Diaper Swappers

earthybirthymom · 06-13-2006, 11:54 AM

Im tired of spending money on breast pads only to throw them away with the disposables. I cloth diaper so i dont know why i havent come around to cloth breast pads sooner.

But im ready and want to go to the store to buy some material. Ive looked at different kinds. The wool ones seem interesting but arent they scratchy??? Im incredibly sensitive to wool, cant even wear sweaters with 25% wool in them. How would i go about making them? Are there breast pad patterns or directions? Any tips or pointers would be great. And i dont want ot buy premade ones so please dont spam me lol. I really wanna try and make my own! Thanks all

bfoster2000 · 06-13-2006, 03:11 PM

You may try posting in the craft forum if you haven't already. For the wool pads, you don't put the wool next to your skin...it goes on the outside as a waterproof layer. If you're sensitive to wool, it still may not work well for you though. Fleece would be a good alternative. Something like Windpro or a good quality fleece will also work as a waterproof layer. For absorbency, you may have to experiment. I have some that are all flannel and frankly, I'm not impressed. Flannel is thin but that's about all it's got going for it (IMO). You could try a some sort of terry or microfiber which should be cheap and readily available but maybe a little thicker than you want. Hemp is very absorbent but you'll probably have to order that online (or check the FFS forum to see if there are any really ratty diapers that you might be able to cut apart and use for scraps!) Bamboo is the new fabric that everyone is talking about...as absorbent as hemp but half as thick. Again, you'll have to get it online though... Next to your skin, you probably want either fleece, suedecloth, or possibly silk if you're prone to thrush. You can get thin fleece pretty cheap at Walmart or the craft store and that will feel dry against your skin. Suedecloth works the same way but I've never noticed it at the store. Suedecloth is also thinner than fleece. Raw silk is supposed to be really good for yeast infections but I'm told it needs to be raw, undyed to get the healing properties. Probably not readily available.

Anyway, those are just some thoughts off the top of my head. If you want to experiment with fabrics, try asking in the craft forum if anyone has some scraps they'd send you FFS...might be easier than having to buy a yard just to play with!

dee1972 · 06-13-2006, 06:39 PM

I use 2 layers of flannel and one of fleece. The fleece faces out, flannel next to me. I use a cd for a template and serge the edges. I also make doublers of 4 layers of flannel and no fleece, to add on top for heavy overnight leakage during the early months.

bfoster2000 · 06-13-2006, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dee1972

I use 2 layers of flannel and one of fleece. The fleece faces out, flannel next to me. I use a cd for a template and serge the edges. I also make doublers of 4 layers of flannel and no fleece, to add on top for heavy overnight leakage during the early months.

Do you find the flannel against your skin to be comfortable? With DJ I had a few cloth pads that came from Walmart or somewhere cheap and they were all flannel. I found them to be uncomfortable because I always felt wet, plus after a while, the flannel got pilly. I'm not sure if it's because they were cheap pads or because I was always a VERY heavy leaker though, maybe that's why the wetness bothered me. Around the time he weaned and during this pregnancy, I've worn those cheap cloth pads some and they're not quite as bad if it's just a few drops of wetness. I've still invested in some hemp ones with microfleece and suedecloth next to the skin for this baby...I just couldn't stand always feeling wet!

earthybirthymom · 06-13-2006, 08:56 PM

Thanks! Sounds like it all depends on wetness too. My milk is regulated now by 8 months, but every feeding i have such overactive letdown that the breast she isnt feeding on soaks a pad, ill have to take that into consideration while playing around with these. Thanks again

dee1972 · 06-14-2006, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bfoster2000

Do you find the flannel against your skin to be comfortable? With DJ I had a few cloth pads that came from Walmart or somewhere cheap and they were all flannel. I found them to be uncomfortable because I always felt wet, plus after a while, the flannel got pilly.

I have had no problems with the flannel against my skin. I find it to be very soft and comfortable. I don't use terribly expensive flannel. I use flannel from the local Jo-Ann Fabric store. I've had the same bunch of pads that I made about a year ago and there is no pilling. I alternate how I wash them depending on what load is going in. I've washed them in warm with a regular load of laundry and I've also put them thru a diaper wash. Must be pretty good flannel! LOL! As far as wetness, the only time I've felt uncomfortably wet was overnight when I'd fall asleep and only nurse on one side. Ended up soaking EVERYTHING.....pad, bra, bed, baby's head!! After that I started putting in the doublers overnight and making sure to switch sides. LOL! Michael is 14.5 months old now, so I hardly ever wear them anymore unless I know I'll be away from him for several hours.

bfoster2000 · 06-14-2006, 08:50 AM

That's good to know...maybe the ones I have won't wind up as coasters quite yet! At the time I was using them without much success, I was not really "into" cloth yet and didn't know much about caring for cloth. I'll have to dig out my "shaver" to get rid of the pills and then start washing them with diapers and see if that makes a difference.

