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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Period pants - recommendations and practicalities

77 replies

redblonde · 03/09/2021 12:04

Hi there, not AIBU but posting for traffic.

I’m looking into period pants for my 15 year old and wondered firstly if anyone has any recommendations (she has a couple of days of pretty heavy flow so I wasn’t sure how effective they would be?) and secondly advice on the practicalities - presumably you wear one pair all day? They are supposed to be rinsed out before washing - do you have a bucket in the bathroom (like nappies!)

Any advice gratefully received- thanks.

OP posts:

suspiria777 · 03/09/2021 12:24

I use the tap over the sink. Why on earth would you need a bucket?!

One pair during the day should be fine. Or one pair for day and another for overnight for more freshness.

phishy · 03/09/2021 12:27

I have the Love Luna ones from Sainsburys (heaviest flow). They're really great, £10 a pair and much cheaper than modi bodi.

I've just found out Primark does them now but haven't seen any in my local.

Yep, just rinse them out. You're not supposed to soak the Love Luna ones, and they only go in the hand wash setting in the machine.

purplesequins · 03/09/2021 12:32

I've seen bodyform ones in the shops. they say they can be washed up to 50 times.
anyone know how they fare?

LanieM87 · 03/09/2021 12:35

I've only used modi bodi and primark ones, the primark ones were crap in my opinion, fine to use with a cup/tampon for extra protection, but not good on their own.
Modi bodi are fab, expensive, but worth it.
She may need a couple of pairs a day, depends how heavy she is, and then a pair for overnight.
I rinse mine out, leave to dry, wear again and then wash them all together on a cold rinse once my period ends.

BlibBlabBlob · 03/09/2021 12:36

I use ModiBodi. First two days are carnage for me so I prefer to use an organic tampon in addition to the ModiBodi pants. But I've tested them on their own and they do hold everything even on heaviest days. All day. (These are the heavy/overnight absorbency, obviously.) You then put a clean pair on for the night. I rinse in the sink (or in the shower) until the water runs clear and then just plonk them in a nappy bag so they don't make the rest of the clothes in the dirty laundry basket soggy. They go on a 30 degree wash in the machine, no softener, and get dried on an airer indoors or on the line outside.

From Day 3 onwards I just wear the pants on their own unless planning to swim. They have no trouble at all containing everything.

DD is approaching the start of her periods and I plan to buy period knickers for her at that time. I don't expect her to need anything beyond that (no pads etc) until she's ready to experiment with tampons. And she may never even need to do that, if she's happy to avoiding swimming while on her period.

They really are a revelation. I think back to the horrible disposable (Tampax, Always etc) stuff I used to use as a teenager and it was yucky and made any period pains MUCH worse. Switching to period pants and using only organic tampons on really heavy days or for swimming has virtually eliminated period pains for me, even now (perimenopause, horrendous periods).

chelle862 · 03/09/2021 12:39

@LanieM87

You rinse and re-wear?! Just wash them for ffs, that's disgusting!!!

phishy · 03/09/2021 12:46

[quote chelle862]@LanieM87

You rinse and re-wear?! Just wash them for ffs, that's disgusting!!![/quote]
Nope, what she’s doing is absolutely fine. They only need rinsing, or a bit of shampoo if you like. Stop making people feel shit about they deal with their periods.

WillowySnicket · 03/09/2021 12:46

I'm very heavy and I find I have to change mine at least twice in the day. I have modibodi ones. It's a faff to take them off and fully get dressed again, so I now have reusable maternity pads from cheeky wipes for night times and day 1 and 2. Then switch to pants after that and it is brilliant. I find having 3 pants and 2 pads works fine for my usual cycle. Alternatively, mooncup is unmatched for leakproofness!

Dixiechickonhols · 03/09/2021 12:47

I’d try cheap ones first. I spent a lot on 3 pairs for my teen DD and they were awful. Rustled and felt bulky. Total waste of money.

PumpkinKlNG · 03/09/2021 12:52

Do these actually work as in they don’t leak? When I read about them it said you still needed to use a pad and they were more for a back up against leaks rather than to wear alone? My daughter has autism and started her periods she is only 10 and due to her asd she still needs help changing pads etc, I sent her to school in reusable pads as I thought she would get on better with them but the school told me not to as they are “unhygienic” apparently! So this would be a good option if they actually work

ThePoint678 · 03/09/2021 12:53

My DD has just started her period in recent months and was not keen on pads and definitely not tampons. She’s very happy with her period pants though. She wears one all day at school and then fresh pair in the afternoon if needed and a fresh pair for bed. All are really well rinsed until clean in the laundry sink then into a cold wash (we always wash with cold water and period pants should be cold wash only) with other clothes in the daily wash. Line dry. No shaming or embarrassment here so whoever puts the washing on does the rinsing even brother or dad. All very clean and no smell and very little drama.

We aren’t in the UK so can’t recommend brand but as far as concept goes, we are really happy.

