5 Essential Postpartum Products – The Reusable Edition!

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Having had 2 babies myself, I am very used to clicking on articles like this only to be given a huge list of items that sound great but that aren’t in fact needed or useful so I wanted to give you a small, simple list of essential postpartum products that ARE most definitely useful and that are also good for the environment… Yep, they are all reusable.

Cloth Sanitary Pads (CSP)

Oh, where were these all of my life? If only I had known that reusable period products were a thing, I could have saved myself a fortune over the years and been far more comfortable each month. On top of this, they are also available in postpartum size which I really would have benefitted from after having my boys.

These pads are so similar to your disposable versions. The only differences are that they do not contain plastic, chemicals or perfumes, meaning they are better for your skin and vaginal health, which is even more important after you’ve given birth. These will absorb the blood in the same way but won’t leave you with that sticky, sweaty feeling and the best thing is the materials they are made with are incredibly soft and comfortable. Once you need to change your postpartum pad all you need to do is rinse it under the cold tap, pop it into a wetbag and wait until you have enough (or you can add them to a towel wash etc) and pop them in the washing machine. Then hang them up to dry so they are ready to be reused.

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Period Pants

Of course, your other option for postpartum blood loss is to use period pants. These are quite simply how they sound, pants that are absorbent. Just like with the above, period pants also come in a postpartum option so will be capable of dealing with a heavier flow and you can even get pants that will sit higher up which is ideal if you have had a c-section and don’t want to irritate your scar. I would recommend the WUKA high-waisted pants in super heavy flow for postpartum wear. Just like with pads, once you need to change these you give them a quick cold rinse then add them to a wash when you have enough to go in.

Reusable Breast Pads

Those leaking boobies will need something to protect your clothing and as much as disposable breast pads are pushed, if you look a little more closely at that supermarket aisle, you may just spot a pack of reusable ones hiding away. Alternatively, you could shop small over on Etsy, just look at these boobie print breast pads I found! Having used both options, I can honestly say that the reusable ones are far more comfortable, work better and they will save you money. On top of this, you don’t have to stick these in (urgh, those awful sticky marks that are a pain to get off your bra!)

Reusable /Cloth Nappies

Again, having used both disposable and reusable versions I can hand on heart say that reusable/cloth nappies win hands down. Not only are they plastic-free, chemical-free, perfume-free and made from super soft materials but they will also save you money in the long run. I know there is still a lot of debate over this but honestly if you only buy what you need, if you shop sales/use discount codes, if you ask for them as gifts or buy them secondhand you can build up your collection without breaking the bank AND once you are done with them, you can sell them on and make some of your money back. Reusable nappies are made to fit your baby from birth to potty training age which means you won’t have to keep buying more as they grow, you just simply make the nappy bigger by adjusting the rise poppers and size around the waist. My son is now 4 and he still wears a nappy at night. That is 4 years of use, just imagine how much that would have cost me in disposables and how much waste I would have produced!

Now I know that reusable nappies can seem daunting at first but I have plenty of articles that can help to answer your questions and hopefully get you started…

• How Many Cloth Nappies Do I Need?
• How To Wash Cloth Nappies
• Where Do I Start With Cloth Nappies?
• How Cloth Nappies Are More Convenient And Beneficial For Both You And Baby
• How To Dry Cloth Nappies In The Winter
• Busting Those Cloth Nappy Myths
• Popper or Velcro Cloth Nappies?

Reusable Wipes

Reusable wipes like reusable nappies are plastic-free, chemical-free and perfume-free something which you cannot guarantee with disposables (none legally have to show ingredients/make-up of the wipe). They are similar to a flannel and can be used just with water which ensures that your baby’s skin won’t be irritated. The best thing about reusable wipes has to be how well they work. I remember having to use around 4 (maybe more) disposable ones for a really messy bum but a reusable one grips with each wipe across and the majority of the time 1 wipe would suffice. We use the Muslinz Reusable Wipes and 4 years on they are still going strong.

So, you see, disposables may be sold to us as the “convenient” option but what is actually convenient about spending more money, creating more waste, always running out and choosing postpartum products that are made from plastic and chemicals? Reusable products are out there, they are available and even though they aren’t marketed to us in the same way it doesn’t mean that you can’t break the mould of that single-use norm. And choosing to do so may pleasantly surprise you.

Did any of these essential postpartum products catch your attention?

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