Anyone used period pants? Help!

[hopesndreams210310]

Hi all!

Just that really, looking into Wuka's reusable period pants and just wondering if anyone uses them, how they work (do you have to keep changing pants through the day?) and if they would recommend?

Thanks! Xx

@penniesdimesapplespears

I don't think they are very hygienic (wearing wet bloody underwear all day 🤮 ) plus they only last about 20 washes or similar.

They aren't wet! They are SO much dryer than any pad I have ever worn.

And where did you get the idea they only last 20 washes?
That is just nonsense. They last as long as any underwear, probably longer infact, as you only wear them once or twice a month.

I have light-medium flow and use a mixture of M&S and Primark pants. One pair during the day and a fresh pair at night. Feel fine - much better than a sanitary towel. I wash them in bulk at the end of my period by hand and am always surprised at the amount of blood that comes out. You can’t see, smell or feel it when you’re wearing the pants.

@Fudgeytastic

If these pants are black how do you see /tell how heavy your flow is?

You can’t. That is the only drawback. Dd tends to wear them for more days than she probably needs to as she can’t see that her period has ended.

I'm not a huge fan, I bought a pair to try and they're good for "backup" on heavy days with a tampon or for very light spotting sort of days at the start/ end of period but I don't like wearing them all day on a "normal" flow day. Maybe it's because i'm used to using tampons but I don't like that feeling of bleeding out, perhaps if you normally wear towels this doesn't feel so odd? Also, they really need to go in the wash the same day or you have to faff around with soaking them until you're putting a wash on.

You can’t. That is the only drawback. Dd tends to wear them for more days than she probably needs to as she can’t see that her period has ended.

This makes no sense - of course you can see if your period has ended because there will be no blood when you wipe after you go to the bathroom? Possibly you keep wearing them for a bit longer because you worry you might get a little delayed leakage but you don't need to see what's in your pad to know?

Also, the process of rinsing them is a very good indicator of how heavy your period is if you can't feel or see it as you're in the bathroom. On my heavy days it actually shocks me how much blood comes out when I rinse them.

I don’t always get blood on wiping near the end of my period , so I suppose dd is the same ?

But surely, if there's no blood on wiping for, say, a day, that's a sign it's over? Certainly mine can stop completely, in the middle, never mind the end, for up to a day, but that's it. So at most you're only going to carry on wearing the panties for a day after it MIGHT have ended?

Or maybe your DD just likes them and feels comfortable in them? I do wish they'd had them when my mum was alive - I have no doubt they would have been life changing for her as an older woman.

There's a particular site that I looked them up on. They cost about £20 per pair and the site did say they last for up to two years.that's really not much.

I use reusable pads hut instead of rinsing them by hand, I stick them in the wash on a rinse cycle which rinses them out. Then I add other washing and a bit of the dettol laundry cleanser too

My Modibodis are at least 2 years old, some many years older, they're all fine. And they get worn and washed a LOT as I have horrible heavy, long periods plus use them during exercise (and big nights out drinking ) in case of bladder leaks.

During heaviest days I 'boost' them with a resuable pad if home, or tampons if out, so I don't have to change them often. Though I have their XL ones for overnight - bit like a nappy but they work brilliantly on their own.

Washing - mine go into an opaque ziplock bag, with any pads, until wash time every day or two. Then into the machine for a cold 15 min cycle to rinse them out before running a full wash. They can be tumble dried on low.

I love mine. I am very hygienic thank you

Let’s face it, there is no way to get round periods without having to deal with the mess at some stage. Tampons, you’ll be sticking your fingers right in there. Disposable pads, you’ll be unsticking and folding. In both cases you’ll be carrying tampons or pads round with you both used and new, unless every single loo you ever enter has a nice, discreet bin you are happy to use. Menstrual cups, you’ve got to get right up there and you are more restricted on the loos you can use as you really need a sink. Anything with cubicles, you’ll be handling the flush and door handle and your bag etc before you have chance to wash your hands after changing your protection. And that’s not counting leaks, underwear staining and general problems that come with any option.

Period pants - usually avoid most of the above. For many, don’t need changing as often, and don’t involve getting up close and personal with period products when out and about. In combination with a reusable pad, which can be removed or changed halfway through the day if needed, that’s so much less gunk, so much drier, so much easier.

Yes you need to wash them. And so you still have to deal with the messy parts - but in your own space and in your own time, with a sink and washing facilities.

I have tried pads, tampons, cups, reusable pads, sponges, and period pants, I’ve even tried freebleeding….

Period pants and/or reusable pads are absolutely the most hygienic and least stress, for me.

I have the primark ones (£6) each

I have very heavy periods, especially day1-3. For the first 3 days I wear the pants with pads as normal. For the rest I just wear the pants, and change for overnight. They’re great and I doubt I’ll ever go back. Once I’ve used up the millions of pads I’ll probably just use the pants and change them, unless I get reusable pads

@penniesdimesapplespears

There's a particular site that I looked them up on. They cost about £20 per pair and the site did say they last for up to two years.that's really not much.

