Let's talk taboo topics with Modibodi

[JustineBMumsnet]

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There are many topics that are traditionally considered taboo - and whether that’s discussing your period, the menopause, money whether you have it or not, or topics like incontience or sex, talking about taboo topics can sometimes be helpful, and so Modibodi would like to hear about the ways you talk about taboo topics with your friends and family.

Here’s what Modibodi has to say: “Modibodi™ is modern, protective apparel, created for real women. real bodies. real leaks! We cater to give all bodies more confidence and comfort, and a more sustainable solution to disposable hygiene. Our founder and CEO, Kristy Chong, spent almost two years working scientists and designers, developing, and testing the patented Modifier Technology™ that makes up the super stylish leak-proof knickers into the Modibodi collection. We have a UK team and warehouse, with same day dispatch, so you can get your Modibodi quickly! Modibodi also gives back to women in need through their Give A Pair program.”

“Modibodi believes that making a positive impact should be as easy as changing the undies we wear and now your swimwear too. Along with our sister brand RED, which is period proof protective undies for tweens and teens, we want all women and young girls to feel confident and be leak free. If you don’t believe us, try them for yourself with a 30-day free trial.
Modibodi offers FREE shipping in the UK and Northern Ireland, and are currently offering Mumsnet users 12% off their first order with the code ‘mumstaboo’ on their site. Offer excludes packs, gift cards and sale items.”

How would you talk to your daughter about her period? Or educate your son on what happens to women during menstruation? Are continence or ‘leak’ issues something you feel like you can’t mention, or are there topics that you’d be too embarrassed to speak about outside of a doctors office? Do you find it difficult to talk about money with others, out of fear they’ll feel judged, or that they’ll judge you? Perhaps there’s some people in your life you’d talk about anything with, regardless of how taboo the topic?

However you discuss topics that are traditionally taboo, share a comment below to be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher for the store of their choice (from a list) and one MNer will win a £100 Modibodi voucher.

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

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I haven't told my dd about it all yet as she's only five but I won't hide it, we are very open about stuff in our house I like to think. Ds is only two but same thing applies and.dh will talk about it too.

My two are a bit young still to be told about periods, but they don't leave me alone so they ask questions when I'm the bathroom with me! I just answer honestly, same when my 4yo asks about death or talks about when she saw a dead bird
When they are older I'm just going to be honest and direct and not shy away from the taboo subjects, unlike my parents who left all the awkward conversations to the school talks!

like many on here i knew nothing about periods or tradtional "taboo subjects". My mother shoved a packet of protection in my wardrobe for "when it was needed", and i learnt what i needed from my friends. I do not want to do this with my daughter - so i have spoken about periods, am open, answer questions, give factual information. She is waiting on getting her first period (I am very intersted in modibodi for her). I wish i could have had something like this when i was growing up - there was so much stigma around periods, and leaking etc - this seems like such an amazing concept.

Around taboo subjects i try and go for what is been asked - what inforamtin is needed - i think that when we are clear on this then subjects are less "taboo"

It is so exceptionally important to discuss taboo topics - even if just with family and close friends. There's so much that we can learn and be reassured by and 'a problem shared is a problem halved' as they say. My late Mum probably would have detected her cancer earlier - if she'd have discussed her symptoms with people - especially a close friend who was an ovarian cancer survivor!

I say walk around the house naked, speak about all the taboos and be open and honest ... though my husband might not agree! I'll never forget the look on his face when we collected my son from nursery just after he'd had 'the snip!' My son had told everyone that daddy was having his willy chopped off and the faces of sympathy and humour were just fabulous!!

Period pants are a fab idea (we use cloth nappies). Nothing really taboo in our household, and I hope to raise our daughter feeling the same way.

I tend to not offer information, unless it is necessary. But I answer all questions honestly and age appropriately. If theyve asked then that is the sign they need the information.

