Period product labelling should be changed

[DwangelaForever]

AIBU to think that in 2020 with so much progress made to de-stigmatise periods and help people understand that periods are a natural and normal part of life, that we should get rid of the "night" label for the heaviest flows?

I have suffered with heavy periods since I was 12, teenage me was mortified at the thought of using a "night time" pad during the day as they are marketed as night time rather than the heaviest flow?

Another thing that annoys me is the label and design of the long pads where they say a certain way round is the "correct" way just because they say most leaks are at the back? My body isn't built like this lol for some reason any time I need extra coverage, I "leak" to the front and if I wore a pad the "correct way" it would offer absolutely zero protection.

Lol sorry for the weird rant, currently on atm if you haven't already guessed lol.

They're designed for people with light or moderate flows to use throughout the night. They may also be used during the day by people with heavy flows. I really don't see any issue here.

Gosh. This is a bit much. I always read posts like this with a vague air of disbelief at the idea that society should go out of its way to change literally every single thing that might cause literally any person a single ounce of any even mildly negative emotion?

If you buy nighttime pads people probably either a) think you want them for nighttime or b) Most likely don't even give it a single seconds thought.

When I was a teen I used to find buying tampons mortifyingly embarrassing but I just got over it?

I don't mean to be harsh but this just seems a bit ridiculous and OTT!

@TinyCake

That's a good point. I had never thought of that before. Thanks for educating me.

I also am never quite sure if "Thanks for educating me" posts on threads like this are sarcastic or not 🤔

I found my people.

Seriously, though, what a nothing-burger. They're labelled that way because that's how they're used for 90% of women, and the other 10% work it out.

Not everything has to be 'inclusive'.

I share your irritation about the "front" and "back" of pads and I always use them "backwards". And i get what you mean about the stigmatising nature of these labels because until people feel self-confident enough to just start a conversation like this in real life, there will be women who feel their body is wrong or weird for needing to adapt the use of the standard product to something a little different.

I have autism and I follow instructions and find it difficult to go against instructions and rules. I had literally years of leaking out of the front of pads and staining clothing and feeling it was my fault for not checking sooner whether I needed a pad change. It simply didn't occur to me to flip the pad around and use it backwards until.a thread like this (can't remember if it was on MN or another forum) revealed to me that I wasn't alone, some bodies need more protection at the front, and using the pad backwards would be a good solution.

Just printing in the instructions something like "for most women, you'll get the best protection if you wear the pad with the long end towards the back and the short end at the front, but some women find it is better the other way around." That would fulfil the need to give new users the instructions they need whilst making it clear that it's not weird to need something different.

@lumpyneck I've used maternity pads too, I like the thick ones on extra heavy nights haha, it was only after my second child it occurred to me to use them for heavy periods!

I find I don't even bleed at night so have always wondered what the night time ones were about but never asked.

@PaddingtonsSister

What a wierd post What does it matter what is on the pack if it works for you

It matters because it makes girls predominantly but also perhaps women think there is something odd about them if they use pads in a different way. Or perhaps wouldn't even think to use them in a different way and thus suffer more leaks and inconvenience as a result.

It matters because it makes girls predominantly but also perhaps women think there is something odd about them if they use pads in a different way

This should be solved really by better education. And by parents stepping up. The same packets will also be bought and read by women and girls who have poor reading skills ir have English.as a second/third language . Multiple diagrams showing multiple combinations of usage would probably be equally confusing to them.

Perhaps it should just be in bigger writing , the website or a leaflet that can he sent away for or something so its clear there's somewhere to go if they have questions.

Having said that I'm.sure some.of the big names have live chat on their websites

YABU. There's nothing wrong with the current labelling. Surely it would be more stigmatising and awkward for teenagers to buy products labelled "for women with MASSIVE blood flow" than "Night" pads? As for which way round is "correct" or not, that's up to the wearer to decide what works best for them. Nobody is bloody checking.

The only stigma id like to remove with period products is the buying of them. The guy in my corner shop wraps them up in a brown bag before putting them in a shopping bag, picks them up by the corner of the packet so as not to touch them properly too. There’s a check out guy at our local aldi who always grimaces if I buy them from there too. They’re sodding sanitary towels, they’re not going to fucking bite you!

I don’t like that the second smallest pads and tampons are called normal or regular. Then there are about four bigger options for all us ‘abnormal’ people.

Never thought twice about it. I buy the flow I need. Sometimes buy maternity pads for heavy days or night pads or heavy flow ones. Pretty much whatevers suits my needs and is a good price. I put mine higher up at the front too, because that's where I need more protection. It what's suits me.

I don't see a problem TBH. However they are labelled just buy the ones you need and work for you as I have done since I was a teenager.

I think period stigma only falls into two camps really - those for whom it is dirty, private, disgusting ick and those for whom it's discreet, inconvenient but practically addressed matter.

Women of the former group aren't likely to use things like moon cups or period pants. Men of the former group would act like the packs burned them. Both would consider ANY wording as icky.

The stigma there is innate, you can't fix it with a rebrand. The best thing you can do is try to be part of the latter group.

Oh how I was amazed when the revolutionary Bodyform pad shaped like a humpback whale landed on the shelves

I miss those, they were a revelation and stopped blood from running round to the front or back. Modern pads are just so flat and don't work as well.

As for night time towels, they are longer at the back, I find that useful as I leak from the back at night. But like others I wear them in the day too. Never gave it a thought and teenage DD doesn't either.

I don’t like that the second smallest pads and tampons are called normal or regular. Then there are about four bigger options for all us ‘abnormal’ people.

Average instead maybe? Although I'd never thought that not using normal was abnormal, just assumed normal was the middle size.

Gosh. This is a bit much. I always read posts like this with a vague air of disbelief at the idea that society should go out of its way to change literally every single thing that might cause literally any person a single ounce of any even mildly negative emotion?

This. It's just getting ridiculous now, YABU.

@ChancesWhatChances

The only stigma id like to remove with period products is the buying of them. The guy in my corner shop wraps them up in a brown bag before putting them in a shopping bag, picks them up by the corner of the packet so as not to touch them properly too. There’s a check out guy at our local aldi who always grimaces if I buy them from there too. They’re sodding sanitary towels, they’re not going to fucking bite you!

I’d go in and buy 20 packs and hope they were there just for the sheer fun of it.

I've been looking at new menstrual cups all day because somehow since my last period I have lost mine. I would like every single makes of these to include dimensions in their info. Don't just tell me something is 'large' or 'small', tell me the exact diameter and height.

Apparently it was disgusting of me to ask my household last night if they had seen my cup anywhere. 14y/o ds was appalled. That pissed me off, what is disgusting about a menstrual cup?!

unmarked

Luxury moon, and earthwise girls amd honor your flow websites list the dimensions of the cups they sell.

Because they're designed for when you're lying down.

Should they rename them Lying Down pads for people who work shifts?

I have completely missed something here. I thought you wore a small, medium or large towel based on the heaviness of the flow!

I had no idea that there was a correlation with the size of the woman. That's just silly, a very tall woman might have a thimblefull over three days, whereas a small woman like me might fill a pint glass over one (exaggeration but you get the point).

@Whatwouldscullydo thank you! :)