"Please don't let my bleeding snatch scar all these children for life!"
This thought ran through my head at lightening speed this afternoon. Let me explain. . .
I'm starting to feel like bleeding out of my vadge is the new normal for me. Yep, I started bleeding - not merely spotting - to such an extent that I'm inclined to proclaim that my period has finally arrived. Adding to the joyous event (that's sarcasm!) is that I haven't been at home and I've been managing the mess downstairs while staying with my in-laws and while traveling hundreds of miles by car with my two young children in tow. Yee-haw. . .now that's a freaking party!
Can I be serious for just a moment? I think I hate the Mirena IUD. Not like I hate cleaning the lint trap of the dryer or like I hate having to go to the mall. Those are more like minor annoyances. No, I think I hate my IUD a bit more than that. I hate it on a far deeper level. I don't feel the same way about it as I do about Stalin, Mao, or Hitler, but it's pretty close. I hate my IUD as much as I hate whiney douches who wear Che shirts while sipping lattes, smoking cloves, and bitching about the system. I'm still waiting to feel the IUD love. . .and it keeps giving me the finger. This naturally means that I'll fall in love with it because I have historically demonstrated that I am unable to fall in love with and pick winners. Except my hubs - he's the olive in my martini.
Part of my travel plans included a couple of days in Las Vegas. My older son was super-excited because the pool was open. Heck, I was excited too! Amazingly enough, hotel pools are closed nearly every time we travel. I know it sounds like a BS excuse that parents give their kids to not go to the pool, but it kills me that we never get to swim because I'm a great big ol' water baby myself and swim time means that bedtime comes earlier than normal. Party, indeed!
So the boys and I were going to go for a dip in the pool and I was all thrilled until I realized that this meant that my leaking ladyparts required the use of something other than my standard go-to mama cloth so I decided to use the Instead cups. I know that I've raved about the Diva Cup time and again on this blog, but I've not been able to comfortably remove it since the birth of my last child and it was easier to pack a few Insteads instead. I packed them in hopes of finding an open pool and I was glad that I didn't waste 2 inches of suitcase space on something that was unnecessary.
I have probably mentioned my mishaps in using the Instead. It looked like a crime scene in that bathroom after the slippery little sucker slipped from my grasp! Also, it should be criminal to put champagne-colored carpet in a bathroom!
One friend dropped her Instead in the stall while using the restroom at the movies. She kicked it away and hustled buns out of there and I honestly can't think of a better course of action while facing such a tragedy. I have heard from a different friend that she sneezed out an Instead. In line at a store. While wearing white pants!!
It's starting to sound like Insteads should come with a warning label and certain shame and mortification will result from their use.
With all this in mind, I still went ahead and chose to use an Instead because, well, WTF was I supposed to use? I find insertion of the Instead to be significantly easier than the Diva and that was no problem. I was fairly confident that I wouldn't have any leaking issues since my flow is significantly lighter than "normal" and I eagerly went down to the pool with my boys.
I was holding my baby while walking toward the kiddie pool and I sneezed. Then I sneezed again. And again.
Oh, crap!
My friend's bloody horror story ran through my mind in an instant and I squeezed the heck out of my bits because I didn't want to sneeze the damn thing out. I was sure the entire pool was watching me so I kept on walking. Just a little more gingerly than a few seconds earlier. I mean, who wants a cup of blood to pour out on the crotch of their hilariously inappropriate white bikini?
I slipped in the kiddie pool with the babe in arms and wondered if I could get away with discreetly fishing around up there to see if my sneezing somehow had dislodged my cup. I decided against it because I didn't want to risk getting busted for fingering myself in front of a group of kids. With my shit luck on stuff like this, I have no doubt it would have been the result.
I decided to sit on the side of the pool and began working my muscles. Over and over and over again. I rhythmically began the squeezing & releasing that I knew would help pull that bad boy back up where it needed to be in order to avoid any poolside mortification. Eventually, I was certain that all was as it should be and I slipped back in the water with the baby (who was fussing and struggling to get away from my grasp the entire time!) and we all enjoyed several hours in the pool.
Have you ever had a hilariously embarrassing mishap? Don't hold back. . .I keep it real and you can too! Share in the comments so we all can revel in it!
