Can someone explain to me how period pants work, please?

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I've been looking at period pants as an option for DD (probably expecting first period sometime soon-ish), but I don't really get how they work, practically speaking. Could someone who's used them comment, please?

Things I don't understand: do you just wear the one pair of knickers all day and change at night? Or do you have to change in the day (I know they come in different absorbencies, but if her periods are anything like mine then it looks like the heaviest one would only last around 6 hours, which is not as long as she's out of the house for on a school day - but I might be wrong about the absorbency)? If you do have to change then how are you supposed to store the worn pair?

How heavy/bulky are they to wear? Compared to ordinary underwear or sanitary towels. Do they feel saggy and heavy when full?

Do you have to remove any bits and replace, or is it just an all-in-one thing?

Are they actually any good for doing sports and at night?

Thanks for any advice.

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I'd be interested to know more too. I use washable pads and I need to change two or three times a day (not that they are necessarily"full", but from a smell/freshness point of view). It seems more of a faff to have to change knickers a couple of times a day rather than just a pad, plus the ones I've looked at are expensive and I'm guessing I would need 5 or 6 pairs minimum.

They are great for the days when you're expecting your period so you would not be caught off guard and on light days when one pair will see you through the whole day. On heavier days they need to be used with a tampon or alternatively a pad which can be removed half way thorough the day (easier than changing pants!). They are easy to wear as clean and honestly I wish they had been around when I was at school as they save a lot of anxiety around leaking!

do you just wear the one pair of knickers all day and change at night? Or do you have to change in the day?

I wear a clean pair in the morning, change after work and another pair for bed.

If you do have to change then how are you supposed to store the worn pair?

I don’t need to but a ziplock bag sort of thing would be fine.

How heavy/bulky are they to wear?

Not at all.

Do they feel saggy and heavy when full?

Mine never have.

Do you have to remove any bits and replace, or is it just an all-in-one thing?

They are all in one pants. The ones I have have the absorbent area all the way up the back, underneath and up the front. Amazing as literally no worries about leaking at the back which was always a huge worry for me.

Are they actually any good for doing sports and at night?

I don’t do sports so can’t comment but don’t see why not. They are fine at night.

My dd is 10 and I’ll def be buying them for her to try when she needs them. They’ve changed my life during my periods.

www.cheekywipes.com/period-pants-uk.html

I’ve got the lace top ones from here but looks like they also do a bikini type style. I bought 6 pairs as they take a bit of drying after they’ve been washed so you need enough to allow for that. I put them in the machine separately on a rinse cycle then wash with a normal load after.

I can’t recommend them highly enough.

I just bought some for 16yo DD. She doesn't like tampons so uses pads and I thought the pants (I bought modibodi) would make her life easier at school when she has PE or sport training sessions. From what I read I think a pair should last all day for someone with a fairly light flow. I have suggested she brings a second pair and a ziplock bag. I can report more next week 😁

Thanks for the responses so far, some good info, I'll probably get a starter kit plus a couple of spares and see how she gets on.

They sound good. I might get a pair or two for myself to supplement the cup on heavy day.

Sorry tmi but does blood not get all matted in your pubes??

I should add that I only go through three pairs a day when my period is heavy. On light days I just change them at bedtime. But I think that might all be down to personal preference. And whether you’re the person doing the laundry or not

No matting of pubes here. The pants are absorbent so pubes behave as they would if you were wearing a pad.

Do you really just wear them on their own, without any other protection? Are they trustworthy? 🤔

My periods are really irregular having come off the pill so these would be great to wear even as normal so I don't get caught out.

The only time mine have leaked is one morning when I got out of bed but then sat back down sort of sideways on and the slight gush that occurred after being lay down all night kind of missed the gusset bit. But that wasn’t the pants fault really .

I’m on a heavy day today and have just got back from work and changed the pants I’ve had on since 7am and they'd not leaked. But obviously that’ll depend on your personal flow.

I’d def recommend them as backup to tampons or mooncup anyway. I used them with tampons to start with until I was confident about using them alone.

I got some from The Pad Lady on Etsy; I only need light but the placement of the pad was wrong for me and she made me a new pair.

How about flooding? Do they work? Do they feel wet?