I Tested 18 Postpartum Pads—These Top 5 Will Keep You Dry

You probably already know you’re going to bleed after giving birth, but you may not know for sure just how much (and for how long). Postpartum bleeding isn’t like your regular period—and regular period products won’t cut it.

On average, postpartum bleeding (also called lochia) lasts about four to six weeks, regardless of how you gave birth, how far along you were, how many babies you had or whether you opted for pain medication. And the volume of blood is heaviest during the first week or so—it’s totally normal to fill a maxi pad (as much as 50mL of blood) every two to three hours for those first few days after giving birth.

So as you’re gathering supplies for that first week or two postpartum, don’t bother with your go-to period stash. That kind of volume would soak right through a regular pad and leave you with an uncomfortable mess. And tampons and menstrual cups are a definite no, since they could increase your risk of infection. Nothing should be inserted into your vagina until you’re fully healed and have the go-ahead from your doctor.

That’s why I tested a whole bunch of different postpartum pads (using fake blood to ensure uniform testing across the board)—so you can be certain you have the most absorbent, safest and comfiest pads added to your supply of postpartum recovery products. I’ve been through my own postpartum recovery twice now, and I can tell you it’s uncomfortable enough as it is; no need to add on the discomfort of bleeding through your clothes/sheets/mattress/everything else. Besides, there are bigger things to focus on (like that brand new baby!).

So let’s dive into the best postpartum pads (and how I concluded that they are, in fact, the best). Keep in mind: this roundup is just for postpartum pads. If you’re looking for disposable or reusable underwear to insert the pads into, check out my roundup of the best postpartum underwear.

Why Trust Babylist?

As an editor here at Babylist, I’ve personally tested and reviewed hundreds of products for babies and new parents. I also have years of hands-on experience as a mom of two boys, ages six and two. I leaned into both roles as I thought through this list of top-performing postpartum pads, meticulously testing the absorbency and overall comfort—taking detailed notes and photos every step of the way—while also keeping in mind the experience I personally had with leaks, sagging and discomfort (TMI) after I gave birth both times.

How We Judged

I started by researching the most popular brands of disposable pads across major retailers, including Amazon, Target and Walmart, and narrowed it down to sizes “Overnight” and “Postpartum.” I noted the bestsellers across all sites and read through hundreds of reviews from parents who had just given birth. I also looked into direct-to-consumer brands and reusable options like Knix and Aisle, as well as smaller indie brands like The Honey Pot and Flo.

In the end, I tested 18 different products:

• Curity OB/Maternity Pads
• Frida Mom Catch-All
• Vakly Extra Large Contoured Pads
• Amazon Basics Bladder Control Pads
• TENA Sensitive Care Overnight Pads
• Arm & Hammer FitRight Fresh Start
• Rael Organic Cotton
• Stayfree Ultra Thin
• Knix Reusable Overnight Pads
• The Honey Pot Herbal Pads
• Attn: Grace Incontinence Pads
• Nyssa Organic Cotton
• Flo Organic Bamboo
• Rael Reusable
• Always Infinity
• Aisle Reusable Maxi Pad
• Gladrags Organic Reusable
• Frida Mom 2-in-1 Ice Maxi Pads

Once I had a list containing a wide range of brands, I established the categories I’d test for. Rated on a scale of 0-5:

• Capacity: Can the pad hold 50mL of blood and tissue? It’s a hassle to change your pad more often than every few hours during those first few days.
• Leakage: Does the pad leak? If so, where and how much? Even if it can hold 50mL, you don’t want a pad that leaks onto your clothes and sheets.
• Weight: Does the pad feel like a saggy diaper? The top scorers feel like you’re wearing nothing at all!
• Dryness: No one wants the swamp effect. The best pads soak in liquid instantly and lock it behind a barrier so you feel dry.

I measured the overall absorbency—liquid capacity, leakage and dryness—using an ultra-realistic fake blood mixture (I promise it wasn’t real blood). The recipe of water, red food dye, ketchup, chocolate syrup and cornstarch mimicked the typical viscosity of regular blood plus the tissue and blood clots of the uterine lining—postpartum blood is much thicker than regular period blood since you’re losing about four times as much uterine tissue.

To test the products (both disposable and reusable), I slowly poured 50mL of fake blood over one pad at a time, starting toward the front-middle (about where you’d bleed onto the pad if standing up) and moving forward, backward and slightly side to side to test all absorbent areas of the pad and to simulate typical movement. Filled pads were then left to dry for 10-15 minutes before testing dampness and weighed on a food scale.

That’s where the process ends for disposable pads, but testing reusable pads had some additional steps. Filled reusable pads were rinsed and soaked in cold water, then put through a gentle wash and dry cycle using a mild, unscented detergent. After all that, I retested all the reusable pads to determine if washing and drying had affected absorption (good news: it didn’t).

Now that you know how it was done, here are the results (and don’t be afraid to add these to your Babylist registry—it’s not that weird):

Best Overall Postpartum Pad

Curity OB/Maternity Pads - 14 count

$8.01

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• Capacity: 5/5
• Leakage: 5/5
• Weight: 5/5
• Dryness: 5/5

The only pad that got a perfect score, these ultra-basic maxi pads from Curity are actually the exact same ones used in most hospitals! After testing them (and having used them myself after giving birth), I can see why they’re the hospital go-to. Your hospital is likely to load you up with a few packs before you head home, but just in case you want extras—or if you’re giving birth at home or at a birthing center—you can buy them online too. The only thing I didn’t like about these pads is the size; they’re narrower and slightly shorter than other top picks.

