My efforts to be more environmentally friendly while also limiting the amount of chemicals in sanitary products used has led me from chemical free sanitary pads and tampons, to a menstrual cup and finally to period pants.
An intriguing (but expensive) item to invest in, they offer a reusable and effective option for the menstruating individual on the go, or in my case in bed.
I have spent most of my life dissatisfied with night time sanitary products (if I can leak out of the top, the side or even the back at some point in the night I will) and after the birth of #1 and the post-partum bleed-fest that followed (oh, the chafing after week 3 from the pads….) I determined to find something that would be more comfortable should I ever have another kiddly. They also struck me as a brilliant option for younger girls and women or those first few periods where sanitary towels are still new and leaks are a constant source of worry.
Internet scouring found a lot of great options. From Modibodi (mostly aimed at a younger audience from what I could gather from their Instagram and style) to Thinx, most products range at around £15-£29.00 for one pair but offer multiple deals if you buy 3 or more. Wuka also offer good, trendy options in multipacks.
Being a cheapskate and also feeling unwilling to invest that heavily in something I was unsure about, I went for Cheeky Wipes (who also do toddler wipes and cloth sanitary towels on their site) and who do a great discount for referrals to friends and families. I paid £29.95 for three pairs and bought a panty liner in their sale which got me a free cloth bag and free postage. They arrived 3 days later in time for the big event.
My first impression was that they looked huge. I had purposely ordered a larger size as I hate (make that loathe) tiny pants, especially in bed. I am intensely picky about what I wear in bed at night so this was quite a big deal for me. I know you need to have them close fitting but I also have a large backside area, so usually need to size up to cover it fully. I ordered 16-18 when I wear a comfortable size 16 on my bottom.
The fit was good and although when I first felt them they felt a bit like a wet suit, they were very comfortable when on. The lace at the top was a pretty addition to the design and frankly the lack of frills made them feel like a more sensible item of practical clothing. When on they were comfortable and didn’t feel ‘odd’ either. Movement was not restricted at all.
I hate the feeling of being damp so it was really important these worked for me and worked well. Despite being a little suspicious (I will confess to sleeping on a towel in case of leaks For night one) they worked brilliantly! No dampness, no leaking and no weirdness of any kind. Maybe a slight feeling of ickiness as to where it had all gone, but being an adult I got over that fairly quickly.
Cheeky Wipes sell their period pants at a much cheaper price than other brands and are certainly a more basic option, however one has to wonder what is needed from a pair of period pants. I can absolutely see why you might want a more expensive pair if you were using them for exercise or for yoga etc, but for night time use these seem to be a cheap and effective option.
For use post opp or post-partum I would think they’d work really well after the initial blood bath has worn off but you would need to have at least 6 pairs a day to keep things fresh if you wanted to use them exclusively. Another option would be to use them alongside cloth sanitary towels giving you the option to change towels, secure leaks and then use the pants alone when you have run out of pads.
So yes, big thumbs up to period pants everyone. Wherever you buy them I recommend!
Clever C(nt)s 