Washing

I’m so glad I don’t need panty liners, an unforeseen benefit of an emergency c section I guess.

eddiecat78

Not long after I started my periods mum had a stay in hospital and I was running out of supplies while she was there. I was so desperate I walked from school (4 miles) to visit to tell her my predicament - I had no clue how to buy more. She said she would sort it and the next day more supplies - bought by dad - arrived. I was amazed that he would go into a shop and buy them, and appalled that he knew I needed them

Dad used to buy mine. We lived in a village so supplies were limited, Dad passed a pharmacy on his way to and from work (and he came home for lunch) so he did the honours.

Sorry missed out the H crazyH !

You will be so glad you did crazy
Money well spent imo.
And so comfy
The light /medium. You hardly notice a difference to normal undies.
Happy shopping 😃

We have gone full circle with the current popularity of washable period pads and pants. I used a Mooncup for most of my fertile life, and now in my 70s I use washable mini/teen pads as panty liners. I hated the thought of all those disposable pads and tampons going into landfill.
www.ethicalsuperstore.com/category/beauty-health-and-wellbeing/menstrual-care/reusable-sanitary-pads/

Thanks Jbp1 - I’ve spent £s on pantiliners @ 4 per day . Must go to M&S asap

I too am of an age when there were no such thing invented as tampax so I had the dr white belt and the pads with loops I can’t re member my talk with mum or how it all came about but I remember very clearly being given a newspaper and told when changing the. to wrap them carefully before putting in a special bin and to NEVER let Dad see them ( now my kind and gentle dad wouldn’t have been upset I m sure but that was how it was done then )
I can’t remember how old I was when Tampax came along (an adult) but I happily changed over

I was well informed and prepared (Tampax, Kotex) when I started my period at age 13 (late bloomer!) I’ve often wondered what women did in the old days - like when they lived on the prairie in the wild west, settlers coming to America on the ships, native Indians, how about those Vikings??? Biblical times… I do let my mind wander sometimes. Well, everyone survived and the population kept growing.

I never did ask my mother what she did.
Sooo glad it’s over!!!
USA Gundy

When I was about 18 I was rushed to hospital with a severe asthma attack. The next day I was much better but found my period had started. No mobile phones then so couldn't get in touch with my mum.
I told the young nurse who asked her colleagues but nobody had any sanitary products. She decided she would make a sanitary towel for me and arrived ten minutes later with a huge boat shaped thing made from cotton wool and gauze. It was massive and a bit uncomfortable but worked.

My mother prepared me for menstruation when our boxer first came on heat, I was 13 when I started - at Christmas - and was already well informed. A neighbour once asked me to go the the chemist and buy her a box of Tampax. I was so embarrassed! I think I was at University before I found out how those were used.

We certainly are very lucky.
I wore disposable panti liners for many years after my periods had stoped. Then a while ago my friend and I did research into different types of washable underwear, used mainly for periods but also great for us older ladies who may worry about that little leak!! When coughing laughing or just desperate the loo!
What a great find! M and S confidence pants , very comfy to wear and heavy medium and light absorbency to suit your needs. Wash well too.
No more panti liners for us 👍🏻😊
My friends daughter uses the washable pads with poppers and they are great for the environment and your pocket too.

Not long after I started my periods mum had a stay in hospital and I was running out of supplies while she was there. I was so desperate I walked from school (4 miles) to visit to tell her my predicament - I had no clue how to buy more. She said she would sort it and the next day more supplies - bought by dad - arrived. I was amazed that he would go into a shop and buy them, and appalled that he knew I needed them

My Mam was very good about periods and bought my sister and I all the necessary things.
We had clean knickers everyday. On a Monday, when Mam did the washing there were 21 pairs of knickers always on a little line near the house. My Dad always commented that the flags were out.

Made me think of my mum, at 13 I came home from school and said the teacher said I needed ‘something now’ … I didn’t have the courage to say sanitary pads. She was very loving but anything ‘personal’ just wasn’t talked about. She bought a Dr Whites belt & pads & these were mysteriously’ replaced each month in my dressing table draw. No info on disposal or anything. I used pocket money to buy the new types, less bulky.
I coped but didn’t build a relationship as a young woman. Was determined that wouldn’t happen to my daughter.
Had lots of discussions & advice on use etc. later when swimming lessons she asked for Internal protection so bought applicator & non applicator… she in the bathroom with door ajar & me just outside… talking to relax her & talk her through. She has always remembered that & thankful as many of her friends still suffered. Now 32 & we are still very close & she will talk about anything worrying her - sometimes difficult with age difference- but so good to feel I’m still helpful & in the loop!

In Wales too Georgesgran - 'clwt' or 'clwtyn is a Welsh word used for a rag or dishcloth.

A while ago I counted 105 pairs of knickers - lots of different colours to go with various bras . Needless to say I haven’t really bought any for a good while apart from a few pairs of black Tena pants in L from Waitrose when a huge discount and one pair reduced when beige came out on line with a black absorbent lining and I find they are the best for me at my age ! And last many washes . 🌟

Clout as in "ne'er cast a clout 'til May is out".

I have three sisters and remember my grandma being shocked by the number of pairs of pants on the clothes drier in our house 😅

As a geordie we pronounce clout as ‘cloot’

I was allowed tampons together with pads from the age of 12, my periods were so heavy that each on their own were not enough.

When I was at boarding school in the 1950s, each Friday evening we would find a roll on our bed containing one full set of underwear, including socks, pants, bra, vest (if worn), school shirt/summer cress, nightwear and couple of hankerchieves.

We wore all these clothes for a week.

My Mum started her periods when she was 10. The teacher told her to go home. One of her older sisters threw a bundle of rags at her and said “It’s the curse! It happens every month”.

Oh almost in tears to remember all this. Haven't things changed for the better.

When she married my grandad my granny was very poor as grandad had been invalided out of WW1 after being shot through the head and was hospitalised and unfit for work for some years. Some of his family lived locally and paid her to do their washing. You can guess what was included in it. Mum told me years later.

Being allergic to all the chemicals that were used in sanitary towels during the years when I needed them, I reverted to what my Danish grandmother, mother and aunt had used during the Second World War: knitted cotton towels of the yarn used for kettle holders, hand-towels, nappy pants and so on.

Far more comfortable than the disposable kind, and at need you could wear up to three at a time,(which being a stage performered was useful, as two towels could cope when a Tampax super-large called it quits while I was on stage DANCING!

Washing no problem, if the towels had been steeped in cold salt water, rinsed then put into a hot white wash cycle.

Concern for the enviroment ought to make re-usable sanitary protection and cloth nappies fashionable again. We at least do have washing-machines. My grandmothers did their washing in a wood or coal fired copper.