My Dear "Kindred Spirit,"

My Dear “Kindred Spirit,”

I had to put the dots in the title so you’d realize RUMPS is an acronym, and that I’m not writing an entire post about rearends.

As most of you know, I have some rather strong hippie tendencies. Kombucha, raw milk, no shoes, worms under my sink… All that good stuff and more.

Well.

*wiggles eyebrows*

These hippie tendencies also present themselves rather strongly in the… err… feminine… parts of life.

Men, now would be a good time to leave. (No, seriously. I’m about to start discussing decidedly female subjects at length here, and if you choose to stick around any trauma you may experience by reading the rest of this post is on your own head. You have been warned!)

Ok, ladies. I know you’re all wondering what “RUMPS” are.

Re-usable Menstrual Products.

Anddd… I just lost about half my remaining audience, didn’t I?

Oh well.

I was actually going to start this post with my own personal menstrual product “journey,” but I think I’ve already lost enough of my audience, so I’m gonna start this from a slightly different angle.

Let me begin by just explaining to you, without the personal story at the moment, what different kinds of reusable menstrual products are available. Right now the three most well known reusable menstrual products on the market are: reusable pads, menstrual cups, and period panties.

Reusable pads come in all different shapes, colors, sizes, materials, etc. You can even find patterns and make your own. After using a pad, you rinse and/or soak, then wash.

Menstrual cups also come in many different shapes and sizes. Many company have two sizes – a smaller size for younger women who have not given birth vaginally, and a slightly larger size for women who have given birth vaginally, or are a little older. Cup material varies a bit, with some being extremely soft and flexible, while others are much more stiff and pop open easily.

Period Panties seem to be the newcomers to the market. They’re simply panties with multiple layers of material, slightly thicker than normal panties but not as thick as a pad. After you’ve used them you rinse and then wash.

But why would a woman be interested in using any of the above re-useable menstrual products? What’s wrong with conventional tampons and pads?

Well, off the top of my head, I can easily think of at least 5 reasons to use reusable menstrual products rather than “normal” products:

1.Savings.

I don’t know how much money the average woman spends on menstrual products. But according to Google, it’s around $50 per year.

Honey, you can buy a menstrual cup that will last 10 years for $30. A full set of nice pads or period panties may cost a bit more than that, but still less than $100 and, again, they will last you years. Many RUMPS can be a bit more of an upfront investment, BUT they will all last you a whole lot longer!

2. Comfort.

You know that wet, sweaty, smelly, gross feeling of a pad that needs to be changed but you’re still sitting on it cuz you haven’t made it to the bathroom yet? Yeah. No. You don’t get that with RUMPS. Even the reusable pads feel so much more comfortable. They’re soft and the cloth is so much nicer to have against your body than plastic and goodness only knows what else. It’s soft and breathable. Comfortable!

3. Health.

I don’t think most women realize just how many chemicals they are placing on and in their body every cycle when they use conventional menstrual products. Unless you’re paying through the nose for the organic products, your pads and tampons are most definitely saturated in chemicals and pesticides. Your skin is your largest organ, and does absorb the things you put on or against it. Your body is taking in some of those chemicals, and they just might be contributing to your monthly cramps as well! Reusable products are a much safer, healthier option.

4. Self sufficiency.

Wouldn’t it be nice to never have to run to the store for more tampons or pads at the last minute when you’ve run out? To never be stuck asking a friend if she’s got any products on hand because you don’t and you need something?

Think about camping trips, hiking trips, road trips. Wouldn’t it be nice to not have to worry about being near a store and secure trash can in order to deal with Aunt Flo?

5. Good Stewardship.

You knew this one was coming. It’s true, though. Literally billions of used feminine products get tossed every year, and I really think we generate enough trash as it is. If there’s a way to avoid piling up the bloody pads and tampons, shouldn’t we take advantage of it? You know, part of the whole being “good stewards” of the earth thing.

Have I convinced you yet?

Good.

I’m gonna wrap this post up here, but please just consider it the prelude to the really good post with all the gory stuff. You can continue reading all about this fascinating subject in my next post!

Love, N.