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. 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. 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.***
42 Comments
Breanne
10/10/2011 05:35:43 am
I like their Orbit - One Size diaper. I haven't tried cloth pads yet but my first one is currently in the mail!
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Andi B
10/10/2011 06:30:47 am
i've heard/read a lot about how wonderful Charlie banana diapers/pads are. I'd love to try their mama cloth. I've never tried mama cloth before, and since having my son and breast feeding I haven't had to worry/think about how I want to handle my period.
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Gladys Parker
10/10/2011 12:15:58 pm
I luv the one size hot pink. Have never tried mama cloth
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10/10/2011 01:37:52 pm
I am interested in trying mama cloth but like you, have been icked out by it. I'd be willing to give it a try though!
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Kaydee
10/10/2011 06:41:51 pm
dying to get my hands on goodbye dispoiable!
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Sonya Morris
10/10/2011 09:53:16 pm
I learned that Charlie Banana also has disposable inserts!
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Vicky Carlson
10/10/2011 10:45:09 pm
I learn they come in three sizes and have a mini tote bag. :) I think these are brilliant! Would love to win!
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shannon
10/10/2011 11:16:36 pm
I can not wait to try their mama cloth. Also once we have more money I NEED yo get some cd for my son!
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Stacey
10/10/2011 11:21:22 pm
I have yet to try mama cloth but I'm on a quest to find the best! I'm worried about heavy bleeding so I need to find a cloth that's long enough and strong enough.
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10/10/2011 11:29:47 pm
I love charlie banana's buttefly print, just handed it down to my new baby girl! I have tried mama cloth before, just when I had postpartum leakage. I would be interested to see how it works with a regular period, and like you, I would possibly use them as backup with a tampon if my period was really heavy, but maybe not, if it's absorbent enough! I also am nursing, so I'd LOVE to have some nursing pads!
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Liz Robinson
10/10/2011 11:45:34 pm
I learned that their true goal is to convince 50% of mothers to use reusable diapers and products for their children.
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susanne wedel
10/10/2011 11:56:25 pm
i learned that you can also use an disposable insert. this is great when travelling or in case of stomach flus.
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Samantha Allen
10/11/2011 12:21:25 am
I love their one size diapers, they are our favorites. But I haven't tried mama cloth yet, but really want to!
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Amy K
10/11/2011 12:47:26 am
I LOVE my Charlie Banana diaper and how soft and absorbent it is. I also am dying to try the new leg adjustment system! I also JUST ventured into the realm of mama cloth. I absolutely love the softness for me and how they don't stick to my skin like disposable pads. I would love to add some Charlie Banana mama cloth to my stash :)
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Sara Myrick
10/11/2011 01:05:02 am
I have tried mama cloth and a Diva cup! I was amazed at the difference it made in my periods. I will never go back to disposables! No more chemical burns and awful irritation! No more throwing money away and putting thousands of pads in landfills! I love my cloth :) it is what inspired me to try cloth diapering with our baby on the way.
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Laura
10/11/2011 01:23:57 am
I like the x-small diapers
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Julie G
10/11/2011 01:27:47 am
I have never used mama cloth before but if they are anything like their diapers I bet they would be so comfortable... And it is nice to know that there are no harmful chemicals in them!
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Melynda Rainsbarger
10/11/2011 01:42:35 am
I have never used them but I would like to give their training pants a try. The Fashion Collection Robot Boy is really cute.
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Melissa H.
10/11/2011 02:23:39 am
I've never used Mama Cloth before, but I'd like to!
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Laurel
10/11/2011 03:52:54 am
I have really sensitive skin. So trying "mama cloth" was one of those things I just HAD to do, after what seemed like forever of constant bleeding (after-baby and IUD insertion; I'm talking months of this). I actually started to be okay with my period with the cloth pads. While the fleece does not work for my baby (microfleece is the way to go with her), it works perfectly for me. Again, I'm not breaking down in tears whenever my period hits anymore. It has thankfully slowed down, but I went an entire month in pads when I first got these, washing every night (no pain is worth it). They held up very well. I hope to get more when I get more money so I won't have to wash every day of my period.
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amy v
10/11/2011 06:27:21 am
i love their blue 'robot' print diaper in their fashion collection
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Julie B.
10/11/2011 07:13:26 am
Charlie Banana manufactures every item thinking "how they can reduce waste"!!
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Brenna
10/11/2011 09:15:27 am
I have all ways wanted to try Mama cloth, the Charlie banana line looks Awesome!
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10/11/2011 11:23:15 am
I learned Charlie Banana has new prints, and from this blog post I learned they have mama cloth!
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10/11/2011 12:53:01 pm
I've tried a few brands and have also made my own. I use these and LOVE them! The extra mini wet bag/pouch is super nice, too.
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Bobbi Kilbarger
10/11/2011 01:04:07 pm
I love the look of their mama cloth. I'd really like to give it a try.
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10/12/2011 01:22:15 am
I have in fact tried mama cloth. Right now I don't have a full stash, but it gets me through 2 days. I LOVE it! And I use a menstrual cup the rest of the time. Conventional disposable pads and tampons just don't make me happy anymore!
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JLJMommy
10/12/2011 01:59:32 am
I didn't know Charlie Banana made mama cloth! I have a few cloth pads and would like to get more.
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nikki p
10/12/2011 07:07:45 am
i would like to try their one size diapers!
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JoAnna Kane
10/12/2011 12:35:45 pm
I learned that Charlie Banana donates 1% of their sales to Operation Smile!
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christine mitchell
10/13/2011 02:13:13 am
I didn't even know they made mama cloth. I'm relatively new to mama cloth but I'm already a convert. I only have a few pads, just ordered some off etsy and am now thrilled to hear charlie banana has some!
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heather stevens
10/13/2011 03:47:45 pm
i love the look of thier mama cloth!!
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Nikole H.
10/15/2011 01:18:50 am
Love the new Fashion Collection -- cute in a cool kinda way ;) ngiraldi at gmail dot com
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Amanda Alvarado
10/16/2011 08:24:04 am
I use mama cloth but like you, I am too heavy (for unknown reasons though LOL) to wear them by themselves for the first 2-3 days. I usually couple them with tampons or lately a moon cup. Still trying to decide if I like it or not! LOL
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10/21/2011 11:14:50 am
Never used mama cloth before, though I'd like to start using them as backup like you. My periods aren't exceptionally heavy but I can't stand the thought of just letting it flow out, for lack of better wording. I learned that their company was nominated last year as an "Earth Champion". Way to go Winc Design Limited(Charlie Banana) :)
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10/21/2011 11:18:27 am
I have your button on the left side of my blog. http://myhouseholdzoo.blogspot.com/
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Stephanie Gaffney
10/21/2011 01:55:10 pm
I love the fashion collection diapers! especially the cutie print. I've never tried mama cloth - been a little nervous to, but I'm definitely growing more open to it.
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Linda Hawes
10/23/2011 09:27:28 am
Love their pocket diapers and I love my mama pads too. Haven't tried the Charlie Banana brand, but I would love to.
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I'm Brandy, a happily married, proud Mom of 3 amazing kids. If you're interested in building a working relationship, please feel free to e-mail me at: NewlyCrunchyMamaOf3@gmail.com Links We Love :Archives
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