“This story/review came to us at such a great time. As we approach Earth Day, we’d love to hear what challenges you may take on to become more eco-friendly. Will trying an organic or reusable menstrual product make the list?” – The Be Prepared Period Team
My LunaPads story actually started with a challenge a friend gave me around Easter 2011. She told me to go garbage free (or only be allowed to use 1 bag of garbage from then until Christmas Eve. I was doing great until that time of the month came about, I got out my Always pads and said “Oh crap…um what do I do with 8 months of pads if I can’t use garbage?” So I began going online and looking for options. I found LunaPads. I liked the idea that they had the replaceable center. I ordered 6 pad centers and 1 of the pad. I got the cutest design ever, some flowers that looked like the 60s! (my favorite era) I excused myself for that week of garbage since they hadn’t arrived yet, and threw out the bag. (with actual guilt!) When my products arrived, I was so excited, even though I didn’t have my period I wore them for a week! I just wanted to see how they were.
Also, when I used disposable pads I would get horrible feelings “down there.” I wouldn’t get a rash but a dry, itchy, burning feeling. I also would get my hair stuck in the glue and then it would knot up and be so painful! I hated how you had to be so cautious about leaking or about being around guys so they wouldn’t hear your swooshing. (Perhaps that was just my perception, but I could hear it in my head every step I took!) I am disabled and use crutches to walk, so pads also always shifted around and bunched up and twisted and turned and whatever they wanted to do because of my gait. With my disability I was also skeptical about how a pad that’s not “secured by glue” would stay in place, but it did! It actually was more comfortable because no hair was being pulled with each step and not having to reach my hand in my underwear and tug at inopportune moments to maintain coverage.
My experience with the DivaCup is not so nice. The first time I used it, I got it in after 2-3 tries. I thought oh this is great! Well, getting it out I was in TEARS! I was freaking out because with my disability I couldn’t “bear down” hard enough and grab it and I was freaking out! I loved not having to remember to change my pad for the 12 hours, but my experience scared me. I was even on the computer to the LunaGals and they were like Just RELAX! (um, how do you relax when something’s STUCK in you? hahaha) Anyway, I tried it one more time and invested in a shower mitt/winter glove type thing that had nubs on the fingers for traction… and this time I got it out! I told them to recommend this mitt idea but I don’t know if they did! I haven’t really tried it since that last time, but I am still gunshy after the first time. I don’t want to have more problems! 🙂
Anyway that’s my story.
Stephanie B.
I’ve been using my Diva Cup since I read about it so long ago (has it really been 3 years?!), and I LOVE IT! I was nvroeus the first time I used it away from home – I remember crying in a hotel bathroom with the water running, because I couldn’t get the thing to “pop” open. I finally paced around the bathroom for a few minutes and it did POP open and hurt SO bad… I never thought it would get any easier… but OMG, LOVE MY DIVA… I’ve used and changed it just about everywhere I can think of that I’ve been in the last 3 years… including backcountry trails, camping, old ramshackle “restrooms” with no trash and questionable plumbing… I’ve also been trying to get used to using cloth pads. They’re a most certain step up from plastic disposable ones, but my only reservation about our recent decision to get me preggo (fingers crossed!) is that I’ll HAVE to use, um, external… um… protection (?). I purchased some locally, and I’ve made several more, but I’ve found that I’m such a wuss with the whole diaper, err, pad thing, that I hold it in anyway… Sorry… TMI…What can I say… I love my diva!