Lunapads?

[pumpkinbeast]

Not sure if this is the right place for this thread, but here goes:

I’ve been looking into Lunapads recently, and am becoming more and more convinced that their benefits outstrip any faults. In particular: the whole natural, healthy woman-friendliness, not treating our periods as something distasteful and bad to be endured, but to be almost celebrated and enjoyed if at all possible. The colors and styles of the pads are sooo cute! -^^- I’m almost convinced enough to buy them, however: I am a university student living in residence. I read somewhere that you can soak the pads and liners in a bucket of water until the end of your period, and then wash them altogether. I would have to keep such a bucket in my room. I’m not really bothered by menstrual flow itself, but wouldn’t it start to smell? Another idea occured to me: I could rinse them in the sink, and then just put them in my laundry hamper, or in a bag, and then wash them at the end of my period, but what would I do if another girl who was bothered by the sight of menstrual blood complained? Is there a better way to deal with this?
Thanks in advance; I would REALLY like to switch to Lunapads!!!

PS: I forgot, I’m moving to another residence next year, and it has co-ed bathrooms. (not my first choice, believe me, but beggars can’t be choosers…) I will be on an all-girl’s floor, but potentially there will be the odd guy walking in on me, soiled Lunapad in hand. x.x

 

[pumpkinbeast]

Not sure if this is the right place for this thread, but here goes:

I’ve been looking into Lunapads recently, and am becoming more and more convinced that their benefits outstrip any faults. In particular: the whole natural, healthy woman-friendliness, not treating our periods as something distasteful and bad to be endured, but to be almost celebrated and enjoyed if at all possible. The colors and styles of the pads are sooo cute! -^^- I’m almost convinced enough to buy them, however: I am a university student living in residence. I read somewhere that you can soak the pads and liners in a bucket of water until the end of your period, and then wash them altogether. I would have to keep such a bucket in my room. I’m not really bothered by menstrual flow itself, but wouldn’t it start to smell? Another idea occured to me: I could rinse them in the sink, and then just put them in my laundry hamper, or in a bag, and then wash them at the end of my period, but what would I do if another girl who was bothered by the sight of menstrual blood complained? Is there a better way to deal with this?
Thanks in advance; I would REALLY like to switch to Lunapads!!!

PS: I forgot, I’m moving to another residence next year, and it has co-ed bathrooms. (not my first choice, believe me, but beggers can’t be choosers…) I will be on an all-girl’s floor, but potentially there will be the odd guy walking in on me, soiled Lunapad in hand. x.x

 

[SeekerJen]

I use these! I love them! They’re as cute as they look on the website and really soft.

Change the water in the soaking bucket every day and add something like a bit of detergent, alcohol, or peroxide, and you won’t have to worry about smell. Just don’t forget about the bucket. You could take the bucket in the shower and dump it down the drain if you don’t want everyone gawking. I just use dilute some laundry detergent in water and use that for soaking liquid. I do this rather than rinsing because I’m also a student, and while I don’t live on campus, I do spend 8-10 hours per day there and don’t relish the idea of washing the liners out in the common bathroom sinks. I carry the used liners in the nylon pouch that came with my kit (you could use a plastic baggie as well) and then drop them all in the soaking bucket when I get home.

Seriously, Lunapads are great. They are super-cute, there’s much less odor and discomfort than with plastic pads, and it’s nice to not have to pile extra waste into the trash can each month. They’re also nice because of the liner system- you wear one pad and can just swap out liners every few hours. The liners are really absorbant. I’ve never had a leakage problem, which is really important because my lab is full of men and I don’t want to have to explain that stuff.

 

[Loren_1of6]

Another option to look at is the Keeper. This is a menstrual cup worn internally and doesn’t have to be soaked, etc. You might still need a liner on heavier days, but these really don’t require a lot of fuss.

 

[PatienceAndLove]

Or the DivaCup!
The LunaPads site carries them as well.

As for soaking, there is really isn’t much of a smell (as opposed to disposable pads). My roomie in college used cloth pads and kept her soaking bucket under the bed and drained it as night, around 11ish, when most people were in bed (not because of being ashamed, because of the potential to gawk, as you mentioned) She’d then refill it and continue on. She washed them with her towels on laundry day.

 

[maria29]

So i checked out their website…i find it fascinating that they offer sea sponge tampons…it doesn’t look very comfortable…

 

[litllulu]

Can I put in my two cents here. This whole thing sounds disgusting. Where do you wash these cups out? Perhaps just throw it in the dishwasher?

 

[pumpkinbeast]

Thank you, SeekerJen and PatienceandLove, great ideas!

The Sea Pearls are, according to the testimonials, much better than tampons. Natural sea sponge is really soft, unlike your typical household, synthetic scrubbing sponge.

