by Reesh

Back in my theatre days I did a lot of touring. There were often 5 of us traveling in the same van and up to 3 of us sharing a hotel room each night. You had no choice but to become intimately involved with every little aspect of your touring mates’ lives, and you had to be okay with the things you’d rather not know about otherwise it was just going to be a painfully long tour.

So when Melanie got her period, we all learned about Lunapads. We had little choice as they were hanging in our hotel bathroom to dry 7 days of every month. Needless to say, by the time the next tour rolled around, it was me who was drying my Lunapads and educating both male and female about the wonders of cloth pads.

Many people when they hear that I use only cloth pads think that it’s too much work for them. After 4 seasons of touring, never being in your own bathroom, but having to greet Aunt Flow once a month regardless, I can honestly say that using Lunapads is a piece of cake.

Lunapads are washable menstrual pads made from 100% cotton flannel and highly absorbent fleece. They are machine washable and dryable and last for about 3-5 years. They fasten to your own underwear with small plastic snaps and they come in all different sizes and thicknesses depending on your flow and your underwear type.

Recently Lunapads has added Lunapanties to their repertoire of wonderful feminine products. Lunapanties are 100% Cotton underwear with an extra layer of absorbent fleece sewn in to the crotch. Being pregnant, and this being my second pregnancy, I’m sure many of you are familiar with the not so pleasant “leaking” that accompanies motherhood. These panties provide just that extra bit of protection I am finding myself needing at this time. There is also the deluxe Lunapanty which is compatible with Lunapads removable liners.

So yes, there is a bit of a transition to make from disposable to reusable, but after one cycle I found it to be a rather delightful experience. I even felt fresher and after 2 or 3 cycles I seemed to bleed less. Then of course there was the added bonus of knowing I wasn’t dumping large amounts of pads into our landfills each month. Lunapads are just as small and compact as disposables, so leaving the house with them can still be a stealth like operation if you so desire. You will need to add a small Tupperware container to your bag however. Just place your used pad or liner in the container and stick it in your bag or purse. When you get home you can soak the used pads in cold water before throwing them in the washing machine or rinse them in the sink, hang them to dry and re-use them the next day. Your body, the environment and your wallet will thank you for the little bit of extra effort. Yes that’s right, reusing your pads can save you a ton of money too.

Now that I have a daughter whom I will one day have the pleasure of explaining how our amazing bodies work, I am so glad that I will get to teach her about reusable pads. There will be no embarrassing trips down the menstrual pad aisle for us. Instead, we will go online and pick out her favourite colours and styles together. She will no doubt feel very in touch with her changing body right from the very start of her journey as a new woman.

Lunapads is a woman owned business based out of Vancouver, Canada. They have a wonderful website which will answer any of the questions you may find yourself asking. Check out www.Lunapads.com.

Want to win a Lunapads intro kit to try them yourself? Email theopinionatedparent@gmail.com with LUNAPADS in the subject line and the correct answer to the question “What are the names of the Lunapads’ owners’ 3 children?” Contest closes Friday 6/8/07 at midnight MST. Congratulations Katie! (The one from GA – not the other 7 Katie’s who entered. Sorry!)