Mature topic-ladies eco-flow busters*** MORE PICS ADDED!***

[javastain]

Ya, the whole removable center thing is something I have been working on. I think I mentioned the 'umbrella' or draw string idea some pages back. I do think this would ease minds if nothing else. I strongly encourage everyone to decide for themselves which menstrual products are best for them. I think that too many gals are influenced rather than educated.
* see note below if you are in a hurry

One thing to know, and you can get more info anywhere on line... is that Staph Aureus (the bacteria that causes Toxic shock syndrome) is EVERYWHERE... the thing to know is that if you change out your tampon or other internal menstrual product regularly (I encourage people using the eco-flow busters to change every 2 hours or so), you will greatly reduce the likeliness of getting toxic shock. The bacteria are introduced usually through contaminated hands. WASH YOUR HANDS before you touch yourself! Of course your partners don't do this, and why don't you get toxic shock you ask? Well, that's because you have a natural flushing system set up by God... your period flushes you out as well as your natural discharge... when you wear a tampon for too long the staph can't get flushed and have a chance to 'cook' and multiply in there, causing toxic shock....

*** if you don't want to read my rant above^ google: toxic shock syndrome, Staph Aureus, natural sponge tampons, and menstruation. You will be amazed at all the info out there!

Happy periods!

[Lydia the Strange]

antichristy: I really like your design. I think it is far more practical adn cleaner then using the wadded up stuff. Great job.

[mamacheryleileen]

Well, this thread was enough to bust me out of craftster lurking.  Those are so cool!
I'm pregnant, so hopefully it will be a loooooooooong time before I can try one out, but I am going to go and sew one up now.  I'm thinking...red velour?  hehehehe

[likeiceiscold]

Totally interesting topic ladies!  I've tried the Diva Cup and found it uncomfortable and leaky.  I have a really heavy flow so I'm not sure how these would work for me either.  I hate hate hate using commercial super tampons.  Anyone with a heavy flow tried them?

I haven't read the whole thread yet (got to page 9 or so) but I just wanted to comment on UV sterilization.  Someone mentioned setting them in their window to catch some UV rays....ordinary window glass blocks close to 40% of UVA rays and most of UVB rays (the two spectrums that make up UV light).  If you're hoping to to use the sun, set them directly outside or go to a pet store and buy a UV bulb in the reptile section.  Weird knowledge from a biologist...

[javastain]

Ice~
The cool thing about making your own tampons, is that you can customize them to work for you! If you need them a little longer and more stuffing, then you can do that! I suggest making some that open at the end, so you can remove the stuffing for easier cleaning, and also so you can add more. I have taken the cotton stuffing (cloth diaper strips) and washed them well, then let them sit out the rest of this period, so I only use one stuffing once per period. That way I feel like there is a very small chance anything can survive a washer and hot dryer (and maybe some sun if it's out!) and a whole month of waiting to be used again!
Let us know if you find a solution to the heavy flow dilemma!

[krajackex]

Not yet!
Though I guess I could give it a 'dry run'  for sizing and insertion testing.

I agree, it seems like a great design...but my question is, is the string a bit largish?  I was just thinking that since it's yarn it could be itchy or something...let us know if you do a test run!

[javastain]

Not yet!
Though I guess I could give it a 'dry run'  for sizing and insertion testing.

I agree, it seems like a great design...but my question is, is the string a bit largish?  I was just thinking that since it's yarn it could be itchy or something...let us know if you do a test run!

Think about what the little string is made out of in a commercial tampon. It is acrylic (plastic) and cotton... I think sometimes we blindly trust what commercial producers are offering because they are commercial producers.... like somehow we thing they couldn't put out a product that could hurt people because lots of people would get hurt and we would hear about it and they would get sued and we would hear about that! Not so true, the big companies have big lawyers and even bigger political ties and buy potential lawsuits off, and if that doesn't work they buy off the media to not publicize an incident! /rant! Sorry

I used 100% cotton yarn for mine, and you really can't feel a thing!

[Harsamina86]

i don't know if this has been mentioned yet...but i seem to remember reading somewhere in a discussion years ago somewhere else in the vastness of the internet that if you boil sea sponges (for use as tampons) with something called colloidal silver, they would pretty be sterile.

maybe boiling the crochet tampons with some of that would solve the TSS problem?

[Stars_Fire_17]

Interesting.  It would be worth a try sometime.  Granted lucky me hardly ever had a period *ducks so no one will try to kill me* But when I do I never know when it will be and it hurts like hell :p  a few of those would be good to have around just in case.

[FredPie]

I love my cloth pads and have used Instead cups when I needed more 'discreet' protection, but this does sound good.  However, I'm pretty low-flow.  I was using Junior tampons and unless it was a really heavy day, I had to wait several hours to be able to remove it.  This convinced me I'm not a tampon girl.  Anybody with a really light flow tried these yet?  I suppose I could make it as dang small as I want it, so it would do its job but not dry me out!  (I have a friend who call the Super tampons "mmh, I'm thirsty" )