panti liners again

[quietann]

Interesting comments, everyone... I guess that when it comes to panty liners, as with everything else, YMMV. I still wonder how many women use them on an everyday basis. I know some menopausal women do, because they are inclined to bleed unpredictably. But I still kind of think that not having good air circulation "down there" would not be a good thing.

Of course, my favorite no-longer-PC feminist is Germaine Greer, and one of my favorite essays by her is called "Going Without." It advocates not wearing panties at all. I've been tempted a few times, on really hot summer days and with long flowy skirts. It might just be a flashback to my very early childhood, when because of severe diaper rash, I spent a lot of time running around with no bottoms at all. (My mom was willing to clean up after me, and apparently I figured out the use of the "potty" at a fairly young age.

Comments

mestration

[hawkegirl.livejournal.com]

First, Yay to your mom!

Second, while this isn't quite what you are getting at... I never use pads, or liners. Even when I have my period. I totally believe you can use your pelvic floor muscles to hold the blood in until you're at a toilet. If I'm at the swimming pool, I'll wear a tampon, if I'm going to be out horseback riding, or some other very physical activity and I won't be near a bathroom all day I will wear a pad, just in case, but I totally believe this "you need something" attitude is largely a force of advertizing. When I first came accross this idea I was shocked and tried it and it didn't seem to work, but I stuck with it, (and my kegel exersizes), and it's not a problem anymore. I've also had 4 babies (and I don't make them small) so I don't buy most folks excuses them being "bigger". Now, having been free of such things for sevral years, it makes perfect sense to me. Some folks say "but it's liquid!" Well... you manage to hold bowls in when it's in an unfortunate liquid state... why not blood? When you look back historically at what women used you see small ammounts of fabric (often linnen). There's NO WAY you could use that sort of thing for other then the emergency little leak through. I'm sure they used their pevlic floor muscles, and made semi frequent trips to the bathroom, or hole in the ground, when they were in that phase.

Anyhow, it's something I'm a little soapboxie on, 'cause I feel so many people feel they can't do without, and never try. (It reminds me of the current pediatric information saying a child under the age of two can not possibly potty train, they don't have the muscle development to do so - well, both my kids have potty trained before the age of two - not to mention potty training under the age of two is what just about every other country in the world expects!) - but that's another soap box... ;>

Re: mestration

[klingonlandlady.livejournal.com]

Hm, never heard of the pelvic floor muscles thing, have to try it. It seems at first glance, that it'd take a bit more concentration than i can spare on the average working day, tho...

For not buying stuff, i like the Keeper, which lasts for years and works just fine. I thought women in the Old Days used wads of wool or whatever absorbent stuff was handy in their area.

Re: menstruation

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Very interesting- I've read some on the subject but have never heard this before. I wonder if it might relate to my recent personal experiences. Since I've been working out in general as well as strenghthening my PC muscles, my period has become much easier to deal with. In addition, I started using The Keeper (which Liz mentioned) last year, and in that time, my period has become so light and so short (at least as far as any real flow), that I only feel the need to use it two, maybe three days (compared to the seven days when I used to wear protection). I wonder if I could get away with fewer if I just used the loo more often.

I've read on various Keeper web sites that many women claim that their periods became apparently lighter and shorter, and it just seemed to me to be impossible, even when I had the same experience. I wonder how connected it is to muscle strengthening that perhaps goes along with using it at all.

odd

[klingonlandlady.livejournal.com]

I can't imagine how that would work... Mine has been variable (4-7 days), and i tended to put the variation down to eating different foods (adding soy, potassium, etc) and to amount of exercise. Who knows.

(aside: when i went to Thailand in 1986, i got it EVERY 2 WEEKS! Diet, temperature, travel, whatever...)