One for the ladies only: Make your own pads/mooncup alternative

missk_ensington

Ive left them in ages before today, Ive gone on a night out so put it in at say 7pm and not even woken up until 12noon, then had a brew, watched Hollyoaks... before you know it its 2pm and Iv completely forgot its there! Or if I'm on a flight even to Australia, unless its irritating me/leaking/stinking Id just leave it. I was joking with 2 days, but I guess its still a while! Yeah I know about TSS, apparently you've more chance of being hit by lightening.

Ive had them in over 24 hours and forgotten its there, perhaps Im pushing them too far up!! lol, If I can remotely feel it, its not far enough, but then by not feeling it I forget about it!

lday77

I'm with missk_ensington on this one.

The thread is very interesting though, I didn't know people still made their own, and to be honest I think it's a bit gross, but each to their own, we were'nt even told it was an option at school, the nurse told us how when they were growing up their Mum made them wear disgusting home made sanitary towels and so I just dismissed the fact that maybe people still do it.:D

One thing that does concern me is if these companies are getting away with destroying the environment and plying our bodies with chemicals then why just leave it and make your own, if it reallt is so terrible that people result to home made options why isn't it more recognised and discussed? Why aren't the companies scrutinised for what they are doing and I think that by making your own you are letting tem get away with doing it to future generations

you don't have to leave a tampon in for 2 days to get tss - it can happen immediately,

I'll get off my soap box now

tallulah_beaulah

kittie wrote:

OMG I can`t believe that some people want to go the os way re pads!!!

My mother made them for us 5 girls and there was a bucket under the bath. It was such a relief to get bought pads when there was more money. It can`t be hygenic especially in this day and age and I warn you that there is a smell, which you may not notice yourself but others can. Not nice

I have been very interested in re-usables, but haven't tried them yet. I was put off the idea when I mentioned the concept to my mum and she reacted much like kittie. Mum said she was always horrified by her mothers re-usables, and thought it was unhygenic, she seemed disgusted by my idea to use the "Sea Pearls" sponges. I'm 30, but felt ashamed of my idea because of her reaction when we normally see eye to eye on things.

Reading this thread, I may well have a go at making pads. In terms of hygene, it must be OK to use something like Nappisan, or even good ol' vinegar for cleanliness and deodorising. There's such a push for reusable nappies and so much info about getting them clean, it must be the same principle for pads.

Anyone got any good tips for getting pads clean?

mamaoba

You need to soak pads unlike nappies.

salt water gets all the stains out. I have to admit in high summer I use a little nappisan. I keep them in an airtight box with a pretty velvet "cover" so unless someone wants to be super nosey digging around behind my loo you'd never know they were there!

I never leave them to soak in water for longer than 24 hours without changing the water and give em a quick rinse under the bathroom tap before I pop them in their laundry bag to wash with the nappies/sheets towels (my whites wash basically). I use soapnuts and either ecover bleach or soda crystals with a little lavender for my wash. I use distilled vinegar instead of fabric conditioner. Both lavender oil and vinegar have anti-bac, anti-fungal properties.


I ceratinly don't hang em out on my washing line! I pop mine on a small ceiling airer in the bathroom that I use for underwear. amongst the socks, baby bibs and bras - again unless you were on a super nosey trip you wouldn't notice them. They dry overnight so I hang em up and pop them back in the drawer.
I'm one of those people who never has my "smalls" on show in case I have visitors lol!

The mooncup gets washed thouroughly and sterilised last thing at night before I go to bed. you can either boil it for 5 mins in water (i'd get a little milk pan just for that if that's the route you choose) shove it in the babies steriliser, dishwasher or microwave.

One thing I have noticed since switching is that on the rare occasions I use a disposable towel or tampon my flow is much heavier - I think the chemicals in conventional protection draw too much out now. My sisters have made the switch too now and both report feeling more comfy so it's not just me who prefers a lighter touch from dear aunt flo!

I've tried the sponges and found them really comfy - I just like having one less thing to remember to buy cos I'm scatty so stick with the mooncup tbh. They are called sea pearls and you can easily buy specially cleaned, shaped sponges for this really easily.

tallulah_beaulah

Thanks so much mamaoba, that's exactly the sort of advice and information I was looking for, I'll thank you properly when the 'Thanks' button reappears! :T

larmy16

Oooh I must be really gross, but as soon as I heard about making your own pads from Flanalette on an American website, I was intrigued and delighted to find something that does not contribute to the landfill (the thought of all those disposable nappies containing poo is revolting), and also saves money!

I made myself about 14 of them and they have come in extremely handy as reserve/back up. For heavy flow I have to use the disposable, but tailing off days, the re-usable do a great job, plus the comfort is much greater.

I had an old candy striped flanalette sheet and made them out of that, sewed them during the evenings - I quite enjoyed it!!! They have saved me a lot of money plus I am doing a little more for the environment.

UKTigerlily

I'm on the injection also but for period pain, not contraception as it was excrutiating. I agree with a previous poster, it's awesome, no pain, periods or PMT. I'd be lost without it

Grumpysally

I don't understand why some people are so squeamish about reusable pads but quite happy for their 'disposables' to hang around in landfill for the next century or so. I suppose it's out of sight and out of mind.
Since I had an IUS fitted I haven't needed use anything but would definitely go with homemade if OH ever gets round to the snip before I hit the menopause.
I wouldn't want to hang them outside to dry tho'.

Blairweech

Sorry if this is a bit TMI, but I currently use tampons because I find that with pads (ready-made), I get quite "messy" as it were, where the pad hasn't absorbed the liquid straight away. Does the same thing happen with home made pads? I ike the idea of them but that is the thing that's putting me off switching back to pads.

Edit: Oh good, the first post of a new page

Macnab

recovering_spendaholic wrote:

Sorry if this is a bit graphic, but I have fibroids and so have REALLY heavy flow which needs a superplus tampon and night time towel at the same time and I change about 9 times a day. I hate the idea of the digoxins but have always balked at the idea of making my own sanitary wear. Would any of the home made ideas work for me do you think?

I have the same type of flow as you admittedly only for my second day of my period and I used to go through an entire box of sooper dooper tampons I now use a mooncup with a pad as back up just in case - haven't got round to trying the cloth pads. I find it works perfectly I just have to empty it on the hour but its so much better than all those tampons.