I like them and will continue to use them, but there are some downsides
I am now on my third cycle using these pads, and I think I will continue to use them.
What I like:
- Comfortable. I'm used to wearing thick maxi pads for my heavy flow, so this was an easy transition for me. They are a little bit bulky, but this doesn't bother me.
- Don't have to constantly throw away plastic-containing disposable pads!
- No plastic lining. The main reason I bought these!
- Organic and undyed is great! They don't stain terribly, but they are getting a little pink over time.
- Quite absorbent. I only have to change these a bit more frequently than disposable pads. Of course, they will leak faster than disposables as they don't have that waterproof plastic lining, but I figured out the timing pretty quickly.
What I don't like:
- Pretty significant shrinkage after washing. I've washed the pads a few times, now. I soak them in cold water that is changed daily after use until I wash them, wash in cold water on a delicate cycle, shake them around/stretch them, and then hang them up to dry. No heat, no tumble drying. My day pad plus inserts have shrunk to almost exactly the same size as the regular day pad inserts when they were new. This makes the regular day pads quite small and prone to sliding, so they're really only useful on light-flow days when you aren't being too active.
- After only a few cycles of use/a handful of washes, they seem to be pilling. There are also many loose threads forming around the edges. I'm concerned about how they'll hold up over time... I was hoping to use these for a long time, but they might not make it too long.
- Often, blood seems to do this funny thing where it bypasses the inserts and soaks through the side of the pad where the wings connect, which ends up soiling underwear. This happens quickly, and underwear will end up stained while the inserts haven't even gotten bloody! I have managed to mostly fix this problem by using a day pad plus with a day pad plus insert combined with the smaller day pad insert *sideways* in the pad, forming a cross shape. This makes it a bit bulkier but works for the most part!
- The night pads just aren't long enough. I still leak behind the back of the pad onto my underwear (and then my pants... and then my sheets...). I've found that wearing compression shorts to bed helps this, but it's not the most comfortable. I'm thinking of sewing on a few extra inches of cotton fabric to extend the pad and catch that stray blood.
Overall, I'm satisfied! It's a learning curve, for sure. For my next purchase of cloth pads, I may try out a different company, but that depends on how well these hold up over time.
