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Before giving birth to my daughter, I didn’t give postpartum underwear much thought. (I mean, why would I, right?) Even as I built my registry and her due date drew closer, it still wasn’t top of mind. I figured I’d just use my own underwear with extra-large pads. Well, I tried that in the hospital and … it didn’t work very well (let’s just say, there was a lot of laundry to do when I got home.)
Cut to me ordering Depend Postpartum Underwear during a middle of the night feeding. I still wasn’t really keen on the idea. I thought they’d be scratchy, bulky, and unreliable, but I figured at $15 a pack, it was worth a try.
Turns out, Depend's disposable underwear ended up being my postpartum MVP.
What I Love About Depend Postpartum Underwear
Designed for postpartum comfort
I was pleasantly shocked at how stretchy they were. During those first few weeks, I was sore to the point that certain movements — like bending over or putting on pants — caused instant, intense pain. Because the Depend underwear was so stretchy, I could pull them up and down over easily without much strain. At the same time, they didn’t stretch out and become oversized over the course of the day or night. The fit stayed consistent, which I really appreciated.
Despite the stretch, they never felt bulky. I expected to feel like I was wearing a too-full diaper, but these fit like my normal underwear. I was able to wear loose-fitting dresses out in public without feeling self-conscious about panty lines.
Provide maximum coverage and protection
I stopped wearing pads for my period years ago because they never seemed to be long enough in the back. But the padded core in the Depend underwear stretched far enough in both directions, catching all my lochia and discharge. Even overnight, I never had any leakage issues.
Pro tip: If you find yourself needing extra cushion, add a pad. In the earliest part of my recovery, there was a lot of pressure and pain on my pelvic floor. That, combined with doing a lot of sitting down to feed and rock my baby, led to me being extra stiff and sore down there. Adding an extra layer made a big difference in my comfort.
Final Verdict
If I have another baby down the road, I will be stocking up on Depend Postpartum Underwear ahead of time. They made postpartum bathroom breaks a lot less messy and the recovery a lot more comfortable. Plus, they are readily available at Amazon, Target, Walmart, and CVS, which made sending my husband out for refills easy.
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