Remember when you first got your period? For some of us, it was an iconic moment and for others, it was devastating. No amount of those old-school videotapes, books, or talks could have prepared us for what most of us would endure for the next 50-60 years.
I remember when I first got my period, I was excited, but confused and didn’t feel that great. My mom put a pad in my hand, took it out of the paper, and showed me how to put it on my underwear. Pads were officially my go-to.
That didn’t last long.
As a competitive swimmer with a heavy flow and bad cramping, my coach told me that I couldn’t keep taking off 3-7 days of practice each month, or else my speed and endurance would go down.
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He told me to try tampons. I knew what they were, but the idea of them was terrifying. Reluctantly, I tried them only to have a not-so-great first trial.
Eventually, I got used to them, but I could not stand pads or tampons. For a while, those were the only options that were available, and each month I dreaded the feeling of either wearing a diaper or having a weird cotton stick between my legs.
When I got to college, I did some research and found the Diva Cup. Desperate to give literally anything else a try, I cringed at the $30-50 price tags of the variety of cups in Target and decided on the original Diva Cup size 1.
After about 40 minutes of trying different folds and wearing it in the house all day on the weekends, I decided that this was it. After years of discomfort, I found something that worked for me, and trust me when I say there is something for everyone!
As someone who has tried it all, here are some of my alternatives to pads and tampons:
The menstrual cup has many different brands that can be found at many local grocery/drug stores (I usually get mine from Target) and is approximately $30-50. It can be reused for about 1-2 years and to clean it, you boil it and I usually rinse and wipe with a vagina safe wipe after each removal/insertion.
This is great for people who have a light/medium/heavy flow, or who move a lot. Size one cups are for women who have not given birth and/or are under 30 and size 2 is for women who have given birth and are 30+.
The menstrual disc similar to the cup, but more disc-shaped and is thrown away after each insertion. They range from about $11-$15 and these are also great for people with a varied flow and who move a lot.
Period panties THINX is a great brand to get period panties and the price ranges from $25-50 per pair. These are panties that do not require any pad, tampon or panty liner, you just put them on and go.
They have an absorbent material lined in the panty that will do the job and come in different types of designs and are made for people with anything from a light to heavy flow. They also come in other styles, such as period sleeping shorts and leggings!
Period panties are great for people who either cannot or do not feel comfortable with insertion. Go to https://www.shethinx.com/ to find a pair.
CHECK THIS TOO: Exploring Period Panties As A Menstruation Alternative
Menstrual sponge These are exactly what they sound like, sponges! They come in a lot of different sizes, depending upon your flow, and you insert them as you would a tampon and remove them the same way (there is no string). The price range for these sponges is $9-30 per box. You can find these online, and they have some great ones on Amazon.
So, if you’re sick of pads and tampons like I was, try these out. I hope some of these work out for you and give you some relief!
