Life giving linen

[pnwgypsy]

On 2/18/2016 at 8:33 PM, PennySycamore said:

Did you see that she sells linen TP?  Yep, linen toilet paper!

I believe that'd be family linen (TM).

 

but why would you wanna wipe your bottom with the holy linen?

[DaisyD]

It is bullshit to regulate external feminine hygiene products like that. I'd really love to see the TSS statistics from before disposables were available. Something tells me it was a helluva lot lower than it is now.

Do those of you that use cloth use the little straps that hold it, or have things changed? I love my Diva cup, but I remember finding weird little straps in my mom's dresser once and she said they were to hold a pad before they were sticky.

[AliceInFundyland]

I like toilet paper.

[Jingerbread]

8 hours ago, THERetroGamerNY said:

I hate myself for actually looking this up, but at any rate: The FDA regulates the pads due to biological health concerns, such as Toxic Shock Syndrome.

http://www.fda.gov/medicaldevices/deviceregulationandguidance/guidancedocuments/ucm071781.htm

Internal products?  Fine.  Things that go in our non-medical-device underwear?  Not fine.

[Iokaste]

11 hours ago, Kittikatz said:

 

That said, this life giving linen sctick sounds like a whole lot of a craycray, so I think I'll stick with plain old Scandinavian cotton

Actually flax, hemp and nettle were used for textiles here in Scandinavia long before cotton was :-D 

[MamaJunebug]

First off, I've been out of the game (thank heaven and Dr. A!) for quite a while, so I hadn't heard "shark week" in this context until this topic...

....I laughed so hard, my spare tire was jiggling!

Big Mama Junebug remembered hearing about monthly rags and considered her generation most fortunate to have the convenience of Kotex, kept in place with that horrid elastic waist strap that had metal (!!!) flat fasteners hanging down from tabs on back and front.  

The fasteners were flat and oblong with a pointy middle. The pads had long, unpadded strips on both ends. You pierced the long thin strips with those points, then wrapped any excess strip around the fastener. 

Yeah, it was a treat. 

Imagine wearing that li'l contraption with a cotton, unelasticized garter belt, and underdrawers, and a half slip under your skirt waistband. In summer in the Midwest. Yeah ...

(Personal note: I'm belatedly starting to understand my personal aversion to thong panties.  And summer heat.)

Any old how, the worst thing BMJB told me was how, when she was a young woman in the 1940's, clerks would wrap your purchases in brown paper and tape.  The size and shape of the Kotex boxes were distinctive and young jerks would hoot at young women carrying an obvious Kotex purchase.   So BMJB would purchase something in addition to her pads, to be less obvious, even though she barely had enough money for food and rent.

(Hey, Doug Phillips Is A  Rapey Tool's daughters -- you want to be really authentic in your 1940's ladies' interpretation? Down to your skin? Just saying.)

(More self-awareness: that wrapped-Kotex-box story was probably one of my first moments of feminist outrage, thinking that boys -- who never had to deal with any of that! -- got away with making girls even more miserable.)

BMJB lived long enough to know about adhesive pads. I think she was happy on my and later generations' behalfs. 

Finally, thanks again for referencing shark week. It's been a hard few weeks and I was overdue a really good laugh. 

Giving you all, all the reputations!!!

ETA: at least until 2004 or so, stores like Kohls & TJMaxx sold boxes of men's hankies, especially around Christmas. For those who wonder if they're still available 

[Gimme a Free RV]

Thanks for the tour down memory lane, @MamaJunebug.  When my time came along around age 11, those awful strap contraptions were thankfully on their way out but it would be years before I would be wearing protection that wasn't as thick and bulky as a twin mattress.

[PennySycamore]

@MamaJunebug, thanks for giving that explanation of how it used to be in the old days when we had to wear belts to keep our pads in place.

I know you in the younger set might find it hard to believe that the development of disposable pads was a real strike of freedom for women.  Women's attitudes about their periods began to change and they no longer felt so incapactitated a week out of the month. In ads during WW II, ads for Kotex, Modess, and San-A-Pak pads emphasized how good feminine protection would help women do their war work, and as one ad said, "the more women at work, the sooner we'll win the war."

Check out  The Museum of Menstruation  sometimes.  It's no longer a physical museum, but it's still online.

 

ETA: @Gimme a Free RV, when I had my first baby, they still had peri-pads that required a belt.  That did not feel good on a fresh c-section incision.  By the time I had my last baby, they had soft disposable peri-panties.  So much more comfortable!

[Kittikatz]

1 hour ago, Iokaste said:

Actually flax, hemp and nettle were used for textiles here in Scandinavia long before cotton was :-D 

So the Swedish store sold inauthentic product?!! I am SHOCKED and appalled hahahahaha. 

