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

[SocialConnection]

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??

I'm nearly 53 and furious to be still having periods. Belts were still around in my childhood, but I was lucky to escape them. Tampax were discovered by my mother in her mid 40's, so I had access to those in early teens. I can't bring myself to trust period pants. What happens re washing - do you save them up and do a dedicated wash? It's always for me now - Tampax don't fit since childbirth 😳

@Alayalaya

Mooncups have been available for at least 20 years so aren’t exactly new.

Some of us are 20 years past menopause. Somehow advances in period management doesn’t hold the same fascination once you no longer have periods.

@MiloAndEddie

I am so glad things have changed for my DD. I’m only mid-30s but my mum wouldn’t talk to me about it all and I was mortified at the thought of having to ask her to buy pads for me. So much choice now and period pants are fab. I wear them at night and get no leaks or anything and they are comfy and non-rustley

Are you my sister?!

@SocialConnection

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??

There were menstrual cups in the 1930s!

Oh yes those brick like Dr whites.Before there was a drier layer in the later brands having to wear those bulky pads that felt wet.
I don't miss the agonising period pains one bit or the flooding.
Thanks for reminding me menopause isn't all bad.🤣

I'm 57 and wore tampons from my 2nd period, as I wore pads with my first and as I rode regularly they rubbed me raw. I started late, around 15.

It's fascinating to read your responses, and some of the superstitions and shaming are jaw dropping, aren't they?

I remember going to my best friend's house and being astonished that the tampon packet was in full view in the bathroom.

I'd been instructed by mum that my father and brother must NEVER see anything like that. My friend had a sister and no brothers and their mum was a nurse which may have been a factor in the different attitude, including getting onto tampons asap. They were never even suggested in our house, and I'd never even heard of mooncups til maybe the 90s. The thought of having to wash them out in the school loos, though ...

Thank the goddess for menopause

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

What period pants are people using and would recommend? How many times a day do you need to change said pants? How many pairs should you buy?

Modi-bodi are the only ones I’ve tried and love them. I wear 2 pairs in 24 hours, 3 on my heaviest days. Rinse them out in cold water til they run clear. You can then chuck them straight in the machine on a cool wash with no softener. I have a multi-pack of 7. I’ve had them 18 months now and they’re as good as new.

My DM gave me the belt and pads, ridiculous thing. I progressed to stick on pads and later tampons. She was always horrified if she saw any but my DF was fine and would buy them. With her it was about control though.

I'm so happy to not have periods. 40 long, long years...

Cheeky Pants!!

@Dirtystreetpie

What period pants are people using and would recommend? How many times a day do you need to change said pants? How many pairs should you buy?

Change them as you would normal period products, they tend to be more absorbent though so it may be that you don't need to change them as often. If I know I'm going to be out all day. I wear a washable pad with mine and then take that out and pop into a wetbag and use just the pants for the rest of the day. Saves me having to change my knickers when out and about.

My mum never spoke to me about periods. Working out what to do was quite distressing and made me feel ashamed.

I'm very open with my kids about periods as a result. I remember those big horrible stick on pads but felt lucky to avoid the belt or rags!! I switched to tampons in my 20s and then to moon cup and then to Modi Bodi pants. I love them!

For those who asked, I have two pairs of Modi Bodi pants. I'm only heavy in the first couple of days. I tend to use a mooncup and the pants for extra comfort and assurance against leakage. If I'm going out for the day, it's easy to then remove the Mooncup and leave on the pants. None of this faffing with changing menstrual cups in a public loo (I used to take a spare clean one for that purpose).

Uniqlo now sell period pants and I love that it's mainstream now and girls who have access to them are lucky enough to have the choice. I am sad though that period poverty still exists around the world. It's not right that any girl or woman should have to go through this every month and not have access to sanitary towels or tampons.

@Dirtystreetpie

What period pants are people using and would recommend? How many times a day do you need to change said pants? How many pairs should you buy?

I’ve got three brands. I’m plus size and have heavy periods. I generally only wear them to sleep in, because I use reusable pads during the day. They fit tight to the gusset which is good for sleeping but I don’t think I could wear a pad with them too.

Modi Bodi, my favourite. Very soft and comfortable, true to size I think, good absorbency. these ones

Wuka, excellent absorbency but seem to have shrunk a bit in the wash and are a bit tight now. These ones

Floweret, comfortable size, but light absorbency and feel a bit more crinkly than the others. Ideal for end of period days for me. these ones

So happy there are more choices for our DDs these days and who knows what else is to come. As well as new product development, it’s attitudes that really need to continue to change for our girls.