Showing posts with label menstrual cup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label menstrual cup. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Little Luxuries Tester Pads - II
I wrote a blog post about some tester cloth pads I received back in November. I gave a good description of the product and what I knew of them without actually having had a period yet. I was actually looking forward to my period so I naturally ended up pregnant. They were tucked away with the rest of my mama cloth stash, waiting to eventually be used.
I assumed that it would be well over a year before I'd use the Little Luxuries pads (thanks to pregnancy and breastfeeding), but that's not how things turned out. Between the nearly non-stop periods after my miscarriage and the chronic spotting (and sometimes bleeding!) that I had for well over a month in this new pregnancy, I finally have enough input that I can write a full review about Little Luxuries cloth menstrual pads.
Simply put, they are bulletproof!
Two of these tester pads, in particular, are the "big guns" of my mama cloth stash. They were put through the stress and strain of trying to withstand my flow and they passed that test with flying colors. I never once had a leak when I used the correct pad for my flow. That's something that can't be said about disposable pads, tampons, or even my Diva Cup.
I have detailed my impossibly heavy flow in this blog so understand that it's absolutely necessary that I have a pad that I can trust or I'd just throw them in the garbage. How heavy has my flow been? So heavy that it's impossible to get my Diva Cup to form a seal because my period is quite literally like a gushing red river between my legs. Not only did I suffer with a ridiculously fast flow (like a geyser, but upside down), but I also had the pleasure of clots. Not huge clots by some measures, but shooter-marble sized chunks of blood seemed pretty darn excessive to me. And I won't even get started on the frequency - ugh! It's accurate to say that I felt like I was being held hostage by my menstrual cycle and "the curse" definitely felt like one to me.
With such a mess going on downstairs, it's fair to say that I expect a lot from a pad. Add in that I demand absolute perfection in whatever product I use to manage my menses and I guess you could say that I'm a tough customer to please.
It seemed HUGE so I was skeptical about the length of the 13" overnight/postpartum pad, but found that it was acceptable and might have been necessary sometimes. This was the pad that I relied on for my heaviest days and, yes, overnight. I almost felt ill seeing and feeling just how saturated it was (it actually was heavy), but it didn't fail me - not even once!
The 11" heavy pad was also good on my heavy days and I preferred it if I had to leave the house while flowing so fast. I never had a single mishap with it either. The 9" regular pad was totally adequate at the very beginning or the very end of my period, but I'm certain that it would work well for women with "normal" flows. I did try it on my heavy day and it couldn't take the force of my flow so there was a little leakage that time. The 8" liner was fine, but I didn't love it only because I find myself constantly fiddling with any pad that is under 9". They just don't feel right in my britches and I'm forever trying to adjust them to feel right to me.
Of course, length preferences are highly personal and it shouldn't be taken as a criticism because I didn't have any complaints about how any of these pads performed. They exceeded my expectations and I can confidently recommend them to anyone interested in exploring cloth pads. However, understand that they aren't the trimmest in my stash though they're still far better in that area than a disposable pad. Also, I found that they took longer to dry than any of my other pads, but I think that's a small price to pay for such incredible absorbency and 100% perfect pad performance.
These Little Luxuries pads are sooooo incredibly soft and pretty that they almost make you look forward to using them. If you buy them, I'm betting that you'll enjoy and appreciate your Little Luxuries. I know that I do!
Though I prefer 10" and 12" pad lengths, these Little Luxuries pads are definitely in my rotation to use once I begin bleeding again. I do plan to use mama cloth to handle the lochia in the immediate post-partum period so I expect that the 13" and 11" will get quite a workout toward the end of the year. Hm, wonder if Little Luxuries needs testers for their post-partum pads?? ;)
I assumed that it would be well over a year before I'd use the Little Luxuries pads (thanks to pregnancy and breastfeeding), but that's not how things turned out. Between the nearly non-stop periods after my miscarriage and the chronic spotting (and sometimes bleeding!) that I had for well over a month in this new pregnancy, I finally have enough input that I can write a full review about Little Luxuries cloth menstrual pads.
Simply put, they are bulletproof!
Two of these tester pads, in particular, are the "big guns" of my mama cloth stash. They were put through the stress and strain of trying to withstand my flow and they passed that test with flying colors. I never once had a leak when I used the correct pad for my flow. That's something that can't be said about disposable pads, tampons, or even my Diva Cup.
