How to choose your postpartum panties?

You're pregnant and packing your maternity bag, and you see a strange item on the list: postpartum panties. These absorbent panties are similar to period panties and help manage lochia, the heavy bleeding that follows childbirth. Paper or fabric, high or low, shaping or looser: how do you choose your postpartum panties? As a concept store dedicated to women's intimate areas, Gapianne offers tips for selecting the most suitable postpartum panties for your upcoming delivery.

Why do we have heavy bleeding after childbirth?

After giving birth, your body slowly gets back into working order. It eliminates blood and all the mucous membranes that developed during pregnancy to accommodate the growing baby. This blood loss is called lochia and occurs regardless of your type of delivery (vaginal or cesarean).

The first few days after giving birth can be very heavy—much heavier than your usual period, and for good reason: it's not a period. The blood will be bright red, and you may notice clots and other solid discharge. It's noticeable, but it's completely normal, so don't worry.

Then, little by little, the bleeding will decrease and its color will change. It usually becomes pink, then yellowish-white, and sometimes brown.

This vaginal bleeding can continue for up to six to eight weeks after delivery, until your period returns. This is called the first period after childbirth and signals the return of your fertility.

This whole period is called “the postpartum period.”

💡Note: If you're breastfeeding, lochia may be reduced. This is because the hormone responsible for milk ejection (oxytocin) is also responsible for uterine contractions. Its release in large quantities throughout your body can help clear your uterus faster.

How to choose your postpartum panties?

To ensure your comfort and anticipate this blood loss, maternity wards generally include postpartum underwear on their maternity suitcase packing list. But what are the criteria for choosing them? We've compiled a list for you here!

Vaginal delivery or cesarean section?

As we've seen, you'll need postpartum panties whether you gave birth vaginally or by cesarean section.

However, the type of delivery can have an impact on your postpartum panties and in particular on the height of your postpartum panties: if you give birth by cesarean, you definitely don't want your postpartum panties to end up right on your scar! 💢

Also, if you are planning a cesarean delivery, consider high-waisted panties instead: they will hit above your scar.

And because you never know if you'll have a vaginal delivery or a cesarean section, we recommend looking into high-waisted panties when packing your maternity suitcase.

Disposable or cloth postpartum panties?

There are washable and disposable postpartum panties, depending on the brand. You might also be tempted to use your regular menstrual panties to accompany you to the maternity ward.

Our advice: opt for disposable maternity underwear and switch to cloth underwear once you get home. There are three reasons for this:

1. On the one hand, you won't be able to wash your washable panties at the maternity ward and it won't be pleasant to have a pile of dirty panties with you;

2. On the other hand, your regular menstrual panties may have difficulty absorbing the flow of blood from your lochia, which may be heavier than your period.

3. Finally, disposable panties have the advantage of being much less tight-fitting than your usual period panties. You'll be more comfortable and you can even tear them off to take them off, saving you from the hassle of doing the day after giving birth!

High or low waist?

The height of the postpartum panties you choose depends on two criteria:

1. Your type of delivery: If you had a cesarean section, you will not be able to wear low-rise panties... In fact, the edge of the panties will fall directly onto your scar.

2. Your usual comfort: This depends entirely on you; we're all different! If you're more comfortable in low-rise panties, consider this option, and vice versa.

Control or loose panties?

Wearing shapewear is sometimes recommended to help the female body return to its pre-pregnancy size, to regulate the repositioning of organs following childbirth and to help with the healing of a cesarean section.

However, in the days following delivery, we can only advise you to opt for postpartum panties with elastic and a very loose fit. The goal? To promote your comfort.

In other words, we recommend packing very loose postpartum panties in your maternity suitcase and purchasing shapewear for after you get home.

What size postpartum panties should I choose?

Before your delivery, it's likely that it'll be difficult for you to have a clear idea of ​​your panty size the day after your delivery. Your abdomen will inevitably shrink after childbirth and after the placenta is expelled, but your pregnancy weight will take a few months to disappear, and it's possible that you've gained some shape in your stomach, hips, buttocks, and thighs.

That's why we recommend going for very loose-fitting, one-size-fits-all panties in the first few days after giving birth. This will save you the hassle of deciding on your exact size, or worse, the guilt of choosing the wrong size.

Gapianne's choice

As you've probably guessed, when packing your maternity suitcase, we recommend opting for disposable panties that are very loose and high-waisted. They'll be with you for the first few days after giving birth, and then, once you're back home and feel more comfortable with your body, you can switch to more supportive fabric panties.

🌈 For us, the perfect postpartum panty for after childbirth is the postpartum panty – Jho . Ultra absorbent, comfortable, practical and very elastic, they will be your best ally against your lochia during this particular period. They are suitable from size 34 to size 52. Made of 100% organic cotton, they are dermatologically tested to be as safe as possible during this period when you need extreme softness.

Disposable postpartum panties - Jho

🎁 -10% on your first order

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