Lunapads?

[Maryam]

Jumpin’ in here… I visited the LunaPads site a long time ago and contemplated purchasing them but wasn’t sure whether they would stay in place. I am a SUPER HEAVY BLEEDER and even with regular maxi pads I have to roll up a wad of toilet paper to place on top of the maxi pad in the center because if I don’t do this then I get leakage from the sides of the pads… Plus, I have to change pads every hour on the hour.

In looking at the Lunapads it seems that it only has the side velcro thingies to hold it in place. What worries me is whether the Lunapads will start moving up and down causing me a big mess.

Would appreciate any (name removed by moderator)ut from the ladies who use Lunapads and are heavy bleeders regarding how well they stay in place.

Thanks a bunch.

God bless

 

[TraderTif]

Well, I’m a usually a pretty light bleeder, so I probably can’t help you there, lol. But they do make several different sizes, and you can stuff a lot of liners on the pad. I was surprised at how absorbant the liners are.

I haven’t noticed them moving around at all. When I first tried one, I worried about that, because these just snap around your underwear instead of sticking straight on it. But I was surprised at how well they stay on. Just like a regular pad!!

I don’t know if you would have to change any less frequently than you would with regular pads. (I did once, many years ago, have a period like the one you describe…and I’ve never forgotten it!) But I would think that the largest size Lunapad, padded out with extra liners, should be comparable in absorbancy with those overnight pads.

And they do have liners with wings, which is nice. I actually like those better than pads with wings, because the wings aren’t stuck to your underwear and they can move around with you.

It might be a good idea to get 1 Lunapad and try it out. (I started with an intro kit, and figured out which ones I liked best before placing a small order…and then another small order after I got the hang of using them). They are pretty pricey after all.

Someone who has heavy periods could probably answer your questions better, lol.

Tif

 

[tamccrackine]

I started using cloth mama pads when my DH left for Iraq last year. Thus giving me and my self esteem a bit of a boost of not having to worry about what he’d think, kwim? It gave me a good year to get used to using them. I love them and I really enjoy the light days pads because I can use them at any time. Now that I’m pregnant, I’m very glad I have a bunch of them!

Pros:

• my cycle went from 6 days to 3
• NO more cramps!
• very light cycle
• no wet feeling
• the water used for soaking can be used to water your house plants (if you don’t use a detergent or anything in it… it’s GREAT fertilizer!)

Cons:

• takes about two cycles to get used to and feel confident about them
• so many choices sometimes I feel lost at where to start/look

 

[PatienceAndLove]

I visited the LunaPads site a long time ago and contemplated purchasing them but wasn’t sure whether they would stay in place. I am a SUPER HEAVY BLEEDER …
In looking at the Lunapads it seems that it only has the side velcro thingies to hold it in place. What worries me is whether the Lunapads will start moving up and down causing me a big mess…
Would appreciate any (name removed by moderator)ut from the ladies who use Lunapads and are heavy bleeders regarding how well they stay in place.

While I am not a heavy bleeder, I noticed that the ladies rolled a new heavy pad and liner, in addition to the long liners they used to offer.
I would say, buy a few (like 2) and see how you do.
And I don’t have a sliding problem with them, either.

 

[SeekerJen]

It might be a good idea to get 1 Lunapad and try it out. (I started with an intro kit, and figured out which ones I liked best before placing a small order…and then another small order after I got the hang of using them). They are pretty pricey after all.

Someone who has heavy periods could probably answer your questions better, lol.

Tif

My periods are somewhat heavy for a couple of days, although not quite as heavy as Maryam’s. Even so, I’ve found that the Lunapads absorb more quickly. When I used disposables, if I had heavy flow, it seemed as if the plastic-topped pad couldn’t absorb quickly enough and the flow would sometimes roll off, leading to leakage. I haven’t had that problem with the Lunapads.

I agree that you should probably try just one before ordering a set. They make ones for extra heavy flow, which might be a good choice for you. They’re certainly much softer than plastic-y pads topped with scratchy toilet paper.

 

[CarrieH]

I have to say that I am encouraged by this thread. I just received my NewMoon pads in the mail and was a little worried if I had wasted my money or not.

The only thing about the NewMoons is that they don’t have any way of sticking to your underwear except for friction from the rougher surface on the underside. When I use the lighter ones, I use a safety pin to hold the pad in place so it won’t fall out when I take my pants down to use the restroom. Good luck!

