NOOBIES HERE! Selecting Cloth Pads. What do I need???

First, let me say thanks for considering Mama Cloth! Your wallet & your lady bits will thank you!!! :)

I cloth diapered my daughter, used cloth baby wipes, nursing pads, and now our family has made the switch to all kinds of reusable products including Kitchen Cloth, Cloth Cosmetic Pads, Hankies, Mama Cloth & more! The savings both financially and health wise has not gone unnoticed! I am so happy you are considering Cloth Pads for yourself or even just showing some interest by reading this post.

I am always here to help! If you have any questions please don't ever hesitate. I feel like I have heard it all at this point. My world is TMI. Period talk is part of my everyday. Cloth pads fill my house, my world. So please, don't be shy if you do contact me with a question. It's important we find the best cloth pad solution for you!

TIPS WHEN SELECTING YOUR PADS:

I would first suggest you start  off by looking at what you currently use in disposables. What length of pads do you most often use? Don't forget to consider things like Panty Liners and Thong Liners as an option for lighter days or when using a cup or Organic Cotton Tampon. Heavy flow pads are also available to those looking for more protection for Post Partum or Overnights.

Pay attention to your cycle, how long it lasts, and if there is a pattern to it (ie. light flow for a few days, heavy flow, then tapers off again??) Do you notice a pattern that may help you determine the type of pads you will use? Pay attention to the pads for one cycle if you are unsure. What lengths and styles do you use and how many? Some women use no panty liners at all yet others tend to have a cycle that tapers off at the end and require some light day pads or liners for protection during those final days. We are all so different so it's important to take a good look at your cycle to help determine this. Another option is to just try a few and build your stash slowly.  Many people choose this option if they find it's a bit expensive for them to purchase an entire stash at once.  This may require more washing but it is definitely do-able.

Another good thing to ask yourself is how often will you do laundry? Everyday? Every other day? Every third day???  If you are cloth diapering you can just throw your Mama Cloth in with your diapers. If you are diaper washing every day or every other day you may NOT need a big stash of Mama Cloth to start off with. However, it is always nice to have a few extras to keep in your purse or as a back up so keep that in mind.

Still unsure?? My web store carries a few assorted bundle packs if you would like to sample a few of the styles before investing in a stash custom to you (see the image below). Choosing an assorted bundle is a great way to try out a few different pads, fabrics or lengths before deciding on a favorite. This is a great option if you are unsure or tend to be a bit indecisive (like myself) ;). Pad bundles available are shown below and can be purchased at our web store.

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TYPES OF MAMA CLOTH PADS...

1) PANTY LINERS:
Panty Liners are approximately 7.25"-7.5" in length.  They have an adjustable snap with 2 fit options.  Best of all they come in a few different fabric options & price points.

COTTON FLANNEL PANT LINERS:
Made with 3 Layer soft flannel fabric.  Comes in an assortment of fun prints & colours! Great for light spotting, bladder leakage or pregnancy. This is our thinnest panty liner.

 ORGANIC BAMBOO VELOUR PANTY LINERS:
Made with 3 Layers of soft Organic Bamboo Velour.  This fabric is as soft as butter on the skin & washes beautifully!  All dyes are Eco-Friendly.  These liners are a great option for those with sensitive skin!  These panty liners are slightly thicker than our Flannel Liners offering a bit more protection for heavier spotting & bladder leakage.

 

 ORGANIC BAMBOO VELOUR/HEMP/PUL LEAK RESISTANT PANTY LINERS:

These panty liners offer the protection of a  pad but with the thin panty liner shape/length.  A great option for Petite Women or Teens to use for light flow because they offer the most protection of all our panty liners.  The Organic Bamboo Velour fabric is what is touching the skin, very soft & a great option for those prone to skin irritations.  The absorbency layer is Hemp Cotton Fleece which has antibacterial properties and offers about 3x more absorbency than regular cotton.  The PUL fabric is the layer protecting your underwear. This is a commonly used fabric for cloth diapers. It is waterproof and breathable!

2) THONG LINERS:
Thong liners are approximately 6.5" length and come in two fabric options. Great for light days or those using a Menstrual Cup.

FLANNEL THONG PANTY LINERS:
Made from 3 Layers of Cotton Flannel.  Single Snap closure. Comparable in size/shape to disposable thong liners.

ORGANIC BAMBOO VELOUR  PUL BACKED THONG PANTY LINERS:
Made from 1 Layer OBV (Organic Bamboo Velour) & 1 Layer PUL Fabric. These Thong Liners offer a thin but leak proof protection.  The OBV Fabric is the fabric touching the skin and like ALL of our OBV it is dyed with Eco Friendly Dyes.  The PUL Fabric offers a leak protection layer to protect your undergarments.  

