My Little Secret…Revealed

I have a secret.  I’ve been hiding it for some time.  Only a few select friends know about it.  But a secret this good is just sinful to keep to myself!  I found a way to drastically reduce my monthly dependence on painkillers.  What did she just say?!?  Let me start from the beginning…

When my daughter was six months old, we made the switch from disposable diapers to cloth diapers.  It was determined that my daughter was severely allergic to disposable diapers.  One hour in a disposable diaper would leave a rash that would take three to seven days to heal.  I did a LOT of online research to find the best styles, patterns and materials for cloth diapers.  But isn’t this a story about the Green Mommy and painkillers?  Yes, I’m getting there.  Be patient.

I sew.  I sew a lot.  Ask me some time, I’ll tell you about it.  Sewing cloth diapers was an inexpensive and fun alternative to purchasing the premium style diapers that I loved so very much.  With all the diapers I made, there were scraps of material that I just couldn’t bear to part with (most sewers have a fabric hoarding disease…it’s contagious, too!).  I hung on to the scraps and occasionally, as needed, pieced together more diapers for my daughter or friends.

While doing all the research into cloth diapering I often came across links and tabs that read “For Mom” or “Mommy Care“.  I’m a mom…what’s for me?   As if a moth drawn to the flame, I clicked.  When I realized what I saw, I usually responded with an “Eww!” or a “No thanks”!  I’m a little slow on the uptake sometimes.  It took me a full year and a half to get over the “ick” factor and try my hand at making a few.  It was a personal dare.  I had to find something to do with all those perfectly good diaper fabric scraps!  I figured I could make a few and try them.  If I hated it, I could easily throw them away and no one would be the wiser.  It’s not like I planned to tell anyone.  It’s not like I was going to one day have a website and publicly announce to the world my little secret.  Nah, I’d be just fine!

Bare with me fellas, if you haven’t figured out what I’m talking about yet…well…

This is for the ladies, ok?

On my personal dare, I made two or three pads.  Simple in design, quick to sew up, and kinda cute!  I took a deep breath and put one on right before heading out the door.  What followed is kind of graphic.  Can you picture this?  I was sitting at dinner, with several friends, grinning like a Cheshire Cat.  I was SO comfortable and I couldn’t tell anyone why!  On the comfort level alone, I was sold.  My lucky little girl had her backside covered in absolute luxury for the past year and a half and I didn’t even know it!  No wonder babies that get placed into cloth diapers are so much happier!  And so very cranky when disposables are put back on!  I was on cloud nine!  Well, actually suede cloth, hemp and PUL.

I immediately made a few more pads and put them to use.  Unfortunately, I did not have time to complete my stash for several months.  I had about enough pads to make it through day one and two, then wash and wear again for the remainder of the week.  Go figure, that was a good thing.  Because of the gap in use, and 12-24 hours back in disposable products, I was able to discover something new that completely changed my world.

I have always had terrible cramps.  Give me a heating pad, a cup of chamomile tea, a pillow, 20 ibuprofen per day and 24-48 hours alone to curl up like a baby in a corner and sob.  I had tried it all.  Prescription pain killers didn’t help any more than over the counter drugs.  I even went on the Patch around the time I got married.  For the full year I was on it, it only made things worse.  I tried to reserve pain killers for my two worst days every month, so that I would not become immune to their helpful factors.  My mother is a nurse.  I know taking that much medication is not good.  I know, I know, I know. But I hurt! And the overdose buzz was a small price to pay to dull the pain.  It never totally helped, just made it more bearable.  Sigh.  Ok.  You get it.  Miss Flow and I did not have a good relationship.

One blessing I had on my side was predictability and regularity.  I always knew when and  how long my cramps would last.  For me, I could not wait for day three.  Like the sunshine peaking it’s head around the clouds after a hurricane, day three was relief.  So why then was I suddenly starting to get cramps on day three?  Odd, I thought.  And carried on with my pain management.  It took me several months to pin-point the onset of cramps and relate it to disposable pads.  I tested my theory over several more months.  My cramps seemed to be getting less severe on day one and two.  Must be a fluke, I thought.  Day three would come around and I’d be out of cloth pads.  I’d put on a disposable and carry on with my day.  Within an hour or so, my cramps would roll in.  What in the WORLD!?!  I did my best to recall blogs and customer reviews that I had read on reusable products.  What I read I had totally dismissed over the last year.  Was it really possible that the chemicals in the disposable products were making my periods heavier and more severe?  Other women had experienced relief, was I too one of those “other women“?

To test my theory, I made the time to complete my stash.  Over the next few short months my cramping was drastically reduced.  Friends, family members and employees started noticing a difference, even without me saying a word!  For the last year I have enjoyed my “time”.  Is it weird to suddenly feel empowered to be a woman?  The “ick” factor that I thought would be present isn’t a factor at all!  Who knew!  Disposable products are “icky” to me now!  The best part, a total surprise, one that I could never have dreamed, was that my cramping has been reduced to requiring no more than three Midol for an entire period.  Sometimes I get away with only one!  Midol!  That’s like taking a Tic-Tac for pain!  Wow!

I had the pleasure of sitting next to a pharmacist on a plane earlier this year.  We had a long flight and talked about cloth diapers.  The conversation moved to reusable feminine hygiene products.  I told her my experience.  I wanted to know if it was possible for me to have made up my experience or subconsciously cause myself to feel less pain.  She was certain that it was not and wanted to do more research on her own, stating my experience was significant.  I think so, too!  By the way, if you are that pharmacist, Hi!  You were absolutely lovely!

So there you have it.  The secret’s out!  Not only are disposable diapers terrible for our children, they are bad for us ladies, too!  For me, the medical reasons are enough to make me steer clear of disposable, chemical laden feminine products.  The comfort factor is also quite nice!  What’s your reason?

Consider this my personal dare to you!  This is a great product to try.  They even come with a mini, pink tote!  I love them and I know you will, too!

And now you know my secret.

Charlie Banana Feminine Secrets

Here’s a link to my personal stash…Nope, I can’t believe I’m sharing this either!  Eek!