has been used for the pad and this will be one of the most comfortable pads with absolutely no abrasions and rashes that you could wear.
These pads are a little expensive and you will also constantly need to wash them, which might not be very fun during the postpartum period, but we do recommend them for the longevity and the amount of money you could potentially save in the long term.
We do recommend that you have a few disposable pads on hand during the postpartum bleeding period.
- Extremely comfortable
- Great for heavy flow
- Saves you money in the long term
- Eco-friendly materials are used
Cons
- Expensive
- Must be washed thoroughly
TENA Serenity Overnight Ultimate Pads
Last but certainly not least, we have the TENA Serenity Overnight pads and they are also some of the thickest pads with the best absorption properties that you could find on the market.
The pads are also much wider and larger than the average pads, which makes them ideal for postpartum bleeding and you will not need to change them as often as the medium flow pads.
The top sheet of these pads are extremely soft and they have been specially designed to absorbed fluid in an instance, which does bode well for anyone with an active lifestyle after pregnancy. These pads do not get mushy, but you will feel when the time is near for a change.
Finally, the pads also feature a Dry-lock core and this will ensure that the fluid cannot move around and cause a feeling of fullness and discomfort while you are going about your day.
Advance pH balance has also been incorporated in these pads and this will ensure that you do not have to struggle with odors.
These pads are really underrated and they are not commonly chosen because the brand is not as well known, but we certainly do recommend these pads for the value they provide and you can be sure that you will be protected during the longer nights as well.
Pros
- Good for heavy flow and night use
- Really cheap
- Extra-long design
- Softer top sheet for more comfort
Cons
- Become mushy when full and might leak thereafter.
What Is Your Favorite Postpartum Pads?
Reviewing postpartum pads is not the easiest thing to do and there are so many variables that distinguish what women go through and how they experience postpartum bleeding, but we believe that these five postpartum pads should keep you adequately protected.
We would like to recommend the Always Maxi Overnight Extra Heavy Flow pads as our pick for the best postpartum pad. This pad is great for overnight use and it will keep you protected and leak-free throughout the day as well.
We would like to thank you for reading this article and hope you have a better understanding of postpartum pads and how to get the best value for your money. Please share your thoughts in the comment section and let us know if we might have missed any of your favorites.
