Fern Sanitary Pads

It upsets me greatly to think that one day I'm likely to be telling Eden about how when I was young there were more fish than plastic in the ocean. For this reason I feel very passionate about reusable sanitary products. Considering
 that those who menstruate could use up to 16,000 disposable sanitary products in a lifetime, it is shocking to think of the waste that just one person can create. Sanitary pads are made of up to 90% plastic, they're uncomfortable, full of chemicals and they don't biodegrade.



On the flip side, there are cloth sanitary pads - I've been using them for over 3 years now and there's no way I'd go back - I even used them postpartum. Once you own cloth pads they save so much money long term as you won't need to visit the shops each time you have a period. There's a far more extensive post on having a less plastic period way back in the archives of my blog but suffice to say it's a no-brainer of a swap for me. Reusable pads are far more comfortable, far less hot and noisy, they're prettier, far cheaper with long term use, very little effort laundering as they can be washed with other items, and they require no more storage than a regular pack of towels. What's not to love?

However not all pads are created equal. I've got a big range from various brands (I stocked up postpartum) - some are bulkier than others and pads can be made from various fabrics. As I've only recently started having periods again since having Eden, I wanted to try a different brand that I'd heard really great things about during my period's absence. So I purchased two Fern pads (sizes regular and heavy) and I wanted to share them because I was genuinely blown away. I cannot believe how slim the pads are. They are made of super soft cotton and bamboo fleece, both highly absorbent fabrics, and have a beautiful print on the waterproof reverse.

Of course not everybody is in a position to make the switch - personally I slowly grew my collection in conjunction with using a menstrual cup. I like that Fern also give 2% back to period poverty, a very real issue. But if you are in a position to try cloth pads, even part time, please consider how this could benefit future generations. A friend said they preferred disposables as they can just take them off and forget about them, but my overwhelming feeling is that while our generation might be able to "forget" about our single use plastic consumption, future generations will not have that luxury. Neither do the residents of areas already being used as landfill sites, with our waste polluting their homes.

With all items that are single use we must consider personal convenience vs their impact on the planet. Are cloth pads an eco swap you've tried yet?

*Pads purchased using my discount as a Tickle Totsbrand ambassador, all opinions are my own. Use HANNAH10 for 10% off onsite.