I have detailed my impossibly heavy flow in this blog so understand that it's absolutely necessary that I have a pad that I can trust or I'd just throw them in the garbage. How heavy has my flow been? So heavy that it's impossible to get my Diva Cup to form a seal because my period is quite literally like a gushing red river between my legs. Not only did I suffer with a ridiculously fast flow (like a geyser, but upside down), but I also had the pleasure of clots. Not huge clots by some measures, but shooter-marble sized chunks of blood seemed pretty darn excessive to me. And I won't even get started on the frequency - ugh! It's accurate to say that I felt like I was being held hostage by my menstrual cycle and "the curse" definitely felt like one to me.
With such a mess going on downstairs, it's fair to say that I expect a lot from a pad. Add in that I demand absolute perfection in whatever product I use to manage my menses and I guess you could say that I'm a tough customer to please.
It seemed HUGE so I was skeptical about the length of the 13" overnight/postpartum pad, but found that it was acceptable and might have been necessary sometimes. This was the pad that I relied on for my heaviest days and, yes, overnight. I almost felt ill seeing and feeling just how saturated it was (it actually was heavy), but it didn't fail me - not even once!
The 11" heavy pad was also good on my heavy days and I preferred it if I had to leave the house while flowing so fast. I never had a single mishap with it either. The 9" regular pad was totally adequate at the very beginning or the very end of my period, but I'm certain that it would work well for women with "normal" flows. I did try it on my heavy day and it couldn't take the force of my flow so there was a little leakage that time. The 8" liner was fine, but I didn't love it only because I find myself constantly fiddling with any pad that is under 9". They just don't feel right in my britches and I'm forever trying to adjust them to feel right to me.
Of course, length preferences are highly personal and it shouldn't be taken as a criticism because I didn't have any complaints about how any of these pads performed. They exceeded my expectations and I can confidently recommend them to anyone interested in exploring cloth pads. However, understand that they aren't the trimmest in my stash though they're still far better in that area than a disposable pad. Also, I found that they took longer to dry than any of my other pads, but I think that's a small price to pay for such incredible absorbency and 100% perfect pad performance.
These Little Luxuries pads are sooooo incredibly soft and pretty that they almost make you look forward to using them. If you buy them, I'm betting that you'll enjoy and appreciate your Little Luxuries. I know that I do!
* * *
Though I prefer 10" and 12" pad lengths, these Little Luxuries pads are definitely in my rotation to use once I begin bleeding again. I do plan to use mama cloth to handle the lochia in the immediate post-partum period so I expect that the 13" and 11" will get quite a workout toward the end of the year. Hm, wonder if Little Luxuries needs testers for their post-partum pads?? ;)
Monday, April 4, 2011
Is It Possible. . .
to bleed to death from your vagina? If so, I must be halfway there.
Yep, I'm having yet another period. I think I'm well on my way to winning the contest for the woman who spends the most days on her period. This is my third period since February 26 (UGH!) and my frequent blood-loss may be one reason why I feel so exhausted and wiped out all the time. Okay, okay, I felt that way anyhow, but the frequent periods can't possibly help to improve my energy levels.
I might be able to tolerate the frequency (even though that isn't good for fertility), but the quantity of blood-loss is negatively impacting my life. I can't use my Diva Cup because there is so much, uh, wetness gushing around up there that I can't get it to form a seal. So I've been forced to use pads.
How many pads do I use? I soak through a heavy-duty postpartum pad within an hour if I'm moving around or I can maybe go for two hours if I'm just sitting still. And it's not just the ridiculously heavy flow that's bothersome, but the clots are starting to freak me the heck out. They aren't like the size of golf balls or anything, but more like the size of a "shooter" marble. My periods have sucked for years, but this is a new development and it's pretty disturbing.
I know that the first few cycles after a pregnancy can be wonky, but this is ridiculous. I loathe going to the doctor unless absolutely necessary and I'd rather not be seen in this condition, but I just contacted my doctor because I can't even have a normal life. I'm being held hostage by my menstrual cycle. . .I don't think it's a good idea to negotiate with terrorists, but I'll gladly pay the ransom to get my life back!
