Do you need to change period pants?

[CateringPanic]

I’m thinking about switching to reusable period products as I keep getting thrush from regular sanitary towels and pulling out tampons always gives me the heebie jeebies.

This is probably a really stupid question but if you wear period pants do you need to change them like you would a sanitary towel? Or can you just expect to wear them all day like a normal pair of pants?

I actually feel so much better about my period now I wear period pants - highly recommend. I can even sleep in them which shocks me. I change them but that’s personal preference (except light days)

In the last 6 months I have found the need to wear period pants (M&S) continuously every day, med to heavy; no problem as long as changed daily. Catheter regain etc better than the disposable pants. A complete game changer.

DD (15) has fairly ‘usual’ periods and she wears 2 pairs per 24 hrs - she likes modibodi red.

I’m perimenopausal and horrible periods so I have a different ‘system’ -

day one modibodi ‘heavy’ pair with either super tampon or pad. I have to change that every 2-3 hours but then the last 2-3 hours I just have the pants. Overnight I have the highest absorbency pants and a washable pad. Halfway through the night I just remove the pad.

day two much the same

day three just the pants, not heavy ones, but change morning till after work, then another pair evening till bed, then another overnight.

day four - two pairs of light flow ones

day five - one pair of the lightest flow ones

i wash them together - make sure they are totally dry before putting away or they can smell musty.

I do find the heaviest flow ones are good for night as the absorbent but goes front to back. But the downside is a do get a bit of a sweaty bum! I also prefer for cotton ones to the ‘seamfree’ as they are more nylon-y.

Can I ask about the washing. There are 6 in my house so I do at least 1 (full) load a day. Myself plus 2 DD are menstruating.
Do you do an extra wash with just a few period pants in? It seems a bit wasteful of energy and costly.
Or do you put them in with a normal wash full of other clothes? Will that wash them properly (I wash at low temperatures)?

I have very heavy (and long) periods. I wear period pants to catch the leaking from my cup. I have occasionally tried them on their own, but I prefer the cup.

I can wear the pants on their own for anything but my heaviest days. I do find they smell a little after a while, but only when I'm on the loo & the pants are exposed, I can't smell anything once they're pulled up - and I have asked a couple of family members whether they can smell anything, they can't. They definitely smell less than pads.

On an ordinary day (not the really heavy days), I could wear a pair of pants for 24 hours, but I wouldn't because of the hygiene/smell. In terms of absorbency it would be fine. They do last way longer than pads though.

I wash them with other clothes. They're already rinsed. Never done a separate wash. You're supposed to wash them relatively cool to prolong the life of them. I can't remember offhand but I think maybe 30?

Rinse them first, either by hand or in the machine then bung in with other washing. Don’t tumble dry. I wash at 30.

I know this isn’t the point of the thread but those who haven’t tried a cup, I’d so recommend it. No potential smell. Reduction in pain. Also when I tried period pants (I only tried one brand though, Wuka) I hated the cold wet feeling when I pulled them up after a wee.

Ugh, you're all walking round wearing bloody soaked undies

Modibodi are good.
I have really heavy periods so the 24 hour ones don't last 24 hours, but would last me a day at work.
I don't notice a smell unless they're exposed (eg when I'm sat on the loo).

They're no different to a pad.

Are you a 12 year old boy? Get a grip. Periods involve blood. Blood soaked tampons, pads, pants are all the same. Just some are more sustainable than others.

I don’t wear them but why is this worse than a blood soaked pad?

I bet the period troll is loving this thread.

I'm a big fan of period pants pants in principle. A prolapse prevents me from wearing tampons or cups annoyingly, and I've always found pads gross.

Pros: Super absorbent period pants can usually be worn for most of the day. Or at least that's the idea. They're not designed to be changed when you're out and about, since they're not disposable and really do need to be rinsed thoroughly asap after being worn and then washed in the machine. You can't carry a used one around in your handbag. This leads me onto the cons.

Cons: Rinsing and washing them promptly is challenging (for me anyway). You can't just fling them in the laundry basket and wait until the weekend to wash them. If you do, they will reek forever And yeah some brands are expensive

On my heavier days I use them on with a pad until lunch if out with work, then do from lunch till home time.l change them when I get home and a fresh pair for nighttime. Never had any smells or leaks.

Washing wise I've got a lidded bucket (a food caddy bin as it's an ideal size) in the bathroom and wash a load every 3 days, cold rinse cycle then 40* wash with powder only / line or airer dry. Turn them inside out to help them dry quicker.

Life changers for me Love Luna brand

I change them 3-5 times a day, depending on need fresh pair in the morning, 2-3 times during the day, fresh pair at night. Depending on flow they can get smelly, just like an overused pad does.

I don't like period pants.

When I wore them, I could feel them get heavier and heavier with the blood. They become heavy and wet to wear

It starts to feel like you are wearing a heavy wet nappy

I have some but leak right through (for heavy flow my arse!) so wear them with a pad.

Same, and I don't have a particularly heavy flow, so I'm surprised at the answers here that say they wear only one pair on heavy days.

If you are prone to clots, you will leak!

I wish these had been around when I had periods, I used a cup for 10 years which was fantastic but would definitely have liked to try these.

Wrt changing at work- I would imagine the same as anything else, whip them off and put them in a small zip bag and put a fresh pair on.

I get a lot of clots (peri) and Wuka don’t leak for me. They really vary though by brand and style. I easily get the 12hrs.

Thank you for all the replies - it seems like it really varies.

I have my eye on the M&S ones and also want to try some reusable pads for comparison.

My periods aren’t that heavy - they usually last 5-6 days depending on what time of day I come on lol …. the first day or two i have very little flow, day 3-4 it’s probably medium flow and then days 5-6 light again so I feel like I may be okay wearing them like normal pants at least until I get back from work when I shower and change anyway. Might give them a go first on a work from home day!

@Beginningless thanks for that, I'm thinking about a cup. Can you recommend a particular brand?

@feralunderclass, I’d definitely recommend googling mumsnet threads about cups as there’s a lot of helpful info. I’ve only tried two, organicup and mooncup and I definitely prefer organicup. Mooncup has a ridge around the lip that I found uncomfy. However I think each vagina will have different preferences so it’s hard to recommend!

It’s definitely worth knowing that it takes a few cycles to get confident using it and normal to have a bit of trial and error. When it’s in place properly, it’s very comfortable and easy to forget you are on, I find. I don’t have an especially heavy flow though, if you did combining with pants like pps have said is probably reassuring. Sorry to derail OP!