Why I chose reusable menstrual products

A journey into reusable menstrual products

I first heard about reusable pads on Facebook. A blog post popped up about surviving without toilet paper. Having been raised on a farm, having fished and hunted, I have used many odd things during nature's call, so I was getting a good laugh out of everyone's comments.

Then the comments turned to menstrual products.  I thought, "I'm screwed" because as a tampon user, there is NOTHING I could think of in the woods that would be touching those parts.

As I continued reading, people were commenting on reusable pads. WHAAAT? In this modern age? Isn't that something that women were forced to endure in the dark ages? Before the modern miracles of disposable products? Yuck!

But ohhh, so the dangers of curiosity. I Googled and I searched. Wow! So not the products of the middle ages!

The colors and shapes and styles, Ohh My! I bought ONE to try out. You know how it goes, "I'll just try it once, it won't kill me". Oh, those fateful words! I got one...and was hooked.

I had started with tampons in high school, mainly due to discomfort of everything else. Every month was a dread, when will it hit..let the itching begin. But that is what it means to be a woman, right?

Apparently not. My allergies...stopped. I seem to be allergic to everything -except cloth! Wow, for the first time in 30+ years, I am not breaking out in rashes every month, no itching and scratching like I am a pro baseball player. Who would have thought you could be allergic to something so NECESSARY!

So began my journey into the world of reusable menstrual products. I instantly became a disciple; passing out literature to friends, sending out links to products and embarrassing husbands in public.

I researched; bought products to try, read blogs and talked to other women about their experiences and needs.  Then I began designing and sewing.

Now in my third year with RuMPs(reusable menstrual products) and CSP (cloth sanitary products), each month is a game.  Will it be the Cloth Tampons, Sea Sponge, All cotton pad, the minky one... what color should I choose? what fabric topping?

I no longer dread that week.I no longer stock up on antihistamines. I haven't been to THAT ISLE of a store in three years...except to laugh at the prices and maybe the chance to spread the word to other women.

What can I say? I am the local dealer..."just try it"..."just one won't hurt you"..."what's one gonna hurt".....