Yep, I'm having yet another period. I think I'm well on my way to winning the contest for the woman who spends the most days on her period. This is my third period since February 26 (UGH!) and my frequent blood-loss may be one reason why I feel so exhausted and wiped out all the time. Okay, okay, I felt that way anyhow, but the frequent periods can't possibly help to improve my energy levels.
I might be able to tolerate the frequency (even though that isn't good for fertility), but the quantity of blood-loss is negatively impacting my life. I can't use my Diva Cup because there is so much, uh, wetness gushing around up there that I can't get it to form a seal. So I've been forced to use pads.
How many pads do I use? I soak through a heavy-duty postpartum pad within an hour if I'm moving around or I can maybe go for two hours if I'm just sitting still. And it's not just the ridiculously heavy flow that's bothersome, but the clots are starting to freak me the heck out. They aren't like the size of golf balls or anything, but more like the size of a "shooter" marble. My periods have sucked for years, but this is a new development and it's pretty disturbing.
I know that the first few cycles after a pregnancy can be wonky, but this is ridiculous. I loathe going to the doctor unless absolutely necessary and I'd rather not be seen in this condition, but I just contacted my doctor because I can't even have a normal life. I'm being held hostage by my menstrual cycle. . .I don't think it's a good idea to negotiate with terrorists, but I'll gladly pay the ransom to get my life back!
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Will You Be My Next Convert???
A friend contacted me today about a very specific topic. This is the fifth friend who has privately communicated with me about this particular topic. What is the topic that I apparently know enough about that others seek my advice on the matter? Menstrual cups and mama cloth.
Whether I know a lot about menstrual cups and mama cloth is certainly up for debate, but it is well-known that I'm more than willing to talk about it and share whatever information I've learned. I never thought I'd be this kind of person, but I guess you can say that I'm something of a Period Proselytizer. Since changing how I manage my period, I feel that it's something to have a little fun with rather than something to be dreaded. Am I saying that I had a happy period? Well, I'm saying it's more likely than you may think!
I've shared my menstrual adventures several times in this blog and I guess those posts have hit a nerve with some readers. Three of the friends who have contacted me privately have taken the information I gave and can now be counted as menstrual cup or mama cloth converts. I can't claim that I'm the only reason that these women considered reusable menstrual products, but it didn't hurt that I opened my mouth and shared my experiences with the readership.
Is 2011 the year that you change how you control of your period? Will you be the next one converted by the Period Proselytizer? ;-)
Whether I know a lot about menstrual cups and mama cloth is certainly up for debate, but it is well-known that I'm more than willing to talk about it and share whatever information I've learned. I never thought I'd be this kind of person, but I guess you can say that I'm something of a Period Proselytizer. Since changing how I manage my period, I feel that it's something to have a little fun with rather than something to be dreaded. Am I saying that I had a happy period? Well, I'm saying it's more likely than you may think!
I've shared my menstrual adventures several times in this blog and I guess those posts have hit a nerve with some readers. Three of the friends who have contacted me privately have taken the information I gave and can now be counted as menstrual cup or mama cloth converts. I can't claim that I'm the only reason that these women considered reusable menstrual products, but it didn't hurt that I opened my mouth and shared my experiences with the readership.
Is 2011 the year that you change how you control of your period? Will you be the next one converted by the Period Proselytizer? ;-)
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
No Wonder I Switched!
Blah, blah, blah. . .you've been warned that this is about my period so do yourself a favor and stop reading if you aren't interested.
I consulted my special notes the other day and I realized that I have had twelve periods this year. Twelve! And I had a couple of very long, hope-building & dashing, cycles this year! I can't believe that November isn't even over yet and I've already had twelve periods for the year.
I'm dumbfounded further that my doctor didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with this schedule. Somehow I have to believe that he would think it was highly disturbing if he suddenly began bleeding out of his privates every 20 days or so, but he isn't ham-handed so I guess that I'm willing to put up with his dismissive attitude.
More depressing than the knowledge that I've had twelve periods in less than eleven full months is the realization that I will likely have two more periods before the year is over. Of course, this is assuming that my body doesn't suddenly start flowing like an average woman. I'm also assuming at this point that I won't end the year with a bun in my oven.
I did the math and discovered that I would have spent around $100 on disposable products if I hadn't gone the reusable route earlier this year. One hundred dollars for something that would just end up in the garbage. . .no wonder I made the switch to reusable products!
