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?

This was probably answered on the thread, but I can't find it: how do you cope when out? What do you store the soiled pad in until you wash it?

As I get older I find tampons uncomfortable and mooncups just don't interest me, but I am tired of the cost of disposable pads. I would love an alternative.

a lot of them come with a special bag or pouch, or you just roll it up and put it in a plastic bag.

She may very well find that using reusable ones if nothing of any need happens then she won't need to change more than once a day at times when she's not bleeding.

Disposables can create additional discharge and sweating in many users.

I use reusable san pro and Nappies. In fact I make them too. 5 years ago the thought of it would have had me vomiting in my cereal But now No looking back and my sanpro has little sealable wetbags just like my daughters nappies.

You know what's minging? This:

One woman will use over 11,000 disposable sanitary products in a lifetime
22 tampons or towels are used, on average, each period
In the UK alone, 4.3 billion disposable sanitary products are used every year
These items, their packaging, applicators and backing-strips will end up in landfill or in the sea.

Tee, they don't get a mingy as disposable do. I used to just roll then up and pop them in a little make up bag.

Then, when I was lucky enough to be blessed with a free roaming toddler I put them in a nappy sack in a make up back .... Just in case

Do I win second prize....is it a pony? Or a years supply of ladies monthlies products and a huge bag to hide then in?

Tee the one I bought folds up into a square when you've used it. The poppers on the wings you flip back and that holds it together with the used bit tucked inside

Thanks everyone. I'll have to investigate further when I get back to the UK.

Gordy, I apologise if my joke in some way upset or offended you.

To the user asking about waterproofing: Look for pads with a PUL layer if you're worried about saturation. I made some pads and some breastpads with a layer of PUL in and no sweaty ickiness or thrush, which I can be prone to so it would have happened if it was going to.

PUL is what they use for nappy wraps and is breathable.

Thanks to whoever posted the link to Imse Vimse ( too lazy to scroll back).
I ordered some and they are lovely, beautifully made and nice and cool .My others are fleece so a bit warm.
Not like "rags" at all

It's not grim. It is blood, from my body. What's grim about that? No more "grim" than washing shitty nappies.

And actually, they are very comfortable & since I have been using mine I have not suffered thrush half as much as I used to. I made my for minimal outlay & because they are laundered properly, they are like new.

The initial outlay if you buy them, can be expensive, but you have to cost that against what you would spend on disposable products over the life time of your periods. I save at least $20 a month with mine.

it's all gone a bit Enoch Powell
Hahahahahahahahahaha GENIUS

I think a lot of it comes from the thinking that using cloth pads/nappies, using slings instead of prams etc is going "backwards". They invented disposables for convenience so why go backwards and use washables? Prams are all singing all dancing, why go backwards and use a bit of cloth? Isn't that a massive inconvenience?

This isn't what I think, just what some people seem to think.

I don't see what's so dreadful. Presumably they're washed between uses, and you can store them in a wet bag if you need to change to a fresh one, when out and about.

Aw, bless OP: you want to keep on giving money to large corporates to do environmentally unfriendly things to produce itchy disposable pads.

Just carry on. Those of us who know better just feel a bit sorry for you.

We just rinse 'em out in cold water and add them to the next appropriate wash. Why would you keep them in a bin for a week?

I think that's why they were referred to as "rags" up thread ,women did literally use rags in the past until disposables were invented.

I use a Mooncup and washables depending on what mood Im in and the Imse Vimse ones are far superior to any disposable Ive used .Soft and comfortable and no chemicals or that fishy smell associated with disposables. Tampon strings really make me itch. The problem is unless you have tried them you have no idea how much nicer they are !

Sorry in reply to Hamwidge

I've used washable pads for years, some I bought and some I made. They are beautiful soft bamboo velour in gorgeous colours.

I use a two-part storage pouch/bag when out - clean pads in one side, used in the other - and keep a zipped PUL lined bag in the laundry basket for dirty pads.

It's for the evnronment but also me - who knows what vile chemicals are in those crystals; I don't want them sweating next to my nether regions for 1/4 of my life. I also find the cloth pads much comfier, and they hold more.

DD will be using cloth as soon as she needs to.

I'm glad you like Enoch Powell - I'm trying to popularise it ;)

Imse Vimse are lovely! I wish I had more of their nappies, but you don't see them second hand often and I never buy new nappies (CHEAPSKATE).

Ive just ordered some more for DD

Oh washable pads !
She has been out of nappies a while

Luxurymoon stock fab pads including some teen-sized ones :)

How good are they for quite heavy periods? Genuine question.

Mooncups or resuables I'm referring to btw.