cloth pads=happy period

[whaleomelette]

Making your own pads=awesomest ever. Lots of people would consider it gross, but they're losers that don't care about the environment. Go team! <3

i care about the environment- always have always will in a none posey way. however there is no way id use reuseable pads. this does not make me a loser.

[MareMare]

Making your own pads=awesomest ever. Lots of people would consider it gross, but they're losers that don't care about the environment. Go team! <3

i care about the environment- always have always will in a none posey way. however there is no way id use reuseable pads. this does not make me a loser.

Let's all chill and play nice peeps! Thanks

[JessySihk]

I did a little research on the whole notion that store bought tampons are hazardous to your health due to the bleaching process. I think you'll all be interested in this.

http://womenshealth.about.com/cs/feminineproducts/a/tampondebat.htm

If you are concerned that the pesticides used on the cotton during the growing process are present and harmful to your body by the time the cotton has undergone the process of becoming a tampon, then you should also keep in mind the clothes you wear, the sheets and blankets you sleep in, the toilet paper you use, paper towels you clean with, cushions you sit on, seats your car has, and Q-tips you use are all produced in a similar fashion Actually, you spend much more time in close contact with these items. If your worried your Vagina is some sort of absorbent haven for chemicals you can rest easy (I suppose), the skin is the largest organ in the human body and if you are absorbing some trace amount of pesticide that somehow has managed to survive the rigorous sterilization treatment , then your skin is absorbing well over one hundred times more each and every day.

Of course there is always the organic approach to tampons, and they take up a lot less space in a land fill than pads, plus they are Bio degradable, they're made from cotton! I am very aware of the fact that absorbent reusable products, like pads and sponges, hold massive amounts of bacteria. Even rigorous bleaching only kills 37-80% of the bacteria. Microwaving will kill 99.9% but do we really want to be sitting on irradiated fabrics? I suppose it's a little late for that concern as well.

I can understand the comfort thing for people that prefer pads, but what about the tampon users on here?
Any thoughts?

[ThreadOrYarn]

My cramps decreased nearly to zero when I stopped using tampons. I have no idea if there is a provable scientific reason for it or not. I also don't really care 'why' it happened, I'm just glad it did 

I just bought a couple of pads that have wider 'flares' at the end that aren't all that comfortable, I hoping I can undo the machine-stitching and cut/re-sew the ends without the entire seam coming apart.

[JessySihk]

I have really bad cramps no matter what i use =S im laid up in bed almost all week, it hurts too much to stand and walk. Im switching to organic tampons soon, i havent used pads since i was 13 or 14, i didnt like sitting in my own mess, and it still hurt way bad back then too.

[MareMare]

Hey guys, let's please keep the chat craft related! If you want to discuss other things please head over to the Off-topic board. This is my last reminder for this topic, anymore and I will begin deleting replies. Thanks!

[ThreadOrYarn]

Hey guys, let's please keep the chat craft related! If you want to discuss other things please head over to the Off-topic board. This is my last reminder for this topic, anymore and I will begin deleting replies. Thanks!

Sorry MareMare, I lost track of which board I was reading. I updated my message.

[isnessofwhatis]

I've got some flannel and I've got some terrycloth.  And most importantly I have my sewing machine back!!!  (it was in storage for over a year because I had a bad living situation and had to move around frequently until I got into a stable place)  I think I'm goint to make myself a few before my next cycle starts and test them out.  I was raised as a pad girl and recently also started using tampons in addition to pads to ease my anxiety about possible leaks.  (yes I have A LOT of anxiety issues)  So if these work really well for me I may be able to get rid of the tampons.  Plus I won't get the itchy nastyness of the plastic at the ends.  I looked into this sort of thing a few years ago and read a tip that you can trace the outline of a pad that works for you and use it as your template. 

[lacey0828]

I thought the idea was weird at first and just couldn't think about how that would affect me since my periods are so bad. But after reading everyone's comments, I think it's something I'll have to try once I become better at sewing. I love the patterns.

[snips and snails]

One of my exs used these and would wash them in the bathroom sink.

Her cat would lap at the ruddy water.

Which is why today, she is an ex, I hate cats, and I can't look at sinks in the same way.

Ladies: Men don't want to enjoy your period like that. We hate the environment *that much*.

 Thats very funny ! and gross .. cats are yucky .. but if any one has a dog and a period ... Im sure they have had the inevitable " come home and fine the dog has gotten into the trash and now there are torn up pads all over your house " ( a real imbarasement when you have guests intering the house the some time as you .)

 I think they are a good idea and the fabrics look great .. I would be to Afraid to use them ... Plus do they really wash out good ??... I'm afraid id use one one time and it would be a stained mess forever ... ( i have had "leaks" in cotton panties before and the stain was iremovable ...) those panties are in the trash ... more power to anyone who does use the cloth ones and I commend your love for the enviroment  

How about when you are on a walk and it's the ONE TIME you forgot a poop bag and your dog poops out a tampon.
yeahhhhhh.
LOL

But seriously, I love this thread! I am a total tampon junkie, but I definitely have cloth pads for extra protection at night or on heavy days!
Also, I wanted to add that I have had some that snap closed, and some that velcro... to me, the velcro is FAR superior in staying power!
AND has anyone tried making these with a backing like an AIO diaper? (Like that swishy nylon?)
Just wondering if that might help stop leaking for some!