I consulted my special notes the other day and I realized that I have had twelve periods this year. Twelve! And I had a couple of very long, hope-building & dashing, cycles this year! I can't believe that November isn't even over yet and I've already had twelve periods for the year.
I'm dumbfounded further that my doctor didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with this schedule. Somehow I have to believe that he would think it was highly disturbing if he suddenly began bleeding out of his privates every 20 days or so, but he isn't ham-handed so I guess that I'm willing to put up with his dismissive attitude.
More depressing than the knowledge that I've had twelve periods in less than eleven full months is the realization that I will likely have two more periods before the year is over. Of course, this is assuming that my body doesn't suddenly start flowing like an average woman. I'm also assuming at this point that I won't end the year with a bun in my oven.
I did the math and discovered that I would have spent around $100 on disposable products if I hadn't gone the reusable route earlier this year. One hundred dollars for something that would just end up in the garbage. . .no wonder I made the switch to reusable products!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Betcha Can't Try Just One!
No, I'm not talking about potato chips! Here's a post that my brother would have totally cringed at reading. We are back to my regularly (heh!) scheduled blog posts about my period. More specifically, about mama cloth this month!
Last month, I started my period less than two days after my only brother died. I had to suffer my period the entire time I was in New Jersey for my brother's service. Of course I did, right?! I did myself a favor and decided to only use the Diva Cup while I was traveling. Overall, it wasn't all that bad and was more convenient than toting a box of tampons in my luggage. Or, more likely, in my handbag.
However, I'm not gonna lie, it really sucked balls to deal with airport connections while worrying that my Cup was about to overflow. Naturally, my travel day was also my "heavy" day and I had to deal with emptying and reinserting the cup at LAX in Los Angeles. And Logan airport in Boston. And on two different planes. It wasn't fun in the least. My vagina was busy, but my cup is mighty so I never experienced even one little leak the entire time I was gone - hooray!
I decided that, on my next cycle, I would try the mama cloth I purchased in August. Well, I did not conceive right after my brother's death (shocker!) so I did get my monthly visitor this month. I intentionally ignored my Diva Cup and grabbed a mama cloth pad.
I have to say that I was sure that it would be yucky and gross to use the cloth menstrual pads. I mean, I'm just not a fan of pads in general. Heck, I only wore pads (disposable of course) regularly back when I first started getting periods. I switched to tampons at some point in the 8th grade and kicked Stay Free to the curb. That is, until I started getting these horribly heavy days in my cycle. Tampons, not even those super-duper giant cigar-sized tampons, could not absorb the flow fast enough so I was forced to use these ultra ginormous maxi pads to keep my clothes safe from Aunt Flo's, uh, flow.
Anyway, I grabbed a cloth pad and put it on. They all have wings that snap together so the pad (hopefully) won't go slipping around in your underpants. All of my pads are also fleece or flannel backed so they aren't particularly prone to slippage when worn with cotton panties. Yeah, I know. Cotton panties, how pedestrian. But, really, who is wearing silk panties on their period anyway?
So how was it to wear a cloth pad? You know, it wasn't all that bad. I mean, what's not to like? They didn't leak and they are totally comfortable to wear. My pads are very soft and quite comfortable. I prefer the velour topped pads over the flannel topped pads, but both were very soft against my skin and even the flannel topped pads are softer than their paper & plastic disposable counterparts.
I would have expected fabric to feel softer than paper, but I wasn't prepared for their size. I was amazed that they aren't bulky at all. Even my heavy-duty cloth pads are thinner than a comparable disposable pad. How is that even possible? I have no idea, but I like it!
I have two, actually three, clear favorites of all the sellers from whom I purchased mama cloth. If you might be interested in purchasing or pricing mama cloth, click the links to go to the seller's Etsy shop.
For a liner, I just love these pretty offerings. I purchased three flannel-topped (would have preferred velour, but it wasn't available) liners to use as a back up with the Diva Cup. I picked a solid black top and a red & black swirl pattern on the wings and they are almost too pretty to use. Almost. They aren't really absorbent, but they will save your britches if you have any Cup or tampon leakage. The liners are somewhat short, but since it's just a back up you probably don't need a lot of coverage.
