Mama Cloth: The Pros & Cons Of Reusable Feminine Products

Have you ever heard the term ‘Mama Cloth’?

If you are a crunchy mom, or a member of the cloth diaper community, chances are you have. And amongst the environmentally conscious, many women are turning to reusable products for nearly everything in their home! But what exactly is “Mama Cloth?”

Basically, reusable cloth pads for your…you know..ladies’s time.

Bear with me…this won’t be a gross post! But I did try the controversial hygiene products, and if you’re ever considering them, here’s some things to take into consideration…

The following is a sponsored post in which i received free product in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are 100% my own.

Why is Mama Cloth So Popular?

I teamed up with Sew Sweet Creations to try out this new way of dealing with “that time.” The concept itself is pretty simple: instead of spending so much money a month on such a disposable item, you simply invest in something you can reuse. Kinda like cloth diapers for your babies! And the reasons for going cloth are about the same for Mama Cloth, as it is choosing cloth diapers over disposables.

  • Cheaper in the long run
  • Environmentally friendly = less carbon footprint
  • Reduced risks of skin irritations, allergic reactions, discomfort

The only differences being that the baby wears one type of cloth, and Mom wears…another. Oh yeah, and the stuff they catch.

But the reasons are still very valid. Feminine hygiene products can get outrageously expensive – especially if you suffer from endometriosis, or have irregular periods in general (my Nexplanon birth control implant gives me hell each month). So you can’t blame someone for wanting to cut back on expenses. Or, if they have reactions to the materials found in tampons or pads.

But that’s gross!

Of course, I can understand why this turns a lot of women off automatically. Baby poop is one thing… your period is another. And me personally-I don’t like pads or panty liners. BUT because these are so new, and such a trending topic, i did want to give them a fair shot, because anything that will save money is worth trying, right?

So, I did…and here’s what I learned…

Absorbent Materials

The mama cloth pads made by Sew Sweet Creations are usually topped Mama Clothwith a cotton jersey knit, with a bamboo core and backed with hidden PUL. If you use cloth diapers, then that made sense. But if you don’t, this means the core of the pad itself is EXTREMELY absorbent, because bamboo can hold a lot of liquid! The PUL material makes this waterproof, which is ideal for leak protection, just like a Mama Clothcloth diaper.

The backs of the mama cloth pads are made of a corduroy, which creates a grippy hold for reduced slippage, and they also include wings for underwear protection.  So they aren’t much different than what you’ll buy in the store, only you won’t throw this away. You’ll wash, and reuse.

Comfortable?

Well, again, I prefer tampons. Just me. BUT while I did test these, I can say there wasn’t much of a difference between the mama cloth and the disposable. I did change them a lot more often than I probably needed, but some of that’s probably just my own paranoia. Never experienced anything bad, really. other than being on my period and eating a lot of ice cream.

How do you wash them?

Pretty much just like you would a cloth diaper. AND a lot of Moms just throw their cloth in with the baby’s. I did keep mine separate, however. And they came out like brand new, using the same solid wash routine I have with my son’s diapers.

Conclusion…

Pros: Save money, comfortable, no chemicals or harsh fragrances to worry about…

Cons: I’ve changed them probably twice as often as I probably would have a disposable. And I have to do my own special Mommy Laundry.

Mama Cloth is great – but I don’t think i can fully commit.

NOW HEAR ME OUT – I didn’t have a terrible experience using these! They actually work really well, and I can see this being a wonderful investment for a crunchy mama, looking to reduce expenses, be more environmentally sound, and avoid chemicals and fragrances. But for me – I just can’t quite fully commit to them. Just my personal preference in feminine hygiene products. I don’t like pads. Yes, the personal “ick” factor has a little to do with it. I have no problem with my son’s diapers, but when it comes to my stuff, I just didn’t care for it. Everyone has a different tolerance when it comes to “icky” stuff. But those are literally the only reasons I wouldn’t use these all the time. And it has more to do with me than it does Mama Cloth in general.

What I will hold on to these for, is something I would highly recommend other women to consider using with Mama Cloth. Emergency backup.

Because we’ve all been there-you’re at dinner, you’re on vacation…or it’s even 3 am and you’re at home. And you’ve run out of tampons! These make an excellent go-to emergency pad for those moments you need to haul butt to the store, and you can’t (or won’t) send someone to go for you. They are absorbent enough that you don’t need to worry about leakage (or waste rolls of tissue paper) and you can keep a couple stowed away for dire circumstances.

Mama Cloth

But again, just because I didn’t prefer ditching disposables altogether, doesn’t mean this isn’t a great way to reduce spending on feminine products, or use as an reusable alternative to manufactured products. I would say this is worth a try, and if anything, you can always use your small Mama Cloth stash as a good backup, just in case!

I do want to thank Erin at Sew Sweet Creations for letting me try these, as they will always keep a place just for emergencies! And do check out her site for more Mama Cloth options, as well as other handmade products!

 

Mama Cloth-The Pros and Cons of using reusable feminine hygiene products

Author: Jasmine

SAHM to one little boy, and wife to a former member of the USMC. I blog about parenting, relationships, brands I love, and product reviews!

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