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!

deeedeee
"nerrsnerr, i guess it's because tampons and pads create literal waste and waste energy, which effects us all in these days of climate change, and it's especially difficult to understand when there are good and often better alternatives that people won't try because of incorrect preconceptions."

This is honestly so presumptuous and judgy. Many PPs and myself have had reasons other than incorrect preconceptions, such as disliking using any pads. This kind of wrongly superior attitude is so irritating.

Humph, there's not the same swing of doom with a cup because there's no pendulum effect from string. I find it a bit mucky sometimes but I'm only a beginner still and it gets easier each time.

It's held in place by the stretchy vaginal sides, same as a tampon really. There is a bit of reaching and squishing to get it out, but again, stretchy vagina so that's ok. Clean hands before fiddling about if you're concerned about your hand bacteria.

It doesn't get lost because it doesn't go anywhere, Andy even if you did neglect to take it out for a good long while there isn't the associated toxic shock risk that there is with tampons.

If your opposition is based on something valid, like actual experience or evidence, fair enough. But a preconceived feeling of yucky ness or faffiness is lame.

I answer to a previous persons questions the cup doesn't feel heavy. We're only talking a few grams of liquid. For me there is no gushing but rather like using a pad there can be a trail of blood hanging from you once removed which is easily got rid of (tmi, sorry but you did ask!). I simply tip the contents of the cup down the loo, clean myself up with tissues and rinse the empty cup out. If I'm in a public loo I have been known to wipe it out with toilet paper. If you wash your hands it's no less hygienic than using a non applicator tampon. You're only inserting it just onside you so you're not going fishing! You are more aware of your bodily functions but I'm not particularly sqweemish now having dealt with the excretions of my children.

Another pretty design :-) The seamstresses are amazing!

I use a mooncup. It's amazing. Bit gross admittedly at times but so much nicer & easier than dealing with towels or tampons. I've saved so much money as well by using it

And how can you say you dislike "all pads" when you haven't tried all pads?

Why is it considered superior and judge to think that we should all try to reduce our waste and energy consumption and that you should try something before saying you don't like it?
They are both accurate reasonable things!

Its all about choice and knowing whats on offer. I hated disposable pads, used tampons for years (hated those too!). Now I wish id known about cloth pads because I love them, but never fancied a cup!

deeedeee
There's also the fact that these products are expensive, so one may not want to spend such a lot of money on a product that may not work for you. And the fact is that they do require more time and faffing about, even if only by a small amount. That small amount of extra work may be nothing to some women, but too much of a bother for others.
And I feel like even if all women stopped using disposable sanpro, the world would still be buggered in regards to climate change. It's silly to guilt women over environmental issues on such a small matter.

Quite frankly I do believe that if men had had periods, they wouldn't be having them now, they would have found a way to get shot!!! As it happens I have been on a pill for years where I have had no periods, but bloody incontinence has hit!!! F**k!!!!

deeedeee
And how can you say you dislike "all pads" when you haven't tried all pads?

Because having anything but cotton knickers betwixt my thighs drives me utterly mad. I cannot stand the sensation; it makes me feel nauseated and horrible every time I shift position or move.

Yeah, like I said, it's a shame you can't pay in instalments over a year.

Although you can just start with one and see if you like it.

even drops in the ocean help, but to each there own conscience. Obviously good there is choice, and even better informed choice .

Missiaphetamine, that sounds rubbish! :-(

Thanks nothing. I might try the femme, as mentioned upthread. Tired of feeling I'm on the verge of total mortification!

deeedeee
It made starting my period with only pads on hand hugely upsetting, haha. Luckily my mum got me tampons quick smart!

Have you tried a moon cup?

No, deeedeee but I'm on continuous birth control now, so no period for me in the past 6 months, thank god!

I have just ordered some cloth pads from cheeky wipes after reading this thread
Can I ask a mooncup question? Can you manage too pee and poo without it moving? I always feel I have to change a tampon every single time I go to the loo as if I do a pee the string gets wet, or if I did a poo the movement would push the tampon out? TMI? I just can't get my head round a cup staying put for 8 hours at a time

I really don't feel the need to try them. I don't need to try something I don't want

No longer an issue for me , but I agree. I had very heavy periods but tampons and the highest grade pads worked perfectly. I don't get what is supposed to be uncomfortable about pads.

Re moon cups the ridiculous name alone was enough to put me off but the descriptions on here of how to use them would not convince me.

Humphrey,
The cup stays in place because your vaginal muscles retain it. That's why sometimes one cup is better than another, because if you've given birth your muscles might be weak and you need a wider one. Some cups have two sizes.
You don't insert it as far as you would a tampon. You only insert it to make a vacuum and you leave the "stick" part nearby the entrance. Some people cut this a bit if they feel is too long.
I have very heavy periods. I laugh now at the 2 tablespoons guidance. Since I have the cup I know by a fact that I bleed more than that in my heavy day. That day I need to empty it every four hours or I leak. The rest I can go eight hours without changing. I find that it doesn't smell, if the vacuum works properly, nor smell or liquid should leak at all.
You need to test which way you are more comfortable removing it. I find that pulling from the stick, as you would with a tampon, hurts me a bit, as the vacuum pulls the muscles. I prefer separating the wall and breaking the vacuum first, then pinching and pulling down. There is no gush of anything, as it's all in the cup. It's as messy as putting a tampon on, I don't find it much different.
I haven't had to wash it in any public sink. I wasn't it in the shower whilst there, I might empty it once at work but as others have e said, I wash my hands first, take it out, empty it and put back on. You haven't touched anything else between washing the hands and removing/inserting the cup, so really you are not getting any germs in that you wouldn't put in a normal tampon -insertion situation. Wipe with toilet paper or get yourself a pack of toilet flushable wipes if that bothered. I wash my hands afterwards as I would have done after inserting a tampon. I rarely need to do that in a public toilet anyway, maybe once on my heaviest day. The rest of the time I just do it when I return from work, at home, or before going to bed. I put a pad as an extra precaution when I go to bed because my uterus is towards the back in a weird position and it doesn't always fully vacuum the cup when horizontal, but I rarely leak anyway and it makes me feel very safe in that sense.
I love the fact that my cup can be folded and store in its little box, which I take with me at all times just in case.
I wouldn't use Milton, though. I would worry it would deteriorate it. I use hot soapy water, as per instructions. Or a steam steriliser, I wouldn't boil it either. My personal opinion, though.

Horispondle
The cup "stick" it's inside, just by the entrance. It doesn't get wet in the samd way a tampon string would. The feeling when going to the toilet might be similar, if you feel that with tampons, but I never had the issue of it falling or getting out. Maybe buy a bigger one, if you feel your muscles are not right enough to hold a smaller one?

Tight, not right

I'd call that midcycle spotting! You'd only need a pantyliner for that!

I love my reusable pads and pantyliners. They come from EcoDreams. I feel all virtuous that I'm not adding to landfill. I did try a mooncup but I couldn't get used to them.

Hope not with the tea towels Madison