I picked up a few pads from Blossom Pads for moderate days. You have your choice of length, top fabric (flannel or velour), and the level of absorbency you desire. I chose velour-topped and fleece backed for breathability - don't want things getting too hot down there! I regret that I went with moderate absorbency as I'd like to see just how their heavy pads perform against my favorites, which are:
My absolute favorites are the absorbent pads from Mother Moon Pads. I purchased a couple of velour-topped pads that have a core made of Zorb (a material that offers awesome absorbency) and terry with a back of breathable fleece. These pads are just ridiculously soft and unbelievably comfortable. They are so wonderful that I wish that every woman could try these pads just once to experience a truly comfortable period. They aren't the prettiest pads in my stash, that distinction goes to the pads above, but these are the pads that I'll measure all other pads against because they handled my heaviest flow - even overnight!
Also represented in my stash are a couple flannel topped "regular" and "heavy" pads. I'm just not crazy about how the flannel feels in comparison to velour, but it's still far more comfortable than a traditional disposable pad. Additionally, I have one or two pads with a layer of PUL to prevent leaks. I'd rather change the pad more frequently and take a chance with leaks than have a layer of PUL in my pad because I find it somewhat hot.
I was even able to venture from the house for a few hours without fear on my heavy day by using the Cup with a Mother Moon Pad as back up. Hooray for this new freedom!
I purchased the mama cloth to handle my heavy day and I think I have a winning formula with the Diva Cup on most days of my cycle and the mama cloth on the super-heavy-why-does-my-vagina-hate-me day. However, I liked the mama cloth so much that I might just become a pad wearing kinda gal!
Common Questions I've Been Asked About Mama Cloth
"Ew, I can't use a cloth menstrual pad! Isn't it gross to bleed on fabric?"
I didn't find it any more gross to bleed on a reusable menstrual pad than it is to bleed on a paper & plastic disposable menstrual pad. Let's face it, it's pretty gross no matter where you dump your uterine lining so you might as well save some money and be comfortable while doing it.
"Save money? Aren't cloth pads pretty expensive?"
The initial cost for switching is higher, but the savings quickly add up because you aren't spending money every month on a product that just ends up thrown in the garbage. Depending on your flow (how often you used to purchase pads), your return on investment may only be a couple of months. Remember that you can reuse these pads for many, many years and, if you wash on the gentle cycle & line dry them, they'll last even longer.
"I don't think that I want to go 100% cloth so why should I bother?"
There is no need to treat this as an all or nothing situation. Purchase one or two cloth pads and see how you like them. My advice is to use them at first when you know you'll be at home for a few hours. I'll bet that you'll be sold on how comfortable they are and you'll want to switch over once you try them out.
"I normally wear tampons. How bulky are these pads?"
I used to use tampons, but I've used the Diva Cup since around February and I'd suggest that the Cup would be a better option for tampon users. The Cup is a remarkably better than tampons. However, these pads are less bulky than their disposable counterparts. There is no "wearing a diaper to manage your period" feeling at all.
"Don't cloth pads feel gross?"
No, they actually feel really comfy. I haven't worn pads regularly in over 20-years and I was pretty sure that mama cloth would suck, but these are extremely pleasant to wear. Imagine your most comfortable panties, but even more comfortable. Seriously, I can't stress enough just how comfortable these pads feel against your skin! Try it once and I'm sure you'll be sold too!
"What do you do with those nasty pads?"
I just looped a drawstring wetbag over the door knob of the door in my master bathroom. No odors, no muss, no fuss. I was actually surprised at how easy and unobtrusive it was to deal with the pads before washing them.
"What do you do with the pads if you're out?"
Good question. I'm a SAHM so I have a lot of flexibility about when I go out, but I generally use my Diva Cup when away from home. You can purchase a wetbags specifically designed for dealing with soiled mama cloth or you can just store them in a Ziploc bag until you get home.
"Won't everyone know you're using these cloth pads?"
Not unless you tell them. Or, uh, if you blog about it! There are no crinkly plastic parts or wrappers so I think they are even more discreet than any disposable products, tampons or pads.
"How can you just wash & reuse those cloth pads?"
Pretty easily actually. I wash on cold with a double rinse and toss them in the dryer. If that sounds too horrible to handle, I want to know if you throw away all underpants on which you accidentally bleed? No, you probably just toss them in the wash and hope for no staining. The same thing applies with mama cloth.
