Time for some self-care
When I discovered reusable nappies were actually easy the step of changing to cloth sanitary protection for myself was a no-brainer. For years I have found normal pads uncomfortable, yet I’m not really a fan of tampons unless I’m swimming. I was conscious of the amount of discarded single use plastic in a tampax pearl or compak years before the war on plastic became a thing.
I actually tried to be brave and tried a silicon “mooncup” after having my first child, but I hated that experience. Getting it in wasn’t too bad but getting it out was not just awkward it was actually painful so I was put off for life. So at last I have found an alternative that truly works for me. Not ashamed to say it, (I just admitted to trying a mooncup so this can’t be any more embarrassing) after having two babies I need to use pantyliners every day, and I can’t be the only woman to have found this! so a reusable version does actually save money and the planet.
Life changing
Cloth pads are amazingly comfortable, keep you dry, come in different sizes and absorbencies like a disposable and you just rinse under the tap (if you think you need to) and then chuck in the wash with your normal laundry. Nothing could be simpler. And definitely NOT WEIRD!
Period pants are now all the rage on social media, and rightly so. Except they require an initial up front investment, it’s a mini mortgage to purchase the multiples you need. Why not try something that just pops into your existing underwear instead of a disposable if you’re dipping your toe in for the first time? and logically, they can work for incontinence too. Except that 1 reusable pad can cost the same as 1 pack of rip-off Tena. Treat yourself to some luxury and you’ll see why I class them as essential self-care.
#generationzerowaste
I genuinely believe that by the time my daughter is starting her period disposable pads will be consigned to the history books along with those scary 60s suspender belt contraptions that were depicted in our ancient school text books still taught with in the early 90s; and both cloth pads and organic tampons with reusable applicators as invented by Dame will be the norm.
There is a period revolution going on and not just the elimination of VAT. Using red blood in imagery is now socially acceptable in adverts, goodness knows why it ever wasn’t, it can only be in the eyes of irrelevant male advertising execs.
I wanted to write this so that even if you don’t try them, you’ve still read it & I’ve brought your attention to how such a small change can be so significant; in the hope that one day our daughters will see cloth pads as the norm because they are fortunate to be growing up in a world where they are trendy and not weird.
For more insight on how they work and how to care for them see Cloth Sanitary Protection.