3) AIO Pads (All-In-One Pad) 
All-In-One or A.I.O pads mean the pad has an insert sewn IN to place and does NOT need to be folded, stuffed, or removed for washing. A.I.O Pads are the closest thing you will get to using a disposable (but much healthier and much more comfortable). You just rinse it, use a stain stick if necessary, then toss it in your wet bag or pail for the wash. Our A.I.O pads currently come in two fabric options and two lengths (so 4 pads to choose from shown below).

9" COTTON FLANNEL/HEMP A.I.O PAD:
Made from 2 outer layers of soft Cotton Flannel & 2 absorbency layers of Organic Hemp Cotton Fleece. The outter shell of the pad is a Cotton Flannel Print. The absorbency layer (insert) is a double layer Organic Hemp Fleece which offers anti-bacterial properties & is over 3-4x more absorbent than Cotton Fleece. These pads are great for Regular-Heavier Flow and come in a variety of fun prints/colours. The cotton and hemp is not overly bulky and extremely breathable making this a great day pad or summer pad. Like all of our pads (except Thong Lines), these pads offer a double adjustable snap.

12" COTTON FLANNEL/HEMP A.I.O PAD:
With the same features as the 9" Flannel pad above these pads offer slightly more protection in length. A great option for those looking for a bit more underwear coverage.

9" OBV/HEMP/PUL A.I.O PAD:
This pad is the same shape/pattern as our 9" Flannel/Hemp pad but using Organic & PUL Fabrics.  The outside layer touching the skin is a soft Organic Bamboo Velour dyed with Eco-Friendly dyes. The absorbency layer (insert) is a double layer Organic Hemp Fleece which offers anti-bacterial properties & is over 3-4x more absorbent than Cotton Fleece.  The side touching your underwear is made from PUL fabric used often on Cloth Diapers to offer a leak proof layer. These pads are a fantastic option for women looking for a less bulky pad with Moderate-Heavy flow. The Organic Bamboo Velour is always a fantastic option for those with sensitive skin & the PUL backing is a great option for those worried about leak protection!

12" OBV/HEMP/PUL A.I.O PAD:
This pad is the same shape/pattern as our 12" Flannel/Hemp pad but using Organic & PUL Fabrics.  The outside layer touching the skin is a soft Organic Bamboo Velour dyed with Eco-Friendly dyes. The absorbency layer (insert) is a double layer Organic Hemp Fleece which offers anti-bacterial properties & is over 3-4x more absorbent than Cotton Fleece.  The side touching your underwear is made from PUL fabric used often on Cloth Diapers to offer a leak proof layer. These pads are a fantastic option for women looking for a less bulky pad with Moderate-Heavy flow. The Organic Bamboo Velour is always a fantastic option for those with sensitive skin & the PUL backing is a great option for those worried about leak protection!

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4) Pocket Pads:
Pocket pads are similar to pocket diapers. You fold & stuff them yourself. We offer Pocket Pads in two lengths (9" Here or 11" Here). These pads are only made in Cotton Flannel with Cotton Fleece Inserts (one insert is included with the purchase of each Pocket Pad). Custom orders in Organic Fabrics or with PUL backing are also an option. Please contact me if you are interested in a Custom Order (minimums may apply).

Additional Cotton Fleece inserts can be purchased on our web store as well as Organic Hemp Cotton inserts. I often suggest Pocket Pads to women for Postpartum use, Heavy Days and Overnights. These pads are bulkier than my A.I.O style pads (especially if you double up on inserts). I personally only use these pads for overnights or heavy days but some of my customers swear by them.  They are kind of like a hybrid pad as well because you can stuff the insert inside the pad like a cloth diaper, or use the elastic option on the top of the pad to add an extra insert (or even two). I have known some women to just use the shell instead of purchasing panty liners as well. This is a neat option for those on a budget.

For PP use you can also make "PADSICLES"  to soothe the 'Ouch!' post baby while still offering leak protection.  Check out this video I found on You Tube for an easy DIY PP Pad Project. This video shows a recipe for Disposable Pads but you may do the same with our Pocket Pads or AIO pads. In fact, if you are using Pocket Pads you could just freeze the INSERT portion of the pad and adding it to the flannel shell when ready to use.

We also have a few accessories available that makes traveling and storing Mama Cloth much easier and more discreet. 

Wet Bags & Reusable Pad Wrappers are also available on my website and are a great way to keep soiled Mama Cloth, Cosmetic Pads, Cloth Diapers contained until ready for washing.  All Wet Bags & Pad wrappers are made from Waterproof Breathable PUL Fabric & can be machine washed.

All Mama Cloth products are machine washable and fabrics are hand selected and hand sewn by myself :)

I hope that this post has helped you. If you have any questions or are still unsure about what you need to get started please feel free to CONTACT me or leave a comment below :)

-Meg.