5 of the Best Alternatives to Regular Pads and Tampons for your Period
Updated: Apr 9, 2020
Ready to ditch pads and tampons? This blog will help you find the best choice for you that is both healthy AND empowering to use! Grab your free herbal recipe guidebook to start making teas that rebalance your cyclical health!
Menstruation makes up a huge part of our lives as women. We experience this every month for more than two decades of our lives. Though it may not be the same for all women, many of us can likely agree that we didn't get the education or support we needed when we began menstruating. This is why at GoddessCeremony we are so passionate about this subject and giving you the tools you need to make informed decisions for your health.
To live an empowered and authentic life, we need to reclaim our menstrual cycle and restore our connection to this sacred part of us. There is a huge correlation between cyclical health and empowerment so by using natural products, you may find more connection to your power and intuition.
During menstruation, most women usually turn into commercial pads and disposable tampons for sanitary purposes. With more and more research coming out now about the dangers of commercial pads and tampons, women are choosing natural alternatives. Commercial pads and tampons are generally made from genetically modified (GMO) cotton, washed off with highly toxic mercury and laced with xeon-estrogens that affects women’s menstrual regularities. These companies have a loophole in some processes so that they don't have to disclose this information. Read more about this, here.
A key factor in revolutionizing your cycle is to re-examine the need to change the products that you are currently using. You might be surprised at the numerous excellent options that you have in the market. If you've wondered what your alternatives really are, we’re here to help! Here are the 5 alternatives that you can use instead of a pad or tampon.
- 5 Alternatives to Commercial Pads and Tampons -
Menstrual Cups
This is my favorite alternative. Menstrual cups are made out from medical-grade silicon or rubber. A menstrual cup is inserted inside the vagina just like a tampon. Menstrual cups can hold more blood than a maxi tampon and are incredibly comfortable. I personally love using menstrual cups as you can use it for as long as 12 hours without worrying about TSS. Using cups also allows you to witness and see your menstrual blood. There is much that you can tell from the characteristics of your blood; its color, the amount of clots, its viscosity, etc. Plus, you can also choose to offer your blood back to the earth. Menstrual cups are very economical as they only cost around $25 and these can last for more than 5 years! Our favorite menstrual cup brand is the Lena Cup (as listed below) because of its wide-ranged variants on menstrual cups that caters to women with low sitting cervixes, differently shaped vaginas and are continuously top rated by women as the number 1 leading brand! Learn more about menstrual cups here.
Pros: Extremely economical and it can last from 5-10 years. You won’t experience leak if it’s properly inserted. It also allows you to connect with your menstrual blood and even offer you the option to offer your blood to the earth.
Cons: It can be uncomfortable on the first use but this is only a slight learning curve on the onset. You will be holding in your blood inside you.
Reusable Organic Pads
For some women, inserting something inside of them can be uncomfortable. Organic pads are excellent options for them. Rather than being thrown away, these pads are reusable and you only need to re-wash it after each use. I personally use reusable pads during the last day of my cycle when I have a light flow and wearing a menstrual cup is a bit too much. These pads also come in beautiful patterns and colors too!
Pros: Over time, it is economical, environmentally-friendly and an excellent option for women who want to free bleed.
Cons: It can be initially expensive to get multiple pads and can be easily saturated with blood fast.
Party in my Pants Organic Reusable Pads
Glad Rags Organic Reusable Pads
Period Panties
Period panties have recently stormed social media and you may have heard about it too. These are underwear that have built-in pads and they are comfortable, cute and even look like normal underwear. This is another choice for those who prefer to free bleed or avoid inserting anything.
Pros: It allows fres-bleeding, comfortable and stylish
Cons: It is expensive to purchase initially and it takes a long time to dry as it needs to be air-dried and it’s made with synthetic materials.
Sea Sponges
Over the past years, sea sponges have gained in popularity as an alternative option. Sea sponges are ethically harvested from the ocean and you use it how you would use a tampon. You simply remove the sponge and squeeze it into the sink or to the earth. After, you simply rinse it with water and re-insert. A big misconception is that you can buy low grade sponges and use them like a tampon and this is not true. If you choose to use sea sponges, only purchase from reputable companies that test for quality and grade!
Pros: These are economical, comfortable and natural as they are made in the ocean and are ethically-harvested. They are also comfortable to use.
Cons: You may be purchasing low-quality sponges that are not meant to be inserted in your body. This can only be used ten times, at most and needs to be discarded after as it may grow and attract some bacteria.