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!

Quite likely- I tend to get the words mixed up.

But tara- it is a plausible idea, a tampon is very dry so ,may act like a wick to draw fluid from the uterus. If I am having a period and think sex may be on the cards I wear a tampon for a few hours before bed, the flow is much lighter for an hour or two afterwards.

Or I can use my diaphragm which stops the flow altogether for a while.

Bio powder does not kill microbes.

Protease enzymes in bio break down protein (ie blood) stains which non bio can't do

I do use bio when I remember but our standard powder is non bio as son is allergic to bio (and before anyone jumps in and says he's not it's just not rinsed properly - i read that article too, switched to bio with an extra rinse, he came out in hives. He's allergic to bio powder when using our washing machine)

Mindtrope if there's any truth to it, there needs to be so much more awareness of options for menstrual convenience, simply so that women whose cramps are exacerbated/caused by tampons can try something else.

YANBU OP.
I bought a couple off the back of this thread. They are awesome, it's like my foof is getting a cuddle

I have some type of reaction when using disposable products and always have no matter what the brand I spent years with painful cramps and nightmare thrush.

Since switching the cramps have gone as has the thrush

I need some. I am always pissing myself it's just a nightmare and if I see another tena lady I will weep .

Recommendations please !!!!!

There's a lady locally to me who makes and sells them. She has an Etsy shop, hers are all funky and tie dye in rainbows. Really well made.

I love my cloth pads. I had endometriosis all my life (until I had my babies and now have mirena, I rarely bleed nowadays) and any chemicals on disposable pads made the cramping worse. Cloth are lovely and comfy to wear, not sweaty and plasticy like big super absorbing disposables.

anyone else tried their new pads or moon cup yet?

Yes! Tried new fabric pads. Much better. No sweaty smell. I think the period finished quicker and more cleanly i.e. didn't have the usual 2 day tailing off.
No worry about how much stock there was in.
One big flood overnight, I suspect because the pad slipped - sort with bigger knickers. I'm converted!

hurrah!

Trying them currently. Much to my surprise, all the posters who've said that blood doesn't smell and disposable pads only smell because the blood reacts with the chemicals of the pad are...

dead wrong.

Disposable pads and reusable pads smell exactly the same. Of blood.

Actually, I lie, this didn't surprise me at all. No flooding yet, though, but I haven't fully tested them.

Not in my experience Tara - I think disposable pads smell because they are plasticky and make you sweat, and it's like wearing plastic shoes, they make your feet smell.

I am sure it's not just you Tara ! I am looking
Forward to trying my mooncup !

Against my better judgement I have tried a mooncup

Kicking and screaming but because I'm having fertility treatment to try and get me to menstruate (need IVF and have lost two healthy babies because of issues with my endometrial lining - it doesn't grow and when it does, it doesn't shed as a bleed, just reabsorbs. I'm on umpteen drugs and a copper IUD to try and get me to menstruate) and I need to see if I'm getting any red blood and how much.

When I was on the pill and had bleeds I used to use tampons. Can't do that now as there's no blood and with a liner I can't see how much there is.

So mooncup it is.

Holy shit it's horrific. Getting the bastard in might as well have had the instructions for the space shuttle

Getting the fucker out twice have been very sore both times. First time got a little tear in the fourchette / perineum which made it extra uncomfortable to get it in again

Apparently as I'm over 30 I'm supposed to use the larger one - I went for the smaller one and holy shit it's massive. Can't imagine what the larger one would do to me

I've got brown gunk all up my fingers and under my nails

This is absolutely grim

Although seeing a few drops of actual menstrual blood was pure elation. As it's taken one operation, three months of pills and one month of injections and ovulating six eggs simultaneously (ouch) and a copper IUD to get any sort of bleed.

But jesus if I didn't have to be using a mooncup for these purposes there is no way I'd be going through this palaver otherwise!!

I'm dreading taking it out later as I'm still sore from the small tear!

Bananafish, that sounds rough. Maybe a softer cup would suit you better? They are available from meluna xxx

Might well try if I persevere with a menstrual cup. As I'm dealing with a cancer scare of potential endometrial cancer then this fertility business may become academic!

Should I be lubing up the bugger to try and get it in? Or my fingers when I try to get it out and have to pinch it to squeeze it to release the seal? How am I supposed to get two fingers and the cup up there?!!

