Puddle pads

What are puddle pads?
A puddle pad is a thick layer of specially prepared wool used to protect a mattress, floor, changing mat, or sling from urine or faeces. Essential for anyone practising Elimination Communication or during Potty Learning/Potty Training.
wool puddle pad
Why wool?

Wool is naturally highly water resistant. When liquid comes into contact with the fabric, it beads up on the surface where it can be soaked up using a cloth or towel, leaving the pad immediately clean and dry, with no need to wash!
Wool is naturally antibacterial, the lanolin reacts with urine in a chemical process to form salt, hence it won’t smell or harbour any bacteria. Any liquid absorbed into the fibres evaporates quickly, leaving no stain.
  • Machine washable
  • Suitable for lanolising
  • Soft and non-scratchy
  • Organic and eco wool available
  • From birth
  • Plastic-free
  • Biodegradable
  • Naturally flame-resistant

Is wool really that amazing?
Yes! Wool also helps babies to fall asleep faster, deeper, stay asleep longer and wake less frequently. It helps babies to regulate their body temperature and protects from mattress offgas. Sound too good to be true? Get your Puddle Pad now and see for yourself!

How soft does it feel?

We know that everyone has their own sensitivity to how fabric feels, so if you usually find wool soft enough to use against your skin, you can do so with our Puddle Pads. If not, you might prefer to cover it with a cotton sheet.

Because we believe the most important thing is to work in harmony with nature (as well as making a wool puddle pad which will perfectly protect your mattress) so we have chosen thick, heavy wool which is naturally water resistant and suitable for lanolising. We find it to be much softer than most wool fabrics and it is natural, with no added chemicals, flame retardants or dyes. You can be reassured that the fabric is hypoallergenic, naturally antibacterial and will help regulate your child’s temperature. It will last for many years, so when you’re done with it, please pass it on to another family. At the end of its natural life, your Puddle Pad is compostible and will naturally decompose with zero carbon impact.

Watch how a puddle pad works

Learn how to lanolise your Puddle Pad

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Are puddle pads pre-lanolised?
A: No. Find out how to lanolise your pad.
Q: Which size puddle pad is best for me?
A: The puddle pad only needs to cover the area where the baby might wet, therefore they don’t need to be the size of the whole mattress. Smaller pads can be used in seats, or as changing mats. Larger pads can also be used as play mats, baby massage or yoga mats.
Q: Should I buy a single or double layer puddle pad?
A: Single layer (large or small) are usually best for younger babies, or for use as a mattress protector under the bedsheet. Double layer pads are best for older children or babies who have larger urine output, since the two layers give the best protection against liquids. Little Bunny Bear’s organic wool pads are suitable as a single layer pad for all ages.
Q. Organic or repurposed wool puddle pad?
A: Organic puddle pads are super soft and can be used directly against your baby’s skin. This makes them the best option for situations where you want to lay your baby directly on the pad without a cover sheet, such as when you are using the pad for nappy free time, as a play mat, changing pad or in bed for night time EC and breastfeeding. Repurposed wool can be irritating to the skin for some people (it depends how sensitive you are) but I recommend that for use in a bed they be placed underneath the bed sheet. This will protect your mattress. Some repurposed pads are very soft, and if they can be used against the skin it will say this in the listing itself.
Q: How do I wash my Little Bunny Bear Wool Puddle pad?
A: All the wool pads in my shop (organic and repurposed) can be washed in the washing machine on a wool cycle, or by hand. A gentle wool detergent is recommended and washing at 30 degrees is important to avoid shrinkage. Remember, you will only need to wash it if it is soiled or once it starts to smell – since wool’s natural properties will mean it can go through several wettings without needing a wash. Read more about how wool works.
Q. Which brand of lanolin do you recommend?
A. I recommend Sheepish Grins solid lanolin, which has the advantage of being non-diluted in other fats, so you get more for your money. For liquid lanolin, I like Disana but there are plenty of other brands such as Lansinoh available and as long as they are 100% lanolin it will work fine.
Q. Do I have to lanolise my pad?
A. No, but doing so will help it work to its best. Lanolin (originally on the sheep) is nature’s way of waterproofing wool and will really help keep your item leak-proof and fresh-smelling. In small amounts it will moisturize and soften wool, in bigger amounts it will repel water. It will mean you do not need to wash it after each wetting, which will save you time and money. Learn how to lanolise your pad.

What else makes us special?

Everything is handmade, according to fair trade standards and we use only materials that are eco and animal-friendly.

Little Bunny Bear organic and eco-wool mattress protectors/puddle pads are available via our Etsy shop.