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Saturday, May 18, 2013

LunaPads Review

I was very excited to be offered LunaPads for review from BePreparedPeriod.com. For those of you who don't know about BePreparedPeriod.com, they are a fantastic website with all sorts of options for you in regards to that time of the month. You can purchase any sort of cycle items you need (including disposables, should you choose to go that route), and you can have the products delivered right to your house! They offer mama cloth, menstrual cups (my favorite!), and more. Take a peek to see how they can help you out!

 


So, as excited as I was to partner up with BePreparedPeriod.com and review LunaPads for them, I was confused as to how I should go about reviewing them. You readers all know I am expecting Squiggle this summer, and many of you are well aware that I will never use disposables on myself again. Still, trying to figure out how to review the LunaPads wasn't a simple task for a pregnant woman... right?

Well, I was wrong. I figured I'd try them out just to see how they fit for comfort, and then later, postpartum, write another review for you to read on how well they handled. What I didn't expect was a lovely side-effect of pregnancy that I never experienced the first time around: leaking.

My lovely little Squiggle has been head-down for a while, and also looooooves moving around a lot. Hands hitting me in the bladder, head pushing against my bladder... and, of course, my muscles are already a wee bit weaker from having Bobble a couple years ago. Still, nothing prepared me for leaking. Seriously, nothing.

A couple droplets here or there. Nothing horrible, right? Surely that's not that big of a deal. Well, when the end of the workday arrives and you find yourself wondering if that smell (the smell of a wet bed) is YOU... it becomes a big deal. How embarrassing! Not enough to ever worry about your pants even getting wet, but enough to let you know it's happening... and maybe even letting coworkers know it's happening too.

HORRIFYING!

So, I figured it was a great time to try out the LunaPads. After all, if they can hold up to a period, surely they can hold up to a bit of urine leakage, right?

I got to thinking: What is it about periods (and items used with them) that women complain about most? Comfort, absorbency, easy of use, and odor control... right?

Many of you may remember my DivaCup review last summer. I'm a cup girl. When I used disposables, I was a tampon girl (you may remember my story from You ARE Loved a couple years or so back, too). I hated pads. They are just sooooo uncomfortable to me! Well, postpartum mommies don't have much of a choice. It's pad or nothing! I grabbed one of the cute LunaPad prints I was sent to try out (I had already prepped them, which was super easy.... one wash!), and snapped it on. They have very simple instructions, too, so I couldn't get confused if I tried!





After the initial "ugh, I'm wearing a pad!" feeling faded away (about 2 minutes), I couldn't feel the LunaPad! I was very thankful for this, because, as previously established, I was NOT a fan of pads! I was surprised at how comfortable they were once I got used to the feeling of having something there. You just snap them around your underwear and you're good to go!






LunaPads come in many different sizes, and have insert options to help customize the absorbency  too.  I tried them with and without an insert, thinking that maybe the cute little ribbon that holds the insert in place might be uncomfortable directly against my skin. Again, didn't notice it. What a relief that was! The inserts are easily put in and taken out, so adding absorbency is a breeze. How nice that it is so easy to customize! I was sent a couple for review, and actually had a few (never used since I got them while I was pregnant) from before, so you will get to see a whole array of prints and sizes in this review! The largest one (with the fold-out absorbent layer [pink]) is the postpartum pad.












While I cannot, yet, attest to how well LunaPads hold up to a cycle, I can say that they are good for what I tried them out for. My underwear were constantly slightly damp (which sucked, by the way) from the pressure of this baby's head, but the LunaPads kept ME dry. Nothing leaked through (though, as I said, I wasn't leaking a lot), and nothing felt like it was damp. What a lovely feeling to feel dry again! If you needed extra absorbency, adding to the pad is a breeze. You just slide the extra layer under the ribbon on either end, and you're set!




Storing used LunaPads was a breeze, too. You can use a small wetbag for storage, and you can just snap the LunaPads together when they are dirty. (See below)








Not only did the LunaPads keep me dry, but the days I would wear them were the only days I came home without being able to notice the smell of urine on myself. Might I add how embarrassing that is, again? Seriously. Sitting at work for 10 hours a day and feeling like others must notice it. After all, if I could smell it, they could, right? Even showering immediately before work didn't help any. I didn't think the LunaPads would really make a difference with smell... after all, it's still just fabric in the end, right? Well, they made a world of difference. No hint of smell at all. NONE AT ALL. If they are that great with urine, I can only but imagine that they will work the same for a cycle and odor.

These far surpassed my expectations for reusable mama cloth, and I will write again when I know how they hold up to my soon-to-be-tested postpartum wear.

If you'd like to check out LunaPads for yourself, head on over to BePreparedPeriod.com and look at their recently expanded mama cloth options! While the adorable prints may not matter in the grand scheme of things, it's nice seeing something cutesy like flowers or elephants. I think it's the same as wearing cute underwear when you know nobody else will see them anyway... it makes you feel better.



Disclosure: The product mentioned above was sent to me by the company in exchange for a review. This did not influence my opinion of the product in any way. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own.

34 comments:

  1. I'm not sure how I feel about mama cloth, I've been looking to get a menstrual cup but maybe I could give mama cloth a try too.

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    1. I'm not going to lie... I am curious as to how the washing part will work once it's more than just leakage. Still, these are ridiculously comfortable, and if they worked this well for me now, Surely I can figure out the washing part for the few weeks I have to use external protection post partum :) ....I still love my cup though! ;)

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  2. I have been wanting mama cloth for a year now. I need to get my DH over the "gross" factor. We CD why not MC? lol

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  3. Hmmm, I'm not really sure how I feel about these. I guess I will have to wait until I read your review later to see how they hold up postpartum and how well they wash up. I think that would be my biggest issue - whether or not I could get them really clean, since I know when I've spotted in the past, I have completely ruined underwear. Sorry, tmi.

