Homemade Sanitary Pads

[Reasonable Rascal]

For long term management of menses in women of childbearing years a regular supply of disposable sanitary pads may not always be an option amidst austere living conditions. With that in mind one author has taken the time to research and come up with a viable reusable alternative. Patterns and instructions in constructing the pads are included and it's all public domain, free to copy and use and even reprint with attribution.

http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/sanitarypads.htm

RR

[BigFootsCousin]

"Disposable feminine hygiene products are a big scam perpetrated by manufacturers who want to keep us on a leash so we have to keep buying their products. They are making as much as TEN to TWENTY Thousand dollars per woman over her lifetime. If you think of the millions of women in the USA alone, the profits are staggering!"

I'm not a woman, but man (no pun intended), that's a whole lot of cash!

Just think of all of the neat stuff you could buy if your family saved that much cash. And if you've got daughters, well, add it up!

Neat article. (just because I'm a tightwad) :grin:

BFC

[SarahS]

I have um, personal experience with these. The BEST design I ever found had a rough flannel on the outside and a smooth absorbent cotton on the inside... you just slipped these into your panties, and the flannel held them in place. LOVED them, but the woman that made them has gone up on her prices and I'm too cheap to buy more... and too lazy to make my own... (http://www.newmoonpads.com/sales.html). Now I have these "winged" type, with Velcro closures, which rub against your legs a bit. Slight inconvenience, if you're doing a lot of walking. Of course you also have to maintain them, keeping a wet bath for the used pads until you're done, and of course they are stained. No real problem.
Getting away from the disposable mindset has been priceless, however. Another option that I have seen widely discussed and approved is the diva-cup. If I was a little younger and still had anything like regular menstrual cycles, I would go for that.
Sorry if I'm too graphic... my best recommendation would be to pick your style and then make your own.

[gjwandkids]

My daughters use the Keeper. www.keeper.com

There is also a version available for those with an allergy to latex.

One more alternative to spending money every month on this.

[SarahS]

Found some more from this seller on eBay...

http://stores.ebay.com/Living-in-Harmony-with-Nature

[Siskiyoumom]

My concern since the mid seventies was to avoid toxic shock syndrome (caused by not changing ones tampon/diva cup frequently). I always had a difficult time using tampons, so have learned to choose wisely the pads. I am old enough to remember using the old fashioned sanitary belt with loops to "hook" the pad in. I have my supply of cloth pads and find that they work very well, if you are not squeemish about touching your own blood waste.

Teaching young ladies to change their pads/tampons more often and using good hand washing technique should be enough to avoid toxic shock.

Dear friends of mine who are at the stage in life of being perimenopausal and having lots of heavy flow due to fibroids end up using a lot of disposible products.

My one friends makes a type of pad she calls Glad Rags. She is sells them at craft fairs and with the local midwifes.

Thanks for the link to the patterns. Sis