Make Your Own Reusable Menstrual Pads

Many individuals with hypersensitivities to adhesives or certain chemicals in disposables often use reusables such as washable pads and menstrual cups.

Save yourself the irritation by reusing your old flannel sheets/pyjamas, and avoid toxic dioxins, bleach, and other chemicals found in disposable menstrual pads.

Steps

  1. Trace around a conventional disposable pad to use as your pattern. This will be the pattern used for the core of the pad, which is the liner part that does all the absorbing. This will be piece A.
  2. Trace around your pattern again, this time creating a 1 centimeter (half-inch) seam allowance around the pad, and also creating wings. These wings should be wide enough to meet and slightly overlap under the crotch of your underwear. This will be the outside of the pad. This will be piece B.
  3. Wash and fluff your flannel. The softer the better...it's going against your bottom, after all!
  4. Cut out two of Piece B and 3-5 of Piece A for each pad.
  5. Place right sides together (ie: inside out). Sew the two pieces of piece B together, leaving a {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} gap to turn it right side out again. You may need to use scissors to make a number of small clips and notches around the curvy bits, so that it flattens properly when you turn it the right way out. Press with the clothes iron.
  6. Stack 3 to 5 of piece A on top of each other and slide them in through the gap you left in the outside of the pad, to make the absorbent core.
  7. Anchor the core in place by sewing around it on the right side of the pad.
  8. Sew the gap you left closed by hand.
  9. Try them out in a pair of underwear. Wrap the wings around the underwear and mark where the wings overlap underneath the crotch.
  10. Sew snaps or a small piece of Velcro to the wings where they overlap, to keep them in place.

Tips

  • Make a bottom layer out of thin, light-weight, waterproof fabric to make your pads 100% leak proof. You can cut up waterproof baby bibs to make a lining. They are sold in inexpensive packs.
  • Make a top-sheet (the part that sits against you) out of fleece, so you won't feel the dampness (fleece allows liquids to pass through, without feeling wet). Using a fabric that isn't white will help to hide stains.
  • You can use any size of pad as a pattern, depending on the kind of pad you want to make.
  • Rinse your pads in cold water immediately after use or soak them in cold water overnight in an ice cream tub. You can use the water for your plants afterwards - they will like the high iron content. If you're out, simply seal them in a Ziploc bag and rinse when you get home.
  • To prevent slipping you can
    • attach velcro to the outer area of the panty and the matching (less abrasive) side to the pad. Have several pairs of undergarments with the added velcro that can be used during the cycle.
    • sew the inactive sides of two safety pins to the underside of your pads; your pads can then be pinned to your underwear.
  • You can wash the pads on a high temperature to kill any bacteria - soaking in water first should prevent stains. Bleach will remove stains on white pads but it won't kill as many germs as a very hot (60 c or more) hot wash, and may weaken the waterproof layer. Bleach and hot water can damage pads. Hot water can also set stains.
  • You can use fabrics other than flannel for the top, core, and backing; some popular top choices include cotton, bamboo velour, cotton velour, minky, etc. For the core, you can use bamboo fleece, cut-up towels or washcloths, old cotton shirts or socks, etc. Backing fabrics include fleece, PUL, and denim (thinner, but not moisture-resistant, so a good choice for pantyliners).
  • You don't have to prewash fabrics that are made of polyester (such as fleece or minky) since they won't shrink.
  • Washing the pads before you wear them is recommended, to remove any bacteria accumulated in the sewing process.

Things You'll Need

  • sewing machine, or old fashioned needle and thread
  • flannel/flannelette (your worn out winter bed-sheets work well!)
  • scissors
  • sewing pins
  • Velcro or small metal/plastic snaps
  • Snap pliers if using snaps
  • un-used disposable pads to use as patterns
  • clothes iron

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