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Kory
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#1
Old 01-21-2015, 11:13 PM

I had no idea where to put this thread... Sorry if it's in the wrong place!

Does anyone use "Green" menstrual products? Like, cloth pads, menstrual cups, sea sponge tampons?

I use cloth pads and honestly, they're amazing. I like that there's no harmful chemicals in them and they're so comfortable. I'm also interested in the menstrual cup, which is why I made this thread.

It'd be nice to see how many women out there use green products during their period. I find it's a healthier alternative than using tampons or disposable pads.

zigbigadorlube
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#2
Old 01-24-2015, 02:53 PM

I've honestly never heard of or seen cloth pads. How much do they run price wise? I feel like menstrual products are so expensive already I wouldn't want to spend any more on them than I have to. V_V

Kory
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#3
Old 01-24-2015, 07:30 PM

I think cloth pads can be a little bit of an investment. I definitely understand not wanting to spend extra on them. If you like sewing, you can always make your own for a lot cheaper! :)

It might be cheaper to buy them from places like Etsy, where they are handmade. However, the different absorbency make a difference in price. Like, cloth pantyliners you can get like, a pack of 6 for anywhere between $8-$12. But because they're cloth they have a little bit of a higher absorbency than a regular disposable pantyliner.

The moderate-heavy pads are usually the most expensive because they use an expensive cloth called "zorb", so one heavy cloth pad can run you like, $7-$8 each.

It's not easy being green, but in the long run, you won't have to spend money every month (once you build up a stash of cloth pads, of course), and if you're like me, you won't have to spend like $20 every month because you have a heavy flow that goes through at least two packs of pads each period. Haha.

They're really cute styles though, let me pull up some images of cloth pads:


Last edited by Kory; 01-24-2015 at 07:32 PM..

River Song
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#4
Old 02-02-2015, 05:04 PM

Those are pretty cute. Never thought I'd say that about pads. Haha. Anyway, I think it sounds like a good idea, but I'd be afraid to use them myself. This will probably sounds gross, but I need extra extra extra absorbency. I have pcos and endometriosis so at times my flow is to the point where it seems like I could be dying from the loss of blood.

I'd like to help the environment and I really like the idea of those, but I'm not completely sure they'd work for everyone.

Kory
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#5
Old 02-02-2015, 10:06 PM

That is totally understandable. :)

I think with anything, it's hit or miss for some people. I do think that it could work for someone with PCOS though, as many people who make cloth pads also make really thick, heavy ones for postpartum. But, again, it's really a matter of comfort for the wearer, IMHO.

Do you currently use pads during your period?

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#6
Old 02-09-2015, 10:27 PM

So how do you wash those cloth ones?

jupiter
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#7
Old 02-11-2015, 08:51 AM

I would assume you'd just toss them in the machine or hand-wash, but I've never tried...ahah...
I would be more concerned with the sanitary aspect of the pad, particularly regarding the type of fabric or what's really absorbing under the cutesy design.

There's supposed to be a company that just started up who sells what they're marketing as sanitary underwear. It's absorbent panties with some special hoo-ha microfiber bladidy blah. They're extremely expensive, though, so not an option for virtually everyone.

I hate tampons, though.
Hate, hate, hate them.

Chexala
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#8
Old 02-11-2015, 10:27 AM

I use a menstrual cup and I love it. I got a Diva Cup about 6 years ago and never went back to tampons. When I'm having a heavy period, I have to remember to empty the cup often and will wear panty liners to catch any leaks, but I found I take bathroom breaks at about the same rate as when I used tampons, so it hasn't been inconvenient. On lower flow days, I don't think I had to use the bathroom as often as with tampons, and I don't need to use liners at all (whereas before I never would have worn a tampon without a liner.)

I didn't do any research into brands before hand so I don't know how Diva Cup compares to other brands of menstrual cups, but I've been very happy with mine. It took a little practice at first but once I got the hang of it I found it very easy to insert and remove. I keep mine clean by rinsing it with water whenever I empty it, washing it with soap between periods, and occasionally soaking it overnight in a solution of water and hydrogen peroxide to remove the surface-level discoloration.

Kory
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#9
Old 02-12-2015, 05:12 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by zigbigadorlube View Post
So how do you wash those cloth ones?
It's just like what jupiter said,
You just throw them in the wash or hand wash them yourself. :)
What I do is, I rinse them in cold water first to get the blood mostly out of them, then I hand wash them a little with gentle soap then I throw them in the wash, so's that they don't stain and they stay absorbent.

When you wash them with fabric softener and those little paper things that make clothes smell good, it affects the absorbency. So you do have to be careful of how you're washing them.

@Chexala
That sounds awesome! Where did you get your Diva Cup? I've been very interested in getting a menstrual cup, but I have no idea where to buy it except online. Do you feel it when it's in? That's the thing that I'm most concerned with is being uncomfortable with it...

I could never seem to wear tampons because no matter how I put them in, I always felt uncomfortable. My friends would tell me it's because I have it in wrong, but I've done it a bunch of times, did it exactly how the directions say, I did it exactly how my friends told me to do it, but it still felt uncomfortable.

