Read more about re-usable cloth menstrual pads here
Tutorial: DIY eco friendly menstrual pads
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{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
awesome! I have a bunch of links here as well. Sort of a clearing house for cloth for baby and mama:
http://diapersewing.wordpress.com/tag/mama/
If you’ve never tried cloth pads before, I really encourage you to try them. They seem “icky” to some people at first, but I know very few people who don’t like them once they’ve actually tried them. Sooooo comfy, not sweaty and hot and itchy and plastic-y.
I was looking into them a while back, but after reading alot of webites I came across this: http://mooncup.co.uk/
I find it’s got several advantages – you can just forget about it, wear whatever pants you like, you don’t have to carry a supply and keep and wash the dirty ones, and if you think about it, you save all the energy and soap you’d use to wash all those pads. Zero mess! Less cramping than with tampons, and you don’t have the problem of choosing the right strength one. I’ve never had any leakage or trouble with it, and it’s saved me so much money! I’d never go back to tampons or pads.
Sorry, just had to evangelise ^_^
I took a while to come around, but after I changed form of contraception (if TMI sorry- but we ARE talking about pads) I didn’t really get a propper flow I thought what the hey. My first purchases were hand dyed silk and geisha fabric which are stunning and the most comfortable thing ever. Just one more area to be creative!
I absolutely love washable cloth pads & have used them for many years. I’ve tried the “cups” but never seem to get proper fit and leakage is always a problem. Cloth pads are incredibly sustainable, dirt cheap and vastly more comfortable than tampons or disposable pads.
Thanks for posting these tutorials. I’ve been looking at these products for a while, but have had difficulty finding them in my area. (I am a nervous nellie when it comes to online purchases…) It didn’t even occur to me to try making my own!
Does anyone have any suggestions about wearing them for long days – or what to do with one if I have to change at work? Ziploc bags? Kindof defeats the purpose of reuseable.
Thank you! I’ve used Lunapads brand for years and love them, and have been wanting to try to make some of my own. :)
As the link to the tutorial is maxed out… I found this link from gristmill.com
http://pacificcoast.net/~manymoons/howto.html
http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/PADS.html
That’s a great tutorial site as well
Valerie wrote: Does anyone have any suggestions about wearing them for long days – or what to do with one if I have to change at work?
Gladrags has a water/moisture proof carry bag that I use on days when I need to change away from home. You just rinse the pad (or you can stow w/out rinsing, I just prefer to rinse first) in the little waterproof bag and then zip it into the carry pouch. You can buy them online here. I have seen the carry bags in health food stores, so you might find them there if you prefer to purchase offline.
Outside of that, I think that if you were to sew a pouch out of sturdy canvas, that might work to store your pads until you get home, particularly if you could find a good water resistant canvas or lighter weight, water resistant lining.
Hmmm… good idea in theory, but what happens when you need to change your pad while away from home? What are you to do with the soiled one?
this is just going too far!
I too am a cloth convert. I started w/ cloth pads while researching cloth diapers. I’m very satisfied with both choices! Waaay comfier! To answer the previous poster, I have a mini wetbag from http://www.happytushies.com to carry used pads. http://www.whammies.com makes cute wetbags too. Of course you could sew your own too. : )
Sorry, it’s http://www.wahmies.com/ with one “M”
Thanks for the link, I use moonpads and would love to make my own :-) They are so much nicer to use than the commercial ones! I haven’t tried mooncups, I should give it a go!
I made my own cloth pads and used them for many years (have moved into another stage of life now). I found them to be so comfortable – I made them from leopard skin flannelette and funky pajama prints – so much more fun than dainty flowers.
i’d have to agree with errant, except my vote would be for the diva cup: http://www.divacup.com. i will never ever go back to tampons or pads. however, i certainly would consider cloth pads for a post-partum flow. thanks for posting the tutorial!
this cracks me up. my 90-year-old grandmother goes on and on about how much she *hated* making, wearing, and washing her homemade menstrual pads. (she grew up on a farm in the midwest where they made everything.) when i tell her that women today are making their own pads, she will be speechless. :^)
I can see why some think this is great and that they are saving the environment from all those millions of pads and tampons. But there is no way these are more comfortable as far as I can see. I myself would be afraid of leaks and it not staying in place. And stowing them in your purse yuck! Also, where are you rinsing these if you are out and about? I wouldn’t want to see that in a ladies room. Are you disinfecting the sink after rinsing?