How would you talk to your daughter about her period? Or educate your son on what happens to women during menstruation?
I can’t remember having a big chat with sanpro, they saw me buying them, I described them as particular bandages for women.
When DS was 9, seeing bloody sheets he said, ‘well at least we’re not having another brother or sister.’ 🙄
I would love to win this; still enduring monthly flooding, can’t get on with tampons or mooncups, don’t get me started on scented towels... 🤢

I was really open with my two girls as they were growing up; we talked about everything. One of my daughter's has learning difficulties and had recently tried the Modibodi period pants; they are fab! Can't recommend them highly enough. She is managing her periods better as changing pads was tricky; it just takes out a whole step in the process. I work in healthcare and education and have been recommending period pants to colleagues working with clients with learning disabilities.

I have never taken part in one of these threads on MN before. There are 2 reasons I have chosen to today! Firstly a thanks also from me for continuing to use the words "woman" and "girls" for your products. Issues that affect women's bodies should not be co-opted for political gain in a way that directly harms women. It is no accident that I have bought my period pants from you and not from your main rival company.

The second reason is that I am sitting here in a pair of Modibodi seamless full briefs, three periods in, AND I LOVE THEM. I am mid 30s and they have completely revolutionised the way I feel about my period. I look forward to it, partly as a sign of my body's health but also because these are by far my most comfy pants. I love the genuine high waist that holds me in on the days I am most bloated.

This is weird, and maybe a taboo, but I also quite enjoy the rinsing process. Because I touch the blood and womb lining as I rinse, I realise that it is not dirty or disgusting. I feel a new respect for my body, for the babies it grew and for the ebb and flow of my monthly cycle. I like that I notice this, in a way that I didn't when trying to stuff a tampon or pad in an invariably overflowing sanitary bin.

But I do have a problem. I originally switched to period pants for environmental reasons, not expecting to love them as much as I do. I am predicting I will have my period at both festivals I will attend this summer. I really really don't want to go back to pads or tampons, but I don't know if I can rinse my period pants in front of other people? At one festival (it is small) there is basically one big sink to provide for all running water based needs. I personally no longer think that what comes out of my body is disgusting. Other people will be washing their hands of poo, wee or meat products. But I don't think I have the ovaries to defend this in public just yet, especially not to men.

My daughter is 4 and she knows about periods and basic biology. If she asks me a question, I'll answer it honestly. I don't want there to be any taboo subjects in my family.
DH struggles with this as he was brought up to believe that he shouldn't talk about body functions, but he is trying really hard to shake that and believes that being open and honest is the best way.

I am agoraphobic due to my urge incontinence. I'm posting this under my usual username but it's something I have only ever discussed with my counsellor. He said "What's the worse thing that could happen?" - what if I wet myself in public? Total humiliation. It's happened. I would love to try something that would protect me from that. And thanks to peri-menopause I have started flooding with my period. I've always been heavy but this is something else. Literally, sat fine one minute, the next, flooded through to my chair. Or even better, a couple of months ago I was standing in the kitchen at work having a conversation and within seconds I felt the gush and it was dripping down my legs and on to the floor despite wearing a night time pad. I had to go into town for a change of clothes. It's all so humiliating. My gorgeous work colleague bought me flowers as I was so upset and had to tell her why I needed to take my lunch break at 10am!

Baby is only 20 months so hoping a long way off having those kinds of conversations but, as suggested in The Gentle Parenting Handbook, I will be using the correct terminology for genitals for male and female and as he loves books already, I think that when he is older I would share books about human bodies and allow that to prompt questions and discussions.

My daughter is now 7 and I try to be as open as possible and chat about things as the topic comes up.

We've not yet had specific talks about periods etc but I hope to be able to chat in a 'normal' way and not like how my mum used to make an awkward fuss about it.

Love the sound of period underwear - from an environmental point of view must be really good too.

I have boys and they have been used to seeing sanitary products in the bathroom their whole lives. When they asked I was honest and factual. That applies to all subjects - nothing I wouldn't discuss openly and honestly with my kids. We really have no taboo subjects in our immediately family.