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#10
Old 02-12-2015, 09:11 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ava The Vampire View Post
@Chexala
That sounds awesome! Where did you get your Diva Cup? I've been very interested in getting a menstrual cup, but I have no idea where to buy it except online. Do you feel it when it's in? That's the thing that I'm most concerned with is being uncomfortable with it...

I could never seem to wear tampons because no matter how I put them in, I always felt uncomfortable. My friends would tell me it's because I have it in wrong, but I've done it a bunch of times, did it exactly how the directions say, I did it exactly how my friends told me to do it, but it still felt uncomfortable.
I got my cup at the health food co-op where I was shopping at the time. I live in California where there are health food markets everywhere and they tend to carry lots of "green" and alternative health products, so that would be my first recommendation of where to look for one.

Personally, I never feel my cup once I've put it in properly. It has a little tab at the bottom for pulling it out and sometimes I've felt that a little, but it's fixed by pushing the cup in to the proper depth. (It's meant to create a light seal around the opening of the cervix so that there isn't any spillage.) I've never had discomfort with tampons before though, so I can't say how a cup might feel for you.

Cherry Who?
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#11
Old 02-25-2015, 10:28 PM

Do the pads have some sort of plastic (or similar) liner to keep you from soaking through them onto your clothing? That would be my #1 fear...

zigbigadorlube
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#12
Old 03-01-2015, 02:38 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ava The Vampire View Post
It's just like what jupiter said,
You just throw them in the wash or hand wash them yourself. :)
What I do is, I rinse them in cold water first to get the blood mostly out of them, then I hand wash them a little with gentle soap then I throw them in the wash, so's that they don't stain and they stay absorbent.

When you wash them with fabric softener and those little paper things that make clothes smell good, it affects the absorbency. So you do have to be careful of how you're washing them.

@Chexala
That sounds awesome! Where did you get your Diva Cup? I've been very interested in getting a menstrual cup, but I have no idea where to buy it except online. Do you feel it when it's in? That's the thing that I'm most concerned with is being uncomfortable with it...

I could never seem to wear tampons because no matter how I put them in, I always felt uncomfortable. My friends would tell me it's because I have it in wrong, but I've done it a bunch of times, did it exactly how the directions say, I did it exactly how my friends told me to do it, but it still felt uncomfortable.
I'm assuming you would have to wash them in their own load, not with other clothes? I have to do my wash at a laundromat so I'm not sure I would want to pay for a full load containing just a few small pieces of fabric. V_V

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#13
Old 03-02-2015, 05:49 AM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cherry Who? View Post
Do the pads have some sort of plastic (or similar) liner to keep you from soaking through them onto your clothing? That would be my #1 fear...
I share this question!

Kory
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#14
Old 03-03-2015, 11:07 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cherry Who? View Post
Do the pads have some sort of plastic (or similar) liner to keep you from soaking through them onto your clothing? That would be my #1 fear...
I don't know, I think how they're made depends on who you buy them from.
The ones I have bought do not have plastic backing, but they sometimes use a waterproof material called PUL which I heard helps with leaking. But not all cloth pads have PUL in them. Some just use a material called Zorb which is very absorbent (Can hold 10x it's weight in liquids) And I have a very heavy flow, I've yet to leak through my overnight/heavy pads, but I do change them at least once every three hours or less.

Some people say that using cloth pads makes your cramps less painful because there's no chemicals against the skin like there usually are in average disposable pads... It's totally not true. I think they are more comfortable, but they definitely don't make the cramps less painful or less frequent, unfortunately... It'll take a miracle for that to happen lol.

Quote:
Originally Posted by zigbigadorlube View Post
I'm assuming you would have to wash them in their own load, not with other clothes? I have to do my wash at a laundromat so I'm not sure I would want to pay for a full load containing just a few small pieces of fabric. V_V
It's actually possible to wash them with your own clothes, however, it's recommended that you don't use fabric softener or those little dryer sheets that you put in the dryer to make clothes smell nice (I hope you know what I'm talking about? I don't know what they're called?)
Using fabric softener and those dryer wipes will compromise the absorbency of the pads, so it's recommended you just use a normal wash without fabric softener.

I prefer sort of pre-washing my pads by rinsing them in cold water and "washing" them by putting them on the floor of my shower, then washing them in the shower with gentle soap. (I'm such a hippie I use organic body wash) Then the blood is usually completely out so it's safe to throw in the wash with the rest of your clothes.

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#15
Old 03-12-2015, 06:04 PM

I guess that makes sense then. I'm always worried about things staining in my wash.

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#16
Old 11-06-2015, 12:07 AM

I loooove my Diva cup!! It works so well!! I purchased mine at the women's centre at my school, so I'm not sure where the best place to buy them would be.

I find that I don't need to use it anymore though. I got an IUD, and my flow has been super light that I only notice it when I go to the bathroom and wipe - it doesn't leak on my clothes or anything. It's super great.

I did find the Diva cup good for sleeping though - I like to sleep naked, but I would always worry I'd leak on my bedding. With the Diva cup I could sleep naked and not worry about it!! And unlike tampons, you avoid the toxic shock syndrome.

 


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