Using Cloth Reusable Pads Post Partum
Using Cloth Reusables Post Partum Pads
What is Lochia?
No matter how you give birth you will bleed following the delivery. This bleeding is called lochia and is the body’s way of getting rid of, blood, tissue and mucous from the uterus. Lochia can be very heavy for the first 7 days post birth and then can be lighter bleeding or discharge for the following 6 weeks. It isn’t advised to use cups or tampons for lochia bleeding, instead heavy absorbent pads are recommended.
At the period lady we have different types of Cloth Pads specifically designed to be used for lochia.
What do we need for Post Partum Cloth Pads?
When we consider what pads we need for the post partum phase the most important factor is
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fast absorbency, high capacity and covers a large surface area for the first few days.
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Following that you can continue using regular pads.
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Cloth Pad Fabric Types
What Fabric to use?
For quick absorbing pads materials like velour,or minky can be great. Velour comes in cotton and bamboo and minky is a synthetic material so if you prefer a more natural product then stick with the cotton or bamboo velour.
Our top pads in these fabrics are
These pads have been specifically designed to cope with lochia in the first few days. Following the initial heavy lochia, you can continue to bleed for approximately 4-6 weeks following the birth of your baby.
From approx. day 3-7 onwards you can move to regular pads (you can use your own stash if you already have some). There are two main types of fabrics that people prefer for this next stage. The more natural fabrics like jersey cotton or a fleece topped pad. Many find that they prefer a more natural breathable fabric against their skin and others prefer the stay dry properties of a fleece topped pad.
Some of our handmade pads are really popular for this stage, the jersey cotton top is soft and
gentle against your sensitive skin such as red rags or eco rainbow. If you are keen for a more stay dry feeling then the Nora range is great here.
How Many Pads do I need?
For the initical Post Partum Blood Loss we recommend 5-7 pads. After the initial lochia you can use your regular cloth pads, we recommedn around 10 pads for this stage, this should give you enought to wash every other day.
Can you use Period Pants for Postpartum use?
Although we stock super heavy period underwear, this would still struggle to cope with the initial stage of lochia. Period Underwear is a great option to provide back up all round protection against leaks. Some of our High Waisted range are great if you’ve had a c-section. Our most popular Period Pants are WUKA or Cheeky Mama. For advice on washing and caring for your CSP we have a dedicated washing csp article
Frequenty Asked Questions
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What are the best pads for postpartum bleeding?
This really depends on what fabrics you prefer agaisnt your skin. There is no onesize fits all.
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Why are postpartum pads so bulky?
The initial blood loss after giving birth can have a heavy flow so the pads need to be able to accomodate this.
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What are the disadvantages of cloth pads?
We would be lying if we pretended there were no disadvantages to reusable pads. The main disadvantage of the reusable pad is that you will need to deal with washing the used pads, some might not want to add to their work so soon after having a baby, especially if you need to stay in hospital.
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What are the disadvantages of using disposable pads?
Aside from the obvious environmental impact, many many women find that using disposable pads postpartum is uncomfortable and can make the sore.
If you want further advise on using CSP for postpartum use then please email us on
Written by Roisin - Senior Advisor @The Period Lady