There are a lot of options out there for your period. Whether you have a short, light bleed or a long blood bath, there is something for everyone and like us women, one size does not fit all.
There are eco options, not so eco options, external and internal options….the range is very large. We’ve put a few below for you to have a perusal at.
Sanitary towels
The oldest form of sanitary wear, these are the new generation which have descended from old rags which were folded and wrapped around the underwear and have done a long adaptation from sanitary belts to the clever sticky things we have today. Stick ’em on your pants and go!
Nowadays we have stick pads with absorb-able layering, wings (wings!) and smells. Yup, they put smells in them now.
Benefits? The risk of infection is low. Drawbacks? Well, I always feel a bit, erm, damp in them. It’s a personal thing – many women prefer them especially at night. They are also ragingly terrible for the environment.
Want to be greener?
You can crochet, sew or knit your own sanitary towels (yes really – patterns here at Ravelry) or buy them on Etsy if you’re not so crafty and wash them out in the evening.
Tampons
These haven’t changed since about 1911 (ok, i’m joking but actually the actual design and materials used in them hasn’t changed since the 1980’s) but are pretty much the staple of women’s sanitary products. You put them up inside (using an applicator or just your finger) and then change them every 1-4 hours.
Again, horrific for Mother Earth. But discreet and invisible. Dangers are Toxic Shock Syndrome if one has been in for too long so always change them regularly.
(Worried by the waste from tampons? You can also crochet tampons if you’d like! Pattern here)
Mooncup/Diva Cup
Much loved by women the world over (and much recommended) comes the Mooncup (or Diva Cup – whatever brand you want!) is a little silicone cup that you insert up yourself to sit around you cervix and catch the blood.
Advantages – it’s a one off payment! Just wash and go. Disadvantages – friends say it took a few cycles to get it right with a couple of accidents and it does feel like there is something, you know, up there. Plus using a public bathroom can be awkward if you have forgotten your water bottle. Also if you get the wrong size it can be a little expensive and messy. However the reviews are all mainly positive so they are worth giving them a go.
They retail at around £30/$30
Period Pants
Yes. We’re not sure on these either but many women are huge fans!
Holding two regular tampons worth of blood, they may not be great for those of us with constant heavy flows, but they’re brilliant safety gaps for catching leaks or spills.
Thinkx sell for around $35 and they also do active wear.
Sea Sponges
Bear with me. Period sponges are made from bits of sponge. You wet one (or two if you have a heavy flow) and poke it up and it absorbs blood.
Yes it’s sanitary and clean.
Advantages – natural with good feedback from people using them about their absorbency! Disadvantages – cleaning it out in a public loo again just sounds like a nightmare. Again, like the cups assume you will have some ‘bedding in’ time needed for them! But much more natural to use at night that tampons.
This pack was around £15 on Amazon. Just look up ‘Sea sponge tampons’.
So be responsible, never flush your sanitary products and love your period. Sure she’s annoying. Sure she brings a whole host of difficulties. But she’ll be with you longer than you’ll be without her and she’s a good indicator for the passing of time. Like a very, messy season of the year.
Plus we’re stuck with it so we might as well make it as organised as possible!
Clever C(nt)s 