I have never seen any of the sites say they only last for 2 years, that doesn't even make sense - they are like normal underwear, but you're only likely to wear them once or twice a month, depending on how many you have. I suspect you probably misread something about how long it takes to pay for themselves vs disposables. Can you remember what site it was? Do you have a link?

Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences. I’ve been on the fence about period pants because I didn’t want to waste my money and wasn’t sure if they are too good to be true. And sometimes I’m not sure if product reviews are genuine.

Now I feel more confident in buying them and giving them a go.

After reading this thread I googled them and also came across period swimwear by Modibodi.

For those of you who use period pants, have you also used period swimwear? Are they just as effective?

@Voice0fReason This is on the WUKA website description of their period pants: Can be worn and washed for around 2 years. After a couple of years of washing, the pants may lose some of their absorbency ability, making them better suited for your light days or as a menstrual cup back up

So, penniesdimesapplespears is partly right. However, she’s partly wrong because they are still wearable and have some use, just not as absorbent.

@penniesdimesapplespears That’s not silly, it’s fair wear and tear. I think 2 years of lasting with full absorbency is quite good and after that time are still useful for light periods.

I honestly, don’t think that I have a single pair of undies that are more than 2 years old anyway.

@ImustLearn2Cook

Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences. I’ve been on the fence about period pants because I didn’t want to waste my money and wasn’t sure if they are too good to be true. And sometimes I’m not sure if product reviews are genuine.

Now I feel more confident in buying them and giving them a go.

After reading this thread I googled them and also came across period swimwear by Modibodi.

For those of you who use period pants, have you also used period swimwear? Are they just as effective?

DD has a modibody swimsuit. She loves it. (She’s only 11 so periods not heavy.)

Their are some reviews on youtube that said period swimwear was brilliant for being by the pool or in the beach but not great in water. DD used to swim competitively and I know several of the girls wore period pants underneath their costumes and their costumes came to their knees you couldn't see anything. I don't really see how they can work in water though as surely once they are saturated they won't absorb anything else.

I know, it doesn't seem practical on the swimming front at all. Having said that, I quite like the idea for at the end of my period - I hate swimming with my period even with tampons etc, but sometimes when it lingers and a tampon isn't practical, I do think that maybe a modibodi swimsuit would be a good choice.

@BlingLoving

But surely, if there's no blood on wiping for, say, a day, that's a sign it's over? Certainly mine can stop completely, in the middle, never mind the end, for up to a day, but that's it. So at most you're only going to carry on wearing the panties for a day after it MIGHT have ended?

Or maybe your DD just likes them and feels comfortable in them? I do wish they'd had them when my mum was alive - I have no doubt they would have been life changing for her as an older woman.

Yes, after a day I wouldn’t wear them, I think dd just gets worried about it. I do find it hard to tell how light my flow is though, and as I am on HRT i like to know . I think they are brilliant otherwise. They are so easy and so much more comfortable than pads , nothing to slip or bunch, no annoying wings.

I bought the Modibodi swimsuit for my younger dd (14) as she swims a lot, but sadly it was too wide. (She is slightly built, and we often have an issue with swimsuits) .

Just putting a word in for a brand called Blinx, particularly the 'Diane' in black. Bought them for my DD who has ASD and hated pads etc They were £10 each but came on offer at 4 for price of 3. They promise 6-8 hours which seems to be 1 pair in morning, 1 pair after school/work, 1 pair for bed. I bought cheaper ones online that someone recommended but they really were only for the last days or the waiting days. They were lighter coloured so she can see them and is less keen

@NavigatingAdolescence thanks.
@BlingLoving I think you’re right that they’d be ok for end of period. I don’t like swimming with my periods either. But then I don’t really like using tampons.

I bought 1 pair of the super heavy Wuka to try for my last period

Life changing

I got Modibodi ones, for night time mostly as I never slept well the first few nights for fear of leaking. They’re very good.
I also wear them during the day although they do make me hot.

My periods are much lighter thanks to the coil and I have Primark ones which have been okay so far, although they’ve not been tested the way my Modibodi ones were!

@Hdkatznahtw125sgh
Thank you! I went and bought some primark ones this week and I agree they’re amazing! I wore my first one yesterday and I actually forgot I had my period!! Today is very heavy so I’m wearing the primark period pants with a pad but the knowledge that the pants go all the way up to the top at the back means I am not worrying about flooding. I think once the clots stop after day 3, I’m going to actually just wear the pants. This is a game changer. I always feel bad about the amount of plastic wasted in pads, but I had no alternative thanks to my v.heavy periods. Now I am only going to be using pads on the two days where I am v.heavy. I’m so glad I stumbled across this thread and I’m so glad primark sell them!! I’m going to get a few more pairs to take the stress off having to wash and dry over the week.