WARNING: This post contains TMI. Since I am reviewing Mama Cloth, something totally new to me, I speak openly and candidly about my period and issues I have had surrounding it. While this may be WAY more than you need to know about me, it is relevant to my review.
I am very excited to announce that Charlie Banana is my next sponsor for the upcoming In Honor Of The Tatas event. I am a huge fan of Charlie Banana's line of cloth diapers. They are relatively trim fitting, very absorbent, and super duper soft. I think of my Charlie Banana diapers as a little taste of luxury for my babies' bottoms. If you've never felt a Charlie Banana diaper, I highly recommend you try one. There are even fun new prints available!
But Charlie Banana is about more than just diapers. They also offer a line of "Mama Cloth"! Now I have to admit, this was something I had not tried before, despite my efforts to make greener choices one day at a time. I have been a lifelong tampon user, and the idea of using a pad of any kind just didn't sound to appealing to me. At all. I have heard of reusable pads and pantiliners, and have always shied away from trying these products. Until now, that is. When Charlie Banana offered a set of great Mama Cloth items for this event, I put my big girl panties on (literally) and decided to give them a shot.
But Charlie Banana is about more than just diapers. They also offer a line of "Mama Cloth"! Now I have to admit, this was something I had not tried before, despite my efforts to make greener choices one day at a time. I have been a lifelong tampon user, and the idea of using a pad of any kind just didn't sound to appealing to me. At all. I have heard of reusable pads and pantiliners, and have always shied away from trying these products. Until now, that is. When Charlie Banana offered a set of great Mama Cloth items for this event, I put my big girl panties on (literally) and decided to give them a shot.
I received several feminine items from Charlie Banana for my review. Among them were their Panty Liners, their Super Feminine Pads, and their Nursing Pads. I am no longer nursing, but I enlisted the help of a friend for that part of my review.
When I received my package of Mommy Fluff, I could immediately see that Charlie Banana puts as much care into these items as they do their cloth diapers. They are made from the same luxuriously soft materials that the diapers are, and feel absolutely amazing to the touch. The pads come with a cute little carrying case, making them portable and convenient to use. These pads are also beautiful. The Super Pads I received feature the same butterfly design found on one of their diapers, and the Panty Liners are a bold, hot pink. Who knew a menstrual pad could be so pretty? I sure didn't!
I have been using these items for a couple of months now. I have to admit, after Xander was born and I had a bilateral tubal ligation, my monthly cycles have been horrendous. Bad cramps, worse PMS, and awful migraines. And the amount of bleeding has been absolutely insane, too. Sorry for the daily dose of TMI, but I feel these facts are relevant to this review, as they did affect how I used the products.
Initially, I tried using the products on their own. I loved how soft the pads are against the skin. Many disposable pads feel very diaper-like and are made from scratchy paper. The Charlie Banana Pads are velvety soft and they're reusable! Think of all the waste you could eliminate by using these products! Another thing I really liked is how easy they are to use. They simply snap around the panty, and stay in place amazingly well. These pads are also quite stain resistant and are very absorbent. (Little tip: Rinse anything covered in blood in ICE COLD water for a few minutes. This actually takes the blood right out, minimizing the chances of staining.) However, as awesome as these would be for a woman with a less wacky cycle, I actually needed to use them WITH my regular tampons. My bleeding has been super heavy since having my youngest baby. My doctor said this can happen after a tubal ligation, and that I have to take iron supplements to avoid anemia around the time of my period. So anyway, since my bleeding is far from average lately, I found I would fully saturate the pads in no time flat. I found that pairing the Charlie Banana pads with my normal tampons has been wonderful. I simply use them as a back-up layer of protection since my tampons tend to leak. The Charlie Banana pads have been fantastic because they keep the menstrual fluid off of my clothing and draw it away from my body. I absolutely love these pads, as they are keeping me from having to buy new undies every couple of months due to period stains.
The nursing pads are very sleek looking and attractive as well. They are solid black on the outside, and have a super soft absorbent fabric backing that feels superb against the skin. I wish I would have found these while I was still nursing! Breastfeeding moms need all the protection and comfort they can get, especially since nursing can initially make a woman's breasts sore. I have to say, the Charlie Banana Nursing Pads are so soft and comfortable. My friend who agreed to try them out for me raved about the softness as well as the absorbency of the Nursing Pads. She loved the fact that these pads are trim and fit into her bras well, and she also loved that these nursing pads absorbed all leakage, saving her from the embarrassment of wet tops while running errands.