Dixiechickonhols · 03/09/2021 12:54

It was the modibodi ones we thought were awful. Total waste of money.

longtompot · 03/09/2021 12:59

How do they cope with clots? I usually pass quite large ones but hopefully having that sorted next week, but if it doesn't completely sort it, I have been thinking about trying them out.

LanieM87 · 03/09/2021 13:03

@chelle862 it's absolutely not disgusting at all, you realise rinsing them removes them of blood? What do you think a cold wash achieves?
Thank you @phishy

DoraDont · 03/09/2021 13:13

I have some modi bodi ones, which I'm finding absolutely brilliant since my mooncup became less comfortable now I'm peri-meno. My periods aren't usually very heavy, but on the odd occasion I do have heavier flow they've coped just as well.

re: clots, I can usually tell if I've passed one, so I just go to the loo and remove it with some tissue and carry on as before.

WhenZoomWasJustAnIceLolly · 03/09/2021 13:16

BlibBlabBlob modibodi swimwear is fab if dd doesn’t want to avoid swimming.

hiredandsqueak · 03/09/2021 13:18

I bought dd's from Sainsbury's she has never had a problem with leaks and changes them morning and evening. She throws them in the wash basket and I wash them with whatever dark stuff needs washing tbh. I line dry them if I can but if not I put them on the over radiator airers.

Reachforthestars00 · 03/09/2021 13:22

My 12 yr old daughter uses the Red by ModiBody and thinks they're great. She wears 3 pairs a day - changes after school and at bedtime. Also uses period swimwear too. We just rinse out in sink/bath and then throw in washing machine. If your period is heavy, I have heard of some girls who wear a pad in the morning, and then remove at break/lunch, and then just wear the knickers alone. They are expensive, but it seems a worthwhile investment to me. Wish they had been around when I was a girl.

purplesequins · 03/09/2021 13:26

they are expensive if you need 3 per day.
I wonder if they still fare good ecologically if you consider the water and electricity use for rinsing and washing.

ChicChaos · 03/09/2021 13:54

We've just got some Primark ones and are trying them for the first time, seem OK so far. Washing instructions recommend rinsing until the water is clear and then washing with no softener. They do say not to soak them, just rinse and then wash.

Flev · 03/09/2021 14:01

I have Cheeky Wipes ones and love them. Day 2 is generally very heavy flow for me do I use a tampon as well if I'm going to be out of the house - otherwise a pair does me all day and then use a clean pair overnight. I rinse in the utility room sink and then throw them straight into the washing machine to wait for the next wash to go on - that way they don't make the rest of the clothes in the laundry basket damp.

With a toddler we do lots of washing so I find 5 pairs is plenty - if you wash less frequently it might get a bit more expensive

DorisFlies · 03/09/2021 14:07

Have a look at the Bloody Honest Instagram account - she has great advice and video clips. Really frank and fun.

isthismylifenow · 03/09/2021 14:08

I have been looking at different brands (not in UK so we don't get Modibody or Wuka which is a shame), but I found a brand today, but it says they will last up to 50 washes....

Is this right?

I bought dd some locally made ones, it didn't say how long they were expected to last, as I only bought two pairs, each pair has now been washed every day (so 5 washes already). So if I calculate that right (its a Friday and its been a long week so my calculations may be very off) so that means they will only last a year?

My dd has used the same reusable pads since the day she started her period and they have been going strong for more than 5 years now and are in no way worn out at all.

So on the more expensive pants brands that you are able to buy in UK/Europe do they say what the lifespan of a pair is?

Otherwise it isn't really as economical as I thought.

Thehogfatherstolemycurry · 03/09/2021 14:09

Dd has cheeky wipes one and really likes them. One pair in the day, one overnight.
She's quite heavy first few days and hasn't had leaks.
I chuck them in a bucket of cold water till there's 4 pairs and then put them on a cold wash together every other day.

JaninaDuszejko · 03/09/2021 14:31

@purplesequins

they are expensive if you need 3 per day. I wonder if they still fare good ecologically if you consider the water and electricity use for rinsing and washing.

I would think they'll be better than cloth nappies because they are smaller and so use less water per wash. Of course cloth nappies get reused for multiple children over the years whereas I can't see anyone wanting second hand period pants.

DD has a mobibodi swimsuit which has only been used in anger once but she's very happy with it (we got one in the sale and she's a keen swimmer so worth it for us). She's also got Floweret period pants and is happy so far. They are cheaper than the bigger brands and cotton so feel nice, no rustling. I'm dedicated to my mooncup but considering buying some for myself as backup.

I've seen bodyform ones in the shops. they say they can be washed up to 50 times.

That doesn't seem that many washes really does it. I suppose the question is are Bodyform the only company who have actually checked performance, it says max absorbance for at least 50 washes so might be a lot longer and how many years does that translate to? Say you change the pants 2-3x a day so you need say 9 pairs which you use 1-2 times a period and you have a period every 4 weeks that's up to 4 years wear per pair of pants.

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