friendly-pad

[friendly-pad]

If cloth pads are colorful or even black, how I know when it's time to change them?

Short answer: the same way you know with disposables.

Long answer: you can start keeping the same routine you already have with disposable. You change them when you go to the bathroom? Continue that way. You change every two hours? Continue this way.

Slowly you'll start to understand how much blood the pad is holding, even if it's black. You can tell by the staining or by the weight (I know it sounds crazy, but I do perceive the difference between a clean pad and a full one).

Also, when you start to feel wetness down there you know it's really time to change them, maybe really fast. Cloth pads don't feel wet, so if they do, it's because they are pretty full.

When you feel brave and you are at home, you can test the capacity of your pads, wearing them until they're full. You'll discover that they absorb a lot, more than disposable.

#cloth pads #menstrual pad #reusable pads

[friendly-pad]

A thing that surprised me the first time I wore a cloth pads was the feeling of wearing it. And that feeling is the reason I always claim them to be more comfortable than disposable pads.

A cloth pad is made of cloth (yeah, surprise!) and that means that they feel very similar to an underwear. So you kinda don't feel them at all.

Obviously you can feel the thickness of some (thickness is often a choice, to have more absorbency), but with the most of cloth pads you just feel cloth on your skin, just as you feel with underwear on.

So they ARE more comfortable, because you don't feel them, you don't feel any sticky or sweaty thing on you. You just feel cloth, often soft cloth, it's like sitting on a cloud

#cloth pads #menstrual pad #reusable pads #happy pads

[friendly-pad]

Cloth pads review: Pupus

They are some of my favourite, my go to very often.

They have a waterproof layer on the back with different design to choose from, and on the front they are red, in cotton jearsey with two hearts embroidered for each side (you bleed on the red side).

They come in different sizes, from small to overnight, and I like them all, they are thin but very absorbent. Also the overnight pad is very long, around 13inch-33cm, and I totally feel safe with them on.

Also they are very easy to clean, they don't stain at all, so they are very handy for beginner.

I consider them in a medium price rage, so aroud 5-6€ a piece. So, even if they are perfect for beginner, I can understand that they require a medium budget to start.

#cloth pads #reusable pads #cloth pads review #pupus

[friendly-pad]

"But it's not sterile"

It doesn't need to be sterile. It's not a wound, you just need something to collect your blood.

Since you change it regularly, before it's too full, a cloth pad is clean and safe. You reuse your underwear, that are made of cloth, when they are stained.

Actually a cloth pad is more clean than an underwear, because you change your underwear once a day (or I hope so), meanwhile you change your cloth pad every few hours...

#reusable pads #cloth pads #menstrual pad #period

[friendly-pad]

You know that frustrating moment, when you've just put on your clean pad, you stand up and you feel something drop down there?

Yeah, that curse continues with cloth pads

#cloth pads #curse

[friendly-pad]

One day, a man asked me: if cloth pads are so better in so many ways, why aren't they more diffused?

I hadn't the right answer straight away. I had to think about it and after few times (obviously when I wasn't still speaking with him) I made this hypothesis:

The first reaction to cloth pads, commonly, is thinking they're gross and unclean and unsafe. Since we are used to dispose every thing around period, we are used to think it's dirty and you don't bother wash it. The next logical step is thinking that it's unsafe to wash it and that period blood it's dangerous to have contact with, and that's the reason why we dispose everything.

That seems logical, in fact we only dispose things that are dangerous.

That is thought by so many people, but it's not true. Period blood it's not unsafe, it's not dirty. It's only blood

#period #menstrual pad #cloth pads #reusable pads #just blood

[friendly-pad]

Cloth pads review: Eco Femme

This is an indian brand that makes cloth pads with organic cotton and pays a fair wages to their employees. They also work with schools to break the taboo around period and to every pads sold corresponds a pads gifted to a young girl.

The pads are quite thin and absorbent; so they are very comfortable to wear and you know you are covered. Also they have a impermeable layer on the bottom, so it's very difficult for them to leak.

They came in white or few colours, and both are very easy to clean and don't stain.

I think the basic night pad is a bit small. They also have a bigger one, longer and thicker, but I haven't tried it.

They also offer for half of the price a stitching kit. They give you all the materials pre-cut and you can sew three pads. I've sewed one pad for now and it's nice. If you like crafting, it's an interesting work to do.

