Reusable pads?

[cintinative]

Okay so this is TMI but does anyone use reusable pads for mild bladder issues?  If so, can you tell me how they work when exercising? Do they stay in place? 

[Katy]

I haven't used them for that, but I ordered a couple of different sets of them just before my last pregnancy and decided that the cheapie ones might be good for situations where you'd use a panty liner (a few drops or maybe a very-short leaking cup or tampon) but not good for an actual heavy period.  And the more expensive, thicker ones, while they did have some capacity were super gross and I had no confidence in my ability to get them clean.

So, going by capacity,  if all you need is a backup for a few drops while you do something on the way to the bathroom (laugh, sneeze, lift legs up over a baby gate), the cloth ones are probably fine.  If you need more capacity than that I'd spend a lot of time researching, or possibly even make my own.  Something like a liner that you can fold something into so it can be easily cleaned.

[barnwife]

Well, I have some that I use at that time of the month sometimes. As for capacity, it depends on the materials it is made from and how many layers you have. Some have a waterproof backing; others do not. 

I prefer my 4 layer (I think? I got this one at a craft fair long ago) flannel one. That's it. Just layers of flannel. I also definitely prefer ones with wings with snaps to help them stay in place.

I have absolutely no understanding of why these would be super gross (or, at least, any more gross than a disposable pad or tampon). That is a viewpoint that I have never, ever understood, despite many people trying to explain it. As for getting them clean, I throw them in the washing machine. That's its job, right? Sometimes I rinse them in cold water immediately after changing (when at home, obviously). Sometimes I don't. I don't worry about stains overmuch though. I do a cold rinse in the washer before a full wash cycle to help prevent stains. 

All that to say, while I've never used them for  bladder issues, they work just fine for that time of the month. And yes, I've used them when exercising. the ones with wings with snaps stay in place just fine. 

[MercyA]

My favorite cloth pad maker is MamaBearBabyWear on Etsy, and she advertises that her pads are made for incontinence as well as menstruation: https://www.etsy.com/shop/MamaBearBabyWear?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=697458815&search_query=incontinence

The maker is a widowed homeschool mom.

[Jentrovert]

I use them monthly, and don't have trouble with them moving. However, I would make sure they are specifically for bladder issues. Like with cloth diapers and a heavy wetter, you need specific materials and layers to work well for urine (quick absorbing, medium, then hemp or something that absorbs a ton but more slowly.) I have used my cloth pads for mild bladder issues, and they don't absorb and hold urine as well (expected, since they don't have a hemp layer. They work fine for menstruation.)

Edited October 11, 2020 by Jentrovert
clarity

[Katy]

14 hours ago, barnwife said:

I have absolutely no understanding of why these would be super gross (or, at least, any more gross than a disposable pad or tampon). That is a viewpoint that I have never, ever understood, despite many people trying to explain it. As for getting them clean, I throw them in the washing machine. That's its job, right? Sometimes I rinse them in cold water immediately after changing (when at home, obviously). Sometimes I don't. I don't worry about stains overmuch though. I do a cold rinse in the washer before a full wash cycle to help prevent stains. 
 

 

The ones I used were gross because of the type of fabric.  I don't remember what they said it was made of but the top layer was like similar to terry cloth, a fuzzy surface which was supposed to catch all the flow while slowly absorbing it all. It created a lot of clots on the surface that couldn't be cleaned by a washing machine.  I could scrape them off with my fingernails, but after twice it just got disgusting. When not on hormonal birth control I tend to have one really heavy, nearly flooding type of day, one medium day, and two days of spotting.  I didn't feel comfortable spending that sort of time scrubbing clots that I didn't have to deal with using any other type of product.  I also felt there were clots in the layers of fabric that wouldn't clean properly, and despite following the directions that came with them, various directions I found online, or the directions to strip cloth diapers, or even just bleaching them, they still had a specific smell I couldn't get rid of.  A coppery, rotting protein kind of smell.  It was gross and tiring.   While I've had clots from time to time, I think in the case it had to do with the fabric.   I didn't have that experience with flannel but the flannel could overflow in less than 20 minutes so it didn't work for heavy days.

I don't think it would be gross for urine probably, but for blood, it was gross.

I sometimes use cloth diapers, but I prefer the thin layers to pre-folds or all in ones for the same reason: I want to be able to clean each layer of fabric, not just have a giant sponge of cotton that can't be cleaned on the inside.