New to Cloth Pads
Hi everyone.
I'm new. I have never owned or used cloth pads before but I really want to try it. I want to be eco-conscious, save money and be healthy. But I find getting started rather daunting. There are so many brands and types I don't know where to start.
Since I was a teen I used mainly disposable Always pads. I hated them. Bulky and I just felt gross. I didn't start using tampons until after I graduated and while I loved the new freedom that came with them, I didn't like the dryness as well as the risk of TSS and the pollution they create. For a short time I used organic natural tampons which were okay but tricky to use and ultimately learned about the menstrual cup. (Ironically I'm on the third day of my cycle atm.)
Last year was my first whole year of using the cup (Diva Cup) and I love it. So dependable and a money saver. However, I find that I still need more protection.
I have always had a very heavy period and no matter how often I empty my cup there's always leaking. The second day of my cycle is notoriously heavy. I can't go more than 3-4 hours max before I need to empty it again (so I leak a lot at night since I can't keep getting up). Nor have I had much experience with wearing it out in public. I tend to clean it with water and Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild soap.
I'd love not to have to use pads but it seems I must. I don't want my underwear spoiled. Since using my cup I have been getting Kotex liners (Regular Lightdays). But that's gross and wasteful so I'd rather opt for cloth. However, finding the right kind is difficult. I'm so confused.
Typically my cycle lasts 5-6 days now that I use a cup (used to be 6-7). (The first day I'm riddled with hellish cramps. This time around I was bedridden for hours.) As I mentioned, the second day is the heaviest of all. Around the end of the 3rd day and going into the 4th day, I opt not to wear any liners because by then I can wear my cup longer without having leaks. But towards the end I sometimes tire of wearing it and I would take it out, leaving me having to use a liner to catch the diminishing remainder.
I can't say for sure how many pads/liners I need, what shape or size. If I had to guess the number of liners I go through it would be 9-10 and over I guess. My experience with this size and shape of these Kotex liners is that a lot of the leaking happens at the front…my underwear shifts a lot and sometimes it will actually end up on my underwear instead of the pad, usually the hem edge or front of crotch. This variety doesn't use wings and it barely fits the crotch of the underwear. A lot of the time the liner ends up crumbled so that the flow ends up on the outer edges instead of the middle. When I bleed heavy it does show through to the under adhesive side of the liner so I guess I would need something thicker? I hate that bulky diaper feeling so I'd like to avoid that, especially since I'm using a cup. From what my gyno has said, my anatomy is on the small side so I don't know if this means I need a small liner or what.
Does anyone have suggestions of what I might look into because there's so much to explore I haven't the faintest idea where to start. I'd prefer something organic and breathable. My mom can sew but I'm not sure how much trouble it would be to make them (though obviously a cheaper more personal option.)
Thanks for reading!
I'm new. I have never owned or used cloth pads before but I really want to try it. I want to be eco-conscious, save money and be healthy. But I find getting started rather daunting. There are so many brands and types I don't know where to start.
Since I was a teen I used mainly disposable Always pads. I hated them. Bulky and I just felt gross. I didn't start using tampons until after I graduated and while I loved the new freedom that came with them, I didn't like the dryness as well as the risk of TSS and the pollution they create. For a short time I used organic natural tampons which were okay but tricky to use and ultimately learned about the menstrual cup. (Ironically I'm on the third day of my cycle atm.)
Last year was my first whole year of using the cup (Diva Cup) and I love it. So dependable and a money saver. However, I find that I still need more protection.
I have always had a very heavy period and no matter how often I empty my cup there's always leaking. The second day of my cycle is notoriously heavy. I can't go more than 3-4 hours max before I need to empty it again (so I leak a lot at night since I can't keep getting up). Nor have I had much experience with wearing it out in public. I tend to clean it with water and Dr. Bronner's Baby Mild soap.
I'd love not to have to use pads but it seems I must. I don't want my underwear spoiled. Since using my cup I have been getting Kotex liners (Regular Lightdays). But that's gross and wasteful so I'd rather opt for cloth. However, finding the right kind is difficult. I'm so confused.
Typically my cycle lasts 5-6 days now that I use a cup (used to be 6-7). (The first day I'm riddled with hellish cramps. This time around I was bedridden for hours.) As I mentioned, the second day is the heaviest of all. Around the end of the 3rd day and going into the 4th day, I opt not to wear any liners because by then I can wear my cup longer without having leaks. But towards the end I sometimes tire of wearing it and I would take it out, leaving me having to use a liner to catch the diminishing remainder.
I can't say for sure how many pads/liners I need, what shape or size. If I had to guess the number of liners I go through it would be 9-10 and over I guess. My experience with this size and shape of these Kotex liners is that a lot of the leaking happens at the front…my underwear shifts a lot and sometimes it will actually end up on my underwear instead of the pad, usually the hem edge or front of crotch. This variety doesn't use wings and it barely fits the crotch of the underwear. A lot of the time the liner ends up crumbled so that the flow ends up on the outer edges instead of the middle. When I bleed heavy it does show through to the under adhesive side of the liner so I guess I would need something thicker? I hate that bulky diaper feeling so I'd like to avoid that, especially since I'm using a cup. From what my gyno has said, my anatomy is on the small side so I don't know if this means I need a small liner or what.
Does anyone have suggestions of what I might look into because there's so much to explore I haven't the faintest idea where to start. I'd prefer something organic and breathable. My mom can sew but I'm not sure how much trouble it would be to make them (though obviously a cheaper more personal option.)
Thanks for reading!