I’ve got a new baby, and a lot of my making has been babycentric. Here’s a look at one creation.

 Extra nursing pads, made from a cloth diaper insert.

Along with cloth diapers, I’ve been using washable nursing pads. I use the cotton pads at night, and during the day I use reusable silicone nursing pads. (Yup, they’re pretty much pasties. They’re kinda strange at first, but they keep moisture off skin and clothing, which is key to comfort.)

A rotation of eight cotton nursing pads had been working fine, but I concluded that a few extra pads (two to four more) would be nice. Then I remembered the extra diaper insert lingering among burp cloths.
The microfiber inserts for our cloth diapers are freakishly absorbent. (I swear I’m not on the take for diaper seller Cotton Babies; my opinions are based on my personal experience alone.) I would transform the insert into nursing pads.

Three nursing pads, two layers each.

I was able to make three pads from the insert. I traced an existing pad on the insert and cut out the circle. The insert was three layers, too thick for a nursing pad. I took out a layer from two would-be pads to create a third pad. The final step was sewing the pads together with a tight zigzag stitch to finish the edges.

My handcrafted pads are a bit scalloped on the edges because there’s no dart to make them more conical. Consequently, they don’t stay in place as well as the store-bought pads. They’re also a touch bulky, which means they’re not the smoothest under clothing. Because I’m wearing them at night with pajamas, I don’t care too much. I think it was a good use of a item that otherwise would have been underutilized.

I think a crafty mum easily could whip up more polished nursing pads using layers of cotton flannel. The darts would be dead easy, too. Now that I think of it, I may make some nursing pads for my next friend who is expecting. There are lots of cute flannel prints begging for a project.

What store-bought baby gear have you re-created at home? Lay your projects on me! Maybe I’ll try them out myself!