Yes, you read the title correctly, I said "Mama Cloth". Now before you squeamishly jump back from your computer, let me explain. I too was once squeamishly uncomfortable about mama cloth and well, a lot of other things that I now do on a daily basis! I have found that all of the things that I said, "I would never!" about are the very things that I have done or have said. (Those fated "nevers" could seriously take up a whole, long post) So, added to my list of, "things-I-said-I-would-never-do-but-am-now-doing" is mama cloth.
I grew up a Star Wars fan and I think Yoda said it best:
"Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny, consume you it will..."
Well, I don't think that I am traveling down a dark path, I like to think of it as a "greener" path! And in some ways, it can be consuming (in the best sense of the term) and I guess I am speaking from *ahem* experience (slight cloth diaper addiction here).
Cloth diapering has was really my starting point for a greener lifestyle. Once my hubby and I incorporated cloth diapers into our life for our little man, it was only natural that cloth wipes followed. From there, I started researching other ways of adding greener things to our home. I had heard whispers and rumors of mama cloth and honestly, my first thought was, "I would never! Ewww! I just want to throw that away!" I'm not sure exactly what took me so long to catch onto the idea of cloth for myself. I remember mulling over (in I'm sure a disgruntled, PMS induced mood) the rising prices for pads and tampons as I was on yet another last minute run to the store for those lovely monthly feminine items. Now, I use coupons, but seriously, $8.99 a box for tampons and $6.99 for a box of regular pads? That barely gets me through the month! I was starting to get fed up with the reoccurring cost of monthly necessities. I then started thinking, I cloth diaper little man, so why was I using disposable pads? Then the light bulb went on. Cloth for me!?! Novel idea! I definitely liked the idea of making an investment in a product and being able to use it over and over again and since I have been cloth diapering little man for about a year now, that "eww" factor has pretty much subsided. So I decided to jump in an give mama cloth a try! I started to do some research and that is when I found Moms Crafts 4 U! Veronica is the woman behind Moms Crafts 4 U. As a mom, she specifically creates her items with other moms in mind. Here's a little bit about what makes the Moms Crafts 4 U Mama Pads so unique from Veronica's blog:
- Materials Used: The Moms Crafts 4 U Mama Pads can consist of multiple fabrics, depending on the coverage required. The following fabrics may be used for Mama Pads: 100% Cotton, 100% Cotton Flannel, ZORB (a super absorbent layer that holds 10x it's weight in less than half a second), PUL (an anti-leak fabric that does not allow liquid to go through) and Fleece (the fleece is not only used as an anti-leak layer, but it also helps them stay in place well, so they don't slip around) On each winged pad you will find Poly Resin Snaps for their closure.
- Types Of Pads: The pads come in different absorbency's to fit your individual needs: Light Coverage, Medium Coverage and Heavy Coverage. Light Coverage is panty liner thickness. Medium Coverage is similar to a regular maxi pad (normal flow). Heavy Coverage is a postpartum style that would be used for heavy flow (super absorbent).
- How to use/How they feel: Simply wrap around your panties and snap underneath. The fleece (fuzzy) side goes next to your panties & the cotton or flannel side goes next to your skin. These are soft & much more breathable than disposables!
- Simple Laundering Instructions: You can soak your pads, but not necessary! Simply throw them in your laundry & wash on cold cycle (hot water will set in any stains, this is why I suggest cold). You can use your normal laundry soap brand, no special soap needed. Throw in the drier (heat can go up as high as 160 degrees before shrinkage will occur) and you are done. Simply launder and these will be ready for wear. You should NOT use fabric softener or fabric dryer sheets as it repels any liquid on the pads (if you have, simply run through the wash again).
- How long will they last: These will last you many, many years, You can reuse over & over. Average life of a cloth pad is 6-7 years.
- How many should I have: You will want 10-20 cloth pads to go completely disposable free (depending on your flow).
- Saving Money: You will have to spend a little up front, but the return is amazing!! You can always start out with a few cloth pads & build up your stash slowly a couple every month. On average a woman pays $10-15 every period...That is $120-$180/year!!
After chatting about what products might work best for me, Veronica sent me
- one 10" Regular/Medium flow (size 2) pad in Green Peace Signs Flannel
- one 10" Heavy flow (size 3) Pink Roses cotton knit and
- one 12" Heavy flow Chocolate Brown with Pink Dots Cotton Knit.
