Just because the SHTF, the monthly cycle will still continue. Sooooooo… what are the ladies in your family going to use for their long-term feminine hygiene needs? Sure, you can stockpile a lifetime worth of sanitary napkins, but what are you going to do with the used ones? They do not compost, and because they are both plastic and filled with blood borne pathogens, you cannot burn them. It is a much better idea to have something reusable ready. So what the heck does that mean???
I found two options: First is something called a “menstrual cup” which comes in both a disposable and reusable form. I am sure from the name you have an idea of what it does, but I had never heard of it before. Ladies can research for themselves to see if that is something they would like to try.
The second option is the old school idea of reusable/washable sanitary napkins. What I was amazed to find out is that people are making these already and selling them on ebay, and other crafting websites, for a RIDICULOUS amount of money (around $10 for one washable pad)! I am here to tell you that anyone with a sewing machine or the patience to hand sew can make their own for a fraction of the cost. They can also be made by recycling old towels and flannel sheets, thus reducing your cost to nothing but thread and labor.
I recently sat down my 13 year-old daughter and broke the “reusable pads” idea to her. It was a great teaching opportunity. I started with a simple question and answer; asking her what she thought ladies did back before plastics, mass manufacturing, and easy access to stores. I explained that if there was a true emergency, resulting in a long-term power outage, we had to go with something washable. I was surprised that she was so open to the idea. So we hit the internet and found Tipnut.com, it’s a great site with MANY different kinds of tutorials on making sanitary napkins.
Because we don’t have surplus flannel sheets, we opted to hit up Wally world for some fabrics. We picked out some nice flannel for close to our skin (a yard for each of us) and something thick, fluffy, and cotton for the inner layers (three yards for the two of us). You can see from the photos that we are using the basic “wings” style pad with a snap for the underside. These are a two-part napkin consisting of the outer “liner” and then an inner “pad” for absorption. Although we used a pattern off the internet, you can just as easily trace what you have in the cupboard.
First, we made copies of our pattern and compared them to the store-bought stuff. In this case the top layer of the liner is one solid piece with wings, and then there are two bottom layers which are about 2/3 of the top pattern each with one wing. This is so that those two pieces (on the bottom) will overlap, allowing you to insert your inner absorption pad. These top/bottom layers are stitched together with the flannel (fuzzy sides) facing each other, then they are turned right side out, ironed, then overstitched again all around the edges. I also stitched an extra line around the pad area, to provide a crease point right about where the wings flip down, thus ensuring the pad wont slip around. Last, we added snaps to the wings.
After sewing all the liners we made the pads. These are anywhere from two to four layers of padding just sewn all together to make a firm rectangular pad. These are the interchangeable inner pads (this would be towelling or absorbent fabric) that are made in different thicknesses for the different levels of flow (*in the photo the opening to insert the inner padding is face up, but this would normally be face down toward the inside of the panty). While we opted for removable inner pads, there is no reason why you couldn’t just make them part of the liner and stitch the whole thing together. We just liked the idea that we could add more pads or take them apart for a more thorough washing. Because of the snaps these are foldable into little square packets for easy storage.
I personally do not sew on a regular basis and found curvy type napkins difficult to make, hence ours look kind of rectangular. I will also caution any novice sewers to make sure they wash and iron their fabrics, before beginning this project, because cotton shrinks. I have to admit that I had trouble with that stupid “snap kit” (and I lost my patience); instead opting to hand sew old school snaps on. Also of mention, we made multiple sized pads because 13 year olds and moms don’t necessarily use the same size of anything. I think in total we spent $23 on fabric and snaps and made ten liners for each of us and 30+ inner pads of different thicknesses. This was a pretty simple project over all that anyone can make. No insanity required.
(Friday: What We Did This Week To Prep)
Trace’s Note: Be sure to also read our follow up posts by Sierra Kate: Reusables, Self-Reliance & Feminine Hygiene Part 1- Options, and Part 2 – How Do They Perform?
I use the catch cups and have for years. Remove, rinse, repeat. What I like best is the long wear time. Six hours average. And I can swim, or sit a tree stand and not fret about “give aways”. But now I want some of your flannels! I still wear a liner as the cup is so good at what it does sometimes I get busy and forget when I last emptied it. And we also have that familial malady of “big babies birthed=little leaks later”
The very first time I heard about home made liners I was a little stunned, but the more I thought about it I realized how spoiled we are in the US that every thing is so cheap and easy to buy that we have somehow devalued recylcable items. Even the lady at the fabric counter was like, “You’re making WHAT?!” Then finding out about the cup I was again stunned because I had never heard of or imagined such a thing. But it seems to make perfect common sense and I wonder why it is not more popular.
I use a menstrual cup as well, for 2 years now. They are more popular in Europe I understand (I am in Canada)
ADVANTAGES.