Eco femme is a very valid brand for cloth pads, and a mid-priced brand. It's perfect to start or to change from the first cheap pads to more ethical and in better materials

#cloth pads review #eco femme #cloth pads

[friendly-pad]

You know that rash that you have on your period?

That's not normal, you don't need to experience that, it's not part of the period experience. That is caused by chemicals present in disposable products, that irritate your skin.

I didn't know that, for ten years I thought that was normal to have rushes. Then I have my first period using only cloth pads and I had any.

I thought it was impossible, I thought it was part of period. But it's not

#periods #period #cloth pads #menstrual pad #period health #reusable pads

[friendly-pad]

Just start with one pad.

You don't need to buy an entire stash in one time. I know it's expensive.

You don't need to go from a period with disposable pads to a period with only cloth pads. I know that's scary.

You just need to buy a single pad. Choose one that you like or the less expensive you can find. Start with one and discover how it feels on you, experiment how to wash it and see how simple it is.

Just start with one. One is little, easy, cheap. It's a small step that will be worth it

#cloth pads #small steps #menstrual pad #period #period health

[friendly-pad]

It's Christmas and of course I have Christmas pads. I have two and I'm wearing them; no one will know it (except for you, now), but I know it and I like it. And that's enough.

Happy holidays, you all

#Christmas #Christmas pads #reusable pads #menstrual pad #cloth pads

[friendly-pad]

Sometimes I've seen some menstrual underwear be proud for having lace or being particularly nice looking. They claim the right of feeling attractive even during our period.

They are cute, but I've always thought that it's quite useless. What is the propuse of feeling attractive in those days in particular? And, otherwise, why can't I feel attractive normally with pads on?

I got my answer. One of my period underwear is the only underwear I own with lace on it, and my boyfriend noticed it, he appreciated it. I felt attractive in it and it will also absorb my blood... It's just perfect.

I don't need that to feel attractive, but I love how I feel with that on

#menstrual underwear #period underwear #lace #feeling attractive

[friendly-pad]

In the last post I said that remember I wore a violet-green pad at that date, and I also remember why I chose that. And I want to share how I make that decision, to guide you if you need the same.

We planned to go for a walk in a park and sit o lay on the grass on a rug. I didn't know if I would have the possibility to change my pad during the date, but it wasn't a problem, because it was on my light days.

So I needed a pad that was long (for laying), it didn't have to be very thick and absorbent (because it was a light day), but also that I could trust it enough to wear it for a long time. So I wanted something thin, long, but absorbent. That green-violet was perfect.

And that's another thing beautiful about cloth pads: when you know your pads, you can always choose the perfect fit for the situation and it'll become natural and kinda fun. And at the same time, if you know your pads, you always have the go-to pads, the easy choice when you don't feel choosing.

#cloth pads #menstrual pad #periods

[friendly-pad]

And I wore that violet and green one, when we first kissed

A beautiful about clothpads is that, since they are usually all diverse, you can associate them with particular nice experiences.

So I did wear my Tour Eiffel pad in Paris.

And I remember wich pad I was wearing during that date, so improvvised, so un-romantic, and yet so dreamy. That black-white pad is no more anonymous

#menstrual pad #cloth pads #first kiss

[friendly-pad]

And on vacation?

We all have though about that and I want to reassure you and talk about my experience.

First, you need to be very unlucky to face a holiday on your period in the first months of using cloth pads, so don't overthink about that and don't let it stop you from trying cloth pads. Also if you do have to go on vacation and don't feel secure using cloth, it's ok to go back to disposables during the trip.

So, how did I manage my period on vacation?

I counted how many days I would have my period during the trip (basically all the vacation since the first day of vacation ws my second day of period)

The trip was four days long, I shared the room with two persons and I couldn't wash pads and hang them to dry; so I chose not to wash them every day, but to store them and wash them at home

I started choosing the night pads, one for each night, plus one for safety; I choose the ones that I trust more, the ones that I know never leak and also that don't stain easily

Same for the day, I chose pads that don't stain easily and I counted three pads per day, plus few ones for safety. I did that because I know that on heavy flow I use 3/4 pads per day, and that I would be on heavy flow only two days. So they should be enough and also be in surplus (as they did).

I put in my bag enough pads for the day, and in the evening I store them in my luggage, taking new ones, as I would do with desposable.

