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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To envy young girls their period pants when I remember the hammocks and belts ...?

115 replies

SocialConnection · 07/01/2022 12:24

Isn't it great how much more choice there is, and how much more discreet products are now?

I hit Meno before mooncups and period pants were a thing, so they are totally next generation. I'd have loved them.

My mum gave me a ghastly belt with enormous cotton wool hammocks ('bunnies') and safety pins when I started, which I didn't realise were already obsolete - she'd had an early hysterectomy so wasn't aware of the stick on variety! 😂

My grandmother muttered about 'rags' having to be washed every month

Then I discovered Dr White's bricks with the sticky strips.

Then I went over to the Vespre brand which came ready bunched into that weird curvy shape towels take on after a bit of wear - I liked those.

It wasn't til I was 18 that I first tried tampons - I was already at uni and for some reason a bit nervous of them. All those toxic shock syndrome warnings in Jackie magazine. But there was a sense of 'If I can't use these am ever going to lose my virginity??'

I remember reading an article about an ancient Egyptian mummy of a young girl who'd been buried with a supply of what were quite clearly tampons ready to take into the next world. They're nothing new.

These days, done with all that, it's just the slimmiest slim little liners I can find.

But what's with the PERFUME??

OP posts:
KateMcCallister · 07/01/2022 13:12

You can get tampons infused with cbd oil to help with the cramping, I've not tried them though so not sure how well they work.

I love period pants, absolute game changer!

housemaus · 07/01/2022 13:14

I was lucky to have gone straight to Tampax but fascinated and horrified to learn about the incincerators! Why not just sanitary bins?!

I always thought the belts sounds kind of fun reading Judy Blume Grin

Ski4130 · 07/01/2022 13:14

I've been so grateful that my daughter has so much choice these days, because I remember so well being her age and absolutely hating being on my period because of lumpy, massive sanitary towels. She's got period pants as well as period swimsuits and fares much better at being able to do stuff (swim, play hockey etc) whilst on her period than I ever did.

CrazySnakeWoman · 07/01/2022 13:15

My mum (in her 70s) used to tell me about the horror of the great big pads and belts in her day, and how rebellious she was (a good Catholic girl!) when she started secretly using tampons.

Even in the late 80s when I got my period, the stick-on pads were chunky and horrible and I started using tampons quite quickly.

Love that my young teen DD has more of a choice. She currently wears Modi Bodi pants for sport (which she does lots of) and non-scented pads otherwise.

Investigating reusable pads at the moment for both of us. I’ve started wearing the night time Modi Bodis which are great, but not brave enough to wear to work as my periods are extremely heavy and wear a pad and tampon together (and gave to change bath hourly). Urgh! How did women cope in days of yore?

reallyworriedjobhunter · 07/01/2022 13:17

@Hugasauras

I remember the Judy Bloom bit too! Period pants are amazing. I'm glad there will be so much choice for DD when she grows up, and that people talk about periods a lot more. No one ever spoke about them when I was a kid. Even my mum, who was pretty good at that kind of stuff, wasn't massively forthcoming.
It was in 'Are you there God, it's me Margaret'. I was so confused and terrified by the description of the belt. My Mum didn't talk to me at all about periods so all my information was second hand from books and friends. Still can't believe she did that to me.
Gazelda · 07/01/2022 13:19

DD has recently started menstruating, and I had to stop myself from telling her how lucky she is because she can use period pants.

She wears them from the time she gets up then changes after school and then again before bed. She says they're very comfortable, even as someone who is a wriggler in her sleep.

The only time she's leaked was when she thought her period had finished so switched to regular knickers only to discover she was still bleeding. I've bought her some organic liners to use for a day or two after her period's finished next time. She's not yet regular, so it's difficult to judge.

I bought a load of modi-bodis which cost a fortune. So I hope she stays a size 8ish for a few years!

Fink · 07/01/2022 13:21

I always wonder about period pants. Do you wear them all day? Don't you need to change during the day?

My dd wears one pair all day, I'd say she has average flow. I have very heavy flow and wear a pair in addition to a cup. I could wear period pants for a whole day at the beginning and end of my period, but I'd have to change during the day on the heavy days. The brand we use come with a little bag to stash them in if you need to change during the day.

Laiste · 07/01/2022 13:21

@housemaus i was just reading about incinerators with a ShockConfused face.

RaininSummer · 07/01/2022 13:23

I still have the terrible memory of having to go to local chemists and ask over the counter for a big fat pack of simplicity towels which were wrapped in brown paper. I had to walk home carrying them and hope I didn't meet anybody especially boys on the way as it was too mortifying. Modern options seem great

Mulhollandmagoo · 07/01/2022 13:24

Where can I find a good pair of period pants? most of the ones a find are quite low rise! I love huge comfy knickers!

Silvercatowner · 07/01/2022 13:26

Oh yes - I well remember the belt and hammock arrangement. Doing PE in vest and gym knickers was horrific. Mum told me that 'nice girls' didn't use tampons.

Fink · 07/01/2022 13:28

Also, I can recommend Modibodi swimwear for teens (haven't tried it myself). That's a game changer rather than having to use something internal (tampon or cup).

@CrazySnakeWoman I wear the knickers with a cup on heavy days. Maybe you could use tampons and knickers rather than tampon and pads as a transition? Since you've already invested in the knickers!

