Bloodcatchers and Other Practical Matters

by Alana Wingfoot

Note: The companies and sites that I've linked to are ones that I found on the Web; I don't have personal experience with them.

Pads

Most storebought pads have adhesive strips on the back so you can attach them to your underpants. There used to be pads that you fastened into a belt that you wore around your waist, but I'm not sure whether those are still made. [I've since been told that they are; see the comments section at the bottom of the page.] The storebought pads are usually disposable; when you take them out, wrap them in toilet paper if you want and put them in the trash. DO NOT FLUSH PADS -- you'll clog the toilet. And PLEASE, if you're in a public restroom, don't leave them on the back of the seat. It's impolite anyway and particularly rude in this day of HIV fears.

Reusable Pads

Pads can be sewn from muslin or flannel; you can fill them with absorbent material or just use several layers of fabric. You can make a belt to wear them, or you can sew Velcro fasteners to the pad and to a special pair of underwear, or you can use safety pins; some people find that they don't even need fasteners, depending on the pad fabric and underwear fabric.

When you change them, if you're concerned about stains you can soak them in cold water immediately; if you aren't worried about it, you can just wash it later. You'll also want to carry a plastic bag that you can put the used pads in until you get home and can toss them in the wash.

Advantages to pads:

• Since they don't go in the body, the shape and size of your vagina doesn't matter. Pads can be used by women of any age; they're a common choice for girls who have just begun menstruation.
• You have no risk of toxic shock syndrome.

• Since they're outside your body, the blood can get in contact with air, and a pad left on for a long time may develop an odor. This isn't necessarily a problem -- our society is far too finicky about natural body odors -- but if you're concerned about odor, make sure you change your pad at least every three to four hours.
• Leakage. Many of us report that pads leak at night or off the sides, though one of us has a solution to this (see our experiences for more information).
• Pads are outside your body -- which means that you can't wear them when swimming, and they can be visible under very tight clothing. How much of a disadvantage this is, if at all, depends on your activities and your attitudes. If you never go near a swimming pool, you never wear tight pants or leotards, or you don't care if someone can tell you're menstruating, this won't be a problem. And keep in mind that 99% of your activities can still be done while wearing a pad.
• Disposable pads may present something of an ecological problem; you can go through several thousand pads in your lifetime, and all those pads have to be manufactured and then added to our landfills. Of course, you can avoid this by using cloth pads that you wash and reuse, but then you have to factor in the cost and energy of the washing. A lot of the discussion in the cloth-vs-disposable diaper debate applies here as well (wonderful comparison, eh?).
• Some women are concerned about hazards from the chemical used to bleach many disposable pads. A few companies do make unbleached menstrual pads, disposable or reusable.
• Some women find that pads chafe their inner thighs. This can sometimes be helped by switching brands or changing to another type of pad.

Pad Links

• Gladrags Reusable cloth pads.
• NatracareChlorine-free cotton pads and tampons.
• Wild Witch Washables Reusable cloth pads
• Women's Choice, part of Poncho Villa Ltd. Reusable cloth pads; a Canadian company.

Tampons

Advantages to tampons:

• When you properly insert a tampon, you don't feel it.
• As they're worn internally, you can swim while wearing a tampon.
• If you're concerned about odor, tampons do tend to be less smelly than pads, since they're internal.
• Tampons can't be seen through tight clothing.

• Tampon use increases your risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome, an illness whose exact causes are still unknown. To reduce your risk, use only the absorbency of tampon you need, and change tampons regularly.
• When the string on a tampon gets wet, it can act as a wick to carry bacteria into your vagina, leading to possible infections. Try not to urinate on the tampon string, and be especially careful when you have a bowel movement.
• Because tampons should be changed every 3 or 4 hours, most sources recommend that you not wear them at night.
• As with pads, some people are concerned that the dioxins produced by chlorine-bleaching the cotton will cause health problems, and in fact may cause greater problems than with chlorine-bleached pads because the tampons are worn internally; some also think that synthetic materials in tampons or any pesticides used in growing the cotton can cause problems as well. If you're concerned about this, you can use tampons made from unbleached organic cotton, or you can switch to another kind of bloodcatcher. (We know of no health concerns with the cotton itself, but we don't know of any studies on this topic either.)
• Not all women can use tampons. If you can't insert a tampon without pain, then don't force yourself to use it! Pads do a perfectly good job.

Tampon Links

• NatracareChlorine-free cotton tampons and pads; some advocacy information.
• EcoYarn Co An Australian company manufacturing 100% organic cotton tampons. (Note: As of September 1998, some of the links on their page work oddly. If the link in one part of the page doesn't work, try the one in the bottom bar.)
• terra femme Chlorine-free cotton tampons; advocacy for safer menstrual products.
• S.P.O.T. An advocacy page for safer menstrual products; their article archive is quite interesting.

