Cloth menstrual pads for the plus sized woman

[sbilady]

Okay, I want to try using cloth pads again after a bad experience turned me off years ago. I think they may have been Lunapads, perhaps. They came in natural (organic?) fabric with no dye and had a place for inserts and a snap closure. Anyway, they did not work for me. My (ahem) thighs which are a very plus size (about a 16 in US women's), I believe caused them to come out of place and they never stayed put. It was terrible. This happens to me when I use disposables that don't have wings. They get scrunched up and offer no protection on the sides. The good thing is that the company had an excellent guarantee and I got my money refunded.

Soooo.......do any plus sized cloth pad users have any suggested brands I could look into, or even some patterns a novice seamstress could experiment with? I'm sure there's probably been a lot more innovation in the cloth pads market since I last tried them. I really want to get back into wearing the cloth. I think it could be so much better for my body.

[madiesmommy]

subbing...and wanted to add the problem with mine is they rub me and cause me to have bumps that are quite painful on my inner thigh as my undies sit lower than with a paper pad...looking forward to suggestions!

[jennlyn]

You need to wear snug fitting underwear to help hold them in place. I don't like the ones with velcro, because the velcro always seems to be scratchy. If you can't find what you want, I'd suggest making your own, I found a pattern on the net a while back, try doing a web search. You can enlarge the pads to fit however you want them to. This may sound risky to some, but you can use a safety pin to hold them closed if you make the kind with wings and wrap them around your underwear.

[sbilady]

Hmm.. I never thought about the underwear being part of the problem. I usually wear Hanes cotton briefs. Come to think of it, they can be a little on the loose side especially as they age. Any ideas on something more snug fitting?

[MoonWillow]

I am plus size and have recently started using the Glad Rags. I am not sure how they differ from Luna Pads but I like them so far. I know what you mean though about needing a good pad when you are plus size. I wish I could find something a bit longer.

[MelanieMC]

I am also plus sized and I use these from New Moon Pads. I use them with their "moon wraps", which are like wings. They work wonderfully and I've never had a problem with them moving around. Here are the moon wraps. I also love that they have so many fabric choices. They're really cute and they work so well.

[Arwyn]

I had to make my own to get the right size (mostly length). I based it off the Pretty Pads pattern, but without the waterproof layer, and in pocket form. I rarely have issues with them, but I don't think I've ever had the issue you're talking about.

[Ruthla]

I like wearing bikinis when I have my period- it's a throwback to when I wore bikinis while pg. This works during my period for the same reasons- it fits below my belly (where most of my fat lies) and it keeps pressure off my belly (which is usually bloated and uncomfortable when I'm menstruating.

I can go a size down in bikinis vs briefs, so they fit more snugly. I don't know if this would work for somebody who carries their weight differently, but I have very small hips and tush in proportion to my belly.

[Rebecca]

A night-sized or heavy flow pad would be your best bet. Something longer and wider. I liked gladrags night pads for a full-coverage pad. The regular ones are too narrow and slide around too much.

A washcloth makes a great pad for a bigger girl. The terry nap keeps it from sliding out of place and you can fold it as wide as you need.

[laohaire]

I like to wear bike shorts (or similar tight-fitting shorts or leggings) over my undies when I'm on my moon time (unless, of course, it's really hot out). It keeps everything in place, and I also believe it reduces the odor factor a bit (another layer) not that I really worry about that.

[chrissy18966]

I just lost some weight, so I'm in about size 14 now (still plus). I just started using mama cloth 2 months ago. So far I'm really liking Essence of Eve & 2 cute to resist

[milliegirl]

I am a size 16. Tried Glad Rags a while back and they didn't stay put and made me feel wet/uncomfortable. I decided to try cloth pads again and found these on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php...ng_id=18198463. Love them, very soft, comfortable and absorbent. I tend to have very heavy flow, so went w/ postpartum pads, but they offer a longer length regular pad too.

[ashleyhaugh]

im plus sized too, and all of mine are from www.motherandmaiden.com she has lots of different sizes, i like the 10" ones. i havent bought any in a while though, its like diapers, i have too many oh, and i get them with wings and snaps

[DoomaYula]

I'm plus size and love my Mother and Maiden pads. They're made by a wahm here on MDC!