"Staining! Those pads probably look horrible after coming out of the wash!"
No, not really. I specifically chose dark top fabric (solids and busy prints) to disguise any staining. However, I have two pads that are pastels. . .a spritz of Soilove before washing and a little sunshine before drying took care of any staining that may have occurred.
Thanks to my blogging, I've had several friends ask me about the Diva Cup and mama cloth options. I hope that this post has been helpful to those friends in particular, but do let me know if you have any questions or concerns that haven't been addressed and I'll be happy to help.
A happy period? It's more likely than you might think!
Last month, I started my period less than two days after my only brother died. I had to suffer my period the entire time I was in New Jersey for my brother's service. Of course I did, right?! I did myself a favor and decided to only use the Diva Cup while I was traveling. Overall, it wasn't all that bad and was more convenient than toting a box of tampons in my luggage. Or, more likely, in my handbag.
However, I'm not gonna lie, it really sucked balls to deal with airport connections while worrying that my Cup was about to overflow. Naturally, my travel day was also my "heavy" day and I had to deal with emptying and reinserting the cup at LAX in Los Angeles. And Logan airport in Boston. And on two different planes. It wasn't fun in the least. My vagina was busy, but my cup is mighty so I never experienced even one little leak the entire time I was gone - hooray!
I decided that, on my next cycle, I would try the mama cloth I purchased in August. Well, I did not conceive right after my brother's death (shocker!) so I did get my monthly visitor this month. I intentionally ignored my Diva Cup and grabbed a mama cloth pad.
I have to say that I was sure that it would be yucky and gross to use the cloth menstrual pads. I mean, I'm just not a fan of pads in general. Heck, I only wore pads (disposable of course) regularly back when I first started getting periods. I switched to tampons at some point in the 8th grade and kicked Stay Free to the curb. That is, until I started getting these horribly heavy days in my cycle. Tampons, not even those super-duper giant cigar-sized tampons, could not absorb the flow fast enough so I was forced to use these ultra ginormous maxi pads to keep my clothes safe from Aunt Flo's, uh, flow.
Anyway, I grabbed a cloth pad and put it on. They all have wings that snap together so the pad (hopefully) won't go slipping around in your underpants. All of my pads are also fleece or flannel backed so they aren't particularly prone to slippage when worn with cotton panties. Yeah, I know. Cotton panties, how pedestrian. But, really, who is wearing silk panties on their period anyway?
So how was it to wear a cloth pad? You know, it wasn't all that bad. I mean, what's not to like? They didn't leak and they are totally comfortable to wear. My pads are very soft and quite comfortable. I prefer the velour topped pads over the flannel topped pads, but both were very soft against my skin and even the flannel topped pads are softer than their paper & plastic disposable counterparts.
I would have expected fabric to feel softer than paper, but I wasn't prepared for their size. I was amazed that they aren't bulky at all. Even my heavy-duty cloth pads are thinner than a comparable disposable pad. How is that even possible? I have no idea, but I like it!
I have two, actually three, clear favorites of all the sellers from whom I purchased mama cloth. If you might be interested in purchasing or pricing mama cloth, click the links to go to the seller's Etsy shop.
For a liner, I just love these pretty offerings. I purchased three flannel-topped (would have preferred velour, but it wasn't available) liners to use as a back up with the Diva Cup. I picked a solid black top and a red & black swirl pattern on the wings and they are almost too pretty to use. Almost. They aren't really absorbent, but they will save your britches if you have any Cup or tampon leakage. The liners are somewhat short, but since it's just a back up you probably don't need a lot of coverage.
I picked up a few pads from Blossom Pads for moderate days. You have your choice of length, top fabric (flannel or velour), and the level of absorbency you desire. I chose velour-topped and fleece backed for breathability - don't want things getting too hot down there! I regret that I went with moderate absorbency as I'd like to see just how their heavy pads perform against my favorites, which are:
My absolute favorites are the absorbent pads from Mother Moon Pads. I purchased a couple of velour-topped pads that have a core made of Zorb (a material that offers awesome absorbency) and terry with a back of breathable fleece. These pads are just ridiculously soft and unbelievably comfortable. They are so wonderful that I wish that every woman could try these pads just once to experience a truly comfortable period. They aren't the prettiest pads in my stash, that distinction goes to the pads above, but these are the pads that I'll measure all other pads against because they handled my heaviest flow - even overnight!
