Cloth Pad & Menstrual Cup Discussion Thread

[widdly]

I have no idea what brand I will get, I need to do some research...

[~Saram~]

I have the ladycup and it's awesome! I actually have two One coloured and one clear although the clear one just lives in my handbag in case of emergency. i often have the cups at reusable nappy week events or when I'm doing markets and expos with my business and they create such a discussion amongst the ladies! It is awesome to be able to show women there is more than disposable pads and tampons out there!

Me personally I never bothered with tampons either - hated them! They leaked they were uncomfortable and freaked me out but the cup is so comfy I often forget I've even got my period!

Cloth pads - I've got twinklelily, obsiden and a couple of others but they are my favs - bamboo velour topped luciousness - I want undies made out of it I generally only use a liner with the cup or at the end and use cloth pads over night. Haven't been game to try the cup overnight but listening to everyone I'll give it a go ... if AF ever shows up again

[widdly]

your still waiting for AF! I know how frustrating that is, hope she shows up soon. I reckon the bamboo topped pads look SO nice

[Floweryfields]

oooooh I'm so keen on getting one of these cups now!! The Mooncup sounds popular.... checked out the website.... can you wear it swimming though?? I am guessing yes?

for those with mooncups, did you just buy it from the UK website??? is there anywhere else to buy it online???

I am looking at getting 4 cloth pads and a cup .... should that be enough?

Sounds like some of you don't even use cloth pads with the cup? maybe just first 2 days?

I'm keen on throwing out my old tampons and dispobable pads... yuck. I've only had two AF's since having DD and I don't want to use sposies anymore they're gross!

Yes to swimming, I've worn mine several times no issues.

[sneakysparkle]

Hi Ladies! I posted this in another thread, but maybe I'll get more responses here

I'm after some advice, I'm going to Kenya in June and it will be AF time smack bang in the middle of my trip

Anyway, I have a lunette and have been using it for a couple of months, but as a newby I'm not sure how it will go in less-than perfect hygeine conditions? I won't be staying in hotels, but more modest accommodation - will I have to wash it in bottled water?
Will it be ok if I don't get to boil it while I'm away?
I'm assuming it will be easier with a cup than with disposables though right?

[Tiff+2]

So it's been a long while since there was any activity in here but I'm wanting some advice... Hopefully
TMI WARNING....
So I've had a few AF's since having DD#2 (why couldn't I have been one of the BF'ers that don't get them back for 12 months?! lol) and have found after a couple of days of wearing a sposie pad I am getting VERY itchy. I have tried a few different brands and some are definately worse than others, but its still happen with everything I've tried. This was starting to happen in the months leading up to getting preg with DD, but I didn't really think much of it. Sooooooooooooo I'm thinking my body is reacting to them so its time to go cloth. I am a lover of Cloth nappies and breast pads so it just makes sence to go 100% cloth!

I can be a heavy bleeder (although whilst BF its been quite good), do you have to change cloth pads more regularly than sposies??
Are you more likely to have spills with cloth??
How often do you wash them??? Do you wash them completely seperate to everything or if washing them with other things, what with... Nappies??
Last qu.... Where do you store them until wash time... Container of some description??

Thanks ladies

[maz]

Tiff - I find that cloth pad's tend to be more absorbent then sposies so I change them the same amount as I did before hand.
I dry pail mine, I cant stand the smell of the water when their being soaked. I have a container in my ensuite with ascrew top lid that they go into and then pop them all in the wash at once. I have no troubles with staining nor smell this way. And yes I was them seperately...I dont want to mix my bodies...um...waste with what will go on my child's bottom.
I use wings, you dont have to worry about them falling of into the toilet and I use pads that are longer in the front due to the way it comes out KWIM

[Tiff+2]

Thanks for the info Maz. Yeah I didn't like the thought of washing them with the nappies, but I must say I wash my breast pads with my clothes... Is that bad?! lol
I've been looking at the Twinkle Lily website and thinking I might get their trial pack then go from there after I've seen how I like them.

Can I ask how often you wash them.... Every second day like nappies or just once over the time of AF??

Thanks again!

