Some of you may know from reading my blog that I use cloth diapers for my baby as a back up for EC (elimination communication). It was this use of cloth diapers that started me thinking about other items in my life that were disposable, but need not be. I was familiar with Lunapads, but never really gave it a second thought, that is until after giving birth.
Initially after the birth of my son, I used the disposable pads and mesh panties (not very environmentally friendly) found in my home birth kit for my lochia (flow of blood after birth). While every postpartum women experiences lochia, the fact is that no matter how short and light it is, the use of disposable pads, yes even “natural” disposable pads, are just plain uncomfortable.
Then around the time that my son was two months old, a shift in my thinking happened. My lochia had long since subsided, but somehow I found myself looking at various products for the postpartum women. During this research, I came across cloth pads, particularly Lunapads in the form of the postpartum kit. If only I had used these instead of disposable pads!
I knew at that point I had found my answer to not using disposable pads anymore. However, since I am breastfeeding my child, my period had not yet returned at this time. Instead, I sent a sample of Lunapads to each of my sisters as a test run. One of my sisters who had not yet considered using cloth pads, tried them out and found them to be incredibly comfortable. In fact, she excitedly called me on the telephone to report that Lunapads were indeed the most comfortable pads she had ever worn and was also thinking about switching. If I needed any confirmation, this was it!
The use of cloth pads for me is more than just about being comfortable, it is about the connection between my period and my body’s ability to grow and sustain life as well as give birth. In essence, I see using cloth pads as a way to reclaim and honor certain aspects of my womanhood that are directly linked to my menstrual cycle.
Now that my period has returned, I am excited about using my cloth pads from the Lunapad’s starter kit. More importantly though, I seem to have arrived at a place where I now view my cycle as positive event, and that is something worth noting if not celebrating!
