Undoubtedly, among the most commonly asked questions I receive about LANACare nursing pads are in regards to sizing. Yes, these pads look huge compared to the familiar disposables and cotton pads! But the intention is that they cover a larger portion of your breast, to provide all of their beneficial properties, rather than to simply be in place to absorb excess milk. So an open mind and looking beyond cultural norms can be helpful when pondering what size is best.
In Scandinavia, where keeping breasts warm to prevent plugged ducts has been a cultural norm passed on from generation to generation, women tend to want the largest size pads they can get… Here in the U.S., just seeing the size Large pad would cause many a woman’s jaw to drop open. They look more like a breakfast pancake than a nursing pad. It is not often I recommend this size to American women, because I’ve had so many exchange them for size Medium. But there are women for whom size Large has perfectly fit their needs. If you do want a larger size pad, the Oval pad will often fit more readily into your bra, and give coverage alongside up towards your armpit, where many women can experience plugged ducts. There is a size to suit your needs!
The size I most often recommend is size Small. Even these are larger than what most women are used to, and at first site they look absolutely too large. But they form well to your breast, and once in place, often do not seem as large as at first site. Because they are actually less noticeable through your clothing than a smaller pad (the edge falls further back on your breast) and because this size will give you the best coverage while still fitting within the edge of most bras, this is the size I recommend most often.
Many women still think size Small is too large, and ask to exchange for size Mini. Again, if you want to down-size, I most often recommend going for size XS, rather than Mini. Because of the stitching around the edge of the pads, size Mini actually appears smaller than disposables and cotton. (I most often recommend size Mini as an additional layer against your skin, for the rare case of leaking even through Ekstra style pads.) For the extra benefits the additional coverage size XS gives over Mini, I feel that size XS will “give you more for your money” and is preferable to size Mini.
Hope this helps! For guidelines in sizing, see our website.
