What did women use as sanitary protection in the past?

[marmaduke]

They didn't have today's Lillets and Always Ultra, so what did they do?

[silly moo]

cotton rags !

[purplefish]

when my mum was younger (about 30 years ago) they had "dr whites" which had 2 loops at the ends, which you attached to a belt (string or elastic or sumthing i guess, which went round your waist and had 2 little strings at the front and back) as they weren't sticky. they just had cotton wool inside. before that people made their own with rags which they then washed and used again :o)

[FP]

....which they boiled up in a copper to sterlilize and then used again!  This was in my grandmother's and mother's days.

When I was young sanitary towels were huge and coarse and you used them with a special sanitary belt to hold them in place and then wore a pair of special waterproof pants.  Wonderful, especially when 'pencil' skirts were in fashion!  When tampons became popular it was so wonderful to have the freedom.

Yuk!  I am so glad that times have changed!! 

[FP]

My remark about  boiling them up in a boiler was regarding the cotton rags that silly moo has mentioned.  Purple fish and I posted at the same time with virtually identical answers!

[THFCUK]

i just find it annoying that you have to pay for them, cause it not like we want to have periods for pleasure hay!!!

[FP]

I suppose you could try boiling some rags.  It would be cheaper!    On my part I am very pleased that I am well past that chapter of my life!!

[magicdice]

8000 tampons, at about 15p each........

being a woman suuuuuuuuuuuuuucks

and it's even worse since i'm never gonna have kids... all this inconvenience & money for NOTHING

[Robinia]

Oh FP & purplefish those awful sanitary belts!!  They are the reason why I have never worn a thong & never will - everytime I see someone with one showing above their jeans it just reminds me of those awful things.  Believe me ladies years ago when my periods started seeing that thin bit of elastic would have been the most embarrassing thing ever!

[netibiza]

Oh Robina - and I thought it was just me who was remin ded of those grubby stretched horrible san belts - my daughter doesn't understand my disgust at seeing thongs over waistbands.

[Robinia]

netibiza, how I feel when I see racks of them in the undies dept could probably be classed as phobic!

[FP]

I now realise why I think thongs are so very unattractive - you're quite right Robinia they look just like those awful sanitary belts.  I am now just about to pose a question on thongs in Body and Soul!! 

[netibiza]

I love big knickers

[FP]

Me too! 

[Corkyb]

I was lucky and had 'Nikini' ! And it had it's own 'briefs'!!
Still very yeuck though.