Question for cloth pad wearing ladies

[leighcat]

I have put in an order for a divacup and gladrags through a church co-op. I have been looking at the lunapads online, and was thinking of trying them. They are very expensive though so I was wondering if anyone here has tried them and if they like them?? I don't want to buy them if they are lousy. I have my af for like 7-8 days and it gets expensive not to mention uncomfortable with disposables. I know cloth is more expensive up front, but it would save me a ton in the long run. So for you ladies that use cloth, which ones do you use, and what are the pros and cons? My 2 issue is wondering if people can see them through my clothes and leaks. I wear scrubs at work which are thin and I am afraid people will see them.

[KatieInLa2]

Hi Leighcat

I sew my own and sew a thin PUL in the back of them so they won't leak. Here is the pattern I like best. You could make a few from scraps and see how you like them. PUL is available at Hancock fabric and Jo-anns. It used to be harder to find but both stores in my city have it in stock. If you wear snug underwear it will smooth out things and your pad won't be noticeable.

Easy to sew tutorial:
organic cotton cloth menstrual pads sewing instructions

[leighcat]

I didn't realize Joann's now sells pul! I will have to check it out. Thanks

[Telephus44]

I use the cloth pads and find that they breathe a lot better than the disposables. I have a really really light flow right now (IUD), otherwise I'd consider trying the Diva cup.

[frugal.lass]

I use the diva cup for most days (especially when I'm working since I only have to think about it every 12 hours) and my lunapads on days when I'm pretty much relaxing around the house. I find that reusable cotton pads are thicker than the "ultra thin" disposable pads you can get but I only find the thickness of my lunapads annoying when I wear my skinny jeans at the same time (I did it once...bloating and skinny jeans don't mix!). But honestly, if you're not going to wear pants that are so tight they're "painted on", you won't have any visibility issues.

My favourite part about lunapads is that the liners can be switched and it makes the whole pad "fresh" again unlike envelope-style reusable pads where the liner is tucked inside the pad (when you switch the liner, the outside of the envelope will still be "soiled").

I was a tampon user before I made the switch to reusables which is why I tend to use the diva cup more instead of lunapads. Lunapads are a great product and the company is very ethical (they make charitable donations to developing countries and advocate for women's rights) so I don't mind spending a bit more to support their work. Plus they're a Canadian company and I live up here in the Great White North so I obviously want to support our local businesses.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions at all about either product!!

[Incognito]

I found Adahy's Cloth Pad Pattern on the internet about 2 years ago. What a great website, all kinds of patterns and sewing instructions, and it also has so many user-comments posted on it.
I wanted to save money, so I looked around the house for some fabric to make my own. I used some ivory-coloured cotton jersey from an old t-shirt, and I lined them with white cotton fabric from another old-t-shirt (both shirts freshly laundered and shrunk). I moisture-proofed them by cutting a smaller pattern-part from an old, very soft yet durable, vinyl shower curtain. In all, I made about 8 pantiliners from a very small amount of fabric. I used silver snap-fasteners to attach them.
The patterns can be adjusted, so make the first one long enough compared to the manufacturers pad or pantiliner design, then adjust the pattern to suit.
I'd never go back to manufactured products again. These are breatheable, healthier, more comfortable and they don't disintegrate. Home-made ones launder easily. And it saves a lot of money and the inconvenience of always having to go out to the store to buy them.

I've also checked out lots of other patterns on the internet, including the Luna Pads. The cost is way too high, IMO, when it's really quite easy to make your own tailor-made ones. I'd stick with white or ivory or natural-coloured fabric, because of possible allergies to fabric dyes.

[Juju]

I used to have very bad periods. 7 - 8 day was a light one for me. At work I wore a large tampon 2 pads and one of those pads that older people wore for leaky bladders. At home I got cloth dippers and used them. 2 of them together would last for hours. God bless you for I know what it was like to have those long periods. I had to gave every thing taken out and I must say it was a blessing.

[leighcat]

I went to Joann's yesterday and got myself a yard of PUL and 2 yds of flannel. I have some cotton poly velour here, and some hemp fleece. I think I am going to order a few different lunapads and copy them to make myself some like them. Thank you for all your help.