To be astounded that women use reusable cloth pads when on their period

[jeremytampaxman]

I had no idea that people did this - found out courtesy of a thread on another forum.

Okay, I gather that it's supposed to be more environmentally friendly than using tampons or sanitary towels (although surely there is energy involved in washing them)...but using & washing out pieces of rag in 2013? Seriously?!

I know it's an individual's choice, I get that. But AIBU to be just astounded by that choice?

[WindwardCircle]

Zombie

[BlackeyedPetitsPois]

Zombie thread

[Itsnotahoover]

Yes the temptation to let them look is quite strong but I just don't think I could do it! The problem is, if there's a small bag which I don't want searching, the company would probably assume I was trying to conceal a stolen iPod or something!

[MrsMook]

"Inspect the contents" reminds me of my mother's tale of a bag inspection at school, and the teacher finding a long- lost cottage cheese sandwhich... he never probed deep in that bag again!

When I return to normal cycles, I think I'll be investing in reusable san-pro/ moon cups. Little need at present due to having a young baby. It's only recently I've heard of the sanpro, but that will be a doddle after having a toddler in reusable nappies! Given the number of leaks I've had into underwear that's been washed, that's not a major difference. It's like the "eeuugghh, poo!" reaction to reusable nappies- I wouldn't ditch clothes that have been poonamied into anyway.

[GobblersKnob]

I have a special bag made my the same company that makes towels, one side is waterproof one not, so I keep clean towels in one side and used ones in another. because they fasten onto your pants with poppers, you can popper them into a little square with the used side inwards.

Anyone who wanted to insect the contents would be welcome, doubt they'd delve in there more than once though

[CelticPromise]

Itsnot you have bags searched when you leave?? Gosh. I think I'd get a waterproof bag for my used ones and tell them what's in it. I am shameless though.

[DoubleLifeIsALifeHalved]

Still waiting! Post is sloooow. I think I made a mistake cos I got two packs of three, so wondering if I kept one not touched they'd take it back if I didn't like the size/ fit? The advice I saw on here about those with two poppers less likely to move around, well that's annoying as the ones I bought have one popper! Ah well

[Itsnotahoover]

Can I just ask how you ladies go on with washables at work if you have to have bags etc searched? I use washables apart from the days I do a shift of more than 3 or 4 hours as I don't know what I would do with a used one as we have to have our bags thoroughly searched and pockets emptied etc. Hate using disposables now as they make me all itchy and sore!

[GobblersKnob]

I used disposable towels and tampons for my first 20 years of menstruating.

I now use cups and washable towels, I do this because I find they are much BETTER.

I have experience of both and know which I prefer. So many people have ZERO experience of anything but disposbles and yet know that the reusable route is 'horrible' or 'disgusting', how? How can you know this?

[IncrediblePhatTheInnkeepersCat]

Btw, for those of you who are handy with a sewing machine and have material left over, there are several charities that take donations of reusable sanitary pads to send to girls in Africa who either make do with newspaper, or free bleed outside. One set of pads would really help a young woman be more comfortable for many years.

[Shitsinger]

You need to break the seal Miss

[Shitsinger]

Great post Honeystep
Washable sanpro and a mooncup are way superior to chemical laden, uncomfortable ,disposable ,smelly, marketed at me with discreet and scented ( aka be ashamed and you smell bad) bollocks and they end up either in the sea or landfill.

[MissBetseyTrotwood]

WRT the mooncup. I am using one for the first time and like it a lot. However, it's a bit... noisy when I take it out. Farty, squelchy, whatever. It's loud. I'm dreading rather the removal in a public loo. Tips? Or is this something I just grin and bear!

[DonDrapersAltrEgoBigglesDraper]

Maybe, Lavidaenrosa, though like me she is a Kiwi and we're a non-God-fearing, heathen lot, who really do not having cultural idiosyncrasies like that!

Tampons were fine, it was just non-applicator ones which sent her doolally.