 

[journey137]

I’m a pretty heavy bleeder for a couple days of my cycle. When I used to wear pads I had to use the overnight ones and change every two hours. Then I switched to tampons and had the same two hour rule. Maybe I wasn’t positioning those right or something, but the edges would absorb and the center wouldn’t then it would start bleeding through and make a mess… Now I use a Divacup and I totally recommend it. It’s the best purchase I ever made. I would have tried the cloth pads, but I don’t want to have to invest that much – cheap college student here Even at my heaviest I can go 4-6 hours instead of my former two with pads/tampons. It is a little messier than the other things, but if you’re careful and there’s water handy for rinsing it’s not bad at all. Oh, and I’m not sure if switching to the divacup has anything to do with it or not, but I have not had cramps anywhere near as severe as before (granted they weren’t that bad before, but they just feel like a little pressure now instead of actually hurting).

 

[Fidelia]

Yea, i use the divacup. it’s great.

 

[Maryam]

Thanks Ladies for all your (name removed by moderator)ut… I think I will test out the LunaPads for heavy periods by buying 2 of them and see what happens after that…

As for the DivaCup… I would try it but I am terrified of ending up like one of those people in the Emergency Room with foreign objects stuck in the wrong places…I can imagine the doctor saying “Did you see what that one had stuck…hardee har har”…

A bunch of grateful thanks Ladies…

May the force of the LunaPad and Cups be with you all. lol

God bless

 

[SeekerJen]

May the force of the LunaPad and Cups be with you all. lol

God bless

You too.

PS- Your icon is beautiful!

 

[Maryam]

You too.

PS- Your icon is beautiful!

Thank you most kindly.

To the LunaPad and beyond…(sorry about the bad jokes)

God bless

 

[CarrieH]

I would try it but I am terrified of ending up like one of those people in the Emergency Room with foreign objects stuck in the wrong places…I can imagine the doctor saying “Did you see what that one had stuck…hardee har har”…

Not to worry. If you were conscious, you could explain it yourself; if not, hopefully one of the nurses would recognize it for what it was if the doc didn’t know. As soon as it was removed and the contents came forth, they’d figure it out, anyway. I’m an RN who worked for five years in a trauma unit, and I can promise you that when a young, unconscious patient is brought to the ER, we are far more worried about the “ABC’s” (airway, breathing, circulation) than we are about what might be lurking in a patient’s nether regions! You’d be surprised what medical devices hide out “down there” – diaphragms, pessaries, cervical caps – so we do check the unconscious females, but we don’t just assume it’s something kinky!

 

[meeshy]

Hi Ladies,

What a great discussion. I suppose it depends on where you are and with whom, but at home I just wash out my re-usable pad as soon as I change it, and hang it to dry over the bathroom shower curtain rod.

I love to sew, and I actually made my own re-usable pads out of cotton diapers. You can use organic cotton diapers, or to really cut costs, just the regular non-organic cotton diapers will work, although they have been whitened with chlorine bleach. The home-made ones function really well, although they are not in any way as lovely as the Lunapads!

I use a lot of organic and natural products, so I just use the same natural soap to wash the pads as I use to wash my body. It works fine. Sometimes I wash them with other laundry, if it’s convenient that day. But usually I just wash them as I use them.

The home-made pads definitely lose their whiteness over time, but vinegar or baking soda can help, as well as soaking, as others have suggested.

Let’s keep looking for more ways to preserve our planet by reducing the usage of disposable items in our daily lives. Let’s teach our kids to do the same, also.

It’s been really encouraging to read all your posts. Good on ya, gals!

Peace,
Meeshy

 

[Mintaka]

Re: using blood/water as fertilizer
Not quite as problematic as using human feces, but… ya better scrub those veggies real good. And I’d be saying that if you were draining raw steak into your garden, too.

Re: decreased flow
I’ve always used the same kind of pads (ie, the disposable kind), and in my experience, menstrual flow does tend to increase and decrease over the long term. It seems a bit silly to credit a particular product for something your body is very likely doing on its own.

Re: decreased cost
You’re not figuring in the increased labor, apparently. Also, I’ve never gone through an entire box of pads in one month in my life. And I’m not a particularly light bleeder.

Now, obviously every woman has to decide for herself what’s most comfortable, useful, etc. But I remind you that modern disposable pads were invented so women wouldn’t have to wash out menstrual cloths anymore. Me for progress!

 

[PatienceAndLove]

Re: using blood/water as fertilizer
Not quite as problematic as using human feces, but… ya better scrub those veggies real good. And I’d be saying that if you were draining raw steak into your garden, too.

Well, one would wash the veggies/herbs/whatever before consuming them anyway.

