Girly stuff

I am always looking for natural ways of dealing with things and, even at my "advanced age", with this pregnancy, I've got some girly stuff issues coming up.

I've explained to my husband that, even though a woman's periods aren't an issue during pregnancy, they really don't stop--they are still there, just waiting waiting waiting and that there will likely be several weeks of it as a "new-parent-gift".  He made a face that said "horror" and then quickly recovered and said, well, it is all natural.  Yeah.  No matter how natural it is, I still am feeling the horror.

I have had some allergic reactions to some of the disposable paper products over the years.  (Tender bits are NOT where you want to develop a contact-reaction!!!) and have been restricted in what I could use because of that.  In a pinch, I have--like all women--used wads of toilet paper or old wash cloths or whatever was available.  (When I travel, I like to use NuvaRing that I piggy back each 3 weeks to prevent the issue entirely.)  I've also tried the Instead cup but I think that I might be a bit different anatomically because it didn't work for me at all (on ultrasound, it appears that I might have a retrograde uterus--perhaps that has something to do with it). 


I have been interested in making my own girly stuff pads for some time and have looked online at various options. While pregnant, I can't really test them for true practicality but I can test them for comfort.  Well, not entirely true--I have gone back to the puking again and I am always fearful that I will pee my pants from the force of it, so I might really get to test them. Hopefully not, though.

Here's the wetbag sewing vid: Sew a wetbag in 2 minutes   Use a polyester zipper--not cotton-it wicks.

 Here is my experience so that you can explore for yourself while learning from my

Common issues:

A.)  Jersey knit is the kind if underwear that I wear and I could not feel any difference whatsoever in having this on versus having only undies.  I have NEVER before not been aware of a pad until now.

B.)  The Eeeewwwww! Factor--If you get some blood on your regular underwear, do you freak out?  No.  You wash them.  No biggie.  Why is this any different?  Duh.  If you got a nosebleed all over a black sweater, would you trash that?  Nope--you'd wash it.  Why is this any different?  Duh.  If you got blood on your towel from a nasty shaving accident, would you trash that?  Nope--you'd wash it.  Why is this any different?  Duh!  Etc.  Grow up and get real.

C.)  Website:   Moldy tampon fresh out of the package
What can I say except:  Ewww.  Ewww. Ewwwww. EEEEEEWWWWWWWW!!!!!
If I ever buy any tampons again, I will be sure they are the O.B. brand that are not hidden inside an applicator that could prevent me from not using something like this.

Projects:

1.) Finally, I bit the bullet this past week with and attempt at making some that seemed logical, reasonable, and practical.
The site: http://empowerwomeninafrica.com/
The link to the tutorial:  https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B1V7eRClUEW4TzFGd2VTQ0wyV3M/edit

I was excited and thought this would be great to try out and then send some on to the charity.  I did not expect these to be horrible for me.  The idea is to have a base that is used to hold an easily washed/dried foldable insert.  The problem for me was that the insert did not stay in the base when I went to pee.  It would stick to ME!  And in my third trimester, I don't always have time to wait--I ended up peeing all over the damned thing and barely kept it from dropping in the commode.

I had already made up several and all went into the trash.  I would only offer these to someone I despise.

2.)  http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/PADS.html

The lower ones are what I made except that I didn't leave them foldable--I stitched them together. they are rectangles--two layers of old tank-top cut 9 inches square, slit in the middle of one layer, turned, folded to hide the turning-slit, stitched down, backed with PUL and tabbed.  I made two and it was hard going with my sewing machine--I will try these first two out this weekend and then either make more or make them like these--to fold up.  (The PUL is from JoAnn's in the three pack for making baby stuff--Normally the 3 cuts are 15$ but we used the 1/2 off coupon and this is the left over parts from cutting some diaper covers.  I turned the kiddie prints to the inside because, frankly, it is just weird for me to have little cowboys and robots on my girly stuff.)

 3.)  I made one that is foldable.  A square that was slit in the middle for turning, backed with PUL (covering the turning slit) with a couple of wings sewn under the PUL with a snap to fasten it.  This was a great idea but not cool whatsoever to wear.  It is just weird to have the layers open up when you are rushing to pee.  Then the wings held together but the thing was sliding backward towards my butt.  Not cool.  Not cool at all.  I went ahead and put a row of stitches across it at both ends to keep it together last night.  I am so glad I am only making one of each kind now and not stuck with a bunch of awful ones that SEEM like a good idea but don't work for me.

4.) An issue I am having is with the item sliding when I am trying pull my undies up or down.  The PUL doesn't give any resistance so perhaps I need to cover that.  I made one long rectangle that was 6 layers of jersey and 2 layers of terry  (one square sewn, turned, with 2 layers of old towel in the middle section, then folded into 3rds, backed with PUL) .  It is without any holder of any kind and is more comfortable than others.   It is also a bit longer.  That one so far is most comfy.  But still not what I am looking for.

The adventure continues....
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Update: January 7, 2014

I have almost no need for these items since our baby breastfeeds on demand.   Most of these that I made have ended up being used for doublers in the cloth diapers.