Monday M.o.M. Review : Little Beatle Wool

This week, I was not going to be reviewing nursing pads. However, in the past week I have discovered a product that has changed my life. Sounds dramatic? It is. Nursing mothers who have experienced discomforts and difficulties can appreciate the drama. Nursing mothers who have had the need for any nursing pad will just appreciate this product as well.

Throw away your disposable pads and never look back.

I have been using cloth nursing pads for the last few years. I couldn't stand the disposable ones when I nursed my first baby. I found them unbearably uncomfortable. I tried a number of different types. When I went to our local Babies R Us I was so excited to see that there were nursing pads made of cloth. While you might be surprised at my ignorance, I did not have any friends who had nursed babies and my mom & mother-in-law were equally surprised to find out you could still get those (why would you want to use cloth after all? Isn't it inconvenient?).

It turned out the pads at the baby store were not very absorbent (much like the cloth "diapers" they sell there, they're better as burp cloths) and didn't have a waterproof barrier.

So my quest to find cloth nursing pads that wouldn't leak began. I tried the only waterproof ones available online I could find, before helping to design a pair for a company I helped to start up some years ago. I did try a few more that were not waterproof and wasn't too satisfied.

So.. with my eclectic stash of nursing pads on baby #5 here I was not planning on buying anything new.

Then came thrush. This is my first experience with thrush. I suppose I am lucky considering this is my fifth child. But.... I don't find having it at all "lucky" in any sense, baby #5 or not. While using different natural methods to treat thrush I quickly went online and bought a pair of wool nursing pads.

Why would I do this? Well, from my years of cloth diapering I have learned much more about fabrics for baby and mom, and have picked up many facts about wool.

Wool is naturally antibacterial and anti fungal. It promotes circulation. Since you don't need a waterproof barrier with wool it allows good air circulation and breathes. All of those things are very important in dealing with thrush (and also wool pads are recommended in the prevention of mastitis as well)!

I had been given a Little Beetle Wool cover for Shiloh as a gift. I've been just aching to try one for a while now - what a great friend to send such a gift! When it came, it was so snuggly soft that I didn't have to think twice about where I would order a pair of Wool pads for myself, I went right to Better for Babies.

They are absolutely comfortable, not itchy in the slightest, made from natural, organic merino wool. They're also available in some fun colors if you'd want! Most importantly - they work fantastically! I lanolized them as soon as I took them out of the package. I have not leaked through the pads to my shirt yet - although I don't leak as heavily this time (I'm not sure if that's because she nurses so frequently), so I wish I could say that from the viewpoint of someone who leaks heavily just to give them a very thorough recommendation. However, I had to check to see if I had leaked because they did not even feel wet against my skin!

They are so light I don't even know I'm wearing nursing pads - which says a lot, since cloth pads tend to be on the bulkier side. Also, with cloth and disposable nursing pads that are flat (not contoured with a dart) you usually have bunching around the edges.. which can look funny under your shirt. I believe because of the knit jersey fabric of the wool that is why you do not have any bunching problems whatsoever! They conform naturally quite nicely. And then you don't have to deal with the cone shape of a nursing pad with a dart!

And the real test was when I washed & dried them I wore one of my other cloth nursing pads and a few hours later was feeling more irritated from the thrush! I really believe they are helping me a lot.

On a scale of 1-10 they'd get a 10 from me. I'm overwhelming impressed. Better for Babies has a rewards points program when you make purchases of their products directly from their store, and not one of their retailers. They also have a discount if you buy more than 1 pair of pads at a time. I only purchased one pair, just to be certain I like them. Well... I'm not sure what I'm going to do with all those other cloth nursing pads now.. because I'm going to get a few more pairs of wool and stick with those. At least I'll purchase enough to get the discount this time!

Now if only I could get some sort of kickback for writing this blog.... hmmm...