In my experience they are better than pads, and even tampons. They are more:
1. Comfortable.
I don’t feel it in.
Also: I never noticed this while using tampons until I switched, but tampons dry you out a little from your natural lubrication/secretions, necessary for vaginal health.
2. Convenient
They have double the capacity of most max-absorbancy tampons.
They suggest you only need to empty every 12 hours if you have a regular volume. That is once in the morning, and once in the evening!
I have a heavy flow, so have to empty it more, but in my experience you can use cups twice as long as max-absorbancy tampons.
And you can use them during sports, swimming, etc. They are popular with female outdoor enthusiasts.
Also, because the cup is non-absorbant you can actually put the cup in the day before you are expecting your period, unlike a tampon.
3. Portable
It is small/compact, and if important to you, then more easily made discrete.
Since you only need one it takes up less room than a package of pads or tampons would for even one period. And when it is in use it takes up no space in your bag at all.
You also don’t have to worry about it getting wet, unlike one-use pad and tampons.
4. Economical
It costs more up front, but when you consider the manufacturers originally recommend you replace them after 10 years it is a cheaper option in the longer run.
The typically cost about 30 – 40 $, so most woman would probably break even after about 4 – 6 cycles I’d estimate.
5. Sanitary/Healthy
a) Non-drying
As already mentioned, it does not dry out the healthy and natural secretions of the vagina.
b) No harmful substances.
Unlike pads/tampons, you will not get any rashes. Many disposable pads/tampons have, and/or were exposed to (in production) bleaches and absorbing chemicals and other irritants and allergens.
Pads are not as much a concern. They may irritate the skin, but they can’t penetrate, or be absorbed, far into the tissue. Tampons are another issue, since much of your vagina is lined with a mucous membrane.
Menstrual cups are typically made with rubber, latex or medical grade silicone. Silicone allergies are *extremely* rare, so that would be your choice if you have a rubber and/or latex allergy.
c) No known TSS reaction due to menstrual cup.
d) Because the menstrual fluid is not expose to any air prior to emptying it does not develop the smell the pads and tampons can.
6. Environmentally friendly:
You are not filling landfills with one-use pads and tampons for 30 years of your life. (or less, depending on when you get started 🙂 ). That is a lot of waste, and as mentioned above, there is a lot that is in pads/tampons (especially one-use), and their production, that are not good for the environment or your health.
7. No more emergency runs to the drug store
For the guys 😉 If any have read this far! 😀 I suppose it could still happen if a woman has a very irregular period and left their cup at another location. But, generally speaking, guys are not generally going to have to be sent to the drug store to find the right brand and absorbency their woman needs. Better for all involved 😉
DISADVANTAGES:
They are more hands on, and require you to be comfortable, or willing to become so, with your body and intimate anatomy. Due to this they have a longer learning curve than other menstrual products, most users say it takes 2-3 cycles to get the easy hang of insertion and removal.
Also, for women with very unusual anatomy (very short vagina and/or very low cervix) may have less capacity (due to cervix filling part of the cup) or leakage issues (from the cervix touching the rim of the cup). Sometimes a smaller and/or different brand cup will resolve issue and/or changing more frequently, but no one ever wants to find this out after spending good dough on one of these.
MENSTRUATION *and* 72 HOUR KITS / BOB / PERK / GO BAGS / GOOD BAG FOR WHEN SHTF
I wouldn’t just put one cup in an emergency kit, and there is essentially two reasons why:
1. Loss/contamination
If a cup is dropped into a toilet, outhouse hole, one may not want to boil and reuse it. (and if it is in the middle of my period I may be uncomfortable waiting). I don’t know if it is just a precautionary CYA thing, but even the manufacturer suggests replacing it if it is dropped in a toilet.
2. Sanitation
You need plain soap, and clean potable water to clean your hands during your cycle at the very least. As well as a way to boil it between cycles. Of course, you are going to want to have those things anyways, for other reasons, if SHTF, but if temporarily you either don’t have them, or they are in short supply, reusable pads would be good as a back-up, or for double protection if need-be.
Many outdoors women do use them, for backpacking/etc, as they are very advantageous in many ways, and you can find things on the web about how they deal with their periods and take ideas from them.
Also, if you do not have access to toilets or even outhouses, you’ll want to bury it (like proper cat-holes to hide evidence of other bodily functions while no-trace backpacking/camping), so as not to possibly attract certain animals. However, that may be arguable easier/better than either disposing of one-use pads/tampons, or adequately securing reusable pads/tampons prior to thoroughly washing them.
