Period Protection

[rachygal25]

This may seem an odd question, but what did people use for period protection year ago? Like in the victorian era and further back? Because we don't really learn about those sorts of things at school!

[Petal~flower]

I would think it would be rags, or old cloth

[rachygal25]

My sister told me that tampons have been around for years and years!

[cherrycherry]

as well as looking under Feminine Hygiene in Wikipedia, there is a section on the subject in the Lifestyle Lounge, section I love India (all one word) with the heading 'history of sanitary napkins'
sorry i cannot give you the link but my computer is having problems at the moment.
I remember when i was a kid it was rumoured that convent nuns still used the old reusable methods such as rabbit skins and layered rewashable rags, I can't bear to think how they could stand it but that's just me being squeamish and maybe a bit prudish...sorry

[Velvetee]

I once recall a lesson at school, regarding contraception methods through the ages. The one that stuck in my mind, was the Egyptians,( I think), who used a stone, inserted inside. I'm not sure how it would have guarded against pregnancy though and must have been painful for the man.

I know in some cultures, years ago, women would have to squat over a hole for their entire period. Menstruating women were prohibited from eating, sleeping or living with others during that time and were deemed as unclean.

[Ethel]

Both the mooncup and the tampon in a form we'd recognise today started in the 1930s, but many women were still boiling rags and towelling through the war years.

Right up until the mid 1960s sanitary towels were enormous pads held on by a belt - they certainly couldn't be flushed and were usually wrapped in newspaper and put in the bin, or burned.

Before that, it was a choice of washable pads of towelling or rags.

Wealthier ladies generally stayed at home during their periods, and were 'indisposed' , otherwise women had to make do.

[Velvetee]

I remember the "Dr Whites" sanitary pad with belt. It was the first sanitary protection my mother made me use, as she had used the same. I recall them being really ineffective and they had no waterproof inner lining, so accidents ocurred.

In my teens, I discovered the stick on sanitary towel, but still had to wear big, secure fitting pants. I don't think I wore tampons until I was almost 30. Thank goodness for tampons.

[Ice.Maiden]

Not always a good idea velvetee. One of my sister's ended up having toxic shock syndrome through using tampons. It made her really poorly.

[Ice.Maiden]

Urrrggghh niceboy!

[Velvetee]

Well Toxic Shock Syndrome is relatively rare and tends to occur when tampons are left in too long.

The manufacturers reccomend tampons shouldn't be worn for more than 8 hours at a time, but I personally change mine every 2 hours. Unfortunately, I have very heavy periods for the first 2-3 days, so if I want to leave the house, I need to wear a tampon and usually a light towel too.

[Ice.Maiden]

Sorry to hear that, Velvetee. Must be a bother for you. How on earth could anyone wear one tampon for 8 hours at a time??!!! That's gross!
I agree with you that not changing frequently can account for TSS. This wasn't so in my sister's case though. She just developed an allergy or something to using tampons - which she'd used for years before that, with no ill effects.

[Ethel]

Toxic shock syndrome is usually caused by bacteria - either staphylococcus aureus and streptococcus pyogenes - and is not an allergic reaction to materials.

Less half of TSS is caused by tampon use, so it is perfectly feasible that a woman could get it elsewhere whilst using tampons.

[beso]

There was a serious toxic shock problem with a particular brand of tampon in the seventies. If I recall correctly it was something to do witht th material used for the string.

[polyanna18]

I married a spaniard from Tenerife 40 odd years ago whenTenerife was very poor. After seeing loads of little white "facecloths" on the washing lines bleaching in the sun, I asked my husband why did they use so many facecloths and he replied that were not facecloths but what the women used when on their periods and then they washed them to use again.

[showcatbenga]

Do you know about this?
We women are charged VAT on disposeable sanitary protection because the Government regards them as LUXURY items & we are all supposed to use VAT free rags! How about that? Roll on the first all women parliament says I, lol!

[beejaybee]

My mum was born in 1921 & she told me that she used wear rags. They`d be boiled & the dried on a little line on the fire range. xxx

[Velvetee]

Sanitary protection should be free.

[Velvetee]

Has anyone tried the Mooncup? If so, what is it like, does it leak and how easy is it to empty in public washrooms?

[Drisgirl]

O Velvetee -someone once posted on here about that -cant rememeber who it was now -so i have just made this post redundant lol -but i dont know if that would be a feasible option for me -sounds messy.

I am really post menopausal but just occasionally one of the ******* come up and bite me in the bum -when it happens (only happened 3 times in the last 3yrs -always after a shock -stress thing me thinks and so does my GP) - I am like Phys -I have to go the whole way -its a nightmare -tammys and pads the works -makes my life a misery -and YES -think they should be freee on the NHS cos -not so much for me now -but before it cost me a fortune !!!!

Might lobby my MSP and that'll be the next thing us Scots get free- watch this space lol !!

What an interesting thread -I had wondered before and now I know !!