The Underwear You Need For A Better Period

Do you love or hate your period?

I'm sad to say that, for so many years, I used to hate my period!

I really didn't like the limited options we had to manage our period. It seemed there were only pads (sanitary napkins) or tampons to choose from. I chose to mostly wear pads but I always found them to be uncomfortable and they made me feel hot, sticky and never fresh.

Because of my dislike for pads, I would always dread my period and wish my days away, waiting for it to end.

Then, I discovered period underwear. And it changed my entire period experience for the better! 

What is period underwear?

Period underwear is leak proof, absorbent underwear you can wear on your period. Period underwear is designed with special technology and an absorbent gusset, that will absorb your menstrual fluid.

Period underwear comes in different levels of absorbency like light, medium and heavy. If you choose the correct absorbency level for the heaviness of your flow, you can wear period underwear on its own without having to wear a pad, tampon or menstrual cup.

What does period underwear look like?

The great thing about period underwear is that it really looks and feels just like normal underwear, except it has an absorbent gusset inside to absorb the menstrual fluid.

My favourite period underwear brand is Modibodi. They have a really great range of styles and colours and the absorbent gusset inside the underwear is barely noticeable.

I've written a detailed review of my experience with Modibodi on my blog. If you'd like to read it you can just click here.

Below is a photo of three of the different styles I have from Modibodi.

The middle pair are turned inside out and you can see the black absorbent gusset. 

The pair on the left has a black absorbent gusset that runs all the way up the back. That's because they're an overnight/heavy absorbency pair and the absorbent gusset provides extra coverage for when you're laying down sleeping.

The pair on the right is a light to moderate absorbency and the absorbent gusset stops just below the butt, much like a regular daytime pad would. 

The absorbent gusset in all of the Modibodi period underwear is smooth, thin and not bulky, even when it's a heavy absorbency. 

Period Underwear is Good for the Environment

Period underwear is not just good for making your period experience better, it's also good for the environment.

Since period underwear is washable and reusable, it means you won't generate as much waste as you would otherwise using disposable period products.

Did you know, the average person uses over 10,000 disposable period products in their lifetime? That's a lot of bloody waste!

If you have access to, and the option to choose period underwear, then this is a great way to reduce the personal waste you are generating.

Personally, I have a completely zero waste period by using a combination of a menstrual cup and period underwear. It feels great to not have a bin full of used pads and tampons at the end of each period!

How Do You Wash Period Underwear?

When someone finds out about period underwear and learns that period underwear is washable and reusable, naturally one of the first questions they have is "how do you wash period underwear?!"

Luckily, washing period underwear is actually as easy as 1, 2, 3...literally!

Step 1: Rinse

When you take your period underwear off after use, rinse them under cold water until the water runs clear.

Step 2: Cold machine wash

After rinsing, put them into the washing machine on a cold machine wash. You can put them in with your regular load, they don't need to be washed separately. You can't use any fabric softeners and it's important to use cold water as hot water can set in the blood.

Step 3: Hang out to dry

Period underwear dries best when it's hung out to dry and in the sun if possible. They cannot be put into the dryer, as this will break down the absorbent technology.

Washing period underwear is as easy as that!

Other Benefits of Period Underwear

A couple of my other favourite benefits of period underwear are:

They're great for sleeping! As I mentioned above, you can get specific heavy/overnight absorbency pairs that you can wear all night while you sleep. They have extra absorbent protection right up the back which is great for protecting against leaks while you're laying down. They are soft and comfortable for sleeping in, which means you'll have the perfect night sleep.

There are special swimwear styles! Yep, your period does not have to hold you back from swimming. You can get period proof swimwear that can be worn on their own without a pad, tampon or menstrual cup. I've written a whole post on how you can go swimming on your period which you can read by clicking this link.

You can wear white on your period! I love wearing white jeans and white shorts and using period underwear means I can be confident to continue wearing white, even when I have my period! I've written a whole post on how you too can wear white on your period and you can read it by clicking this link.

Period Underwear is the Underwear You Need for a Better Period

There you have it, period underwear is the underwear you need to have a better period experience.

As I mentioned, my favourite period underwear brand is Modibodi, which is available worldwide. I have included a link to their website below if you wanted to take a look and order yourself some of these life changing undies!

If you have any questions about period underwear, let me know in the comments below. And also let me know in the comments below if you're already using period underwear.

If you'd like to learn more about reusable period products like menstrual cups and period underwear, or you'd like to learn more about the menstrual cycle or fertility awareness. Head to my website The Better Period and have a look around.