period pants

[loopsylala]

My DD is 11 and started her periods at the start of the year, just before her 11th birthday.

We started off with disposable pads, which she hated. She refused to consider tampons or menstrual cups and due to her age, I'm not keen on these options either.

So we have been using period pants and she is overall happier with this option.

However, it's been far from perfect and I wondered if other mums or pant users had any tips?

We've tried various brands:

Cheeky Wipes - DD's least favourite brand as they look and feel like swimwear. They are very plastic-y. There have been no leaks though and we have agreed that DD will wear them at nights.

Thinx - DD's favourite in terms of comfort and appearance. We go for the cotton version as apparently they have less odour. I have bought adult 'heavy' versions and teen 'medium' versions for DD. They all leak after just a few hours. And there is the expense - including import taxes.

Wuka - recent purchase. Not yet tried on DD. Fingers crossed. My first appearance is that they are very similar in appearance and feel to the cheeky wipes so I'm not sure whether she will like them. They say they hold 4 tampons worth.

Both CW and Thinx smell. A lot. When DD pulls her trousers down (but not her pants) the smell is very noticeable, even after just a few hours. I know that you rinse them out in the sink (like a murder scene!) then pop into the machine on their own without any washing powder, but I find I sometimes need to re-wash them as the smell is still there.

So I hoped that anyone else using period pants can give me some tips and recommendations for DD? I feel like its supposed to save me money but with the different brands I've been trying, it has not.

DD is particularly worried about PE and getting changed for PE in front of her friends and potential smells and leaks.

Without meaning to sound unkind, do you think she's resisting using normal sanpro because she can more easily pretend it's not happening with just pants? If so, would it be worth trying to help her normalise it so she can wear a more effective sanpro?

I don't think DD would want to wear resusable pads. She doesn't like having something thick in there. She says she feels like she's wearing a nappy or poo-d herself.

Lots of comments about modibodi ones although they are expensive. Good review of wuka ones too. We will try these ones for the next period as they only arrived today.

I’d get her wearing a sanitary towel. The smell will be noticeable to other people and it seems completely unhygienic to have that smell
Coupled with pants that are saturated with blood.

@loopsylala , you can get lots of thin reusables. At least as thin as disposables. It's a style preference thing. It depends on the materials you use.

OP, you say that you rinse the pants, then put in washing machine on their own with no detergent. Is that right, or did you mistype?

I use period pants, as does my dd1. I have noticed a smell when pants are pulled down/removed if they are very full, but not otherwise. I haven’t noticed a smell from dd1 at all, and she isn’t always the best at remembering to change them (she has SN).

I rinse and bung in The machine with a regular wash, with detergent but no fabric softener (which I don’t use anyway). I’d imagine the no detergent, and so the pants are o my ever getting an extended rinse, might be the reason behind the smell.

Oh, I use a mix of Thinx and cheeky wipes, btw. Thinx are way more comfortable and effective, imo - the cheeky wipes ones are more plastic feeling, and also don’t seem to have the waterproof bit high enough up at the front (again imo) - this is the only place/time I’ve ever leaked when using period pants, and I have extremely heavy periods.

I understand her point about feeling like wearing a nappy. Any pad that is thin enough to be comfortable won’t be absorbent enough for heavy days. It’s a conundrum. I have reusable pads and am having the same issue of discomfort. I don’t want to go back to tampons because of the waste issue. I haven’t found a mooncup that doesn’t hurt. So I’m in the market for period pants. T h I n k s are out for ethical reasons. I’m considering modi bodi. Price is an issue though.

I thought you couldn't use any detergent or fabric softener with period pants? Could that be where I am going wrong then re: the smell?

We tend to use washing tablets/capsules but willing to hear your advice on the best ones to use with the period pants.

I don't know about other brands but thinx recommend you don't use fabric softener or bleach but otherwise wash as normal. I absolutely think you should use detergent!

I store in a wet bag after use. Think this is called dry storing. When ready to wash all the pads and pants used, I rinse them in cold water. When the worst is off, i put a bit of Ecover stain remover on them and I sling them back in the wet bag and take them to the washing machines. I pop them in with detergent (currently using an EcoEgg) and a scoop of Oxyclean. No conditioner. I do a normal wash and then air dry. On the line on a circular drying thing if it's sunny. In the house on the circular drying thing if it's wet.
No stains even on light fabric and no smell.