Fink · 07/01/2022 13:29

@Mulhollandmagoo

Where can I find a good pair of period pants? most of the ones a find are quite low rise! I love huge comfy knickers!
Modibodi do lots of different designs, including big knickers.
YouCantBeSadHoldingACupcake · 07/01/2022 13:32

@Mulhollandmagoo

Where can I find a good pair of period pants? most of the ones a find are quite low rise! I love huge comfy knickers!
Cheeky wipes have a range of low, mid and high waist styles, and short.
RachAnneKirl90 · 07/01/2022 13:32

@LaBellina

I’m probably an exception but period pants last me about an hour before I need to change them. I recently discovered reusable organic cotton pads and bought a stash of them from Amazon. I hate all the unnecessary plastic waste that comes with using disposable ones.
I used washable ones from 2005 onwards. My endometriosis disappeared. If thinking people knew what chemicals were in those disposable pads like Always etc, lying right against what is essentially a mucous membrane, they would never use them. And -they are an environmental disaster.
CrazySnakeWoman · 07/01/2022 13:33

@Fink - yes, period pants & tampons are a good idea! Don’t know why I didn’t think of that. I’d love to get rid of pads altogether as even the i scented ones irritate me. I didn’t get on well with a mooncup, sadly. I’ve got internal scarring from an operation and it irritated it no end.

CrazySnakeWoman · 07/01/2022 13:34

@Mulhollandmagoo

Where can I find a good pair of period pants? most of the ones a find are quite low rise! I love huge comfy knickers!
The Modi Bodis I’ve got for ‘heavy & night time use’ are big pants. I’m also a lover of a proper belly-warmer pair of knickers Grin.
cortex10 · 07/01/2022 13:35

I could have written the opening post - exactly the same experience - including having a mother that had a hysterectomy when relatively young so wasn't aware of (for then) up to date products. She was also very anti tampons having been told by her Catholic priest in the 50s that they were 'sinful'.

sueelleker · 07/01/2022 13:40

Anyone remember when Nikini came out? I thought they were wonderful after using a belt. www.paddi.org.uk/nikini.html

Fink · 07/01/2022 13:43

[quote CrazySnakeWoman]@Fink - yes, period pants & tampons are a good idea! Don’t know why I didn’t think of that. I’d love to get rid of pads altogether as even the i scented ones irritate me. I didn’t get on well with a mooncup, sadly. I’ve got internal scarring from an operation and it irritated it no end.[/quote]
I sympathise. I couldn't use my mooncup for a while when I had scarring, I hated going back to pads. Thankfully it's healed up now so I'm allowed to use it again. I find it's fine for a few days a month, but when I had fibroids and was bleeding for a lot of days each month, the mooncup made it worse. I couldn't see inside myself (obviously!), but my gynae consultant said the skin was all worn away inside the vagina from the irritation of having a foreign object in there so much. It's fine now I'm back down to a week a month.

DontTellThemYourNamePike · 07/01/2022 13:45

YANBU! I remember walking like the Lone Ranger in the big super duper Dr Whites pads. I had a horrible time with tampons as my vagina seems to be shaped like a banana. I wore the thin, high absorbency pads (no wings - hated those) but would have loved period pants. No periods at all is even better though!

WhatATimeToBeAlive · 07/01/2022 13:47

Fortunately don't have periods any more due to a hysterectomy, but they look fab and I would definitely use them, though I'm not sure about the thong ones I've seen - look like they defeat the object and I wouldn't feel very secure in those....

JadeSeahorse · 07/01/2022 13:50

Loving his thread! Really takes me back to 1969 when I started my periods.

I was raised between various relatives in a very strict Catholic environment where NOBODY discussed such things God forbid. I found out what was awaiting me from a friend when I was 11 and was horrified. I had already spotted the Dr Whites hammocks and revolting belts being used by female relatives and decided there and then no way was I using those. I had a good mooch around Boots and bought myself some Cameo Tampons because the box looked nice. 🤣

Come the dreaded day and I opened my pretty Cameo box but didn’t have a clue what to do with the contents. Eventually unwrapped one and just laid it between my labia and then couldn’t figure out why it didn’t work very well. 😂😂😂

I then decided to try these thin, coconut mat type pads which worked with plastic briefs and the pad fitted inside with press studs. 🙄 Apparently you could swim with these - never tried it - but they weren’t exactly comfortable. Eventually moved on to Lil-lets non applicator tampons and FINALLY read the bloody leaflet. Ah, that’s what you do with them! 🙄🙄🙄. Stayed loyal to Lil-let’s tampons for the remainder of my menstruating days but gawd it is so much better/easier now and thank God, mothers actually talk to their daughters now.

My own adult dd has SLD and I was dreading when she started. However, she took to the stick on pads like a duck to water although she will only wear Always. Despite all her difficulties, she is a dab hand at changing her pad and actually enjoys doing so. 🙄 However, period pants would have saved me a lot of stress prior to her starting if they had been around at that time.

DollyDingleberry · 07/01/2022 13:53

@Mulhollandmagoo

Where can I find a good pair of period pants? most of the ones a find are quite low rise! I love huge comfy knickers!
Cheeky pants! Same brand as cheeky wipes and they've changed my whole life.

I gave birth 9 months ago and I've been bleeding heavily ever since (finally have my scan on Saturday which I've been waiting 7 months for). I started in big maternity pads until they made me really sore, then I tried normal pads but I was getting through 8 in 12 hours so it was bloody expensive and also made me sore.

Then i found period pants and honestly, they have changed my life. I could go back to the office because I could trust I wouldn't leak everywhere wearing a pair of pants and a cloth pad inside for extra absorbency. That combo lasts me 10 hours and I'm about to add a mooncup as well because it's getting worse rather than better.

I'm now not sore, i dont feel like I'm wearing a pillow between my thighs and no one can see the outline when I'm wearing leggings Grin

AndStand · 07/01/2022 13:55

Menstrual cups have been around since the 1930's