Throughout history, from the Romans and Ancient Greeks, up to Victorian times, women have used small pieces of cloth between the legs to soak up period blood. It’s not the most absorbent of methods, and clothes would need to be washed and reused. Vostral SL. Under wraps: A history of menstrual hygiene technology. Latham, editor. Lexington Books; 2008. All pads share the same purpose, but there can be a lot of differences between two similar-looking products. Here’s what to pay close attention to when making your selection. Absorbency

Most disposable pads are made from cotton. Cotton is an all-natural, breathable fabric that absorbs moisture, but it’s often grown with harmful chemicals that can be irritating and potentially unsafe. Buying organic pads is gentler on sensitive skin and delicate areas. Eco-friendly Next, let’s look at a more natural solution. In the late 19th century, some women used sea sponges as an absorbent alternative to washable sanitary napkins. They were easier to clean and therefore marketed as more hygienic. Sorry for my absence. My husband was away on a business trip, and I was a single mother for two weeks. So my blog suffered. On a brighter note, I’ve been researching Victorian murder. Fun! Turns out if you’re writing a Victorian book with a murder in it, the coroner may... I’ve been organizing, provisioning, cooking, and trying to stay positive. I need a break! I’m posting information concerning essential Victorian room furnishings and other domestic advice from this fabulous work: emember that to govern a family well, you must first govern yourself. If you wash Monday, bake Tuesday, iron Wednesday,... Can be rechargeable cordless or mains-operated devices. These range from wrap-around belts to pads that appear merely to be a small section of an electric blanket. You can even buy electric heating pads with a TENS or massage function.As the feminist movement pushed women to become comfortable with their bodies, free bleeding was adopted by women who resented the fact that they were expected to hide and feel ashamed of their periods (though it was hardly mainstream) (3). During the First World War, nurses noticed that cellulose was much more effective at absorbing blood compared to cloth bandages. This inspired the first cellulose Kotex sanitary napkin, made from surplus high-absorption war bandages, which was first sold in 1918. Sometime in the late 19th Century, concern grew around the notion of whether bleeding into one’s clothes was healthy and sanitary. One German doctor wrote in the book Health in the House: “It is completely disgusting to bleed into your chemise, and wearing that same chemise for four to eight days can cause infections.” Around this time, a report in the British Medical Journal described a new tampon-like device to be inserted into the vagina, though it’s not clear if it was meant to be used for periods. In fifty years, we'll probably have period products so convenient and effective, they'll make today's tampons look as absurd as sanitary belts look to us now. But I wonder if we'll have shaken off the baggage of all the menstrual products that came before. My period with the sanitary belt taught me that no bleeding woman is an island — we're affected by all the ideas and taboos about periods that came before us.

It’s important to remember that there are health and safety guidelines in place to protect us from nasty side effects. But menstruation is typically seen as a female ‘problem’ and is underfunded in medical research—so there may be issues with the standard of these guidelines in the first place. On the morning of President Trump’s inauguration my uterus revolted, and I started bleeding from my "wherever" five days sooner than I’d expected. I’d been following the Women’s March on Washington movement and it got me thinking about all that women have overcome in this century, and all we have yet to fight for. In solidarity for my foremothers who have blazed that path for me, I decided to celebrate my first menstrual cycle with President Trump by channeling my inner suffragette and using turn-of-the-century vintage menstrual products for the week of my period, namely a sanitary belt, a reusable pad, and free bleeding like my foresisters did.Period blood held plenty of different meanings in ancient cultures, and was often used as a “charm” of sorts based on a belief that it had powerful abilities to purify, protect, or cast spells. In ancient Egypt, the Ebers Papyrus (1550 BC) hinted at vaginal bleeding as an ingredient in certain medicines. In biblical times, ancient Hebrews upheld laws of Niddah, in which menstruating women went into seclusion and had to be separated from the rest of society for seven “clean” days. Cleaning a sanitary towel belt is relatively simple. The belt can be hand-washed using mild soap or a gentle detergent. Rinse it thoroughly and allow it to air dry. Avoid using harsh chemicals, fabric softeners, or bleach, as these can damage the belt’s material. Can I wear a sanitary towel belt during sports or physical activities?