Honorable Mentions

Frida Mom Postpartum Pads - 18 count

$10.98

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• Capacity: 5/5
• Leakage: 5/5
• Weight: 4/5
• Dryness: 5/5

When they say “catch-all,” they really mean it. These pads from beloved brand Frida are slightly narrower and thinner than other competitors, but nothing leaked out (I even poured a little extra fake blood to test the limits). The elastic sidewalls and deep stitching help keep everything contained. It did tend to pool toward the front of the pad, so the uneven distribution of weight could be a little uncomfortable.

Vakly Extra Large Super-Absorbent Contoured Hospital Style Pad Liners - 40 count

$26.99

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• Capacity: 5/5
• Leakage: 5/5
• Weight: 4/5
• Dryness: 5/5

Like the Curity pads, these pads from Vakly are used in most hospitals—the difference being that the Vakly pads are used both for postpartum bleeding and for patients with incontinence, so you know they’re ultra absorbent. (And don’t feel guilty about sneaking a pack or two home with you. We all do it!)

And they’re truly the largest pads I’ve ever seen, which could be a positive or a negative depending on what’s comfortable for you. The widened front and back give extra protection against leaks, but that means they might fit awkwardly in your underwear, even if you’re wearing the mesh ones. The adhesive is also just one thin strip down the middle, so these pads are more likely to go askew if you’re walking around a lot.

Best Postpartum Incontinence Pads

Amazon Basics Incontinence Bladder Control & Postpartum Pads - 39 count

$11.53

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• Capacity: 5/5
• Leakage: 5/5
• Weight: 4/5
• Dryness: 5/5

You’ll probably notice that these are labeled as incontinence pads, but don’t let the idea of adult diapers scare you off! Not only can these heavy-duty pads hold up to the high volume of postpartum bleeding, they’re also perfect for postpartum bladder leaks. An estimated 40 percent of people experience incontinence after childbirth thanks to all that strain on your pelvic floor, leading to pelvic floor dysfunction. So incontinence pads keep you dry in two different ways!

TENA Incontinence Pads, Bladder Control & Postpartum - 90 count

$38.00

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• Capacity: 5/5
• Leakage: 5/5
• Weight: 4/5
• Dryness: 5/5

These incontinence pads were high performers as well, with two key differences from the Amazon Basics: size and cost per unit. The pads from TENA are about an inch longer than the Amazon ones, and the wider back gives you that extra feeling of security against leaks. But they’re almost twice as much per pad, and that extra large size might get a little bit uncomfortable if you’re looking for something more discreet.

Best Thin Postpartum Pad

Rael Organic Cotton Overnight Pads - 12 count

$8.59

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• Capacity: 5/5
• Leakage: 5/5
• Weight: 5/5
• Dryness: 3/5

Maxi pads are typically the only recommended style for postpartum bleeding since the volume and flow are so heavy, but once you’re past that first week and the bleeding slows down a bit, you can switch to a thinner style—it’s a good idea to stick to the “overnight” size though, since the volume is likely to still somewhat heavy. Out of all the thin pads I tested, organic brand Rael held onto liquid the best and soaked in the fastest.

One thing to note: During testing, it got real close to leaking out the front, so be mindful of capacity with this one (and with any “thin” pad). And while all 50mL of liquid soaked in quickly, the pad still felt quite wet to the touch, even after several hours.

Best Reusable Postpartum Pad

Knix Reusable Leakproof Pads (Overnight) - 3 count

$40.00

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• Capacity: 5/5
• Leakage: 4/5
• Weight: 4/5
• Dryness: 4/5
• Easy to clean: 5/5

If you’re going to go with a reusable pad during the postpartum weeks, this one from Knix performed the best out of all the reusables. It’s thin and soft (not at all like the diaper feel of maxi pads), and it cleans up really easily with no staining—just make sure you rinse and soak it in cold water before running it through the laundry.

One thing to keep in mind is that it did leak during testing, both before and after being washed and dried. The absorption couldn’t keep up with the more rapid flow of a heavy bleed. Also, one end of the pad is pretty narrow, so it’s most likely to leak at that end.

Disposable pads vs Reusable pads

It’ll cause you less headache in the long run to just stick to disposable pads for the first two weeks postpartum.

In my testing, the disposable pads far outperformed the reusables. While I think reusable pads are a suitable option for regular periods (especially if you’re not a heavy bleeder) and they may be better for the environment, they just didn’t stand up to the volume and viscosity of heavy postpartum bleeding. Rather than deal with leaks, frequent pad changes and constant washing, it’ll cause you less headache in the long run to just stick to disposable pads for the first two weeks postpartum.

Disposable pads, especially maxi styles and pads labeled for incontinence, can easily withstand the heavy volume of those first few days post-childbirth. They also soak in really fast, so you aren’t left feeling swampy.

Once bleeding has slowed down, usually about two weeks in, that’s a good time to switch from maxi pads to thin disposables, reusables or period underwear. Not only will the volume be more like a regular or light period, you’ll also see fewer clots, so volume capacity and leaks aren’t as much of a concern.

A note on scented pads

Some brands offer lightly scented pads, and while it may be tempting to use those to conceal the smell of blood, it’s best to only use unscented pads while your body is healing. Your body—and especially your vaginal area, regardless of how you delivered—is extra sensitive after giving birth, and scented products may irritate your vulva. All the products I tested were unscented and chosen with non-irritating materials in mind.