I love love the site, of course there are always going to be some things I’m just not going to get into, and I think this is one of them…
Holly, for most women who try them, they are far more comfortable. Many of us switch to cloth not necessarily for environmental reasons (though they are a factor) but because commercial, disposable pads are irritating to our skin. I don’t get leaks, shifting/bunching, or irritation with my cloth pads, and will never in a million years go back to disposables. Most pads come with a little cloth envelope you can fold the pad into; because they are more absorbant without being uncomfortable, you often don’t need to change them while at work or out and about, but if you do, a ziplock bag is plenty. And you don’t need to rinse them right away, either.
They’re not for everyone, but there’s no reason to cast aspersions on those of us who do prefer them.
Jan Andrea ~~Hi! I wasn’t trying to cast aspersions on anyone here. I was only stating what is my opinion. Sorry you took it that way and that you were offended.
Being someone who has always had a heavy flow and been sensitive also, I know that many women have different needs.
I also just wanted to make the point that rinsing them in a ladies room requires dissinfecting the sink also. So, one needs to be prepared to do that also. I’m not thrilled with seeing women doing this, so carrying in a pouch is preferable to me. As far as me carrying them around, that’s just not for me.
I’m a big fan of cloth pads, and am so thrilled to see the post here about making your own. I have to admit that even though I’m a bit of a craft-a-holic and sew many things I wear, I buy my pads — I get mine from Lunapads.
To answer some gals fears about leaking etc. (and to veer off into the land of TMI) I’m a pretty heavy flow gal and, provided I change them often enough, I actually have way less leaks than I did with disposables. Cloth is just way more absorbant than paper/plastic I guess. And I know I can’t convince y’all but carrying used ones in your purse/bag for a few hours really isn’t as nasty as it sounds. It’s so fine. My Lunapads come with little nylon purses and I just use those.
Making your own is a great way to see if they’re a good idea for you, or you can just be lazy like me and buy some. I never thought I would be a convert and it’s been at least 8 years now and I would *never* go back.
I know this thread is way old, but I am trying to pick up a chat with other ladies who have turned to cloth comforts.
I am currently making some of my own pattern and they appear to be turning out wonderfully.
For those who consider the inconvenient cons of having to tote messy cloths in a bag in your purse, yes it is inconvenient, however I know I would rather deal with that inconvenience than engage all of the health risks associated with disposable sanitary products. Like diapers, pads and tampons are manufactured with a host of chemicals and bleaches that when triggered with wetness, produce a byproduct called dioxin, which is known to cause cancer. There are many things that cause cancer that to become educated about and endeavor to eliminate them from our own personal environments seems only logical.
As for the cloth comforts I am making, they have 100% cotton inner and outer layers, with the exception of a liner that fits around the gusset of the panties with a snap and has a waterproof layer to protect against leakage. The liner is changed daily, while the absorbent pad toppers are changed often throughout the day. No shifting has occurred, but if it had, I was prepared to install small, flexible pieces of velcro. This wasn’t necessary.
Maintaining a pot of cold water and hydrogen peroxide solution in the bathroom gives the pads a soaking spot until you are ready to do a load of washing. They say hydrogen peroxide is excellent for blood stains, particularly full strength. And, it is environmentally friendly. Some women add a little biodegradable detergent to the soaking pot as a deodorizer. One other great tip is never to use fabric softener, either liquid or sheets, when washing/drying because it reduces cloth absorbency. Rather, it is recommended to add 1/4 c. white vinegar to the rinse cycle when washing the pads which is a naturally softening agent.
Lastly, the messy liquid from the soaking pot, providing there aren’t any harsh ingredients added, can be used as a nutrient rich water for plants. This is why I am using a large tea kettle with a handle and spout for my soaking pot, so that pour off is easy in the end.