[1MOREPLZ]

just thought i would pop my head in here.....
LOVE LOVE LOVE maz mama pads they are devine!!!!
i only use cloth pads if i am bleeding REALLY heavily and whilst i am at work in conjunction with my pinkcup the BEST thing i have EVER bought....DH calls it the 'FUNNEL'...lol

[maz]

Thanks for the info Maz. Yeah I didn't like the thought of washing them with the nappies, but I must say I wash my breast pads with my clothes... Is that bad?! lol

no I dont think that thats bad, its not like there's poo on them i use to wash mine int he shower with me

I've been looking at the Twinkle Lily website and thinking I might get their trial pack then go from there after I've seen how I like them.

check out bohemian rainbow and obsidian aswell.....ive got a few ace pads that Gigi put me onto but I can never remember their dame name!

Can I ask how often you wash them.... Every second day like nappies or just once over the time of AF??

depends, if im bleeding heavier and needing ot change more throught he day then i'll wash them every second day so I have a fresh batch to wear KWIM but if its normal flow then im happy to leave them until my cycle is finished

Kat - your DH is a gem

[Tiff+2]

You're awesome ladies, thanks for the info! I'm not too sure about the cup thing... Sounds scarey! lol Think I might just stick to the pads and will definately look into all of those!
lol Kat, gotta love the 'mens' terminology for things!

[1MOREPLZ]

the cup is not as bad as everyone thinks...MAZ & i have had a convo ages ago where we did discuss how we couldn't do the cup thing......well since that convo things have changed and the cup is the best thing ever!!!!

[Indadhanu]

Tiff, I have very heavy, very long periods, and I haven't found a big difference in absorbancy. I change about the same, and if I am at work I use a small plastic ziplock bag (thanks to Maz's suggestions a year ago! ) which I use to hold a new pad and when I swap the new paf comes out and the old one I wrap up on itself so you can't see anything and put in, zip it up and put it into my bag. And to pre-empt the next question: no there is no smell that comes from the ziplock bag!
The back of my cloth is PUL and I like longers ones. I find I leak LESS now than I ever did. In fact I was constantly leaking overnight with disposable pads, but have rarely had leaks at all since using cloth.
I wash probably twice in my cycle, but that's because I have my favourite pads and like to wash and keep my least favourites for emergencies. I can't help with brands though, because I made mine myself. I soak them in a little bucket, because I'm the opposite to Maz and find the smell of unsoaking used pads totally revolting And I wash them separately. Not very waterwise I know but it's only a small wash

I've used my cup for two cycles now and I LOVE IT! We changed to cloth pads about 18 months ago (with two woman in the house, this saves quite a bit of money, I think they had paid for themselves after about 3 months!), and I started using a LadyCup 2 cycles ago. I still haven't converted Shel to cups though, she is so squeemish she used to not look at her disposable pads or tampons, just rip them off and chuck them out! I had to make the pads with a dark top so she couldn't see the blood.

[Nettie]

I find my cloth pads much more absorbent than the sposie ones. And I change them the same amount too.

I just put mine in a little plastic bucket (dry) until the end of AF and then wash them in with my undies (let's face it - the undies have ickies on them sometimes too!)

I'm an Obsi fan - most of mine are hers!

[Aligater]

Im looking at getting a cup as I hate pads and tampons what cup would be best and what size (im on a budget and have to talk my DH round but it will be a BIG saving)

[Indadhanu]

Aligater: I looked at a comparison done by Obsidan (I think) where she compared things like flexibility and width, length, size etc, and I searched a few of the brands I liked the sound of and ended up buying the cheapest one I found. I found it on the Australian eBay site, much cheaper than on their European site. The seller is ladycup-2008 and they are based in Prague, in the Czech Republic. Usually free postage, and quite fast considering (about 7-10 days). Buy it Now is usually about $40 for one, or $70 for two. Apparently they'll last for 15 years, so thats a pretty big saving!!

My LadyCup is a size two, for woman who are over 25 or have had a baby. I've read that the smaller size are a 'tight' fit around the cervix of a lot of people, and they get a lot of leaks if it isn't wide enough to create a suction. A lot of people go for the smaller size thinking it'll be more comfortable once inside the vagina, but the larger size isn't uncomfortable and honestly if you can actually feel it then it's not in properly!

I've seen 'Keeper' cups and 'Diva' cups on eBay as well, around a similar price. I think it just depends on the one that will suit you Google: obsidian reusable menstrual products and click on the second find (it should say "about cups") and theres some info on some of the popular brands

[1MOREPLZ]

i bought mine off ebay (it's medical grade silicone) cost me less than $20 including shipping, its a PINKcup

[Shanti]

Anyone know of any 'maternity' heavy flow cloth pads on sale lately?? Want to buy a few to take to hospital. I love Obsidian and Twinkle Lily's, haven't tried many others yet