Sponges

Now cut it up into several pieces. Cut them to about the length of your favorite tampon and about twice the diameter. You might need to experiment a bit, so don't cut your main piece all up at once. You will want two or three pieces to work with. You should change them as often as you would regular tampons. If they should leak before that, then you need to cut your pieces a little larger. Take the used sponge and rinse it out in the sink and put it in a little container of hydrogen peroxide. The hydrogen peroxide disinfects and cleans out all the blood quite easily. When you are out in public places, just carry a few empty film canisters to pop the used sponge in to deal with later (if possible, rinse out before putting in the cannister, but if you can't it will hold for a few hours). After your period, boil the sponges, let them dry thoroughly, and store them until next time. Advantages to sponges:

• All the advantages to tampons apply here as well. You can wear sponges while swimming, they don't show, odor isn't a major problem.
• Since they do not have a wick, you do not risk infection like you can with most commercial tampons.

• In using this method, you must be very comfortable with touching your genitals and with getting blood all over your fingers. While it can be a very effective way of collecting your menstrual flow, it's a little messy changing them.
• Because the sponges don't have a wick, you may have to probe a bit to find it or to get a good grip on it for removal.
• Some women may find it embarrassing or impractical to rinse a bloody sponge in a public or office restroom.
• If you have trouble physically inserting a tampon, you might have some trouble with the sponge as well.

The Keeper

Advantages of the Keeper:

• It's completely reusable, and it doesn't take a great deal of water to clean it.
• Since the Keeper is worn internally, it has the same advantages that go with other interally-worn menstrual products.
• The Keeper catches the blood rather than absorbing it, and it doesn't soak up the natural lubricants produced by the vaginal walls, which means that you can leave it in for long periods of time without worrying about Toxic Shock Syndrome. In fact, you can wear the Keeper overnight.
• If you've inserted it properly, it won't leak. (And unless you have really heavy flow, it's unlikely that the cup will overflow.)

• Removing it may take a little getting used to; you'll sometimes get blood on your fingers, so it might be wise to get some toilet paper first. (The removal is definitely messier than wearing it!)
• The product web page says that it's gum rubber rather than latex, so it shouldn't bother people with latex sensitivity, but I'd still suggest caution if you have some kind of rubber allergy. (On the other hand, it's got a three-month guarantee, so if you do have problems, you can return it.)
• The first couple times you use it, the rubber tab at the end may be a bit irritating. Trimming it to the appropriate length helps, and from my experience you get used to it pretty quickly.
• If you're uncomfortable with inserting your fingers into your vagina, or if you have trouble inserting tampons, then this definitely isn't the bloodcatcher for you. Also, you may not want to use it if you're in some situation where you can't wash your hands afterward.

Keeper Links

• Health Keeper, Inc. In Canada, but accepts U.S. orders as well.
• Voice of Women, Inc.In the U.S. Also has a European address for ordering the Keeper.

Instead

Advantages of Instead:

• Again, it's worn internally, so it has the standard pros of other internal bloodcatchers.
• Unlike most menstrual products, you can wear it while you're having sex.

• Since it's disposable, you have the same environmental issues as with other disposable menstrual products.
• It apparently comes in only one size; some women might have trouble getting it to fit properly.
• As far as I know, it's made with synthetic materials; if you're concerned about using menstrual products made from synthetic materials, you might want to pass on this one.

Instead Links

Dealing with Bloodstains

Or you can take the avoidance route. Some women have specific pairs of old underwear that they wear around or during their periods -- if they leak into that, big deal! My own favorite way to avoid bloodstains is to wear black underwear when I'm menstruating; the stains are invisible.

What We Use

I also nearly never stain (sometimes, but very rarely, usually when I'm sleeping). The secret to this is VERY simple -- do not use your standard panties when you wear one. The old cotton baggies or the nylon ones will slide all over and you are GUARANTEED to stain. What you want to use is a pair of control top panties about a half size too small -- the ones with the little tummy ocntrol panel in the front. I know it sounds weird -- I'm 125# and I actually do buy tummy control panties -- but they smash the pad against you and it doesn't MOVE. I'm not talking girdles, just a pair of VERY taut and sturdy polyester panties with a little tummy panel in the front. You can usually get them from Hanes catalogues or department stores in the regular underwear section. Get them a half size or so too small. That pad ain't gonna MOVE, and sometimes the extra support can feel nice when you feel sloshy down there.