Using reusable menstrual products saves time (less shopping), money (less costs), and the planet (less trash)! One package of reusable menstrual products averages $6. The average costs of a 5 year supply of reusable pads costs approximately $160.
$6 x 12 month = $72
$72 x 5 years =$360
$360 - $160= 200
Total Savings in 5 years: $200
Disposable "sanitary pads" are far from sanitary if you really think about it. Most of them contain chemicals that have no business being up against that delicate area of your body. Chemicals like dioxins, chlorine, pesticides from cotton, and added fragrances. Some pads and tampons are also made with Rayon to increase absorbency, which adds to the risks of T.S.S., Toxic Shock Syndrome! Disposable pads also contain plastics and fillers just like diapers, this means disposable pads sit in the landfills equally as long as diapers. There's really not anything sanitary about that. Tampons are even worse, not only do they contain the same chemicals found in sanitary pads but women are inserting these chemical harboring items inside the body and using a little more plastic in the process! Freaked out yet? Here's how you can take control of your body.
Use a reusable menstrual pad. GiveThemRoots tested a few brands of reusable menstrual pads. I have to admit, at first I was hesitant, slightly grossed out and definitely skeptical about cloth menstrual pads. I also have to admit I was pleasantly surprised.
Pros: Made from super soft, hypo-allergenic cotton, loads of cute fabric choices or in all natural organic, available in 3 different absorbency levels, including a panty liner (our favorite)! Each pad comes with two inserts so you can adjust the absorbency to fit your needs.Cons: During washing we had some problems with the back getting crinkled and folded so it wouldn't fully close to hold the absorbency pads inside, this didn't seem to affect the absorbency though. We also had light, very minimal leaking where the snap closure tabs are.
Pros: Made from layers and layers of domestically sourced organic french terry cotton, super absorbent (We had 6+ hours without leaks!) and pretty good deal; get 3 regular absorbency and 3 super for just $36! Did I mention that we didn't have leaks after 6 hours of continuous wear?Cons: Still really soft but not as soft as other cotton pads. The natural color shows stains more than other brands.
Pros: These little guys fold up and snap closed to be the same convenient size of a disposable pad. The unique stack ability also allows you to decide the absorbency with a clever snap technology. One system includes everything you need to make it a panty liner, a regular pad or a heavy day pad! You can also purchase additional snap in pads. The "shell" of this system is fleece so it's waterproof to help stop leaks, this also means you don't need to change the shell as frequently as the pads!Cons: the snap in pads show stains
Not a fan of pads or do you have an active lifestyle that a pad is not always practical for? Buy tampons that are free of chemicals & plastics: that means no plastic applicators. One brand of applicator free tampons you can find regularly in stores are O.B., these are not necessarily chemical free or natural but it's at least a step in the right direction, you can get a free trial kit with a cute holder here. Seventh Generation makes organic tampons that are free of chlorine and rayon, and are made from organic cotton. Check out Seventh's site for $$ saving coupons. You can also find several other natural menstrual care products on http://www.drugstore.com/ or in your local health food store, like Whole Foods, Earth Fare and even in Trader Joe's.
A more economical choice for active lifestyles are menstrual cups... a few brands that come highly recommended are the Diva Cup, and the Moon Cup. We'll be reviewing these products in the future and can't wait to share our experience with you. If you currently use one of these and would like to write a guest post for GiveThemRoots, please contact us!
The feminine products you use today may directly impact your future. Cervical and Uterine cancer is on the rise. Could the cancer rates be from the chemicals and fibers we, as women, expose our bodies to? My short answer: Absolutely.
What do you think? Are you willing to give reusable menstrual products a try?
14 comments:
I actually just switched to Seventh Generation. They work pretty well since we're out a lot.
Yeah, this could be a pretty icky post. You kept it clean!
I use Glad Rags and really like them. I bought one of their sets, with a variety of different sizes and a wash bag and purse zipper bag and have had no problems. Thanks for posting on this!
Thanks for this post, I've never put disposable diapers and sanitary products in the same category, not sure why, just never have. I hate that nasty stuff against my baby's "delicate areas" why is it ok for it to be next to mine? Great post as usual.
Where were they 25 years ago when I needed them? :) They seem cleaner to me.
I started using a Diva Cup a few years ago and will never go back. As for people who think "ewwww" and "ick", I ask them...how is it any different than having a pad smooshed up against your or pulling a tampon out! You see it either way!
Kathleen, how do you like their zipper bag & wash bag? I was checking those out on Gladrags.com, I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Shannon, if you're interested in writing a guest posts about the Diva Cup (tips or tricks, your story, etc) contact us.
I've also been using a Diva cup for about the past 5 years (minus when I was pregnant and a few months afterward). Like Shannon said - I, too, will never go back!! There are so many reasons to use a cup versus a tampon. Now I think "yuck" whenever I think about tampons!! I want to give the reusable pads a try, too. No real reason not to! Thanks for posting on this. I was wondering if the Diva cup (or other cups) would be mentioned, since they're along the same lines. :)
LOVE my Diva Cup, NEVER going back to anything else (and I'm someone who can't use tampons).
I use 'mama pads' as back up or other times I'm not using the Diva Cup. There are a lot of Work At Home Moms that make them too. Support local businesses :D Two places I've got mine and really like are http://www.motherandmaiden.com/ and http://www.allthingscloth.com/Home.html (she also makes cloth alternatives for your swiffers!!)
For those considering the idea, it was an easy switch! The Diva Cup has a learning curve, but once you are used to it, it is fantastic. Definitely worth taking a leap of faith and trying these products :D
Thanks for the great shopping tips Lauren!
Something that can help a great deal with bacteria and overall hygiene is the bathroom bidet spray from www.bathroomsprayers.com It is so refreshing and convenient for general use and can be installed without a plumber. Will pay for itself many times over is toilet paper savings = and great for the environment.
We have a sprayer for rinsing cloth diapers off, the problem I see is that most hook directly into the toilet's water supply and while this makes them very easy to install it also means they also are supplied entirely with cold water making them less than idea for personal hygiene....
We have a sprayer for diapers as well and you are completely right Lauren, it would be freezing cold water. LOVE it for my dipes though!
I use gladrags and love them! The nightpad is awesome.
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