I've had a few people contact me on Etsy to ask about how one goes about using and cleaning the cotton flannel menstrual pads I sell. Some of them are a bit incredulous, and seem simultaneously horrified and intrigued that there is an entire subculture out there of women reusing their pads! I understand that in our society it can be scary or gross to talk about your period, and that our euphemistically-titled "feminine hygiene products" are designed to minimize contact with, and thoughts about, the less-savory aspects of owning a female reproductive system.
Be scared no more! I'm creating this simple guide for both my customers' reference and also to provide a very general web resource. So grab your surfboard and hang ten on the crimson tide!
Part Two: How to Use Reusable Pads
This part may seem pretty self-explanatory, and indeed it is. There are still a few tips I'd like to share to help people get the most out of using flannel pads, though, and I think a better understanding of the techniques will help novices adjust to reusable pads and stick with them.
One of the great advantages of reusable pads is their versatility. I especially like the 'day pack,' or the envelope-and-liners, design for this reason. Depending on your flow that day, or on whether you're using a tampon or a keeper as well, you can adjust the thickness of what you use.
- For minimal coverage: use either a one-piece minipad or the envelope of the day pack alone.
- For medium/average coverage: use either a one-piece pad or the envelope plus one or both of the liners from the day pack.
- For heavy or nighttime coverage: use either a one-piece nighttime pad, or the envelope with up to three liners from one or more day packs (once you own several packs, you can mix and match the pieces).
You will need to change these pads as often as you normally would with disposables, depending on your flow and any other products you may be using.
Wearing the pads: The first thing you want to do is make sure your pad is clean and ready to use. All Strange and Violent pads are shipped pre-washed and ready to wear. The nap on the flannel should be fluffy enough to provide physical comfort to you as well as to provide maximum absorption.
Place the pad in your underwear in the position that is best for you. This may change depending on what you're wearing or how active you plan on being. If you're using a day pack with at least one liner, place the liner in the envelope before lining it up on your underwear, ensuring that the liners are smoothly and evenly placed in the middle of the envelope before proceeding.
Now, reusable pads don't come with velcro or sticky material to keep them in place, which is why a lot of women I know prefer to pin them in place before dressing to keep the pad from 'migrating.' While the pad is lined up on your underwear, insert a medium-sized safety pin through the outside crotch of the underwear, catch the bottom layers of the pad, and then back out, fastening and securing it. It's important only to catch one or two of the bottom layers of flannel instead of jabbing the safety pin through to the top of the pad- this will make it easier for blood to leak through the puncture holes and onto your underwear, in addition to putting more stress on the safety pin. You just want to gently tether the pad, not chain it up. I know the thought of putting a safety pin so close to your delicates can be scary, but in ten years I've never had a close call. To be extra safe, buy diaper pins, which are designed to withstand all sorts of prying and stress without harming delicate skin.
Once the pad is pinned in place, snap the wings together around the outside of the underwear, covering the safety pin. Then put your pants (or whatever) on and you're ready to go!
Certainly switching abruptly to reusable pads can be a different sensation altogether. I always advise new users to buy one pad or daypack and just try it in between disposables during the next few cycles. Use it at home, or in another familiar setting, so that you can get used to the feelings of wearing reusable pads, understanding when it's time to change them, and the processes of putting them on and cleaning them without the distractions of a public space or the uncertainty of traveling far from your bathroom or laundry room! Once you feel sufficiently comfortable with wearing reusable pads, you can start expanding your collection and slowly make the switch to using them full-time and in all sorts of settings.
I hope this is helpful! In the final installment of this FAQ I'll be advising you on how to clean and store your reusable pads.
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