Making a difference

I've recently made the jump to a greener lifestyle.  I've been doing cloth diapers for a while now and realized that I am buying all these nice soft diapers for my babies' bottoms, avoiding the chemical and icky feeling for them, but month after month I am continually using disposable pads for myself.  Before I heard about the different types of cloth diapers, I never even thought that there could possibly be a different option!  Those options died long ago when disposables were invented and women realized that having a one-time sticky-backed winged pad was much easier than, than what?  I had no clue.  What did they use before?  Moss, at least that's what they must have used according to authors of fictional prehistoric novels.  I guess after that they used rags, hence the wording "on the rag".  I didn't really give it much thought after that though because, again, it still wasn't making any sense.  Those poor women had to wash them.


Then I decided to cloth diaper my babes.  I joined a cloth diaper forum and learned all about cloth diapers and other ways of being green.  I joined a crunchy moms forum and learned even more about being green.  It didn't take long for me to learn about cloth menstrual pads.  Often called "mama cloth", "mama pads", and "cloth menstrual pads".  My first thought was, "What?!" Then I heard more about it, learned more about it and thought more about it.  I decided, maybe I'd go ahead and take the plunge.


So there was also another issue about using the disposables, the trash and the money.  Well it turns out women spend a lot and throw away a lot during their fertile years.  According to The Keeper*, in 10 years, one woman will spend approximately $480 and produce 65.6 lbs of waste.  A woman can easily triple this number and end up spending $1,440 and produce 196.8 lbs, that more than the average American adult man. **

1 year of pads and tampons is about 6.6 pounds.*

10 years of pads and tampons is approximately 65.6 pounds.*

Back in December I started with panty liners.  I hadn't gotten my period yet after having Bug so I decided just to start with the liners.  I really liked them!  It saved my underwear and was basically just washed with the rest of my laundry.  It's no different than washing my underwear.  Then I decided I'd go ahead and buy some for when I actually got my period.


I'll admit, I was a little nervous.  I was surprised though.  It wasn't so bad.  I had bought 7 different pads and a few different brands, all with fleece backing and all with wings.  No slipping, no sliding and nice and comfy.  I rinsed it out and stuck it in a wet bag.  The pads go in the wash with towels, no fabric softener, they're dried in the dryer and then they're done.


All of mine have a minky top.  They are sooo soft.  The type of material it is also is amazing at not staining.  It was one thing I did not want to have.  The thought of having a pad that was instantly stained was kind of a turn off.  It's been 3 months, I now have 10 pads and none have stains.  I am so glad I made the switch.  It is the best decision I made since getting rid of our disposable diapers.

+++Stay tuned for coupon coming up in the very near future!+++=

Vicky

*Pictures and numbers taken from The Keeper.

**Centers for Disease Control