Becoming Crunchy

Is Mama Cloth Really for Me?

April 21st, 2011 |

Author: Kelly

My Stash

All this week at Becoming Crunchy, I’ve been reviewing Mama Cloth, or cloth menstrual pads, along with reusable tampon-like products – the Diva Cup and Sea Sponge tampons (even wrote a guest post on this topic over at The Cloth Diapering Mama!)

I’m very excited to host a mama cloth giveaway tomorrow as part of the upcoming Earth Day Blog Carnival hosted by Child of the Nature Isle and Monkey Butt Junction, but I wanted to do a little wrap-up of my experiences and reviews before we go ahead with the giveaway.

Did I Make the Right Decision?

I’m gonna answer that one with a big “Heck Yes!!”

I really want to emphasize – I was so not all about mama cloth when I first heard of it; I decided to give it a try because I had read so many great reviews, and because I would prefer my daughter to use natural products over disposables when she gets to that point in her life, but I really didn’t expect to like it.

Now I’m just wishing I had made the decision sooner!

This is just one of those things I know I will never regret doing; there are too many benefits that outweigh the negatives of using disposable pads and tampons.

OK…Then Which One Should I Use?

My personal, number one recommendation?

Any of them!

(I know – super helpful, right?)

Here’s the thing – there’s no one right cloth pad for everyone – just like there’s no one right cloth diaper, or baby carrier, or parenting style – we all have different needs and preferences.

I also want to make it very clear – the products I reviewed were only a very small example of each of the companies I ordered from (and there are many more companies that have their own twist on these products as well – you will want to shop around!) All of them have an amazing array of products and possibilities, so it’s up to you to decide which one appeals to you most.

In the end, however, I would be quite happy with a full stash from any of them – they were all 100% better than disposables, and each company has a mission to help women, make our periods more pleasant and sustainable, and have a little fun while we’re at it, which is something I can totally get behind.

This was actually a relief to me – I was afraid I would order something and hate it, but that didn’t happen with any of the products I tried.

If you’re still unsure, I do want to provide a few extra resources for you. First, company websites:

Moms Crafts 4 U – http://www.etsy.com/shop/MomsCrafts4U (Etsy store, Canadian based)
Lunapads – http://lunapads.com/ (there are little flags at the top to switch between Canada and US)
Caterpillar Baby – http://www.caterpillarbaby.com/ (Toronto based cloth diaper retailer that sells the Diva Cup)
GladRags – http://www.gladrags.com/ (Portland, Oregon based company)
Party in My Pants – http://partypantspads.com/ (Ashland, Wisconsin based sister owned business)
Jade & Pearl – http://www.jadeandpearl.com/catalog/ (Florida based company)

Do check out their Facebook pages as well – they often post discounts and specials (I think many of them have upcoming Earth Day sales!)

And finally, I wanted to give you a few more reviews on each brand, so if you’re really interested in something, you don’t just have to take my word for it!

(Just FYI, I am not affiliated with or purposefully promoting the blogs below, though some of them are blogs I like and read regularly)

MomsCrafts4U Reviews

Lunapads Reviews

Diva Cup Reviews

Sea Sponge Tampon Reviews

GladRags Reviews

Party in my Pants Reviews

After all this, you may find another brand or style that suits you better – I am totally cool with that! My main hope is that a few of you who were mama cloth curious got some of the answers you needed, and that I’ve encouraged people along the path to more natural, sustainable ways of dealing with Aunt Flo.

Do you have a favourite cloth pad or other reusable menstrual product? Would love to hear about it – share in the comments and tell me why you love it!

Disclaimer: I purchased all the products I am reviewing with my own money (though 2 of the pads were a gift). The giveaway has been donated. I am not affiliated with any of the companies I will be reviewing with the exception of Earth Mama Angel Baby – I do receive a small commission from them if you purchase through my link. I am committed to full disclosure and to offering you un-biased, helpful information in this blog.