Periods 101
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The best products for heavy periods
We all experience heavy periods over our lifetime. Whether it’s something you habitually deal with or you’re taken by surprise every now and then, sometimes “surfing the crimson wave” is a pretty accurate description. What products are best for dealing with a heavy period? Well, you’re in the right place to find out. Stay tuned as we reveal the best period care options and top tips to help manage your heaviest days…
Best Products for Heavy Periods
When you’re experiencing a heavy period the most important things are leak protection and comfort. What’s the point of being fully protected if you’re not comfortable? And vice versa. These two factors go hand in hand when it comes to searching for products for heavy periods. Here’s our ultimate list on the heavy period care that’s going to keep you comfy and ensure you don’t leak and even better, they’re all gynaecologist approved…
The Mooncup
If pants aren’t for you, we have another reusable period care option that also works for heavier days. The silky-smooth, zero-waste period gamechanger with no strings attached, the Mooncup is a sustainable period hero.
Unlike pads, tampons or pants, the Mooncup collects your menstrual fluid rather than absorbing it, meaning your vagina’s delicate pH balance is protected. So, anyone who suffers from sensitive skin or is susceptible to dryness, the period cup is for you!
Even better, our Mooncup can be worn for up to 8 hours and holds up to three times more fluid than a tampon, so you’ll be able to go about your day without worrying about changing or leaking.
Pads and tampons
We know that reusable period care isn’t for everyone, so we also offer a biodegradable organic cotton collection. Made from sustainably sourced Soil Association certified organic cotton, this range features absolutely zero synthetics, irritants, dyes or perfumes - unlike the period care you’ll find from mainstream sanitary brands on the high street.
With pads and tampons available in our ‘Heavy’ absorbency you’ll find everything you need to get through your heavy days.
Even better, they’re completely biodegradable within 18 months - unlike those plastic & bleach filled pads & tampons which can live in landfill for up to 800 years.
How do you compost pads and tampons?
- Simply create a warm & damp environment in a sealed bin and add to your compost regularly with ‘brown’ (cardboard, paper, egg cartons and fibrous plant stalks & stems) and ‘green’ (grass clippings, vegetable waste, fruit scraps and coffee grounds) compost.
- Brown compost takes longer to biodegrade than green, so cut them up or pull them apart by hand before popping them in the compost bin.
- And then wait! If set up in the right conditions, your &SISTERS by Mooncup period care will break down within 18 months and return to the soil.
So whether you prefer pads, applicator tampons or non-applicator tampons, when it comes to your heavy period - we’ve got you sorted.
Top tips for heavy periods
- Make sure you carry some spare pads or tampons with you, this way if you need an extra change you’ll be prepared.
- Create yourself a period self care kit. This could include some painkillers, hot water bottle or heat pad, heavy pads or tampons, extra pants and maybe even a chocolate bar or too. Pop it all in a cosmetics bag so it’s easy to grab on the go.
- Keep track of your heavy period in a journal or tracker app. This will help you measure and visualise how often you experience a particularly heavy period. If anything seems out of the ordinary or changes, make an appointment with your doctor.
- Be kind to yourself. Having a heavy period is hard work, so take it easy and know that it's okay to take a break and look after yourself.
Recurrent heavy periods
If you find yourself constantly experiencing heavy periods, it may be worth looking into whether you suffer from menorrhagia (heavy menstrual bleeding).
Here are some signs you may have menorrhagia:
- You leak through one or more pads or tampons for several hours in a row.
- You need to double up on pads.
- You have to change pads or tampons during the night.
- Your periods last longer than 7 days.
- You pass blood clots larger than a 10p coin.
If you’re experiencing any of the above, make an appointment with your GP. Or the NHS has a self assessment quiz you can take.