[HoneyStepMummy]

Yes indeed OP it is 2013 and it's about time women had decent sanpro and better options available. For me the better option has been the Mooncup and I'm glad (thanks to MN) that I switched. I think more and more women will start to use non-disposables because they are better.
How can any one compare the old rags that women used to use and wash in a cold bucket of water to the nice and soft washable pads of today? Not to mention that we have these things called washing machines...
Originally disposable sanpro was created as a way to use up the leftover and overstocked gauze and cottonwool left over from WWI. I actually think that sanpro was better in the early 90's before all the plastic covers, plastic applicators, scented and bleached products and those horrible gel beads.
Last year I had a horrible incident with a pantiliner. I'm used to the cheaper type (like Carefree) that is basically paper on top and paper fluff in the middle. When it get's wet it's just well, wet paper. I was going out to our pool with DH and DS (6 at the time) and since I was just finishing my period and wearing a white bikini and put a pantiner on. I didn't realize I had grabbed an Always one that was a free sample.I laid out by the pool when they were swimming then hopped in for a couple of minutes just before we left. My crotch started burning and I got out right away with DS. We couldn't figure out why he had what looked like tadpoles all over his body and stuck to his hair. When we got back inside (crotch still burning) I found out that the liner contained gel beads, and instead of just getting wet it had kept absorbing water until it torn apart. I ended up with a yeast infection, bladder infection, and antibiotics . Horrible.
One of the other benefits of the Mooncup is not having to empty a boaksome bin of used sanpro and the end of your period. No more going to the loo clutching your handbag, no more bladder and yeast infections, and no more need for horrible pantiliners at the end of your period. Oh, and no more dried out menopause style fanjo caused by tampons at the end either.

[TheDeadlyDonkey]

If someone's had a mooncup, but wanted to use washables as back up, how many would you need to get?

[Lavidaenrosa]

I meant it could have been a cultural thing for your friend, some of my muslim friends are not familiar with a tampon too. I was raised catholic.

[Lavidaenrosa]

DonDrapers my mother also thought tampons would ruin your virginity. I never wore tampons until I moved to London and my Polish friend told me about them (to use them when we went to the gym for a swim). It could have been a cultural thing for them.

I only used them once or twice, I don't like things going up my vagina apart from DH of course

[DonDrapersAltrEgoBigglesDraper]

I went to university with a girl who thought non-applicator tampons were shrieky, hysteria-inducing abominations because they involved you touching your own bits.

Years later she friended me on FB and was moved to post a status update, this time shrieking in a what-fresh-hell-is-this?! manner, about mooncups.

Honestly - what is it about menstruation that sends some people completely bonkers...? It is something that I generally give zero consideration to and it just bamboozles me that other people seem to care so deeply about how other women manage their cycle. It's weird. You're weird, OP.

And I say this as a non-green, tampon-devotee.

[differentnameforthis]

Gladrags look good, double! But as mentioned before, it is trial and error.

I made mine, need to make some more soon & love choosing fabric for them.

Good luck & I hope they work for you!

[DoubleLifeIsALifeHalved]

They're called 'gladrags'

[Shitsinger]

Its a bit trial and error Double
I have some I prefer over others and only buy 3 or so of a new brand.
What did you get ?

[DoubleLifeIsALifeHalved]

Gladrags - without much research as were easy to buy but now worried I've not bought the best brand...

[lifesgreatquestions]

It was a MN thread that inspired me to buy mine several months back. I never liked tampons but they were the easiest thing to use. But when I say easy, sometimes I was too dry and inserting it was painful, at other times it would suddenly become full at an inopportune moment, and alternatively you know you can't take one out if it's not wet enough, all awful painful moments. Pads were noisy to wear, noisy to put on and noisy to remove as well as being smelly, so not an option. These cloth pads are wonderful. I don't feel it because it's cloth. They contain everything and they don't smell. I rinse them each night and then put on a stain remover and put them through a quick 30 minute wash so I never have a collection of dirty ones in the house. I bought 6 and this usually sees me through though at some point I will buy some more. I probably would have been embarrassed to do this if my OH weren't such a feminist, he really supported the change and if I go to bed without taking the pad out of the machine he will hang it up for me. I am not particularly eco friendly, a hippy or anything counter culture. I haven't told my friends as I assume they'd be as shocked as I would have been, and perhaps as judgemental as others out there. To each her own!