When I received my package of Mommy Fluff, I could immediately see that Charlie Banana puts as much care into these items as they do their cloth diapers. They are made from the same luxuriously soft materials that the diapers are, and feel absolutely amazing to the touch. The pads come with a cute little carrying case, making them portable and convenient to use. These pads are also beautiful. The Super Pads I received feature the same butterfly design found on one of their diapers, and the Panty Liners are a bold, hot pink. Who knew a menstrual pad could be so pretty? I sure didn't!
I have been using these items for a couple of months now. I have to admit, after Xander was born and I had a bilateral tubal ligation, my monthly cycles have been horrendous. Bad cramps, worse PMS, and awful migraines. And the amount of bleeding has been absolutely insane, too. Sorry for the daily dose of TMI, but I feel these facts are relevant to this review, as they did affect how I used the products.
Initially, I tried using the products on their own. I loved how soft the pads are against the skin. Many disposable pads feel very diaper-like and are made from scratchy paper. The Charlie Banana Pads are velvety soft and they're reusable! Think of all the waste you could eliminate by using these products! Another thing I really liked is how easy they are to use. They simply snap around the panty, and stay in place amazingly well. These pads are also quite stain resistant and are very absorbent. (Little tip: Rinse anything covered in blood in ICE COLD water for a few minutes. This actually takes the blood right out, minimizing the chances of staining.) However, as awesome as these would be for a woman with a less wacky cycle, I actually needed to use them WITH my regular tampons. My bleeding has been super heavy since having my youngest baby. My doctor said this can happen after a tubal ligation, and that I have to take iron supplements to avoid anemia around the time of my period. So anyway, since my bleeding is far from average lately, I found I would fully saturate the pads in no time flat. I found that pairing the Charlie Banana pads with my normal tampons has been wonderful. I simply use them as a back-up layer of protection since my tampons tend to leak. The Charlie Banana pads have been fantastic because they keep the menstrual fluid off of my clothing and draw it away from my body. I absolutely love these pads, as they are keeping me from having to buy new undies every couple of months due to period stains.
The nursing pads are very sleek looking and attractive as well. They are solid black on the outside, and have a super soft absorbent fabric backing that feels superb against the skin. I wish I would have found these while I was still nursing! Breastfeeding moms need all the protection and comfort they can get, especially since nursing can initially make a woman's breasts sore. I have to say, the Charlie Banana Nursing Pads are so soft and comfortable. My friend who agreed to try them out for me raved about the softness as well as the absorbency of the Nursing Pads. She loved the fact that these pads are trim and fit into her bras well, and she also loved that these nursing pads absorbed all leakage, saving her from the embarrassment of wet tops while running errands.
Overall, I really like the concept of Mama Cloth, even though using pads on their own wasn't very successful for me due to my "period problems". I had always been a bit squeamish about the idea of reusable menstrual products, but really, they aren't too bad at all! These pads were extremely comfortable, soft against the skin, and definitely absorb a lot of fluid. They are even stain resistant! Charlie Banana has effectively debunked my biggest stereotypes about reusable feminine products. I plan to keep using these in conjunction with my tampons to help protect my clothing when the floodgates open. If you're a woman with a more normal, less brutal cycle, I would definitely recommend giving these a shot. Not only are these far more comfortable than traditional pads, they are surprisingly easy to care for. And what's even better is that they're environmentally friendly and help to reduce the huge amounts of waste going into our already overflowing landfills.
BUY IT:
You can check out these and other Charlie Banana products on their website. Also check out their handy retail locator to find Charlie Banana online and near you!
You can also follow Charlie Banana on Facebook and on twitter to stay on top of their latest products and promotions!
WIN IT...BUT NOT YET!
One very lucky mama will be winning a similar set of products from the Charlie Banana Feminine Secrets line. How cool is that?! This is a fabulous addition to my gigantic prize package that will be sure to make any mama happy!
I have some extra entries available to you for the time being. These will be imported and merged with the actual event entries, so be sure to take advantage of these and give yourself a head start!
Please use this handy Rafflecopter form to complete these EARLY ENTRIES!
***Disclosure: I received a complimentary product to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***
BUY IT:
You can check out these and other Charlie Banana products on their website. Also check out their handy retail locator to find Charlie Banana online and near you!
You can also follow Charlie Banana on Facebook and on twitter to stay on top of their latest products and promotions!
WIN IT...BUT NOT YET!
One very lucky mama will be winning a similar set of products from the Charlie Banana Feminine Secrets line. How cool is that?! This is a fabulous addition to my gigantic prize package that will be sure to make any mama happy!
I have some extra entries available to you for the time being. These will be imported and merged with the actual event entries, so be sure to take advantage of these and give yourself a head start!
Please use this handy Rafflecopter form to complete these EARLY ENTRIES!
***Disclosure: I received a complimentary product to facilitate my review. No other compensation was provided, and all opinions are 100% honest and have not been influenced in any way.***
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