Also represented in my stash are a couple flannel topped "regular" and "heavy" pads. I'm just not crazy about how the flannel feels in comparison to velour, but it's still far more comfortable than a traditional disposable pad. Additionally, I have one or two pads with a layer of PUL to prevent leaks. I'd rather change the pad more frequently and take a chance with leaks than have a layer of PUL in my pad because I find it somewhat hot.
I was even able to venture from the house for a few hours without fear on my heavy day by using the Cup with a Mother Moon Pad as back up. Hooray for this new freedom!
I purchased the mama cloth to handle my heavy day and I think I have a winning formula with the Diva Cup on most days of my cycle and the mama cloth on the super-heavy-why-does-my-vagina-hate-me day. However, I liked the mama cloth so much that I might just become a pad wearing kinda gal!
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Common Questions I've Been Asked About Mama Cloth
"Ew, I can't use a cloth menstrual pad! Isn't it gross to bleed on fabric?"
I didn't find it any more gross to bleed on a reusable menstrual pad than it is to bleed on a paper & plastic disposable menstrual pad. Let's face it, it's pretty gross no matter where you dump your uterine lining so you might as well save some money and be comfortable while doing it.
"Save money? Aren't cloth pads pretty expensive?"
The initial cost for switching is higher, but the savings quickly add up because you aren't spending money every month on a product that just ends up thrown in the garbage. Depending on your flow (how often you used to purchase pads), your return on investment may only be a couple of months. Remember that you can reuse these pads for many, many years and, if you wash on the gentle cycle & line dry them, they'll last even longer.
"I don't think that I want to go 100% cloth so why should I bother?"
There is no need to treat this as an all or nothing situation. Purchase one or two cloth pads and see how you like them. My advice is to use them at first when you know you'll be at home for a few hours. I'll bet that you'll be sold on how comfortable they are and you'll want to switch over once you try them out.
"I normally wear tampons. How bulky are these pads?"
I used to use tampons, but I've used the Diva Cup since around February and I'd suggest that the Cup would be a better option for tampon users. The Cup is a remarkably better than tampons. However, these pads are less bulky than their disposable counterparts. There is no "wearing a diaper to manage your period" feeling at all.
"Don't cloth pads feel gross?"
No, they actually feel really comfy. I haven't worn pads regularly in over 20-years and I was pretty sure that mama cloth would suck, but these are extremely pleasant to wear. Imagine your most comfortable panties, but even more comfortable. Seriously, I can't stress enough just how comfortable these pads feel against your skin! Try it once and I'm sure you'll be sold too!
"What do you do with those nasty pads?"
I just looped a drawstring wetbag over the door knob of the door in my master bathroom. No odors, no muss, no fuss. I was actually surprised at how easy and unobtrusive it was to deal with the pads before washing them.
"What do you do with the pads if you're out?"
Good question. I'm a SAHM so I have a lot of flexibility about when I go out, but I generally use my Diva Cup when away from home. You can purchase a wetbags specifically designed for dealing with soiled mama cloth or you can just store them in a Ziploc bag until you get home.
"Won't everyone know you're using these cloth pads?"
Not unless you tell them. Or, uh, if you blog about it! There are no crinkly plastic parts or wrappers so I think they are even more discreet than any disposable products, tampons or pads.
"How can you just wash & reuse those cloth pads?"
Pretty easily actually. I wash on cold with a double rinse and toss them in the dryer. If that sounds too horrible to handle, I want to know if you throw away all underpants on which you accidentally bleed? No, you probably just toss them in the wash and hope for no staining. The same thing applies with mama cloth.
"Staining! Those pads probably look horrible after coming out of the wash!"
No, not really. I specifically chose dark top fabric (solids and busy prints) to disguise any staining. However, I have two pads that are pastels. . .a spritz of Soilove before washing and a little sunshine before drying took care of any staining that may have occurred.
Thanks to my blogging, I've had several friends ask me about the Diva Cup and mama cloth options. I hope that this post has been helpful to those friends in particular, but do let me know if you have any questions or concerns that haven't been addressed and I'll be happy to help.
A happy period? It's more likely than you might think!
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