[Gimme a Free RV]

4 minutes ago, PennySycamore said:

@MamaJunebug

ETA: @Gimme a Free RV, when I had my first baby, they still had peri-pads that required a belt.  That did not feel good on a fresh c-section incision.  By the time I had my last baby, they had soft disposable peri-panties.  So much more comfortable!

To me, it has always seemed that institutions like hospitals and school health clinics always had old-school feminine hygiene products in stock.  Same with those metal dispensers that used to be prevalent in women's restrooms. 

[Kittikatz]

7 hours ago, daisyd681 said:

It is bullshit to regulate external feminine hygiene products like that. I'd really love to see the TSS statistics from before disposables were available. Something tells me it was a helluva lot lower than it is now.

Do those of you that use cloth use the little straps that hold it, or have things changed? I love my Diva cup, but I remember finding weird little straps in my mom's dresser once and she said they were to hold a pad before they were sticky.

The washable pads I've used and seen all had some sort of wing on the underside that wraps around the underside of the panty's crotch and snaps or Velcro's in place. Personally, I've found both work well to hold them in place and I can't feel the little snap at all when I'm wearing them. The Velcro has sometimes caused irritation on my non thigh-gap gams. There may well be other methods of attachment - I'm far from a product expert

[Gimme a Free RV]

11 hours ago, pnwgypsy said:

I believe that'd be family linen (TM).

but why would you wanna wipe your bottom with the holy linen?

I'd rather use a banana leaf.

[Loveday]

36 minutes ago, PennySycamore said:

@MamaJunebug, thanks for giving that explanation of how it used to be in the old days when we had to wear belts to keep our pads in place.

I know you in the younger set might find it hard to believe that the development of disposable pads was a real strike of freedom for women.  Women's attitudes about their periods began to change and they no longer felt so incapactitated a week out of the month. In ads during WW II, ads for Kotex, Modess, and San-A-Pak pads emphasized how good feminine protection would help women do their war work, and as one ad said, "the more women at work, the sooner we'll win the war."

Check out  The Museum of Menstruation  sometimes.  It's no longer a physical museum, but it's still online.

 

ETA: @Gimme a Free RV, when I had my first baby, they still had peri-pads that required a belt.  That did not feel good on a fresh c-section incision.  By the time I had my last baby, they had soft disposable peri-panties.  So much more comfortable!

Thanks for this link, I'm now in vintage ad heaven! I came of menstrual age as old-style pads were phasing out and Stayfree-type pads were coming in, so I've experienced both worlds. But I had no idea that Kotex came about as a result of the creativity by necessity of nurses in WWI. 

[smittykins]

2 hours ago, Gimme a Free RV said:

Thanks for the tour down memory lane, @MamaJunebug.  When my time came along around age 11, those awful strap contraptions were thankfully on their way out but it would be years before I would be wearing protection that wasn't as thick and bulky as a twin mattress.

Thankfully, I came of age in the adhesive-pad era, but when I went to Girl Scout camp the summer after I started(at age 10.5)and Aunt Flo paid a visit, all they had was the belted ones.  Not. Fun.

And the mum.org site is a true rabbit hole (of the best kind).  I don't think even the rescue ferrets could drag me out. 

[SilverBeach]

10 hours ago, daisyd681 said:

It is bullshit to regulate external feminine hygiene products like that. I'd really love to see the TSS statistics from before disposables were available. Something tells me it was a helluva lot lower than it is now.

Do those of you that use cloth use the little straps that hold it, or have things changed? I love my Diva cup, but I remember finding weird little straps in my mom's dresser once and she said they were to hold a pad before they were sticky.

It was a belt with tabs at the top that held the pad in place, before adhesive and wings and all of that. I came of age during this era. Glad it's over, was overjoyed to discover tampons, which have also improved over the decades.

[PennySycamore]

There was some movie I saw years ago (Wasp Woman perhaps?) where I swear you could see the barest outlines of the main actress's sanitary belt.  I wish I could see that film again and confirm what I think I saw.

[Granwych]

11 hours ago, daisyd681 said:

It is bullshit to regulate external feminine hygiene products like that. I'd really love to see the TSS statistics from before disposables were available. Something tells me it was a helluva lot lower than it is now.

Do those of you that use cloth use the little straps that hold it, or have things changed? I love my Diva cup, but I remember finding weird little straps in my mom's dresser once and she said they were to hold a pad before they were sticky.

Oh yes, those elastic belts with a little Y-thing on each end to snag the tails of the pads on.  Thank heavens for adhesive pads.

[Handmaiden of Dog]

So if the FDA is so concerned that pads, which only touch the labia, could lead to Toxic Shock Syndrome then why do they not regulate panties as well?  They touch the same part of the body.  This makes zero sense.  Or if there are regulations concerning panties (what do I know) then why is that not applicable to pads?  I mean I get that the government doesn't want people to be applying asbestos to their nether regions but a pad that is marketed as reusable cloth is really no different than reusable cloth panties and should be treated as such by the FDA. 