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    1. I understand the concern. I'm curious as to how well they will wash, too. I will be trying these with Rockin' Green Femme Rock which is supposed to be formulated to target/clean blood. I also plan on getting a few pointers from the Luna Pads ladies and seeing how they recommend storage, washing with what, how often, etc. I've ruined underwear in the past too... but I still kept them and just used them that time of the month.... I figured that, at the worst, I would just have some discoloured mama cloth... just like I do underwear. At least my underwear would be safe ;)

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  4. I like that they're reusable. I hate spending so much money on pads.

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  5. I think these would be much more comfortable than disposable pads, but I'm used to disposable! I should try them but I do have concerns about the washing part....

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  6. I agree... I'm honestly not too sure about using them for a cycle either... The whole blood factor.. Especially in the wash kinda creeps me out. Ill definitely wait or your review postpartum. May get some of these though for "accidents" as I'm pregnant right now.. And am scared to death of leaks.

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    1. I'm not 100% as to how it will work out with the blood and wash, obviously, but I understand the concern. I'll be trying Femme Rock (Rockin' Green) which is supposed to be formulated to handle the blood. I can't say I am creeped out by the blood factor since there are numerous times I've had blood on clothing (like underwear... or simply from cuts) and they still got washed. I still kept the underwear, just only used 'em for when I was on my cycle.

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  7. I'm a cup girl too...love my Lunette Cup...but these pads do look amazing! I love the inserts and how comfy you say they are! I'll have to keep these in mind.

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  8. I just got my IUD out and I definitely need to try some of these! I've been using a lunette cup but I need some liners for those first few spotty days for sure.

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  9. I have not tried cups or cloth, but I have been wanting to. You actually answered some of my questions in this review, so thanks.

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    1. Glad to hear I could help! What sort of questions did you have? Do you have any unanswered questions that I could try to address in the follow-up?

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  10. Thank you for the review. I've been looking at switching to cloth once I am no longer preggo, but there are soooo many options out there. I've heard great things about Luna Pads though!

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    1. I have tried another very well known brand (for the leakage issue), and they worked well too... the difference was they had a stay dry outer layer and these are just cotton. Both kept me dry, but I actually swelled up and had a painful 'rash' like area for a day or two after using the other pads (with the staydry outer). I guess I'm sensitive to that material! These didn't cause any issue. (I guess I would be one of those babies that had to have special natural-fiber diapers! lol)

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  11. I like cups too, but cloth makes a nice backup. I really like the prints they have here.

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  12. Wow I really like the design of these need to try these out.

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  13. I never used or liked pads until I tried mama cloth! I like that Lunapads lets you boost the absorbency; definitely going to use them during pregnancy for sneezy pees as well as some postpartum mama cloth next time around!

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  14. I don't like the feeling of pads (hate the wetness and the mess), so I switched to a cup almost 15 years ago. I would like to try the pantyliners though for extra backup if my cup runneth over!

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  15. They have such pretty colors and fabrics, I would almost hate to use them!

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  16. I have wanted to use Lunapads for a while!Fewer chemicals and better for the environment. Plus, they are so pretty. I have nothing but good things about the absorption and the ability to wash them. In most ways, it no different than cloth diapers.

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  17. That looks so compact!

    I've noticed with disposable pads, after a few hours (especially if you're using it for backup of a tampon and nothing is getting on it) it tends to stick to your skin and really irritate you. I assume this doesn't have that problem (since it's not chemically programmed to absorb all moisture, even the moisture your body makes when you just . . . exist) so it would be much more comfortable?

    I'm jealous. I think I'll need to try this.

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  18. I have a few pads that were given to me from someone who made them, I haven't tried them out yet-as i want to get a few more so i don't have to go back to disposables after.
    I also love how they fold up nice and neat! These are pretty cool

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  19. I was grossed out by the thought of mama cloth when I first heard about it... but decided to give them a try when I got fed up with getting a sore on my inner thigh every month. So I made my own. I love them. I really want to try some brand name pads though, to see the difference between my crude sewing skills and someone else's expert sewing.
    - Patricia B-

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  20. I love how cute these are but, like others, I am still very on the fence about trying them out.

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  21. I've been using Lunapanties with the liners for about ten years now. I love them. I've just used my first pantyliner in the last year. Very comfortable. For the liners I prefer the cotton (flannel like) ones to the hemp/cotton mix.
    The pads and panties have a leak proof layer between the inner and outer layers.
    When I am at home I rinse my liners in the bathroom sink to get the bulk of the blood out. They then air dry and get thrown in the washing machine with the rest of my underwear. A few of my cream/light colored liners have a bit of discoloration after years of use. If you buy the darker colored or black liners, you can't see any stains :-)
    I hope some of you who are on the fence will try them out.

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  24. best sensitive sanitary pads Overnight Size 5 Pads Unscented with Wings feature a 2x larger back**, so you're protected no matter how you sleep. Sleep tight with Maxi Pads.

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  25. Best pads for periods in Pakistan, also known as sanitary pads or menstrual pads, are absorbent materials worn by individuals during menstruation to manage menstrual flow. These pads are designed to be worn in the underwear and offer protection against leaks, providing comfort and confidence throughout the menstrual cycle.

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