Review of Lunapads/Lunapanties

Well, I just wrapped up my first period with reusable products. It was certainly an adventure! I guess I should start off by saying that I am notorious for bleeding through stuff--underwear, jeans, sheets--I've destroyed them all (as my former roommates will attest). So, I think it's safe to assume that I have a pretty heavy flow compared to most women. A standard disposable pad just doesn't cut it overnight, or even the course of a one-hour college class in some instances!

When I first examined my Lunapads, I began to worry: they are awfully thin. After my first day of heavy bleeding with the maxi-pad and wing liner insert, my fears were confirmed. Unfortunately, I bled right through the sides, totally destroying a pair of jeans. But the really scary part was that I had no idea! The pads are extremely comfortable, like being wrapped up in a soft blanket. The problem is that they are almost too comfortable. Unlike conventional disposable pads, you can't really feel clumps of bloody tissue (sorry for tmi, but that's what it is) sitting against your skin, because they don't. The Lunapads do a good job of sucking moisture away from you, but, since they lack the plastic-y bottom that disposables have, the fluid continues right into your underwear without becoming uncomfortably wet first. It's great feeling, but not so great looking after an accident! So, I think the main issue here is timing: you need to check the red zone frequently for leaks, and don't assume that feeling dry means you are dry.

Th next part of my adventure was overnight. I decided to give the Lunapanties a trial, and once again ended up disappointed. My undies, pjs and sheets were soaked in the morning! I think the issue here was that the heavy gusset of the underwear tended to bunch up (I am a toss-and-turn sleeper) and some blood leaked out the sides. However, I tried them the next night (after a thorough cleaning) paired with a lunapad on top. It felt like I had a pillow stuffed in my pants, but it worked!

It was during my trial of the pad with regular liner that the most horrific thing to date happened. I was going to the bathroom, and as I was reaching for the t.p., the liner slid out of my underwear (it must've come loose from the ric-rac straps) and fell in the toilet! I had to reach in (after having done my business in there) and pull it out. I was traumatized.

So, I am not exactly enchanted with these products. I want to give them another try next month, though. Some observations about the pads and panties:

1.) The "wings" on the pads (the part that wraps around) are not fleecy like the gusset. This means that blood will leak through them more rapidly than it will in the center. My initial bleeding through episode happened because of leakage around the sides while the part that touches skin was still pretty dry.

2.) The wing liners do not fasten on the bottom; i.e., the wings flap up and do not really cover the area they are meant to after about 5 minutes of walking/moving around. So, it seemed to me that they did about the same job as the regular liners.

3.) They are a major investment. I spent $60 total on a pair of undies, a pad, a pantyliner, and 2 pad liners (one regular, one wing) and am guessing that it will get me through about half a day if I am changing them when I need too (which I am obviously bad at).

4.) I want a pair of Lunapanties for every day of the month! They are super comfortable and, paired with a pad, are way more secure than regular undies. But at $30/pair, I don't think I can afford a pair a day even for the week of my period. But, if you have the cash, they might be a worthwhile investment, especially if you're like me and have a heavy flow.

5.) You really can throw them in with your laundry! They come pretty much fully clean if washed right away, and if you wait a few days but rinse them in hot water first, they are fine in the wash. And no, they don't make your other stuff come out bloody.

I'll report more after month 2, when I will hopefully get the hang of changing myself on time.

Lunapads/Lunapanties

After a long wait, I am finally experiencing my first period with reusables! Having never been able to wear conventional tampons (they always hurt going in and I never got them all the way up there) I was afraid the cup might be too much. Luckily, there are other options out there for gals like me.

I purchased some items from the Canadian company Lunapads after reading a plethora of amazing customer reviews and viewing the assortment of adorable patterns available. At the time I ordered mine, there was a sampler pack on sale for $29 that included a maxi pad (with a regular and wing liner) and pantyliner, so I decided to give it a try. Another product that intrigued me was the "Lunapanties," a pair of underwear with a fleece gusset that absorbs some moisture, plus a liner insert that is secured by two fabric straps.

Since I live with my dad and brother, I wanted to be stealthy about the delivery of my pads (didn't want to explain them to the guys!). Bilhah was nice enough to let me direct the order to her apartment and then give them to me later, and last week she brought them over and we opened them up! Here is a photo of the pad (blue and pink), liners (blue), pantyliner (purple) and two stickers that came with them:

I forgot to take a picture of the panties before I tried them on, but will add one soon!

I am in the midst of my period right now, and am waiting until the full trial ends to post my assessment of these products. However, I can tell you that my cat seems to enjoy them--he stole one of my liners as soon as I opened it (while it was still clean, thank god). I am praying this doesn't become a habit.

