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?

I'm with you spot.

Just read this thread with fascination!
I hate disposable pads, they make me sore.
I don't like tampons, I can't seem to insert them.correctly, so I can feel them - for this reason I'm not sure that I want a mooncup.
So maybe washable sanpro is the way to go?

So users, how often do they need changing? And what do you do with dirty ones when out and about? Can you wash them with your normal clothes wash? (i can't see why not but am unsure as most people on here have said they wash them with nappies which are long gone in this house!)

I do and believe it or not they are lovely, very soft and comfortable and don't smell like normal pads or give you thrush

That's because on Mumsnet their are literally thousands of people discussing lots of things every day so you're probably bound to discover something you've not heard before.

I had my Mooncup long before I had Mumsnet.

I discovered cloth pads without the magic of interwebz too.

However since Mnet I did not realise that thousands of things that people do leave thousands of other people confused and dumbfounded, or even at times discusted and appauled.

what amazes me is that someone who lives near my work hangs them all out on her line just over the fence from where we all park, right at eye level, obviously she has no problems with this, just seems a bit "public" to me! (remember the thread last week about lady not being allowed to take bag to loo at work and hiding sanpro up sleeve? we don't generally like to have the world know when its that time, do we?)

YABU

I started using washable pads about 3 years ago. I've never liked insertable sanpro, so a mooncup was out. I decided to try them because of the environmental impact, but there were several other benefits.

1. My periods were lighter when I switched to cloth pads.
2. They felt much nicer against my skin.
3. There was very very little odour.
4. They were easy to clean (I have a small bucket of salted water with a lid in the bathroom. Used pads go in there to soak overnight. Once rinsed out in the morning there is very little blood remaining. The pads then get chucked in the washing machine.
5. Due to numbers 1 and 3, once a used pad is rolled up and put into a non-plastic carry case, there is no embarrassment or worry changing them through the day.
6. A lot of waste is saved from landfill.
7. Energy and plastics are saved in manufacturing them (I choose wool-backed fleece)
8. I support a small-business when buying them.
9. Money is saved in the long run. (Mine were £2.50 each. I have 6 and one carry case).

I now only use disposable if on holiday with no washing machine and I notice a huge difference when I do. My periods are heavier, have an odour and I feel less comfortable.

To me, there is no competition.

And the fact that its not (normally) acceptable to talk about bodies in public. (If you feel bound by normal societal/cultural customs)

"or even at times discusted and appauled" LOL (you missed the ' in times )

Yes you are, look into it before you judge it. I use cloth on my LO and he has never had nappy rash and it won't take 500 years to break down. Same with pads.

I am SO tired of people being precious and squeamish about periods. It's pathetic, sorry.

Cloth pads are great, they feel a zillion times nicer than disposables - very luxurious, in fact. Better for you and better for the planet, plus cheaper too.

Gordy, you just lost the argument because you called it the front bum bum...

some Qs for the knowledgeable please

does anyone have a teen DD who happily uses these? I think my 13 yo (just started) would use them happily because of the eco business, but would others at school be repulsed or laugh? do they really not smell or make you sweaty? do they not smell if you have to carry used ones round when out of the house, in this heat? are they thicker/visible under tight clothes? is there any reassuring leak proof backing? TIA

"what amazes me is that someone who lives near my work hangs them all out on her line just over the fence from where we all park, right at eye level, obviously she has no problems with this, just seems a bit "public" to me! "

don't you hand clean knickers on the line? I do- why wouldn't I? everyone wears them nothing embarrassing about that so nothing embarrassing about a woman of childbearing age using sanitary protection.

I do hang knickers on the line of course, carefully behind other items, as I do not want the neighbours judging them, ogling them or discussing them on MN! (LOL) and I would probably dry them indoors if my line was right next to a public car park, TBH!

really?

why on earth do you care what people (strangers!) think of your knickers?

Phantom

I'm sure more knowledgeable women will be along in a minute. To answer your questions:

1. Unfortunately, unless she is very confident and among like-minded peers, some may laugh at them.
2. You can get them with a UPVC backing, but I have never tried them so don't know if that impacts on smell/sweat.
3. Unless she is wearing skin-tight Lycra, they won't show. Another plus is that you don't get the rustle when changing them in a toilet cubicle.

You could get her some to try in the evenings/overnight and weekends and see how she gets on. If she loves them then she may use them during the school week too, or may prefer the conventional while with her peers.

I don't let strangers see me in my knickers, so I don't want them seeing my knickers at all.
I have "nice" lacy ones and big baggy stained period ones, I don't want pervs leering at them or cats bum mouths on here about them!

Maybe I am just more private than you?

Thanks for your post incredible, anyone else care to add to it?

Tee

I wear my knickers over my tights when the need arises- pitfalls of being a superhero

really though I don't think of knickers in terms of 'private' clothing. to me they're just another necessary item of clothing like socks or a t-shirt. I don't get the embarrassment factor. I have jeans with paint stains on them, shirts with food stains on them, nappies (when ds was in them) with various shades of poo on them and knickers with period stains on them (I do wash my clothes BTW but you know not every stain goes ) I hate that women are made to feel embarrassed of having periods.

Scented bag to pop them in? Just a thought

charlie banana's come with a black zipable pouch for them to go in if you need to change them at school and bring dirty ones home.

I love my charlie banana's they are so soft and breathable. I used to hate the last day of my period because I felt so hot and sweaty. now I don't at all. Also the smell that I thought I had from my always ultra has totally gone and there is NO smell at all from my charlie banana's.

I love them so much I would go on an advert for them. They have pretty butterflies on them, but you can also get them in plain black or plain white.

If someone wants to oogle over my washing line, be my guest. But they will also see my DH's laundry and my DS's nappies drying do might be a bit of a turn off