As for the Divacup, maybe it’s just me, being a virgin and all, but I would much rather wash pads than use something like that. ^^;; And please, I don’t want this to turn into a debate over whether it’s gross or not. I don’t find it gross, some people do. Those who find it gross, there’s no problem with using the disposable products, I’m not stopping you. But I’m not disgusted by menstrual flow, so I’m looking into the washable pads, and am looking for advice on how to best care for them.

Thanks again for the advice! ^^

 

[kamz]

I use the diva cup but I’ve had four kids and I can tell you that before having given birth I NEVER would have tried them
Obviously giving birth helps stretch stuff
I know that you can buy something called “instead” which is like the diva cup but you throw them away, you get many in a box… so if you hate the idea of washing them out you can do these type. I don’t find it disgusting because I think of it as just totally a natural part of our lives… we are women and this is what our bodies do, it is not disgusting… God made us this way:thumbsup:

 

[litllulu]

Thank you, SeekerJen and PatienceandLove, great ideas!

The Sea Pearls are, according to the testimonials, much better than tampons. Natural sea sponge is really soft, unlike your typical household, synthetic scrubbing sponge.

As for the Divacup, maybe it’s just me, being a virgin and all, but I would much rather wash pads than use something like that. ^^;; And please, I don’t want this to turn into a debate over whether it’s gross or not. I don’t find it gross, some people do. Those who find it gross, there’s no problem with using the disposable products, I’m not stopping you. But I’m not disgusted by menstrual flow, so I’m looking into the washable pads, and am looking for advice on how to best care for them.

Thanks again for the advice! ^^

Isn’t this stuff outrageously expensive?

 

[kamz]

Isn’t this stuff outrageously expensive?

Not really actually and you have to remember your using them again and again and not spending for pads and tampons month after month… that adds up also:thumbsup:

 

[PatienceAndLove]

Expensive?
Well, lets look at that.

Initial Cost:
A Deluxe LunaPads kit is $120 (and this will take you through an entire cycle) and the average lifespan is 5 years.

A package of Always pads is about $3.50 with a lifespan of 1 cycle.

A box of Tampax tampons is $4.50 with a lifespan of one cycle.

Over one year:
Deluxe LunaPads kit- initial cost $120
Always pads- $42
Tampax tampons- $54

Over 5 years
Deluxe LunaPads kit- no cost
Always pads- $210
Tampax tampons- $270

Over 10 years:
Deluxe LunaPads kit- 1 replacement $120
10 years of LunaPads $240
Always pads- $420
Tampax tampons- $540

So yes, initially it’s expensive. After that, though, its far better

 

[Fidelia]

I am on another board where some members use those. I use the divacup. www.divacup.com It is pretty cool. Easy to travel with, and you don’t have to worry about making sure you have what you need before your period starts. And don’t have to buy that stuff anymore. There are things in pads and tampons that are not very good, and they are not required to put it on the box, and they are not sterile either.

 

[Fidelia]

Thank you, SeekerJen and PatienceandLove, great ideas!

The Sea Pearls are, according to the testimonials, much better than tampons. Natural sea sponge is really soft, unlike your typical household, synthetic scrubbing sponge.

As for the Divacup, maybe it’s just me, being a virgin and all, but I would much rather wash pads than use something like that. ^^;; And please, I don’t want this to turn into a debate over whether it’s gross or not. I don’t find it gross, some people do. Those who find it gross, there’s no problem with using the disposable products, I’m not stopping you. But I’m not disgusted by menstrual flow, so I’m looking into the washable pads, and am looking for advice on how to best care for them.

Thanks again for the advice! ^^

I am a virgin too. it took getting used to I won’t lie. But it’s works great.

I really recommend it. We should all be comfortable with our periods. It seems more natural seeing it as is, and not an annoying stain on a pad or soaked in a tampon.

they do make organic cotton disposable products though which are much safer than regular stuff. www.natracare.com

 

[redtech]

OK. I’m pretty much against putting things up there that don’t really belong there. I never use tampons. It just doesn’t seem right to me.

Can someone explain the divacup to me? Do you seriously put it where I think you put it? When you take it out, does the flow gush all over? Are you supposed to take it out every so often to drain it out? when you sit down, wouldn’t it disloge and spill???

Sorry, I’m just so confused about it.

I mentioned the lunapads to my husband a while back and he thought they were totally disgusting so I didn’t say anything else but I’d really like to start using those or try making my own. Disposables chafe! Its been close to 11 months since I’ve had any type of flow but I’m going to quit nursing soon so I guess aunt flo will return. Maybe I’ll tell DH to order me some LunaPads for my birthday!

 

[Fidelia]

The diva cup is a small, soft cup, made of medical grade silicone. It sits low in the vagina, near the opening, not up near the cervix. It creates a seal, so that nothing leaks. You can’t feel it inside, and it is safe to be left in for hours. Longer than a tampon. It doesn’t have the risk that tampons have because it does not absorb. it catches. (tampons absorb necessary vaginal fluids, as well as menstrual flow.) It isn’t messy unless you leave it in until it is competely full and then yea, it will overflow when you take it out. But really, it is surprising how little actually comes out. In the time it would take fro a tampon to be completely soaked, there is only a little bit in the cup. You rinse it out, wash with warm water and gentle (I use natural) soap. You can sterilize it with boiling water too. that way you KNOW it is CLEAN. Tampons and pads are NOT STERILE.

