If you are having a baby sometime in the near future, I implore you to invest in some disposable adult diapers. Maybe that seems rather strange; perhaps you’ve only considered that your new baby will need diapers. But believe me, as a mom who has given birth 6 times, you will thank me for coaxing you to purchase diapers for your own personal use. They’re truly the unsung hero of labor/postpartum supplies! I never imagined I’d be writing a post about how much I love wearing a diaper, but well, that’s motherhood for you.

“So,” you ask, “what’s the big deal? Why adult diapers?” The obvious reason that you’ve already presumed correctly, I’m sure, is for postpartum bleeding. Postpartum bleeding, or lochia, flows fairly heavily for the first few days after you give birth. They do have mattress-size maxi-pads for this, but are they good enough? The answer is a resounding no. Those pads, no matter how big they may be and no matter how much surface area they cover, just aren’t as good as a diaper. With a diaper, you don’t have to be concerned about the twisting and bunching that a pad tends to do or ruining your pants because of a leak. And you don’t have to bother with those awful
mesh underwear the hospital offers. Adult diapers have a much slimmer profile than a gigantic maxi-pad and they do a far better job absorbing fluids quickly. That means less chafing and irritation for your already-sensitive parts.

Adult Diapers aren’t just for postpartum.

The other reason, and the one that totally convinced me after experiencing it firsthand, is to absorb leaking fluids if your water breaks early in the labor process. When that occurs, it’s common to have a slow, constant trickle of amniotic fluid coupled with large intermittent gushes due to positional changes. A pad just isn’t made for such a large volume at one time, but adult diapers are made exactly for that type of flow! The difference in wetness protection is amazing. I was beginning to get pretty irritated in the early hours of my second labor while using a maxi-pad to absorb my leaking fluids. I (reluctantly) decided to give the diaper a try and I was so very thankful I did! It made a world of difference in comfort level. And if there’s ever a time to capitalize on comfort, it’s labor!

So, while you’re out picking up those items you’ll need for your “go-bag,” make sure to include a package of diapers for you! Some may say they’re not necessary, but I believe your comfort Depends on it (See what I did there?).