Feminine Products + Long Term Supply

Well, I feel silly posting this, but because I'm super paranoid, I will.
I think most of us are reasonably prepared or know how to be reasonably prepared for when the SHTF. However, being prepared is potentially a tricky situation, especially if you're stuck being a girl. It seems most of the female oriented posts involve having feminine products as part of the stash, which is a good move, but... I don't see any of us lugging around a 3 - 12 month supply of hygiene products, especially if there are multiple girls in the group; it would take up a lot of space and supplies are limited! If you can though, do it! Now if you can't, or are concerned about various situations popping up, ( like the survival situation taking longer than you have supplies for, or the commercial products are permanently unavailable ) the only other idea I could think of was having a reusable product available or knowing how to make your own pads/tampons.

This is one site I've found for ordering washable/reusable products.
Many Moons Alternative Products

They even provide instructions for making your own washable/reusable pads! And apparently they've had a lot of time to work out the best designs.
Directions + Template

And, the last link I have is very informative of how women handled those situations back closer to the 1930's. It'll help to give you a few ideas.
Stories closer to the bottom of the page, starts with September 2006...

Hope it helps!

From, Victorian times back a few hundred years women used to make washable reusable towels from pieces of linen and cotton.

Go check out this site
Homemade Sanitary Pads

Be sure to surf around they have good advice on country living and making do with what you have

[edit on 14-3-2009 by DaddyBare]

reply to post by Northern Raider


I thought so, but I've never had to worry about making them myself, I didn't really know how to until about an hour ago. Just wanted to make sure everybody had access to the info!

I think most everybody here is pretty ingenious anyways and would still be able to make do in any case.

Originally posted by Eisley
reply to post by Northern Raider

 

I thought so, but I've never had to worry about making them myself, I didn't really know how to until about an hour ago.

Just wanted to make sure everybody had access to the info!

I think most everybody here is pretty ingenious anyways and would still be able to make do in any case.

Aparently (being a guy I cant be sure) using washable reusable pads greatly reduces the risk from Thrush and something called Toxic Shock Syndrome, if they are used correctly and maintained correctly.

Another thing you have to look at is how many females around the globe know how to do this at all; I bet all most no female born after about 1960 would have a clue exactly what to do in this manner and that if SHTF every female would be like oh s88t in this matter and most males that are around females would be like ewww to put it in the most appropriate terms and would try to distance themselves a little.

Thank you for the other site, it is very informative!
I'm relieved that I'm not the only person to think about/be concerned about these things.

OP, your read my mind. I wondered what to do, I was just going to buy a bunch of cloth baby diapers. This looks better and more comfortable!

Originally posted by jatsc
Another thing you have to look at is how many females around the globe know how to do this at all; I bet all most no female born after about 1960 would have a clue exactly what to do in this manner and that if SHTF every female would be like oh s88t in this matter and most males that are around females would be like ewww to put it in the most appropriate terms and would try to distance themselves a little.

couple of hundred million women in India, Pakistan, Africa etc may disagree with you

In my opinion everyone should stock up on pads. Even if it's just guys looking to survive by yourself. They are sterile and are great for covering major wounds with. And you would have them to barter with if need be.

Originally posted by Anuubis
In my opinion everyone should stock up on pads. Even if it's just guys looking to survive by yourself. They are sterile and are great for covering major wounds with. And you would have them to barter with if need be.

A lot of brit squaddies used to carry tampons in their med kits as they are ideal for shoving into large bullet wounds.

Diva Cup, Lunette, the Keeper. Look into it if this interests you.

The only caveat on many of the reuseables is that you need a supply of water. This issue has come up with women's organizations trying to help girls stay in school in Africa, and trying to get reuseable products to them. No trusted water supply means that you can't wash it up.

As to what many women around the world do. Well I just gave you a hint above. They have to stay at home for a week every month because they have no way to deal with their menses. So for example, girls have to drop out of school eventually because missing a week of class every month makes it too hard on them. This is particularly bad in areas where the lack of birth control and forced early pregnancy has wrecked the woman's pelvic floor. They not only can't leave during their menses, but lose control of their bladder and bowels too. This is called prolapse. So feminine hygeniene products are also needed for this reason.

(all of those guys who think that the human condition means that as soon as you menstruate you should be able to have babies should educate themselves about the incident of prolapse in non-western/no modern medicine/no birth control societies and the consequences to females lives.)

Without potable water, they can't clean the reuseable products and one-use products are necessary. Even though those then cause a problem with disposal.

[edit on 2009/3/18 by Aeons]

I use Sea Pearls (sea sponge tampons) myself and have enough to last at least two years. You do need water to clean them but it only takes a couple drops of tea tree oil to disinfectant them and each tampon lasts about a year.

I got mine from www.jadeandpearl.com...