Washing machines?? I mean washing machine 😂

this is great - thank you. I will see if the detergent makes a difference then. I was definitely under the impression I'd ruin the pants if I used detergent. Have been sticking to rinsing in cold water, machine on their own etc. Lots of conflicting advice!

Just be careful with Modibodi. I ordered pants at the end of June and still haven’t received them, it’s been a month now. They also don’t respond to emails or Facebook messages.

I thought perhaps my order had gone missing but their Facebook page is full of similar complaints. They apparently can’t handle the number of orders they’re getting based on the responses the Modibodi Facebook team are giving.

Yes, try with your normal detergent, and see how it goes. Hopefully it will help.

Mine have been going strong for about 3/4 years now, and I don’t always rinse them out before bunging in the machine. Dd1’s don’t get rinsed either - she changes in the middle of the day so at school and puts the dirty ones in a wet bag, then I put the lot in the machine when she’s gets home/later that evening.

All fine, and no ill effects, across a mix of Thinx cotton and whatever the other ones are made of, and cheeky wipes pants, using either Persi or fairy non-bio.

@JoxerGoesToStuttgart what ethical reasons stop you buying Thinx?

I have cheeky wipes pants in both styles - the lace top massive pants and the bikini sport smaller more like normal pants version. The massive ones I agree, do not feel great material but are very good coverage. The bikini ones do not have enough of the absorption padding at the front, so I only use them as back up. I use them in conjunction with my menstrual cup, but I agree your dd probably won’t be ready for one of them for some time (I tried using one when I was 16 and hated it despite using tampons for years).

And yes, you can definitely use detergent on the pants, just no fabric softener and do not tumble dry them! White vinegar is a good substitute for fabric softener though, and might help with the smell (just a couple of tablespoons and they won’t come out smelling of vinegar I promise!).

I wash mine with non bio powder as think they are probably same as cloth nappies - no liquid or capsules as coats fabric making it less absorbent. Also make sure you wash them in cold cycle

what ethical reasons stop you buying

Their participation in the erasure of women. They refuse to refer to women and girls as women and girls. The very people who are lining their pockets.

Definately use washing powder, you only need a very small amount. If they are like cloth nappies, you need a second rinse cycle.

I am surprised they stink. I don't remember period blood ever smelling awful.

Heavy periods at such a young age... have you considered seeing a specialist dr as that is not normal- I’m so sorry your dd has to suffer like this x

I'm not surprised they smell if you havent been using any detergent, they've just been rinsed. You should definitely use detergent, but not fabric softener.

I also think she should have another go with (reusable) pads. I know what you mean about feeling like shes wearing a nappy - I remember feeling the exact same way when I first wore pads at age 12 - but you get used to it quickly and if she won't use tampons and the period pants aren't working out she doesnt have much choice!

DD is against any kind of pad or insertable sanitary protection. I myself did not use tampons (non applicator) until I was 13 and even then it took me a good few years to feel comfortable about

But why? Is this your issue?

I told my DD10 to have a feel where her vagina is by putting a (very) clean finger in. It would help her know where a tampon has to go. I showed her how to use some KY for a trial run on a super light tampon. She didn’t bat an eye. It might be because I spoke to her as if it was perfectly normal, and yes, as standard as picking her nose - which she is pretty good at!

Blood outside the body will always smell.

DD has Modibodis and we had one leak but that was after over 8 hours on a medium flow one.

She has the adult heavy/overnight one and that lasted longer, even overnight. I like the feeling and the smell is really just at the end.

DD prefers them for PE and riding as it means no pad lines in gym shorts and no need to change at the stable. Otherwise she mixes them with pads and now tampons.

We pushed for for tampons as she missed too much swimming and she just had a camping trip with water activity so a tampon was needed, it took two attempts and she got it. i personal think most cups are not really for a pre-teen body.

Reusable ones are too thick for me and her and you have the issue of carrying a used pad with you and they do smell more than the pants I found.

For really heavy days I think you need a mix of pads and pants to avoid leakage.

We may have a winner. We've had a day and night of using the WUKA pants and they seem very absorbent and not smelled so far. DD's period has come early this month and heavy and the WUKA pants are meeting the challenge so far. DD also says they feel better than the other ones.

If they smell soak in water with bicarbonate of soda before you wash. This is what I did with reusable nappies.