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Period Panties

If you, like me, are cursed with a monthly cycle, you might well have heard of period panties. The principle behind them is pretty simple – they’re undies, with the gusset being made up of multiple layers of material to wick fluid away from the surface and deep into an absorbent inner layer. You rinse them out, then chuck them into the washing machine, air dry them and have them available for reuse. The major selling point is that this is way more eco-friendly than traditional menstrual products (pads and tampons), as you’re no longer creating waste each month to go into landfill.

I made the switch a few months ago, and honestly, I’ve come to appreciate them more than I even thought I would. The environmental benefits are nice and all, but period panties actually feel so much more comfy and secure than pads and tampons ever did. The brand I’ve got is Bonds' Bloody Comfy Undies. These were available just in my local supermarket so were a really convenient choice, but there are loads of different brands and many ways/places to buy them. If you’re considering picking some up, I’d just suggest reading some reviews to make sure you get the right size (the fit should be tighter than normal undies, but not too tight).

When I first put mine on, it felt like swimwear – that kind of fabric, you know. And as the day went on, it just got clearer and clearer that this is way more comfortable than wearing pads. I mean, it feels kind of similar, but because the padding is in-built it can’t ever slip out of place. No worries about leaks! And because it wicks fluid away from the surface, it doesn’t feel gross against your skin, at least not unless it’s past time to change it. The comfort and worry-free nature of them means you can almost even forget you have your period 🙂

I do say “almost”… personally I have found that even the pairs rated for “heavy” flow don’t actually last a whole day at the heaviest point of my period, so I have to change in the morning and in the evening instead of just once a day. Which is not a big deal, really, but it is a little point of difference from my regular routine. Also it’s probably something to be aware of if you’re trying to work out how many pairs you need to buy!

Overall, I’ve been extremely happy using period panties! I wish they’d been “a thing” when I was an adolescent, because they’d have spared me sooooo much frustration (and the occasional embarrassment 😳). So much comfier and virtually foolproof. If you’ve ever kind of considered it but not taken the plunge (which would’ve described me for at least a year or two), I would say they’re pretty unlikely to disappoint.