Note: Because there is a greater/longer learning curve to using Cups over pads, or even tampons, I would not suggest to throw a Menstrual Cup in your emergency bag and never familiarize yourself with the product and your anatomy prior to needing it. You don’t want to be squatting somewhere unfamiliar, without any modern conveniences, and accidentally drop your only menstrual protection on the ground. I would strongly suggest that you at least use a menstrual cup for a couple cycles before putting one in your emergency bag.
CARE AND CLEANING
1. During Cycle:
Before removing or insertion ensure your hands are clean. You will want to clean your hands with something that would be safe to come in contact with your vagina, so plain, non-fragent soap that is water based, not oil, and clean potable water.
You can wash the cup each time, but it is not necessary if your hands nor the cup have come into contact with anything but menstrual fluid.
2. End of Cycle:
Wash the cup with plain soap and clean water. Then boil for 5-10 minutes with plenty of water.
3. Storage:
After above it needs to be stored in something that will allow air flow. Most cups come with a small cotton pouch for storage.
LAST NOTE: I was a virgin woman when I first started using a menstrual cup, so it is not necessary to be sexual active prior to using a menstrual cup. However, I had used tampons through-out my teenage years prior to switching. I imagine the learning curve is a bit bigger for a teenage girl, or an adult woman, who has never used a tampon.
Since we can’t edit comments –
FYI – Where I mentioned
“Also, if you do not have access to toilets or even outhouses, you’ll want to bury it (like proper cat-holes to hide evidence of other bodily functions while no-trace backpacking/camping), so as not to possibly attract certain animals.”
bury “it” – “it” did not refer to the menstrual cup, but the menstrual fluid one would be emptying out.
Just like you’d make a cat-hole for urine or feces, you’d need to make one for menstrual fluid.
For the cup, if it is the end of your cycle, just clean/wash, and pack, until you can boil it. A menstrual cup would be much easier to rid of menstrual fluid than reusable pads/tampons.
(I tried to email you personally but it wouldn’t go through. I wrote:
Thanks for the incredibly articulate, and obviously well thought out comment on the menstrual cups. I knew almost nothing about them, and my wife commented initially they made her kind of squeamish — now she’s thinking about getting one to try.
Again I really appreciate you taking the time to explain this (I know comments take time and thought and can be a hassle). Please chime in anytime. Thanks for being a part of our community.)
Kate- That was the best, most concise description and reasoning behind using the cup that I have ever read! Thank you for taking the time to explain it and the pros and cons in greater detail!
Kate that was an incredible dissertation. What a great no nonsense explanation. Thank you so much!
Hi!
First of all, you are both welcome.
I find that the information on-line for menstrual cups is not well organized, or clear or concise often.
The companies that make cups, most don’t use convention advertisement, they use word of mouth and good reviews. When I see those commercials for pads/tampons creating happy periods I think a cup belongs on those commercials, no joke. I ain’t never going back.
The thing is it is a very personal choice which protection a woman uses, so many cup converts may not feel comfortable discussing it with others. They may be worried about the other person being defensive, squeamish, or even thinking the cup user is pushy, weird, or even gross.
I think being squeamish about this, or taking care of any natural body issue, is a complete waste of time, may encourage shame, and may hinders our ability to make informed decisions on how we best want to take care of ourselves. Think of the health issues people are more open about now, such as the awareness of cancer, disabilities (both physical and mental), etc.
To make it a bit easier for women to digest, I did organize my points with the most appealing aspects from top to bottom, more or less. One might think Sanitary/Healthy would rate higher but I don’t think most people are aware the draw-backs to one-use menstrual products, and wouldn’t switch on that alone. Though some people are aware and prefer to switch to higher-priced organic one-use cotton tampons.
There are reusable tampons too (generally small sea sponges – can be reused for 3-6 mths), but I’ve only read about them, never tested! I have wondered about sea sponges doubling as a barrier contraceptive in a SHTF/EOTWAWKI situation, perhaps with a home made/natural spermicide. (yes, my mind does go off on tangents). Oh, didn’t see that, moving this discussions elsewhere:
http://tracemypreps.xyz2012/06/13/momma-bear-birth-control/
Anyways I can tend to blabber on 😉
I am not really a prepper at this point in time. My current environment is not conducive, but I am planning to change it, for many reasons, some of which, co-incidentally, overlap with prepping skills I wanted to develop anyways.
I have read a lot about prepping in the last week. Just came across it on-line somewhere else, don’t know how or why (likely had to do with Hurricane Sandy). And I am planning on adding moderate prepping to my desired changes once things get moving in the right direction. Though, if SHTF tomorrow, I at least will not be worried about menstrual protection! 😀
Again I appreciate the good follow up. I hope that life goes as you’re planning and that you are able to make personal preparedness a part of it — I wish you the best of luck in reaching those goals.
(Also your email address that was in the admin comments section doesn’t seem to work, will you email me at TraceAdams@yahoo.com about possibly turning your “comment” into a blog post?)
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