Sodding pongy sanitary products!

[thatorchidmoment]

Just got my period back 10 months post partum. Found a pack of Always ultra from ages ago. Jackpot!

WHERE do Always get their reeking scent from?! Genuine question. This packet has sat in a cupboard for well over a year and I feel quite nauseous with the overwhelming stench of scent when I change my pads.

And who decides that a menstruating woman would love to smell like ancient air-freshener?!

I checked the packet and absolutely nowhere does it state that these abominations are scented.

Anyone up for organising a boycott?

Dementedma - don't be put off by the name! They really are very good - and you don't have to knit your own yoghurt to use cloth pads 😏

Oh just read your second post, I thought they were unscented too I can't smel anything anyway so lightly scented is good enough for me

Stopped using always because of the smell. It's weird, far too strong and SURELY not healthy to have all those scents hanging around near your lady bits.
Also a mooncup fan although totally agree about the DIY hysterectomy if you're not careful at removing

Same here Chinks123. I didn't mind the smell really but prefer these new 'lightly scented' ones. Good enough for me too. I may even take up roller blading, parachuting and other dangerous period sports. Must say, I'm a little freaked out you could smell other people's scented towels 👃😲.

Mooncup, no lady smells and it's cheap. Win win

I started my own Always boycott several months ago after reading a similar thread to this one and I twigged that it was my towels that were making my bathroom smell so nauseating sweet. I can't stand it!

I use a Mooncup when I can't guarantee access to a loo but prefer pads as my Mooncup and tampons give me back ache. I use Lilets towels as they're unscented and I like the "Drylock" layer that makes me feel nice and dry without being plastics and removes some of the "ick" feeling when changing them.

I notice a smell when I change my towel/tampon but I can honestly say that I have never ever smelt another woman's menstrual blood. Ever. Why is it an issue?!

Definitely don't want to come across as xenophobic, but tbh, I think it's the American influence - they're always a bit prudish about all things bodily. I remember laughing a few years ago, at an advert I watched in Canada (where my DS lives), about "feminine hygiene" which talked primly about
"that not so fresh feeling"?????.
ST's have been 'scented' in the States for years.

I'm another one that switched to cloth pads a couple of years ago (having used always for years) and wish I'd done it sooner! Nice soft cotton, instead of a plasticky sweaty minging scented pad. Loads of places sell them now, I've bought some from amazon and some from an independent online shop called babipur. Charlie banana and imse vimse are my favourites. Always are probably responsible for loads of women switching to cloth in the last couple of years!!

Another vote for Mooncup here.

finding: my sympathies for your m/c.

notsaying As I said, I have only just got my period after 19 months without. I had previously used a mixture of tampons and those 'freshelle' pads that came with a handy wipe (I quite liked those, although not an eco friendly choice). So yes, opening a pack of pads that I don't actually remember buying and having my knickers bathroom honking of something I would only wish on my enemies was, in fact, a bit of a shock.

I plan to pick up some tampons tomorrow and hurl the rest of the Always stink bombs in the bin. Might see if I can track down some of the alternatives suggested here: thank you all!

I feel sick walking through the aisle, they stink! I genuinely feel sorry for the poor souls who have to restock those shelves in tesco. Will have to look into cloths. Whilst they don't bother my bits it bothers me massively that someone else could smell them on me *shudder

I've not yet encountered the horrors of scented pads as during my pregnancy/ breastfeeding sabbatical, I stocked up on cloth pads and a mooncup ready for the return of the menstrual cycle.

I always used Bodyform, but did feel sweaty using them, and itchy after a week of use. I never got on well with tampons.

Cloth is much more comfortable, and I haven't had the itchiness since starting to use them a year ago.

I have to be careful with washing powder, I dread to think what a perfumed pad would do.

I switched to cloth pads a few months ago. I get mine from Honour Your Flow too. Don't be put off dementedma! They are fabulous! So soft and cushy. I definitely do not knit my own tofu.

I agree about using a menstrual cup minipie. I bought a meluna cup a couple of months ago. I was anticipating difficulties but it is really easy to insert. I made it much more complicated by NOT LEAVING IT ALONE! It does require a certain amount of furtling until you know what it feels like when it's in the right position.

If you can be so heavy that you can leak with always ultra nights on (!) what do you do with cloth ones? Would th flow not pool on top? Or soak in so bad you have to bin them?

Curious but hoping can use cloth, hate plastic sweaty time of month. Too scared to try a mooncup! Never even. Used a tampon!

I have a mooncup but didn't get on with it. I persevered for 8 months sand was always just 'aware' of it which was unpleasant.

Just to let you all know, if you do want to try cloth pads, Mumsnet members get a 10% discount at HYF with the discount code MUMSNET

I moved overseas so had to stop useing them within 3 mouths my periods change and are now less painful and not as heavy. I used to leak all the time. I have now also switched to washable. The price caparison is such that as long as I used each pad for two mouths it cheaper so I could buy more and just ditch them when I am out and need to change.

Surely advertising a discount is technically trying to get advertising without paying the fee and thus spam.

Wrcgirl - Cloth pads are really easy to use and wash. I let mine soak in the loo for half an hour or so, then rinse them under the tap till the water runs cleanish, then pop them in a bucket of cold water with bicarbonate of soda to soak until I'm all done and ready to wash the whole lot at once - which I do with the ordinary white wash at 40deg. Important tip - take them out of the wash before the fabric conditioner cycle, as f.c makes them less absorbent. A good dose of bicarb or borax substitute in the ordinary wash will keep them soft. I also put them in a net bag so that they're easy to find and extract. Less leakage because they are more absorbent and seem to stay in place better as well, especially at night. They are more bulky, but for me, that con is balanced out by the fact that I'm not constantly fishing around in my pants, trying to keep even the winged disposables in place! (Want to add a big grin there, but can't seem to get the emoticons to work)
And no itch - heaven😆

Another cloth lover here!

I buy mine from a cloth nappy site tjs cloth nappies and they are lovely! I was caught short recently and had to buy always! Horrendous and my foof was not happy at all

Since children I can't use tampons (had a section so don't know what the fuck happened there). Used always at first and ended up with horrendous itchy rashes, finally linked it to the perfume and now use the Cheapest of cheap bodyform pads and bingo no more rash.

I would love to use a mooncup but due to tampon issues I just don't think I'd be able to. Maybe cloth is the way forward.

Flipping heck thosewhodance, I shove my used pads in an old ice cream tub, no soaking and shove them I next time I do towels or bedding and they wash just fine!

YANBU they smell rank. I complained when they first came out and got the same stupid reply as everyone else - something to do with odour control being extremely important to woman. . I'm not sure how introducing such a revolting artificial smell o the towels helps.

Yes most cloth nappy places do cloth pads. Most of mine are ages old but I've just ordered some funky new ones from Snuggleblanks.

I think mooncup and cloth are a fab combo. Mooncup and a backup liner for the first couple of days, then regular cloth pads. .