Medela Hydrogel Pads - Instant Pain Relief, Moist Healing for Sore Nipples - Reusable, 24 Hours

Im a breast feeding and breast pumping mama of 2 and so I’ve tried several different brands of nipple pads …. These are the best ones in my opinion. The gel is cooling but not overly cold to where it hurts your nipples. I like that the adhesive is double sided, I assume it so that you can stick it to your bra and your breast but I just use the adhesive on one side , pump or feed, then put it back on using the clean/new opposite side. I also like that the adhesive is not super strong as to rip your nipples and make them bloody… very soft and gentle. I do however put nipple cream right in the center to protect and heal my nipples from the adhesive just to be safe. They come in a pack of 4 (2 pairs) so they are a little expensive for the amount you get but it’s worth it to avoid bloody cracked nipples from bra sticking / chafing, breastfeeding, etc.
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These are so helpful when you are starting breastfeeding. They help with nipple pain. They are cooling and hygienic and help you not chafe on your clothing. Highly recommend.
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So much to say about these lifesavers.For context, it took a while for my milk to come in so my baby was trying to nurse with very little milk expression for the two weeks. Poor little guy was sucking so hard and getting so little. These gel pads helped me stay the course with breastfeeding when I almost gave up. I used Prolanan ointment at first which is great. However, it got to a certain point where I was blistering, sore, and peeling. Once I discovered these pads from my lactation consultant, I bought them in bulk and didn't look back. I basically wore them as pasties for the first 4 weeks with my newborn.A few things to note:-They are extremely sticky, once you get them to adhere correctly. I would wet them quickly, and then put them on with a tighter bra, shirt, or sports bra to hold them in place while they adhere. It takes your body heat for them to gel to your shape and stick well.-They also are super absorbent and helped limit breastmilk leaks. However, they are not able to hold your milk "let down" once the dam breaks with feeding on one side.-They are reusable! I would be able to get 24-36 hours of use out of mine if cared for properly.- They help heal your nipples quickly so you can continue to breastfeed regularly.I'm so grateful that I found these so early on in my postpartum journey, as they helped me have a more positive experience with breastfeeding by saving me a lot of pain and struggle to get in my groove!
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I’ve had a hard time with BF my last child and now my current baby because of bleeding an sore nipples. It literally felt like razor blades every time they tried latching. I gave up with my last after trying all the creams and then getting mastitis. This baby, I had a lactation specialist recommend these and gave me one to try and it changed it all. It healed them while still being able to nurse. You must stay consistent on wearing them though. I wore them for about a week (you can use one pad for 24 hours then have to use a new one) I cut mine into fours so they could last longer since they’re so expensive. Adhesion isn’t the best but used my nursing bra with a disposable pad and it held in great that way. My nipples are finally toughing up and are almost healed. Me and baby are finally getting used to breastfeeding and latching correctly and these pads saved me during that time period. I highly recommend these for new moms.
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I recently tried these out when having my third child. Breastfeeding pain for me is excruciating. I’d almost rather just give birth again than go through the agony of breastfeeding. Bleeding, cracking, dreading every feeding. Lanolin gives minimal relief. I only succeeded with my first because I used a breast shield the first 5 months. This caused my child to have to do extremely long feedings (45-60 min each feeding) and I felt like I was as nursing 24-7. My supply was barely adequate. I tried exclusively pumping with my second, but sadly my supply dried up by 5 months with him. I felt like such a failure, so I was determined to make it work with this third child- even if I had to use a breast shield again. In the hospital, the familiar excruciating pain came again soon after having the baby. It got so bad, I tried the breastshield, but for whatever reason this time around, that made the pain even worse. My doctor and the nurses encouraged me to try this new product I had never heard of called hydrogels. They gave me samples. I was super skeptical. If lanolin doesn’t even give me the relief I need, how are these gel pads supposed to help?? But I tried them because they insisted. I was shocked at the difference. Although still very painful, my pain level dropped to more tolerable levels. I realized that these gel pads protect my nipples from rubbing against clothing and they keep the nipple moist and allow the nipple to heal more quickly. Between these and using an occasional ibuprofen, I was able to get through that first week. By week 2, I had only slight pain during the initial latch and I no longer needed ibuprofen. I was blown away. I was doing “real” breastfeeding with no breast shield or anything! My supply is better than it ever has been before. I’ve already been able to pump over 60 oz. of excess milk to store in the freezer by week 3! My baby is thriving. I said so many prayers before having this baby that I could succeed with breastfeeding and I truly think that my prayers were answered through being introduced to hydrogels.Another reviewer complained of them being too sticky and causing more harm than good. Initially, they can be kind of sticky. Rinsing then with water before applying helps. I haven’t had too much trouble with stickiness though. I’ve never had problems with them being hard to pull off. They come right off easily for me.The reason I put 4 stars instead of 5 though is because they are expensive!! They are supposed to be replaced every 24 hours and a pack of 2 costs almost $8! I feel taken advantage of in my needy situation. Another reviewer mentioned that any price is worth nipple pain relief and I agree- that’s why I’ve kept buying them, but I still feel ripped off. I’ve actually been able to stretch each pair to 2 to 3 days with no problems, which helps.
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