Month 2 with MeLuna

My trial period (pun intended) with the MeLuna has concluded, and I must say that I will never return to disposable products like tampons again. The MeLuna is comfortable, reliable, and all around fabulous!

The first day I tried it, I noticed immediately how comfortable it was. It doesn't matter if I'm sitting at my desk, skiing, or even doing yoga, I don't notice it at all! The protection the cup provides is great - I have not encountered any issues with leakage. I can sleep all night with it in, and the PJ pants are still immaculate in the morning!

A lot of menstrual cup users (including one of my friends, who gave up on it) noted that insertion and having in in there wasn't the issue - it was removal. The first removal attempt I made was quite messy. However, I have since become more skilled, and haven't had an issue since. I can even do it at work without fear of a Carrie-esque scene in the bathroom!

Some tips on removal:
1. Use those vag muscles and push that baby out!
2. Be patient - this is not the time for haste!
3. Do your business before removing it. Seriously - trying to hold bodily functions in, while trying to squeeze the cup out is just a bad move.

TMI? Hey, this is a blog on reusable menstrual products! Women need to know if they're going to convert!

All in all, I would recommend the MeLuna cup to any girl who is trying to green up her life a bit. When I think of how many tampons I am NOT donating to the landfill or Lake Erie, I am proud! It's good for the budget too - tampons aren't cheap!

Coming up in a future post, Zilpah and I will be using our scientific skills to develop a spreadsheet rating the products in a variety of categories such as durability, functionality, overnight wear, etc... all to assist the reader in the quest of going from red to green.

MeLuna

Half my life ago (am I that old already?) my mother told me that tampons could kill me, so I better stick with pads. I've never made it a habit to listen to Mom, hence my future commitment to Tampax Pearl. That commitment was recently challenged by the sighting of one too many pink applicators hanging out on the shores of Lake Erie. In an effort to go green and save some money along the way, I've decided to test out a reusable menstrual cup.

Zilpah and I scoured cup reviews for quite awhile - all the ones with sticks on the end looked uncomfortable and difficult to grip. Thankfully MeLuna, a German company, offers a soft cup with a ring at the end! It is available in a variety of colors and only cost 13 Euros! Compare that to what you pay for a year's worth of tampons!

http://www.meluna.eu/index.php/meluna-soft-ring.html

The MeLuna soft cup arrived today! I got good vibes as soon as I opened the package, for not only did it contain the cup and a cute bag for storage, I received a free pen and some candy too!



Being just 2 days from my period, I decided to give the MeLuna cup a test try. At first glance it looks pretty big, but by folding it up it went in without a problem. I couldn't even feel it!

So far the MeLuna cup appears to be an awesome product! The real challenge arrives on Wednesday though, when my period starts and I have to figure out how to remove it without making a mess. Remind me not to wear khakis to work that day!

Enter the tent.

Imagine a long, romantic walk on the shores of Lake Erie in late October. The water is turbulent and dark, kicking up frothy waves in protest of the coming freeze. You feel the cold breeze in your face, refreshing and awakening you. The sand is riddled with small, smooth rocks. You take a step towards the water, and your foot falls on something soft. And squishy. Eeew...what was that? Was is a dead fish? A clump of algae? No, it's something...plastic. A plastic tube. "IT'S AN APPLICATOR!!!! EEEEEWWW!" You just stepped on someone else's used tampon applicator. And it's not the only one. Looking around, you see several pastel colored tubes, ranging from slim to maxi, littering the sand. The more you stare, the more there seem to be, popping up from the sand to surround you from every angle. Where can you turn? Where do you run? Looking up, you see a green glow from across the sand. Voices seem to be coming from it. Terrified, you call out: "Help! I'm trapped by used tampons!" You see a hand stick out of the green, and realize that it is a fabric tent. The hand beckons you to come closer. Tiptoeing through the tampons, you reach the tent. Slowly you lift the flap....and ENTER.

Welcome to the Green Tent! As you may have guessed, being the type of person that would read a blog about reusable menstrual products, the authors of this blog are three females who have had it with the pollution caused by paper pads and tampons. Inspired by Anita Diamant's book "The Red Tent", countless product testimonials, and many glasses of wine, we have decided to try and make a switch to reusables.

We weren't always on board with the idea keeping and washing our blood-soaked hygiene aids. In fact, we used to get drunk and make fun of the gushing "customer testimonials" on the lunapads site for fun (and that's not even the most embarrassing thing we've done to entertain ourselves). Eventually, conscience and curiosity overcame self-conciousness, and we decided to suck it up and give it a try. And our recent retreat to Lake Erie (very much like the story above) made it all the more apparent that we need to do something before tampons take over the planet. For reals.

We hope you'll join us as we chronicle our adventures in the Green Tent. It's probably not going to be pretty, but it beats being trapped by tampons:)