Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Stages

What is a nursing pad and how do you use one?

By

After carrying your precious baby for nine long months, if you are breastfeeding, you may notice some leaking when your milk first comes in. This is quite common and happens to many moms. Many of them have found the relief of a nursing pad, especially when leaking happens at the most inopportune times. If you are asking yourself, “What is a nursing pad, and how you should use one?”, we’ll fill you in on all the tips and trickks.

What is a nursing pad?

The long and short of it is that nursing pads are little pads that are put inside your bra between your breast and the fabric. You may leak milk in between feedings, and by wearing a nursing pad, it catches your milk rather than your clothing taking the hit. There are a variety of nursing pads available, and we will break them down for you so you can decide what kind would be best for you.

Recommended Videos

Disposable Nursing Pads

If you decide to use disposable nursing pads, they can be quick and easy to use, and you can even keep some extra in your purse if you need to change one and you are out somewhere. They come in all kinds of thicknesses, depending on your leakage needs. They are great to use when you are traveling, as you do not have to wash them and can just throw them out. There are plenty of different brands out there to discover, so you may want to try a few to see which one you like the best.

Related

Homemade Nursing Pads

You can also make your very own nursing pads from home. If you know how to sew, you can create them. The best kind of material to use when making them is cotton, as it is soft and absorbent. The only downside to a homemade nursing pad is that they are not good for travel. They should mainly be worn at home where they can be placed in a hamper to wash when you are done with them. When compared to disposable nursing pads, homemade ones seem to be more breathable, giving your breasts more air circulation. Plus, they are eco-friendly as well.

Reusable Nursing Pads

You will likely be able to find these in any maternity or baby store. They, too, are eco-friendly. But you will have to purchase a few different pairs because you are going to have to rotate them out. Around six to nine pairs have been found to be a good number of nursing pads to keep around. They are also a cost-effective option if you are looking for inexpensive nursing pads.

How do you use a nursing pad?

The great thing about nursing pads is that they are rather easy to use. Here are the steps on how to use them, broken down by the type of pad you choose.

Disposable

  1. Make sure that you wash your hands. Next, make sure that your breasts and nipples are dry.
  2. If your brand has an adhesive, remove the pad from the packaging and gently peel back the adhesive backing.
  3. To create more absorbency, center your nipple on the pad.
  4. Press the adhesive pad against the bra and make sure it fits correctly.
  5. Go about your day. When the time comes that the nursing pad is wet, it is time to replace it with another one.

Reusable/Homemade 

  1. Assure that the nursing pad that you chose is free of moisture and that it is totally dry.
  2. Position the nipple on the nursing pad and make sure that it fits correctly between the bra and breast.
  3. If you need to adjust it, you can do so as much as you want.
  4. When it becomes wet, replace it.
  5. Wash your nursing pad according to the brand’s guidelines.

Tips for using a nursing pad

  • When you feel the wetness on your pad, try to change it immediately. The moisture can create bacteria in the nursing pad.
  • Sometimes, nursing pads may cause irritation, if this happens, do use a good nipple cream to help you keep wearing the pad.
  • Your breasts will leak, especially in the first few weeks after giving birth, so it is always good to have a pad on you.
  • When you are traveling or know that you won’t be home, a good idea is to keep a sandwich bag with a moist paper towel in it to put the soiled towel in.

No matter which style of nursing pad you choose, they’ll all soak up any wetness from leaking milk. But always remember that if you feel the pad getting wet, it’s time to change it in order to make sure that there is not any kind of bacterial growth that can create irritated nipples. Nursing pads are practically essential in every mom’s purse or diaper bag. They are great for keeping the milk from staining your clothes, and they’re a wonderful tool to have in your new mom arsenal.

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Jennifer Passmore
Jennifer Passmore
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Jennifer has written two books on how to deal with living with chronic illness using the power of positivity. She has written…
A guide to cruising babies: What it means for your little one
Here's how a little cruiser will affect your household
A mother helping the baby to cruise along the couch.

All parents melt when you feel that little tug on your pants, look down, and see your baby using your legs to help them stand up. But that also means your little one is entering the cruising phase. Once your child discovers they can use objects, furniture, and yes, their parent's limbs to stand up and move around, it's on.

When you notice your child starting to leave crawling in the past, you are about to have a cruising baby in your house. Before things move along too fast, here's what that means for your little one and the rest of your family.
The first few steps toward cruising

Read more
Is your baby done with breastfeeding? Watch for these 6 signs
Clues to look out for that your baby is ready to move on from breastfeeding
Mother holding her baby in bed

When you make the decision to breastfeed, it is a whole journey you and your baby go on together. But as with all stages, breastfeeding, too, will come to an end at some point. It's better to know the clues and tells your baby will give to be prepared for the newest adventure. If you're doing baby-led weaning, these are the signs your baby does not want to breastfeed anymore, so you know when it's time to transition to the next stage of feeding.
Signs to watch for during feedings

The feedings themselves will sprinkle clues your baby is ready to ditch breastfeeding for good. If something feels off about the feeds, start paying attention each time you go to sit down for a session.
Feeding sessions become shorter
You know how long your baby eats at each session. When you notice your baby not wanting to feed for the usual time, you might start to worry they're not getting enough to eat. But your baby cutting down on the duration of each meal is a clue they might want to stop breastfeeding.
Baby skips feeding sessions
This is more than your baby finally sleeping longer and missing a feeding in the middle of the night. If you notice your baby refusing those additional snack time feedings, they may be telling you they don't want to breastfeed anymore. Offer a bottle or sippy cup or solid food and see how they react to taking those options. Once the feedings become shorter and then get skipped, your baby has sent strong signals they are over breastfeeding.
Baby gets more distracted during feedings
Babies love to look at everything and check out every sound, but when it comes time to eat, they usually mean business. If your little one is looking around the room, playing with their hands, or generally more interested in what's going on around them than eating, that is a sign they are done breastfeeding.
Other feeding signs to watch for

Read more
5 natural ways to boost energy while pregnant: It’s not that difficult
How to get through pregnancy fatigue
Pregnant woman on couch experiencing cramps

Any person who has ever been pregnant knows that pregnancy-tired is a whole other level of exhaustion. It's only natural that your body would be extra tired, after all, it's growing a little human being, which takes a lot of work. That doesn't make the sudden lack of energy any less annoying, especially in the first trimester, when you’re not sleeping as much, you may not be able to keep food down, your hormones are working overtime, and your body is using all of the nutrients possible to do this new job that you’ve tasked it with.

In your pre-pregnancy days, if you felt this tired you may have immediately reached for a cup of coffee or an energy drink. But since those are mostly out of the question now, how can you fight through the tired, so you can go about living your daily life?

Read more