# Help!!! breast pads-toxic?



## Mikey'sMommy (Mar 17, 2006)

I'm starting to use cloth diapers because of, among other things,the gel that is toxic inside of disposables, but recently I've discovered that breastpads contain gel too, is it toxic? The box says non toxic, but I suppose diapers probably say the same thing. Help!!! I really like these breastpads, they work great, but I don't want to hurt ds!


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## dace101 (Feb 5, 2006)

You can always sew your own breast pads














.
I made my own from one of dp's old flannel shirts, hehe (used the same shirt to make cloth menstrual pads for the first time in years).

Instructions from the "Make Your Own... Frugal Baby Pattern" website:

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Make Your Own... Frugal Baby Pattern*
You will need just a small amount of flannel in your choice of color. My preference is using gently used receiving blankets. As long as your nursing bra isn't see-through, it doesn't really matter whether you have cute little duckies or bears on your nursing pads, right?
You will need a minimum of 8 circles for each pair of pads. Be sure you wash any fabrics before cutting or else you are going to end up with little flannel coasters for your child's tea set!! Once you've washed and dried your fabric cut your circles approximately 5" in diameter. You can trace a bowl or cup to make it really easy







).
Layer 4 circles together and straight stitch about 1/4" from the edge. Then trim the edges even and zigzag around the very edge being sure to catch ALL the edges to prevent raveling.
Make another to match the first and ... voila, you have a pair of nursing pads!

If you are a big leaker (I would soak through anything in 2 seconds flat with letdown), consider wool (lanolin found naturally in wool, great feature).

There are many places online you can buy cloth nursing-pads. As I read once on this board, "Look for WAHM items, not something dreamed up by a guy and made in a factory."


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## Quirky (Jun 18, 2002)

Although I cloth diaper, I don't actually buy into the "gel is toxic" theory. When I do use sposies (at night for example) I have never seen the gel on my baby's skin. I wouldn't worry about the breastpads - just make sure to change them when they get wet. But if you are worried, there are lots of great cloth pads, too, made by WAHMs - there are hemp, wool, cotton, fleece, all sorts.


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## roseselene (Aug 3, 2003)

You can buy cloth breast pads if you're concerned about the disposable ones (or make some for yourself if you sew). i used cloth pads and loved them. Saved a ton of money from having to go buy new pads every couple of weeks.
Amy


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## kalirush (Jun 14, 2005)

Not all disposable breast pads contain gel. I have a kind that are like bunches of layers of tissue all sewn together (Evenflo). I like them, but they might not work if you leak ALOT.


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## lilgsmommy (Jun 21, 2004)

They do make disposable ones without gel in them. The reason I dont use the gel ones is because I react to them. So I use the Gerber flat ones without gel, and Lansinoh reusable cloth ones.


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## michaelasmommy (Aug 2, 2005)

I switched to only cloth nursing pads because my sposies left little gel bits on me every once in a while. I wouldn't want my baby ingesting that!! I did use the evenflo ones for a while, but I just didn't like them very well. I hope you find something you like!


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## 2Sweeties1Angel (Jan 30, 2006)

I always used cloth pads because I didn't see the point in wasting money on the disposables. I found some cheap ones at Wal-Mart (some off brand) that worked great.


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## smellyann82 (Feb 6, 2006)

i've yet to find an affordable cloth pad that i don't leak through. i was wearing 3 cloth pads at a time on each breast (and looking really ridiculous) and still soaking through. i tried some lansinoh pads that were given to me and they work really well. i've never noticed any gel, but i'm going to check the box and make sure now! i get them at target. they're not too terribly expensive. i figure it is better than going through 5 shirts and dozens of cloth pads a day. it makes for obscene amounts of laundry.


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## Ruthla (Jun 2, 2004)

If you're really concerned, you could wear a thin cloth pad next to your skin and then put the sposie pad between the cloth pad and your bra. That wouldn't add too much bulk and would keep the gel away from your skin.


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## Tofu the Geek (Dec 2, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *Quirky*
When I do use sposies (at night for example) I have never seen the gel on my baby's skin.

Interesting. I don't know if the gel is toxic or not either but I do know that when we used them at night for awhile, I would find the gel in the creases at the tops of DD's thighs. Also, every night she wore them she woke up with a stuffed nose. No sposie, no stuffed nose.


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