To wonder why more people don't use cloth sanitary pads?

[Bex107]

They have changed my life, and I'm so sad I didn't discover them sooner! When my periods came waltzing back just three months after DS arrived I couldn't bear the thought of tampons or plasticky towels, but I couldn't find anyone I knew who'd used cloth. They are bloody (!) wonderful, if you're considering it give them a go - I wish I'd had someone to tell me that!

Yuck. Emptying your period blood into a public sink is foul.

personally I don't use public sinks to rinse my moon cup even if it is in a cubicle out f respect for folk that react like you....... but

doesn't faeces speed diseases too? Which is presumably what most folk are washing their hands to get rid of traces of as they are toilet sinks?

I'd never fill a public sink to wash my hands and face anyway. apart from not knowing whether someone before you has spat, been sick, rinsed some pokey clothes, had a nose bleed ..... there aren't usually plugs!

think you're being a bit OTT to be honest

Anatidae I completely agree. It's absolutely gross to consider washing this item in a communal work sink that is used for washing hands.

Another mooncup fan here.

I can see a comment above about rinsing it in public loo sink. I just empty mine in the loo and give a wipe with tissue if needed and reuse. The material is like a non stick surface really. They are clean. And then it gets sterilised with Milton when not in use. Been using a mooncup for about 10 years. My periods are amazing using it. Like many users they've got lighter and shorter over time. No cramps.

Sorry if this has been asked/answered but I don't understand what a liner is. Do you just get a fabric sanitary towel that you popper round your knickers or are you supposed to put another liner thing inside it? I am quite interested as disposables make me itch

Just the fabric cloth. No other lining required

If you're an office worker who is going to be taking her cup out to dump it, you need to be able to wash it AND your hands right away -- otherwise your dirty hands on the cup are sending germs back up into your body.

Reinserting a cup in a public loo and you are putting other peoples germs inside your vagina.

From an environmental aspect I
Am curious - I wear a tena pad most days (every fucking day ) and I wince at the waste I am producing . Do they work for a weak bladder too ?

mindtrope

you don't necessarily have to empty at work, as you can leave it in up to eight hours without emptying.

1 - but if you do you want to empty it in public toilets, wash your hands before you go into cubicle.
2 - you then take the moon cup out, empty it down loo and put it back inside you without wiping it! It's only got your vaginal fluids and blood on it, the same as what it'll be next to when you put it back. It's not "dirty!"
3 - if you really want to rinse it, you can take a bottle of water in with you and rinse it into the toilet and then put it back in.
4 - you don't actually have to touch anything else in the cubicle until it's back inside you, the you wipe yourself with loo roll and go wash your hands.

ta da!

Gamer

I can't get over the fact that the person selling used towels actually said the words 'some staining but should sun out '

Would
Someone really buy second hand sanitary towels ????!!!!!

I used to find my periods really really awful. I'd leak every night for the first 2-3 days, using a super plus tampon, two of the biggest disposable I could find placed end to end, and then sleep on a towel. 3am I'd wake up feeling grim and need clean everything. I'd have to double up pads and tampons in the day as well and still change about every 2 hours during heavy days. I'll never forget being stuck in DS1's assembly and realising my time was up and I was leaking.

Anyway the god awful chemical smell and sore-ness from disposables eventually drove me to look elsewhere, and I got a mooncup. I could fill it and leak in a couple of hours. More research and I got a femme cycle menstrual cup instead, it's a very different shape. Got some reusable pads too for added reassurance. I've only leaked once since, when it somehow turned upside down?!? Highly recommend people try a femme cup if they couldn't wear the moon cup though. They are much softer, thinner and fit to your shape, and have an 'anti-spill' rim that does what it says on the tin.

Honestly life transforming. On my heaviest days I only change it morning, lunch and evening, with a reusable pad as back up. On medium and light days just morning and night with no back up required. Over night is absolutely fine 11pm-7am no leakage.