Re: decreased flow
I’ve always used the same kind of pads (ie, the disposable kind), and in my experience, menstrual flow does tend to increase and decrease over the long term. It seems a bit silly to credit a particular product for something your body is very likely doing on its own.

No one credited the pads with decreasing flow. I know I mentioned it, along with a and someone pointed out the superior absorption of the cloth pads over disposable, thus making it seem like the flow is lighter. So no, we are not crediting the cloth pads with lighter menstration.

Re: decreased cost
You’re not figuring in the increased labor, apparently. Also, I’ve never gone through an entire box of pads in one month in my life. And I’m not a particularly light bleeder.

And the increased labor would be what? Taking the pad off and throwing in a bucket, draining the water and then throwing the whole thing into the washing machine? 5 minutes?

Now, obviously every woman has to decide for herself what’s most comfortable, useful, etc. But I remind you that modern disposable pads were invented so women wouldn’t have to wash out menstrual cloths anymore. Me for progress!

Yes, however, many of us recognize how long it takes these disposable products to biodegrade, the amount of pads/tampons we go through in a cycle, etc…
And just because it’s “progress” and “modern” doesn’t make it the correct thing to do.
But you are right, we all need to make the decision for ourselves. Thank you for your (name removed by moderator)ut.

 

[TraderTif]

nodding in agreement

I wouldn’t mind seeing the disposable pad companies work on making their pads more biodegradeable. I like the concept of disposable pads, I just don’t like what they do to the environment.

(Of course, the primary reason I switched was my allergies. Can the disposable pad people work on that too??? )
Tif

 

[PatienceAndLove]

nodding in agreement

I wouldn’t mind seeing the disposable pad companies work on making their pads more biodegradeable. I like the concept of disposable pads, I just don’t like what they do to the environment.

(Of course, the primary reason I switched was my allergies. Can the disposable pad people work on that too??? )

Tif

There are the biodegradable organic pads and tampons, but those run about $7-10 a box! And hey look! Drugstore.com carries LunaPads, too!

 

[SeekerJen]

Re: using blood/water as fertilizer
Not quite as problematic as using human feces, but… ya better scrub those veggies real good. And I’d be saying that if you were draining raw steak into your garden, too.

I would hope you would wash your veggies regardless. Soil is absolutely crawling with bacteria, protozoa, fungi, insects, etc., and chemical fertilizers are rather harmful to humans.

Re: decreased flow
I’ve always used the same kind of pads (ie, the disposable kind), and in my experience, menstrual flow does tend to increase and decrease over the long term. It seems a bit silly to credit a particular product for something your body is very likely doing on its own.

You’re absolutely right. I have always had cycles that alternated month to month from lighter to heavier, and that has certainly not changed since I’ve been using the cloth pads.

Re: decreased cost
You’re not figuring in the increased labor, apparently. Also, I’ve never gone through an entire box of pads in one month in my life. And I’m not a particularly light bleeder.

It actually took more time and labor when I used disposables. Wrapping up all the used pads and tampon applicators, unwrapping all the new stuff, fussing with tampons, emptying my bathroom trash every day, cleaning up messes when the disposables failed. Now I just put on a fresh pad and liner in the morning and swap out liners as the day goes on. The used ones get dropped in a bucket of soapy water and get dumped in the washer with other laundry at the end of my cycle.

Now, obviously every woman has to decide for herself what’s most comfortable, useful, etc. But I remind you that modern disposable pads were invented so women wouldn’t have to wash out menstrual cloths anymore. Me for progress!

Right. But consider that “more convenient” doesn’t always equal “better”. I second PatienceAndLove in the concern over the amount of non-biodegradable waste in the landfills. But as you say, it’s every woman’s choice for herself.

 

[PatienceAndLove]

I thought I would post this here, since we are discussing natural menstruation.
Those ladies who use DivaCups. I know that I not as… lubricated during my period, so when you use the cup, do you need to use other forms of lubrication for cup insertion? I was reading on some other sites that one might need to.

 

[SeekerJen]

I thought I would post this here, since we are discussing natural menstruation.
Those ladies who use DivaCups. I know that I not as… lubricated during my period, so when you use the cup, do you need to use other forms of lubrication for cup insertion? I was reading on some other sites that one might need to.

I own one of those. I’m still trying to get the insertion down pat. It’s a bit difficult for me, although not due to anything dryness related as it is made of a smooth material and you fold it up a bit before insertion. On the rare occasion that I have gotten it in correctly, it really is so comfortable that I can’t feel it.

I really need to get the hang of it. I’ve started going to the gym and it would be ideal for workouts.