(Yes I've had sex and many many transfer vaginal ultrasounds with dildocam, but they all involve lubrication. Is this where I'm going wrong?)

bananafish

Even after 12 years I occasionally find I can't get mine out first time. I've learnt though not to worry, to just try again in a bit. It's always fine the next time. It's usually difficult if I'm

• in a hurry
• tense/panicky
• standing up
• trying to do it in a different space, at a different angle that I'm not so practised at

I find that it helps for me to be

• sitting on loo with feet on tip toes
• spread my knees wide and lean back, tilting my pelvis up
• reach in with index finger and thumb, and pinch the tip of the cup.
• slightly bear down, like a mini childbirth push or a poo or something...
• add second finger to break the seal by hooking inside rim and pulling the cup round towards the front, so it ends up facing down, almost like it's hinged. This way it empties straight in the loo.

Then I carefully bring my hand out the toilet to wash/wipe/ whatever depending on where I am.

RE - insertion, are you folding it in on itself before you insert it? as the attached picture shows?

I's personally never needed lubrication as I'm on my period, but it seems sensible that if you aren't getting a lot of menstrual blood then lubracation might help you. Atleast till you get the hang of it

Hope your cancer scare is just a scare

Lube would help probably but if the point is to measure your blood it might confuse things.

Are you aiming quite low? It sits literally just inside your vagina. I tend to stuff all my fingers up there to get it out. Try the special fold mentioned above but if you are tense and tight you might find it hard to pop it out from that position - i think i now go in just folding flat, first bit in and then rotate as I get the rest in? I don't know, it's so automatic now!

I've emailed mooncup before and they have a nurse on the staff who may be able to advise you on lube etc.

Thanks for the advice ladies!

I am indeed folding it, I tried both ways of folding and found the one in the picture was harder to insert than the pinch fold (don't know how to describe it - the other one they had in the leaflet, that was in several instructional videos)

That fold seemed to be easier because it was slightly narrower at the tip to insert. Very stingy at the perineum as was hard to get the cup and a finger in. More so to get it out to fit two fingers in and the cup. It's sitting very low - I probably need to trim the stem but I'm too scared of cutting too much off and not being able to remove it!! I'm squatting, bearing down to remove - getting it in is pretty painful tbh, as well as getting it out. I think I need something smaller because I'm just struggling to fit even one finger in to get it on, let alone two to get it out, without it stinging.

The irony is that I've had god knows how many speculums and ultrasound transducers up my vag, and umpteen catheters and cameras up my cervix over the last year, but I'm being defeated by a silicone cup!!

Thanks for your sage advice o menstrual cup gurus

crikey bananafish, I don't remember a learning curve as steep as yours when I started my moon cup, you are a determined woman, credit to you. I'd lather on the lube till you get used to it. I don't think I'd want to wear a moon cup with a dry vagina. Hope you're ok ! and hope it just turns out to be a scare too x All the best x

I saw this thread just last month while experiencing my itchy day which happens after every period, I suspect due to disposable pads. I used to use a moon cup but since having kids it makes my tummy hurt. Don't know why it took me so long but this thread inspired me to buy some washables, am awaiting my period, which is due, with great anticipation!

Deedee thanks - my poor vulva is shredded!! The first pee after inserting it feels like battery acid - thankfully it abates, and is just when it's super sore after wrestling it in. Definitely isn't a UTI as it only stings like buggery immediately after I've been rooting around in there - thereafter it's absolutely fine.

I've only tried the cup out of necessity though, I wouldn't have chosen to use it if I didn't have to evaluate my bleed for medical reasons. But as I've had 7 general anaesthetics, countless people rummaging around in my bits and pieces (with lube!!), £30,000, hundreds and hundreds of injections and am almost shit out of options before we have to accept my uterus can't sustain a pregnancy (although if I have cancer this becomes academic) - a shredded vulva is a small price to pay! Thanks for your expert advice :)

Poor banana ! I have also just tried my moon for the first time . I love it !

No more stinky lilets (boak)
No irritatation due to the leaking
I have fairly heavy periods but it can do an overnights

And my bin is no longer full of foul stinky lilets

I actually feel sad I came to this so late

And - I have had 2 D.C. And second was a whopper so it's a hell of a lot easier to get it up there and move it

Banana I reckon you might be better with a smaller one ????

Next for the cloth towels

And it's so much more absorbent than even 2 super mega lilets so am using less towels