My kids have found tampax in my bag and I have very simply explained to my 7 year old. I don’t want them ever feeling awkward about talking about these things, so I’m trying to be relaxed and approachable for them. My dh had no sisters and so didn’t understand periods until in his 20’s - I’ll have a chat with my son too when he’s older to make sure he understands.

Thank you for using the word 'woman' in your publicity. Please don't cave into trans activists and stop using female-centred language. Yes, periods are a massive taboo. So is menopause. This all comes from women ignoring our biology. I would like to see more emphasis on maternity leave and pay, but also discussion around whether women might need time off work when going through the menopause

My daughter is nearly 10 and has watched me so has picked up what I do, when she asked me why I answered her as fully and as honestly as I could but in an age appropriate way. If she's old enough to ask she's old enough to be given correct answers. We've also set up a kit as one of her gm's was an early starter so want her prepared just in case so we've had a discussion about what everything is and how to use it as we did the kit. It was a very natural conversation, nothing forced. She seems comfortable with what she's been told.

My main issue is one I still haven't managed to broach. I struggle with mental health issues & the shame of it is something I can't bring myself to tell my girls about it. Neither of them live with me, mainly due to my issues, & I still can't really tell them how I feel. I bury it with 'I'm fine' whenever they WhatsApp me. I don't want to burden them with what is still a very taboo subject. I'm determined to change that tho'. It will take time...

We've already had the conversation a few times, and I've got some bits and pieces in ready - as a couple of her friends have already 'come of age!' These period pants look like a FANTASTIC idea! I know I would have saved myself an awful lot of embarrassing moments had Modibodi been around when I was a girl. There is nothing worse than being ridiculed due to being caught out at school. I certainly intend to invest in lots of these products so my daughter never has that problem. I think openness and honesty is key. Unfortunately my daughter was very young when I had to have an emergency hysterectomy (too too soon) so we won't be experiencing it together - but I'm hoping I'll know a few tricks to help her. It's a miserable monthly feat for young girls - but hopefully Modibodi will make it a far easier experience.

My mum always had light periods and used to shout at me as my kickers were always stained as I was so heavy. She could not understand this and these would have been amazing and really boosted my confidence.
Luckily I have always been open to discussions with my daughter and these look very good

I'm pretty laid back about most things and I think by talking about stuff to friends and colleagues and family they are more likely to bring things up. I have an ileostomy - and it has never settled to the point that it's not on my mind, it affects my sleep, my eating, my clothes, my work, my holidays, my other activities. And I don't pretend otherwise.

As a child we didn't talk about bodily functions at all, so I worried about sweating and hair growth and normal vaginal discharge... I think my parents never knew how to bring things up. I'm relieved that things have changed a bit. I still think we're pretty poor at talking about death though. I talk all the time in my work about it and it's rare that a family have talked about things very much or very far in advance. I'd love to push that conversation on as I think it would really help people of all ages deal with the reality.

So I think talking about periods has become more mainstream but it junk it could definitely be normalised so that everyone is aware of all the different products out there eg the new pants, moo cups etc

I can talk to most people about most things but there are two - one that I feel ashamed of and another that I feel I will be judged for that I will never talk to anyone about.

I'm usually very open and willing to chat about taboo subjects - it's a running joke with a couple of close friends, "we don't believe in TMI". There are a couple of things I find it really hard to talk about though including that I have issues with stress incontinence. I actually bought a couple of pairs of period pants for this reason and found them really helpful, it was lovely to just feel like I was wearing underwear and not having to worry about pads for the first time in ages.

I think the modibodi pants could be an excellent way of stopping the plastic waste from pads. I've felt awful this month counting up the number of pads and plastic wrappers I have thrown out.

We definitely need to be more open about periods, I think the key with kids is to be honest and open, and fight against your own embarrassment on the subject. If they see periods as just part of life then it will be easier when they start having them themselves.