Sanitation

Cloth pads

 Apparently the average woman will use around 17,000 pads or tampons in her lifetime, the majority of which are flushed down the toilet, a terrible though huh? Just imagine the waste they produce, damage they cause and the money they cost us.

After having my second child i breastfed until she was around 15 months old therefore i didn't menstruate, it was great. Soon after i weaned her from the boob my cycle returned, ugh, i started using tampons again and i hate them. So, i have stared to make my own cloth pads and am looking into ordering a menstrual cup.

I have put together a step by step of how i make my own cloth pads, i will add the pattern to the sidebar in the next few days.

Cloth pads

You will need:

flannel for outer

flannel for inner

scissors

pins

sewing machine

 Wash, dry and press your fabric. I have used half a metre of flannel and folded it to cut out 4 pads at once.

 Cut out your pattern pieces

 Take each of the bottom pieces and fold the opening edge over 1/4 inch, press then fold over again, press and sew in place.

 Pin the pieces together and sew around the edge, clip the curves and turn right side out.

 Press. Top stitch around the edge and sew down each side to form the wings. Add pressers or velcro to the wings.

 Make a pad to fit inside, i have recycled a flannel bed sheet. I sewed 2 pieces together, turned right sides out and top stitched all the way around. I made it large enough to be folded into 4 layers and quilted it randomly to keep it in shape.

 Underside with pad

 The finished pad

These could also be made on an overlocker/serger but you would need to adjust the seam allowance or they will turn out bigger. You could also adjust the pattern to make larger or smaller pads with thicker or thiner inserts for heavier or lighter days. I've seen these made with a nylon backing to make them waterproof but i prefer not to, i plan to only use them on light days and use the menstrual cup on heavier days.

http://www.i4at.org/surv/soapmake.htm