Lunapads-pros & cons?

[indieinkgrrl]

for years i have known about lunapads (cloth reusable sanitary pads) but for some reason didn't even entertain the idea of using them. i come across ads for them all the time now and am starting to think they would be a good idea...i mean they help the environment and save money, but is there anything bad or annoying about wearing them?

thanks!
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indieink!
www.darksideoflight.com/indieink.htm

the journey is the destination~m.f.

[soapandwater]

I have not used them, although I support all Good Alternatives like that, but I guess the worst part would be having to wash them. You'd need to figure out how much you wash your clothes, how light/heavy your period is, how many days it lasts, etc., to gauge how many you need to buy.

I wonder if there's a problem with leakage. I wouldn't think so, if you were careful about it.
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When you got a hundred voices singin',
who can hear a lousy whistle blow?

[eixmi]

I've never used the Lunapads brand, but I've been using cloth pads (bought from the Wilderness Society Shop in Australia, and essentially the same as Lunapads, I think) for over a year now and I don't have any problems with them. I own six of them (one of which is really small, three are regular, and two large), and with regular washing that gets me through every month. They're so much more comfortable than plastic-y disposable pads - the cloth just feels nicer against you.

They don't leak any more than normal pads (I don't know if Lunapads have a plastic layer or anything, but mine are all-cotton and it's still not a problem if I change them at appropriate intervals [which doesn't mean I have change them every two minutes, either]).

Washing them's easy. I just chuck them in a bucket of water and a little bit of washing powder (although I've heard you can also use vinegar or peroxide) and soak them overnight, and then put them in the washing machine when I do a load, or else scrub them by hand and hang them out.

Really, the comfort thing (as well as the environmental benefits) makes up for any minor inconvenience. I think they're great and I totally recommend them.

[roxy_fondue]

hey, i use lunapads on a regular basis so i can tell you anything you need to know. i own three of the regular pads (which came with two liners each) and i purchased four extra liners. three pads + ten liners = lasts me my entire cycle, which runs about 6 days. i use one pad a day and about 4-5 liners and then wash them by hand each night. i should probably up it to 6 liners a day, as i've experience very minimal leakage (which i attribute to my own laziness rather than the faultiness of the product).

i really like the fact that they're cloth, but they can seem kind of bunchy and huge when you first put them on. if i could do it again, i'd try a mini-pad and compare it to regular. another drawback is having to wash them each night. sometimes i'm just too damn tired! but i've got to remind myself that i'm doing the environment and my body a favour and it's all ok. i wash them by hand throughout my cycle, and then at the end i throw them in with my clothes in the washer.

so i'd definitely recommend them, but if you can, choose a darker colour because the lighters ones (pink and purple) show the stains more, and they recommend that you don't bleach them. they come with little plastic cases, too, which makes using lunapads in public A LOT easier.

roxy, who likes pink and purple regardless

[soapandwater]

[katycat24]

I just had that same idea - tried lunapads and also the sea sponges. I like the sponges - just wash out and pop into a hydrogen peroxide/water bath for a while and they bleach right back to normal. Lunapads - I think I don't like them because I don't like pads at all. Good for night time use. I found that I use them in combination with the regular products (like when I go to kickbox, I use store bought). On crafster somewhere there's a tutorial on how to make your own lunapads.

[glccafar]

[katycat24]

Yup! I know, it sounds wierd, but have been used historically, pre mass marketing. Better than camel dung mixed with straw, which is one horrifying option used in ancient Egypt (I like to read those strange historical daily life books).

They are marketed under the name Sea Pearls. Saw them at a local health food co-op, thought I'd try them. Supposed to be better for you because tampax, etc. is made of bleached cotton and has other processing chemicals in, too.

[JediEmpressMel]

This might be an odd question, but do they grow the sea sponges they use?
I thought that real sea sponges were becoming endangered from people collecting them out of the ocean to use for painting, and things like that?
Maybe I'm thinking of something else though..I'll have to look into it.

[glccafar]

I'm really curious about these non-disposable pads (it seems a bit gross, but I don't like how pads are scratchy, and I hate the enviromental impacts). Do most of you have lunapads, or gladrags, or.....
Thanks for your help!

[indieinkgrrl]

thanks for everyone's feedback. when i have enough cash i am going to put in my order at www.lunapads.com. even though i am really bad at sewing i think i'll check out the tutiorial mentioned on craftster too.
_________________
indieink!
www.darksideoflight.com/indieink.htm

the journey is the destination~m.f.

[soapandwater]

I know this is going to sound bad, but I kind of can't afford to buy them, although I want them really badly.

You know what's weird? That girls attack other girls for not using tampons. Isn't that, I don't know, a little bit dumb? My best friend recently started using tampons and spent five minutes trying to convince me to use them.

Her: But they flush! They're so convenient.
Me: Yeah, but you can only wear them for three hours, and I'm too lazy.
Her: No, that's not true. It can be 3-6 hours.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it better for the body to change them sooner?

I really want these lunapads, and they're less expensive in the long run. I'll see. I mean, if I can spend forty dollars on pants, I should be able to spend forty dollars on something that might even last longer.
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When you got a hundred voices singin',
who can hear a lousy whistle blow?

[siouxsie_homemaker]

I just bought some Lunapads (black with leopard print- so cute). But I have not had a chance to use them yet.

They do look a tad bigger than I am used to. I always use the lil skinny maxi pads. I got the pantiliner size ones too, but they don't have the replaceable liners like the big ones do.

The initial investment seems a bit steep (I spent $50 for the variety starter pack). But if you think about it, you'll eventually save money because disposable pads add up.

I'm so excitied about using an enviromentally safe alternative. I can't imagine the amount of trash and pollutants created because of those wads of disposable bleached fibers.

I wanted to ask if anyone here has used The Keeper. Those look so interesting, they don't carry the risk of toxic shock like tampons and they last 10 years. But they look like they'd be tricky to use.

<3

[soapandwater]

I have no experience with the keeper, but it seems that they're not that tricky to use after you get the hang of it. Most of the problems seem to come from the stem being too long or having trouble putting it in properly or getting it out.

Overally, most Keeper users seem to be happy with it, from what I can tell. Definitely a better alternative to tampons. I'm wondering if the divacup is just as good as the keeper because it's less expensive. I know it's silicone, but I don't know why that'd make it less expensive.
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When you got a hundred voices singin',
who can hear a lousy whistle blow?

[siouxsie_homemaker]