When I've been waiting for my period to start, I've just relied on the reusable pads too and they are dramatically more absorbent and leak proof compared to disposables. On my heaviest day (without a menstrual cup) I usually only change them every 4 hours or so, and I have never even close to filled one yet. I used to saturate every single millimetre of disposables in half that time, even with a tampon in. No idea if my periods are actually lighter (I don't think so), just they are so absorbent and the blood seems to stay put.

I also work somewhere I am searched every now and then on entry, which has the potential to be embarrassing, but I intend to just warn the searcher before they begin of what they are and which section of my handbag they'll be finding them in!! I assume they wouldn't need to open them etc as I don't think this is done with disposables.. hmm! Might check that!!

You are as baffled by the fact that women choose different menstrual products as you are by why people like a right wing bigot?

What shall I say. Then again you are minifingerz after all your reputation on Mumsnet is substantial...

Apparently so. Really the brain should put them in the same category as reusable nappies in the second hand market thing. Mine does not but I'm sure there are those who don't mind.

You could try a moon cup.

"Yuck. Emptying your period blood into a public sink is foul"

Only if you leave blood in the sink.

Otherwise not.

I would balk at second hand I am afraid ! 'This thread is good though as I am getting very very tired of 2 tena and 2 Lilets super every 4 hours - and the sore irritated vagina I get a few days in

It's also
Illuminating to realize most women actually have really heavy periods

It is foul.
No different than if you had a wee in the sink then said 'it's okay I rinsed it after'

Stopshouting, the honour your flow website specifically says some of their range are good for continence management too. Go take a look - I can't remember which ones it was exactly but they have a huge range of different shapes and, importantly, sizes. I bet they'd be way nicer than Tena pads.

I'm so glad to hear about the teens who are using these and are happier with them. It would be great to see them go more mainstream and actually get mentioned in class talks or puberty books.

Isn't it incredible though how many different and high quality brands there are available for an item that so very many women aren't even aware of? It speaks of huge loyalty and enthusiasm for those who do manage to find their way to them and give it a try.

Disclaimer... we all get to choose what combi we like best, I'd just like it if we at least could make sure that most or all women and girls are aware of cloth pads and menstrual cups as an option.

I'm not at all squeamish but found the cloth pads bulky and uncomfortable.
Was disappointed as really liked the idea, but couldn't bear the feeling of them.

Cat - I thought you emptied them down the loo ! Not in a communal sink

But sincerely on a heavy day - I have bloody hands after a tampon change there is nothing I can do to avoid that - so those hands get washed in a sink ! I mean I truly have no other choice

Nothing - I shall head there now !

Like a lot of other people, I was initially revolted at re usable pads. That was as I said, before my daughter needed to try them. I am evangelical about them now, only because they are so lovely you want to share how good they are. But of course they won't suit everybody which is fine. But its a shame that there isn't more info around about them so that we have a choice of what to use. It is all about choice and letting women know that there are other things available. Like the poster earlier up that said she uses ones that you can compost afterwards (never knew they existed) . However we shouldn't have posters being mean to us about it :-(

dnwig, might be worth you trying a different maker. All the ones I use are as thin as disposables :-) And yes I pinch my daughters pads now for my slight incontinence, they are fine!

Whilst not for me, when the time comes I will purchase some for DD so she can have a choice.

Without theads like these I would have never known!

I have questions about the mooncup and would be grateful for enlightenment.

Doesn't it fall out and feel quite heavy as it fills up? if not, why not.

When you're emptying it, doesn't it involve blood gushing about? How could it not? (I find the 'swing of doom' pulling out a tampon with a backlog of yucky stuff quite hair-raising and dangerous for the bathroom and my clothes).

Don't you have to rinse it in a sink before you can put it back in?

Isn't it unhygienic to be sticking your fingers up there constantly?

A tampon is inserted far enough inside that you can't feel it. But a mooncup would presumably get lost if it was inserted that far. So you can either feel it or you risk losing it, right?

I commented earlier but forgot to say, I've had one period in between pregnancies and for that one I carried on using the boots maternity disposable pads

I found them very comfortable and absorbent 🙂

Baby no 2 due soon so will be back to having periods, gutted!