Dear Counselor, I am a girl of 17 years of age. Whenever I am experiencing my menstrual periods, I don’t have pads. What can I do?
Submitted by Counselor at SchoolNet on 1st January, 2009
Sorry about your challenge young sister. It must be a horrible experience for you, not having a pad to use. I take it you meant the already made sanitary products in the market. Well, my sister, your challenge is apparently still experienced by many women and girls today. Your worry is created by the misconception that we must always use these manufactured sanitary towels on the market but that is not true because you can make one yourself, especially if you cannot afford the ones in the market today.
One of the timeless methods used is that of making one yourself by using a cotton piece of cloth [so it can absorb and hold your flow]. It could be from an old dress, bed sheet or any other cotton cloth you could specifically buy for making your pads.
Fold the piece of cloth to a small rectangular shape to a layer thick enough to hold your flow and a length that does not peep out of your panty [which by the way should be fitting enough to hold your pad and not make it slide off your body] . Fold more pieces of the same sort for storage in your bag for you to keep changing for hygiene and to avoid leakages, when the one you are wearing gets soaked. At least change every three to four hours if your flow is not heavy.
If you have many clothes, you could throw this used one away but if you do not have more, thoroughly wash the used one CLEAN, dry it and iron it for another use. In case you do not have an iron box, ensure that the cloth dries under direct sun and fresh air or wind.
This method is one that never grows old and requires a lot of good hygiene and confidence from you.