Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

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

596 replies

Bex107 · 03/12/2016 10:57

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!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
Original poster
Bex107 · 03/12/2016 22:24

Tara I don't think the bamboo/minkee ones I use have a PUL lining but they're still totally leakproof (magic?!) Although I don't cycle I do walk a lot and have never noticed the popper, so you might find it's not an issue?

OP posts:
Freeurmind · 03/12/2016 22:25

If you only get your money back after two years I'm not sure it's worth it.
What condition will they be in after two years?
I throw away knickers after a while as they lose their shape I can imagine the same thing happening to the pads.

Anatidae · 03/12/2016 22:25

whip off the pad and put it in the bin and that is that.seriously? and then what? they disappear in a magic puff of smoke?

Actually yes! Our non recycling trash all goes to an eco incinerator that powers the town. Gas is generated by a bio composter thing, loads gets recycled buy everything else gets burned and used for power

Anatidae · 03/12/2016 22:29

I'd be wary of washing at such low temperatures too - anything with biological material on needs to be cleaned properly or there's a risk of fungal/bacterial growth.
30 degree washes are good for the environment but I'd not use them for knickers etc.
Can you run these things through a hot wash?

ememem84 · 03/12/2016 22:29

I'm tempted to try them. But I'm a bit weirded out by the thought of washing them.

I do hate how wasteful disposable ones are. And actually less convenient. I ran out today. And has to make a special trip to the shop.

Soubriquet · 03/12/2016 22:29

Washing at a hot wash will set the blood to stain

You need a cool wash to remove the staining

BratFarrarsPony · 03/12/2016 22:31

If you wash anything bloody in a hot wash, it sets the stain.
I thought all women knew that...Smile

Original poster
Bex107 · 03/12/2016 22:32

Yep definitely need a cool wash as a hot wash sets the stains; I use Bio-D nappy sanitiser as well, there are lots of different brands and most of them are effective at low temperatures

OP posts:
toastyarmadillo · 03/12/2016 22:32

Does anyone know if these work for stress incontinence, I don't have periods since I had my mirena fitted. I have resorted to tena but appear to be allergic, they caused a horrendous rash down there!

BestZebbie · 03/12/2016 22:33

I use cloth pads (though I do also use disposable pantyliners at other times).

They are the best thing ever - they do the job, they are warm and comfy, and you don't (TMI) get sore and chafed after a couple of days like you do with plastic ones.

I am also always pleased by the happy bright colours that they come in (mine are the ones from the Cheeky Wipes company) - a small thing, but an extra four-to-six smiles a day per period is great.

QueenoftheAndals · 03/12/2016 22:34

What do you do if you're at work during the day? I don't fancy carting bloodied pads home in my bag!

LassWiTheDelicateAir · 03/12/2016 22:38

Actually yes! Our non recycling trash all goes to an eco incinerator that powers the town. Gas is generated by a bio composter thing, loads gets recycled buy everything else gets burned and used for power

What a brilliant and unanswerable come back !

BroomstickOfLove · 03/12/2016 22:42

If you only get your money back after two years I'm not sure it's worth it.
What condition will they be in after two years?

Mine are 12 years old, and still in great condition. The pale pink ones have gone slightly grey with age, but the darker coloured ones look almost as good as new.

SerialReJoiner · 03/12/2016 22:44

I'll check out the cheeky wipes ones, thanks. We have quite the assortment of sizes, styles and shapes - I can sew, but we've bought some from small etsy sellers here and there.

BestZebbie · 03/12/2016 22:45

Queen:
Basically, you
carry a dedicated little purse/pencil case/waterproof bag for them so that they can go back in your bag locked up away from everything else (you can eg: popper the flaps back over the used part to do that so there isn't mess inside the little bag)
or, more prosaically,
you wear a disposable to work and use the cloth ones for your last one of the day/at home/over the weekend/during the night - still cutting down on spend/chafing/waste overall.

Evergreen17 · 03/12/2016 22:50

I used those and a menstruation cup. Best things ever. So much better for my skin I could not think of putting anything plasticky there now!!! Or bleached tampons. Nope

acquiescence · 03/12/2016 22:52

Surely they smell awful? I can't stand using regular disposable pads because of that menstrual blood smell that happens very quickly. I hated having to use pads instead of tampons after having my baby. I have read through the thread and still can't quite understand why reusable pads are a good thing.

TaraCarter · 03/12/2016 22:55

I am mainly interested because of the unused just-in-case disposable towels I throw away in the days immediately preceding my period.

frikadela01 · 03/12/2016 22:58

Prior to starting the mini pill a few years ago I had ridiculously heavy periods. Tampons weren't enough nor were disposable towels. A friend suggested cloth towels as she said they were very absorbent so I gave them a go. It took one day for me to remember why I hated towels. My clots used to be huge, as in I could feel the coming out and seeing th sitting on top of the pad every time I pulled my pants down just made me miserable so I went back to the tampons and pads for overflow so at least I couldn't feel the clots.

Id be tempted to give a mooncup a go but I'm hoping my periods will stop soon (as try did when I was on this pull prior to Ds) so it wouldn't make sense financially.

DailyMailSucksAss · 03/12/2016 23:01

Frika - i agree. If you pass heavy clots cloth pads aren't for you. Even mooncups are difficult.

maddiemookins16mum · 03/12/2016 23:01

Why, just why, are so many educated, free women, turning back the years to wearing these ancient pieces of cloth period wear. Do none of you recall the sanitary belts of 1978. Taping a pad to your pants. I would NEVER ask my 12 year old DD to go through the early stages of periodness without the many convenient pads of today. We don't know how lucky we are. Cloth period pads.......only on feckin MN.

Pluto30 · 03/12/2016 23:02

YABU.

I don't want to. There's my reasoning.

BratFarrarsPony · 03/12/2016 23:03

Totally agree maddiemookings...those things were a nightmare...I pity my 12 year old self..

PickledCauliflower · 03/12/2016 23:06

I work long shifts and cannot stand the idea of carry used sanitary items around with me, and then having them in the house until I have enough to put a wash on.
Not for me.

CaptainWarbeck · 03/12/2016 23:07

I bought one cloth pad just to try it out and see what I thought. Bought the average absorbency one in black so I wouldn't have to see the stains.

Turned out it was the best bit about having a period (best of a bad bunch that is). It's really soft and nice to wear, you don't notice the tiny popper, it absorbs really well and is easy to chuck in the machine for a wash. I grumbled using disposable ones when my cloth one was in the wash. Would've gone and ordered a few more but I went and got pregnant. I am tempted to get some heavier ones for lochia post-birth though.

Swipe left for the next trending thread