On the question of cotton vs. disposable, I can't stand paper napkins.  I have a big supply of soft, cotton napkins that can go into the hot water/bleach load along with the kitchen towels, the bath towels, and the white socks. I get them out of the dryer as soon as it is done and fold them and they look fine.  I do have linen napkins but they never look good unless you iron them.

[missegeno]

Nope. There is no way I'm going back to disposables. Washable cotton like my panties or expensive, chemical laden plastic that always manages to stick to me more than my underwear. My vulva is pretty clear about which option it prefers, and it's not the one the the FDA suggests.

[bjr70]

On 2/20/2016 at 4:09 PM, missegeno said:

Nope. There is no way I'm going back to disposables. Washable cotton like my panties or expensive, chemical laden plastic that always manages to stick to me more than my underwear. My vulva is pretty clear about which option it prefers, and it's not the one the the FDA suggests.

I'm thankfully in early menopause (I don't miss periods at all), but the last ten years I used a menstrual cup and cotton pads. I wish I'd discovered them so much earlier! I have sensitivity to both materials and scents, and I had zero issues once I switched. Can't recommend cloth pads strongly enough, though mine were super soft cotton, and did no crazy "life-giving" tricks.

[MamaJunebug]

3 hours ago, Handmaiden of Dog said:

So if the FDA is so concerned that pads, which only touch the labia, could lead to Toxic Shock Syndrome then why do they not regulate panties as well?  They touch the same part of the body.  This makes zero sense.  Or if there are regulations concerning panties (what do I know) then why is that not applicable to pads?  I mean I get that the government doesn't want people to be applying asbestos to their nether regions but a pad that is marketed as reusable cloth is really no different than reusable cloth panties and should be treated as such by the FDA. 

On the question of cotton vs. disposable, I can't stand paper napkins.  I have a big supply of soft, cotton napkins that can go into the hot water/bleach load along with  and fold them and they look fine.  I do have linen napkins but they never look good unless you iron them.

Oh please--don't give them

any ideas!!!! 

[AnywhereButHere]

5 hours ago, SilverBeach said:

It was a belt with tabs at the top that held the pad in place, before adhesive and wings and all of that. I came of age during this era. Glad it's over, was overjoyed to discover tampons, which have also improved over the decades.

Sadly, I remember these.  Nothing like stringing up a small diaper between your legs once a month. I was so impressed and ecstatic when the adhesive pads came out (it's the little things in life...). 

I will always associate growing up with the chastity belt maxi pads and this deodorant. 

 

[MarblesMom]

On 2/18/2016 at 3:11 AM, Dandruff said:

She makes linen menstrual pads for poodles?  Bet her Prince Charming will be really special  speshul.

There ya go.

[SilverBeach]

@AnywhereButHere, when my daughter was little and asked what a Kotex was (after seeing one of those ambiguous commercials on TV), I told her it was like a diaper for grown women. She skipped off to play and was happy with my abbrieviated description.

Back when sanitary belts were the norm, pantyhose had not been invented yet. So you wore a garter belt for stockings. Talking about uncomfortable, to be on your period and wearing stockings. Those were the bad old days. 

 

[Antimony]

5 hours ago, Handmaiden of Dog said:

So if the FDA is so concerned that pads, which only touch the labia, could lead to Toxic Shock Syndrome then why do they not regulate panties as well?  They touch the same part of the body.  This makes zero sense.  Or if there are regulations concerning panties (what do I know) then why is that not applicable to pads?  I mean I get that the government doesn't want people to be applying asbestos to their nether regions but a pad that is marketed as reusable cloth is really no different than reusable cloth panties and should be treated as such by the FDA. 

On the question of cotton vs. disposable, I can't stand paper napkins.  I have a big supply of soft, cotton napkins that can go into the hot water/bleach load along with the kitchen towels, the bath towels, and the white socks. I get them out of the dryer as soon as it is done and fold them and they look fine.  I do have linen napkins but they never look good unless you iron them.

Been reading a lot about the FDA regulations re: pads and while I agree that if they are just cloth they shouldn't be regulated, I believe this has to do largely with the issue of absorbent materials. MOST menstrual products you buy are packed with absorbent crystals to help this last longer. It's this, not the actual fabric, that increases the risk of TSS. Those absorbants are very small crystals and they can irritate a mucus membrane, including your inner labia, increasing infection risk. This is why you have a lower TSS risk with something like a menstrual cup or a sea sponge (I know some women who use these.)

If a seller is using any "extra absorbent" fabric, it could contain those small crystals, unbeknownst to everybody, and makes it a TSS risk.