Feminine Protection Usage

I started in the 4th grade and mom told me to use pads and that's what i did. i didn't even think about tampons until my junior year in high school. i don't even know why i started to wear them. but today i just switch between pads and tampons.

When I first got my TOM, I remember the huge box of pads sitting out in the bathroom, and when I first put one on thinking to myself "gee thats what a diaper must've felt like when I was little". I have had super heavy flow since I started and thank goodness the long sweaters that were in during the 80's saved me from numerous embarrasing aunt-overflow days. Finally went to tampons, then a combo of super plus tampons AND a super overnight pad. I'm talking both - all through my cycle. THEN I discovered the Diva cup. I was skeptical, but it has far surpassed my expectations in every way. I can go just about every day with the diva cup and just a pantiliner. I still flow heavy but this device catches it all - I have only ever overflowed once and thats because I didn't empty it soon enough. This is a miracle device. I even think I have less cramps while using it. I have switched completely and will never go back. I have never felt so clean during that TOM.

When I first started my period at 12 years old my Mom was a huge believer in pads and I have to say that the whole thing really disgusted me and made me hate HATE being a woman. Dealing with all that mess and smell freaked me out to no end. When I finally could take it no more and had asked my mom if I could just have everything taken out she finally bought me my first tampons. I've always had a very heavy flow so I use the super sport kind, but even when I'm cramping I'd take my tampons over anything. Convenient, disposable, and simple.

has anyone used instead cup? did u like it? i have also read on some boards that it is being use in fertility!

When I first started my period (13) I used these huge bulky pads my mom would buy for me. I hated them. The next summer I was going to camp at a lake around the time AF was going to come and I wanted to be able to go swimming. I asked my mom if I could try tampons. She bought me some of the ultra slim one. I loved them and thought I would never go back. As I got older (19) my flow got heavier and I would have horrible cramps so I switched back to pads. Last year I was getting sick of the sticky itchy feeling of toss away pads so I started researching some other options. I found GladRags and thought I would give them a try however they are kinda spendy so I decided to make my own. I have 20 washable pads made from fleece and flannel with cotton batting as the core. They are very trim yet they work great and I have never leaked like I used to with toss aways. I do use toss aways when I travel though so I try very hard to not travel when AF is coming :)

I've used pads for years, and have recently tried to switch to tampons but they feel so uncomfortable I get very tense and it seems to affect the flow. Also, I can't keep track of my period with tampons. They're useful on the heaviest days but the rest of the time I'll stick to my pads.