• melbaboutown
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    7 months ago
    Periods/TMI

    Hmm… the period underwear does the job but they have drawbacks that mean I’m not loving them. No idea if it’s because they’re cheap Kmart knockoffs but… err. Yeah. :/

    I found my old menstrual cups but while they look to be in good condition with no damage they’re like 10 years old now, and have been stored improperly, so even after washing and boiling I’d be concerned about safety/TSS. Wondering if it’s worth the considerable outlay to buy another one or two.

    (I’m aware that there are more affordable brands than my preferred one but those ones don’t suit me at all and there’s no point in buying them.)

    • Eagle
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      7 months ago

      I love my bonds period undies… But I don’t trust them, especially on a work day that happens to be day 2 or 3. I looked at the Kmart ones but I’ve invested so heavily in the bonds ones I don’t want to start again, because $$$$.

      • melbaboutown
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        7 months ago

        The Kmart ones are like $12, and in a certain size and print they were down to $7.

        TMI

        These ones seem to contain everything reliably. I’d even trust them for a slight leak from a cough or sneeze at A Certain Age or after kids. They hold a bit and averted an overnight disaster. Reasonably comfortable.

        But let’s just say they smelled a bit weird and funky to me even when brand new and unused. The freshness while wearing is lacking (wetness and smell). You also want to rinse them out and hand scrub them thoroughly with liquid hand soap before the wash - since a thorough rinse, an overnight detergent soak and then the washing machine cycle did not properly clean them. Possibly due to the thickness of the cloth layers.

        These are a little bit bulky, about the same as a pad, so you might not want to wear leggings. Breathability isn’t great so if you wear them regularly as normal undies, too long even when dry, or for a few days in anticipation you will probably get thrush.

        These things might not be an issue with pricier brands but I’m not risking it.

        All in all I’ll still probably use these at home as a backup for a tampon or a cup. Or put them on overnight if I suspect an impending visit. But even when clean they just smell odd. If I’d known of these things I might still have bought a few pairs but I would have only bought a few on the $7 clearance.

        Period undies would possibly be good for a kid around that age that has been showing signs so they don’t get caught off guard at school, but you’d want to pick ones that didn’t smell so weird, and send them with a plastic bag and spare undies w sanitary products they could quickly change into.

        • Thornburywitch
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          7 months ago

          I use them all the time. I don’t need them for periods anymore, but they’re fine under leggings with a longish top. They’re great for bike riding as extra padding is always welcome. Haven’t noticed any problems with thrush and just wash them with the regular wash. If I was using them for periods, I think I’d keep a salt water bucket to soak them in after use before washing. They could sit in that for a couple of days before the next wash. Napisan wouldn’t do the elastic any good, but salt water is fine and good for getting blood out. Drying them adequately is more of a problem. I like to get them out on the line for a while at least, then into the dryer.

            • Thornburywitch
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              7 months ago

              Best bacteria-cide and fungicide ever invented. And cheap as chips (about $1 a kilo) and non-allergenic. I use salt to disinfect my cloth bags for meat purchases and have never had a problem. I wasn’t kidding about salt water getting out blood stains.

              • melbaboutown
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                7 months ago

                I have a big bag of cooking salt that’s sat open and unused for years so I might move it to the bathroom/laundry

                • Thornburywitch
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                  7 months ago

                  Cooking salt is the pure salt. Table salt has iodine in it to stop us all getting big thyroid glands. Cooking salt is perfect for disinfecting.

    • StudSpud The Starchy
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      7 months ago
      Title

      I have 4 pairs of period undies, all different brands, and all bought from woolies when they were on sale. The bonds are the best pair I have, the others are made from true synthetic material and I find I get sweaty. Like the part that goes around the waist, is just plastic. The bonds are the most comfy, and they hold quite a lot. I chuck them (any pair of my undies) in the washing machine on a short rinse cycle, and then throw in detergent for a longer proper wash and it does the job.

      I have never tried a menstrual cup, I’ve wanted to but I don’t know if I trust them lol. I’ve heard good things, but I’m scared of a leak haha

      Otherwise, it’s tampons and pads, although last time I fell asleep with a tampon in and felt very not good the next morning until I took it out 👀