So, what did I think about my new mama cloth? After getting a chance to use them this past month, I really, really love them! They are much softer and more comfortable than I thought they would be. The flannel is my favorite as far as softness and "feel" goes. Performance wise, I think I was most impressed by the 12" Heavy flow Chocolate Brown with Pink Dots in Cotton Knit for night time use! I am an avid stomach sleeper and this pad really held up to the test! Compared to disposables, I can hardly tell that they are there and I don't mind saying goodbye to the "crinkly" disposable pad sound! I also really like that I don't have to riiiiip off the sticky backing from my underwear! Snapping and unsnapping the cloth pads is super simple and once they are in place, they don't move or slip around. No need to worry that they might look "bulky" when you're wearing them either, because they aren't noticeable at all. Now, the one thing I was nervous about was absorption/leaks. The general guideline is that you change cloth pads about as often as you would a disposable. Honestly, the first few days of my period are awful and I was dreading an embarrassing "incident" with cloth pads. Well, I actually did better than I anticipated! I did have one small leak, around the side edges/wing area with the regular/medium flow pad. I had actually forgotten that I was wearing a pad and left it on for much too long. As with any pad though, disposable or not, I have gotten leaks through the wings or over the top or bottom before. When it came time to change my pad, I simply unsnapped it and stored it in a small wet bag until I was ready to wash them. Washing them was actually easy peasy and not "ewwy" at all - I just put them in a mesh laundry bag and let the washing machine do all the work! I have dryer balls as permanent residents in my dryer so I don't have to worry about accidentally using dryer sheets on them either (although, I usually let them air dry).
Moms Crafts 4 U Mama Pads easily fold up and over to create a pad that fits in your hand (these medium and heavy mama pads are about the same size as a regular maxi pad). Now, while I did not use these pads away from home, they would be easy enough to take anywhere.
Well, I can definitely say, I will not be needing to return to the "feminine care aisle" of the store. I am a cloth pad convert for sure and will be working on adding to my monthly stash. Aside from the greener issue of less waste being sent to the landfill, they are simply more comfortable for me. They are surprisingly absorbent and (I know this may sound silly), but "at that time of the month" having something to use that has fun fabric actually makes me happy. They don't increase the amount of laundry I do (I'm already doing plenty!). Cloth pads are reusable and in the long run, it will save me money- I really like that! I have really enjoyed stretching my perceptions and learning about a new, greener option. Cloth pads have definitely taken the place of store-bought, disposable pads!
"To change one's life: Start immediately. Do it flamboyantly. No exceptions."
~William James
Looking to start using mama pads? Or are you looking to add to your stash? You can purchase Moms Crafts 4 U Mama Pads and wet bags from Veronica's Etsy store. Mama Pads range in price from $5.50-$11.50 each. She even has Sampler Kits, starting at just $26, if you aren't sure where to start!
Veronica has a wide variety of pretty fabrics, prints and solid colors.
-OR-
Here's how to enter:
Mandatory Entry:
- First, you must publicly follow my blog via GFC and fan/like Moms Crafts 4 U on Facebook (make sure to leave a comment thanking Veronica for this giveaway)!
*This mandatory entry must be completed for the rest of your entries to be valid. I will be checking/verifying your comments, if you say you signed up for something or did something, you do need to actually do it for it to count as an entry*
Extra Entries:
- Follow Moms Crafts 4 U on Twitter and comment here with your Twitter ID to get your entry. (1 entry)
- Add my button to your blog and leave me a link (2 entries)
- Follow The Little Hedgehog on Facebook. (1 entry)
- Follow me on Twitter: @lttlehedgehog then, comment here with your Twitter ID to get your entry. (1 entry)
- Tweet about this giveaway. Comment with a direct link to your tweet so I can see it to get your entry! You may use this tweet or make up your own: Enter to #Win a set of 3 Mama Cloth Pads from @MomsCrafts4U on the @lttlehedgehog blog! http://bit.ly/hdh7ZW {Ends 4/21} #Green #giveaway (1 entry per day)
- Sign up to receive the little hedgehog emails via feedburner and have your subscription verified. (2 entries)
- Blog about this review/giveaway. Be sure to include a link to this review/giveaway. Comment with a link to your blog post to get your entry! (2 entries)
*Don't forget to put your email address in each comment so I can get a hold of you if you are the lucky winner! If I cannot get a hold of you, I will have to draw another winner! Also, I will check to make sure that the winner filled out the mandatory entry.
Open to the US and Canada!
I'll accept entries until Thursday, April 21, 2011 at Midnight PST. I'll select a winner using random.org's random number generator, then email the winner. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email and if I don't get a response, I will have to choose another winner. Again, make sure you leave your email address in your comment!
*Moms Crafts 4 U will be sending the winner’s prize item to them directly.
Thank you to Veronica of Moms Crafts 4 U for providing me with the opportunity to host this review and giveaway at no cost to myself. The items were sent to me free of charge for review and has not influenced my opinion of the product. I have sought to give my honest opinions and experiences on this product. The views and opinions expressed on this blog are purely my own. Thank you again to Moms Crafts 4 U for sponsoring this review and giveaway!