EmnJJsMom · 06-14-2006, 07:25 PM

Mine are cloth one from walmart, I'm lucky though because I don't need them anymore. Ever since Em was about 2 months old my leakiness is rare. I can mail you mine if you like

And if you still want that food processer I can get them all out next week

earthybirthymom · 06-14-2006, 10:10 PM

LMBO there you are! You can send 'em if you arent using 'em. I envy people who dont leak lol. Seems like as soon as K is nursing though my other boob is engorged and letting loose as well. Ill see if i can maybe use them underneath some other fabric, use it as a 2nd layer. Lol. I should have $ next week so i can pay for shipping!

aschrimp · 06-15-2006, 03:14 AM

I made mine with the super flannel from walmart (closest you can get to diaper flannel without ordering online). They are 3 or 4 layers flannel, and 1 layer of fleece as the waterproof layer. I am a super leaker, and I occasionally still soak through them, but honestly until they are soaked I've never noticed the flannel against my skin being uncomfortable, and when they are soaked, I wanna know about it before my shirt is wet, so I am glad to be able to feel the wetness.
I want to make some out of my hemp scraps - I'll let you know how it goes. The one thing I did, that I like, is that I took a little tuck in one side, to help make them a little more breast shaped. It helps them to lie a little more smoothly inside my shirt.
My other suggestion - make sure you prewash your absorbant fabric. Some of mine shrunk (just the absorbant fabric) so they have a ripple where the waterproof fabric is larger than the flannel.

06-13-2006, 11:54 AM	#1
earthybirthymom Registered Users Join Date: May 2006 Location: cali Posts: 442 Ratings: 28 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Breast pads?? Im tired of spending money on breast pads only to throw them away with the disposables. I cloth diaper so i dont know why i havent come around to cloth breast pads sooner. But im ready and want to go to the store to buy some material. Ive looked at different kinds. The wool ones seem interesting but arent they scratchy??? Im incredibly sensitive to wool, cant even wear sweaters with 25% wool in them. How would i go about making them? Are there breast pad patterns or directions? Any tips or pointers would be great. And i dont want ot buy premade ones so please dont spam me lol. I really wanna try and make my own! Thanks all __________________ Momma to 2girls We cloth diaper, AP, co-sleep, homebirth & hail all things natural Say No to Vaxing

06-13-2006, 03:11 PM	#2
bfoster2000 Registered Users Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 3,077 Ratings: 53 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: Breast pads?? You may try posting in the craft forum if you haven't already. For the wool pads, you don't put the wool next to your skin...it goes on the outside as a waterproof layer. If you're sensitive to wool, it still may not work well for you though. Fleece would be a good alternative. Something like Windpro or a good quality fleece will also work as a waterproof layer. For absorbency, you may have to experiment. I have some that are all flannel and frankly, I'm not impressed. Flannel is thin but that's about all it's got going for it (IMO). You could try a some sort of terry or microfiber which should be cheap and readily available but maybe a little thicker than you want. Hemp is very absorbent but you'll probably have to order that online (or check the FFS forum to see if there are any really ratty diapers that you might be able to cut apart and use for scraps!) Bamboo is the new fabric that everyone is talking about...as absorbent as hemp but half as thick. Again, you'll have to get it online though... Next to your skin, you probably want either fleece, suedecloth, or possibly silk if you're prone to thrush. You can get thin fleece pretty cheap at Walmart or the craft store and that will feel dry against your skin. Suedecloth works the same way but I've never noticed it at the store. Suedecloth is also thinner than fleece. Raw silk is supposed to be really good for yeast infections but I'm told it needs to be raw, undyed to get the healing properties. Probably not readily available. Anyway, those are just some thoughts off the top of my head. If you want to experiment with fabrics, try asking in the craft forum if anyone has some scraps they'd send you FFS...might be easier than having to buy a yard just to play with! __________________ Barbara - Unexpectedly back after a long hiatus...anxiously awaiting #6!

06-13-2006, 06:39 PM	#3
dee1972 Registered Users Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cape Cod, MA Posts: 32	Re: Breast pads?? I use 2 layers of flannel and one of fleece. The fleece faces out, flannel next to me. I use a cd for a template and serge the edges. I also make doublers of 4 layers of flannel and no fleece, to add on top for heavy overnight leakage during the early months.

06-13-2006, 08:56 PM	#5
earthybirthymom Registered Users Join Date: May 2006 Location: cali Posts: 442 Ratings: 28 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: Breast pads?? Thanks! Sounds like it all depends on wetness too. My milk is regulated now by 8 months, but every feeding i have such overactive letdown that the breast she isnt feeding on soaks a pad, ill have to take that into consideration while playing around with these. Thanks again __________________ Momma to 2girls We cloth diaper, AP, co-sleep, homebirth & hail all things natural Say No to Vaxing

06-14-2006, 08:50 AM	#7
bfoster2000 Registered Users Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 3,077 Ratings: 53 Feedback: 100% My Mood:	Re: Breast pads?? That's good to know...maybe the ones I have won't wind up as coasters quite yet! At the time I was using them without much success, I was not really "into" cloth yet and didn't know much about caring for cloth. I'll have to dig out my "shaver" to get rid of the pills and then start washing them with diapers and see if that makes a difference. __________________ Barbara - Unexpectedly back after a long hiatus...anxiously awaiting #6!