The lunapads seem really good to have too. Same thing- you know they are clean, because you clean them. Both cups and lunapads save you money in the long run too.

Also, it’s not your husband’s choice what you use for your period. If he loves and respects you and your fertility, he needs to be open and accepting of your period and however you wish to manage it. Just my humble opinion.

 

[kamz]

The diva cup is a small, soft cup, made of medical grade silicone. It sits low in the vagina, near the opening, not up near the cervix. It creates a seal, so that nothing leaks. You can’t feel it inside, and it is safe to be left in for hours. Longer than a tampon. It doesn’t have the risk that tampons have because it does not absorb. it catches. (tampons absorb necessary vaginal fluids, as well as menstrual flow.) It isn’t messy unless you leave it in until it is competely full and then yea, it will overflow when you take it out. But really, it is surprising how little actually comes out. In the time it would take fro a tampon to be completely soaked, there is only a little bit in the cup. You rinse it out, wash with warm water and gentle (I use natural) soap. You can sterilize it with boiling water too. that way you KNOW it is CLEAN. Tampons and pads are NOT STERILE.

The lunapads seem really good to have too. Same thing- you know they are clean, because you clean them. Both cups and lunapads save you money in the long run too.

Also, it’s not your husband’s choice what you use for your period. If he loves and respects you and your fertility, he needs to be open and accepting of your period and however you wish to manage it. Just my humble opinion.

I totally agree with how easy it is to use and how not disgusting it actually is, the diva cup is clean in comparison to tampons or wasted dirty pads and your not filling more landfills with disposable pads, so it is good for our enviorment.

Also, I agree that why would it matter what your husband thinks? Um, my husband doesn’t care what I do when it comes to my period… he is a guy… he cares to know as little as possible about it and leaves that stuff up to me, I would never ask him what he thought and if he gave an opinon I would laugh… like he really knows about this stuff? Um… since when did he start having a period:shrug:

 

[Fidelia]

I totally agree with how easy it is to use and how not disgusting it actually is, the diva cup is clean in comparison to tampons or wasted dirty pads and your not filling more landfills with disposable pads, so it is good for our enviorment.

Also, I agree that why would it matter what your husband thinks? Um, my husband doesn’t care what I do when it comes to my period… he is a guy… he cares to know as little as possible about it and leaves that stuff up to me, I would never ask him what he thought and if he gave an opinon I would laugh… like he really knows about this stuff? Um… since when did he start having a period:shrug:

Someone had mentioned that her husband thought the idea of the luapads was disgusting. that wa what I was responding to. It just seems like a really immature and disrespectful thing to say. I’m not married yet, but when I am, if he’s gonna know my body intimately, he should respect it, and everything about it, and I shouldn’t have to not mention certain things for fear of grossing him out. He’s a big enough boy to be married, he can and should understand and respect my fertility cycle, which involves menstruation.

 

[SeekerJen]

I mentioned the lunapads to my husband a while back and he thought they were totally disgusting so I didn’t say anything else but I’d really like to start using those or try making my own. Disposables chafe! Its been close to 11 months since I’ve had any type of flow but I’m going to quit nursing soon so I guess aunt flo will return. Maybe I’ll tell DH to order me some LunaPads for my birthday!

Yeah, DH wasn’t thrilled with the idea at first, but he doesn’t even see the soiled pads. They go right into the bucket, and I’m the one who changes the soaking liquid and tosses them in the washer.

As for the Diva cup, yes, it does go exactly where you think. I bought one of those when I first bought a couple of trial Lunapads, but I have trouble getting the cup in place- which is why I invested in more Lunapads. The cup is very comfy once it’s in correctly, but if you don’t like tampons don’t bother. I used to always use tampons but I had so much irritation by the end of my cycle that I needed a better option.

 

[lizaanne]

I am on another board where some members use those. I use the divacup. www.divacup.com It is pretty cool. Easy to travel with, and you don’t have to worry about making sure you have what you need before your period starts. And don’t have to buy that stuff anymore. There are things in pads and tampons that are not very good, and they are not required to put it on the box, and they are not sterile either.

How do you know when it’s time to change it? Does it “feel” full? And if you are not at home, what do you do with it if you are in a public restroom?

I’m really intrigued by all this natural stuff - I personally hate using tampons, but the smell of pads just totally turns me off so I will use the tampons as much as I can the first few days (I am absolutely with who ever said they hate putting things “there” that don’t belong!!!). Then again, the whole “bucket” idea sort of grosses me out too - I guess I would have to get used to that part. Hmmmm - definitely something to think about.

~Liza