In fact, the procedure is the same ad disposable, with the only difference that you bring them home after use, to wash them

#cloth pads #happy pads #menstrual pad #holiday #period #vacation period

[friendly-pad]

A beautiful thing about clothpads is that, since they are usually all diverse, you can associate them with particular nice experiences.

So I did wear my Tour Eiffel pad in Paris.

And I remember wich pad I was wearing during that date, so improvvised, so un-romantic, and yet so dreamy. That black-white pad is no more anonymous

#menstrual #menstrual pad #cloth pads

[friendly-pad]

F.A.Q. about cloth pads

Do they move? They could. To avoid that, use stretchy undies. More loose are the undies, more probably the pad could move.

Do they leak? No, one of their lawyers is always waterproof or water resistant. Obviously, if you wear a light cloth pad in heavy day, it could leak as would do a disposable one. Cloth pads aren't perfect, they could eventually leak, but neither disposables are perfect. We are used to leakage, but in my experience cloth pads leak very less often than disposables.

Do they smell bad? No. The typical smell we associate with period blood actually came from the interaction between blood and the materials that composed disposable pads. Cloth pads, if they are made of cotton and other natural material, don't smell, because period blood has the same metallic smell of normal blood.

Waterproof or water-repellent? If you have a light flow or you bleed all around the pad, you can use both. If you have an intense flow or, like me, bleed in only one specific spot, you’ll probably need a waterproof layer in your pads (usually pul). When you’ll feel more secure, you’ll can use both too.

Isn’t that go back in the past? Lot of people told me that and that we have made lot of steps thank to the progess. But I don’t see using cloth pads as go back in the past. I see them as retourning in the correct path, a path that doesn’t pollute the Earth and that is better for my body too. They are more comfortable, less expensive, healthier (I don’t have any rush since I use them) and pretty too.

#happy pads #happy pads guidelines #cloth pads

[friendly-pad]

How make the switch?

If you are thinking of trying cloth pads, here you’ll find what to do. If you need more informations, feel free to comment or message me :)

1 - Congratulate with yourself! You are starting a journey to a better version of your period, even if some persons around you disapprove your decision. Be proud of yourself and you’ll see you won’t regret this.

2 - Where buy them? There are a lot of options, and I’ll dedicate a post to this topic. In general you can buy them in a lot of online shops.

3 - How many pads? Take note of how many pads do you usually use of each type, and buy less. Cloth pads came in a lot of shapes and forms and what you think will fits you, maybe won’t. So it’s better buy some, see how you feel with them on, and then buy some alse accordingly.

4 - How long? Measure your disposable pads and answer these questions: do you usually leak? Do you think you need a longer one? Or maybe you feel like you don’t need all this length?

Answering these questions you’ll know which buy. For example, I went for a longer measure for night pads and shorter for daily pads.

5 - Which undies? Cloth pads haven’t glue, so they need a stretchy undie to stay firm. The more loose is the undie, the more probably the pad could move.

6 - How wide? Take your period undie and measure the low part, the part that go against your vagina and where the pad will be attach on. It’s usually called “gusset” and is a good width to start with.

7 - Which shape? As we say, cloth pads came in a lot of shapes and forms and they are very customisable. To choose the better for you observe how you bleed when you take off your used disposable pad. Where is the blood? Is it all around the pad? It’s just at the center? In the front or in the back? Where the blood is you will need a major coverage.

For example, I’m a center bleeder. So I need pads not so long, but with a quite large gusset.

8 - Which material? You’ll find them made with different materials. I personally recommend cotton, but I know it needs a specific care to avoid stains. So if you are worried about that, go for bamboo charcoal. I’ll explain matherials better in another post.

9 - How often change them? That depends on your flow and on the dimension of the pad, but there are some guidelines. Start changing them as you do with disposable, or a bit more often if you feel insecure; you will learn soon how much blood your pads can hold.

10 - How manage them out and about? You can fold your pad and store it in a wetbag to wash it at home.

11 - How to wash them? I know this is your bigger concern and I feel you, because was mine too, but I’ll dedicated post to this topic.

I hope I’ve answered all your questions. If you have others, let me know and I’ll upgrade this post as soon as possible to answer them too.

Happy pads!

#happy pads #friendly pads #cloth pads #reusable pads #zerowaste #happy pads guidelines