Last couple.of days of period on holiday WWYD

[Wahwahwahwahwah]

I'm going on holiday next week. We'll be staying the night before (which will be day 4 of period) at an airport hotel and flying on what will be day 5. I normally use a menstrual cup and period pants for back up if necessary. The problem is I'm not sure how I can sterilise and store the cup while I'm away. I do have a period swimsuit so I can use that. Would you just use the period pants /swimsuit, rinse them out and give a little hand wash and store them in a waterproof bag? Or use the cup and take Milton tablets? I don't fancy going back to tampons after years but pads feel so bad for the planet, especially since I'll be near the end and probably only use them for a day or 2. What should I do wise people of Mumsnet? Thanks

@CindersAgain yes of course. Presumably once bought they can be reused in similar types of situations.

Could you take period delay tablets (norethisterone) and then you won't need to worry about your period on holiday?

I used them recently and they worked well - take 3 times a day from 3 days before your period is due. Stop them when you want and your period will arrive 2-3 days afterwards

I don’t really see how they are better than the period pants the OP already has? Sorry, not wishing to pick at you, I’m just pondering.

I'd use pads and a tampon when swimming if needed. I don't like using them and rarely do but

Sausage fingers...
I would use tampons on holiday.

I would wash it with soap and then sterilise it / just boil it tbh once home. Sterilised is sterilised.

I have used my mooncup on hols before - I just wash with soapy water between uses and at the end and sterilise when I get back.

This. Unless you're backpacking and camping in wild country with little access to potable water, it's fine. I only sterilise at the end of the period.

I don't sterilise my cup ery day. I just rinse it out

Use eco friendly disposable pads (I've seen bamboo ones) and the period swim costume, rinse out in bathroom

@CindersAgain I think it depends on the person. I use the heavy duty period pants at night and still need to double up with something else or I leak.

The period pants are great so if they work for the OP I'd take a few of them.

The environmental impact of using what, 8 tampons in 5 years? is so unbelievably miniscule that it's actually concerning that there are 2 pages of comments on this

The energy expended by all of us typing out these messages probably outweighs the impact of those 8 tampons!

@Middlelanehogger it's not just the environmental aspect which like a PP said is not worth worrying about since I'm flying anyway! It's more that I haven't used anything except cup or period pants in years so I was sort of wondering what would be best. Both pads and tampons feel weird to me now because I'm not used to them. I think I will buy a pack of pads though and use that for a couple of days. Def don't fancy going back to tampons. I HATE them. Or maybe I'll just stick with the cup and stick some boiling water on it at the end.

Fair play. I don't usually use pads but had to recently while travelling somewhere that didn't sell anything else - it was weird but manageable for a couple days.

I did find myself feeling nervous / less confident as I wasn't used to judging if all was okay (e.g. leakages etc) - so maybe just plan your last couple days holiday so you're near a bathroom to check for peace of mind and aren't wearing a white skirt etc :)

I've had this situation quite frequently over the 8 or so years I've used a mooncup. I use it as normal (with backup period pads on the plane in case the pressure change does anything weird).

You don't need to sterilise before and after - I just sterilise once between periods and I've never had a problem.

Your vagina isn't really very germy so just take it out once your period is finished, pop it in its bag, forget about it for the rest of the holiday, and sterilise when you get home. You're overthinking it ;)

PS leaving it in the sun for a day or two will get rid of staining and smell - I usually leave on the bathroom windowsill for a couple of days after my period.