Mama Cloth

I'm coming even more out of the crunchy closet now with this one.  In my postpartum days, I started using "mama cloth."  Mama cloth is another term for reusable menstrual pads.

I can hear some of you thinking: gross!

Bear with me here. And gentlemen readers, if you are squeamish about "that time of the month," stop reading here and catch up with us next time.

I'm a long-time tampon user.  I've heard of more eco-friendly options before, but tampons really work for me. I went as eco-friendly as I could with an organic cotton version of OB (applicator free) tampons.  But immediately post-partum, tampons are a no-no, and the bleeding continues for weeks.  I can't even wear disposable maxi pad for a day without my lady parts getting irritated.  I was dreading having to wear them for six weeks.

So, I thought about reusable pads.  Cotton would feel so much nicer against my skin, I thought.  And I'm already going to be doing diaper laundry.  I could just throw them in with the diapers.  So I took the plunge and picked some up at the Abby's Lane brick and mortar store.

They were great.  My skin didn't get irritated. There wasn't as much smell as with disposable pads.  And the blood washed right out of them.  I would highly recommend them for postpartum use.

I haven't had a period since Abby was born, so I haven't used them again.  However, I plan on continuing to at least use the panty liners when Aunt Flow does come around again. I feel cleaner with tampons, but might investigate some of the other options out there when the time comes.

If you are interested in trying out mama cloth, Mother Moon Pads will be stocked in the Green Mama Life shop!

The Beginning

Hello and welcome.

I'm a suburban mom to one, looking to live a better and greener life with my husband, dog, and daughter.

So far, we do a lot of things that other green-loving suburban families do. We switched out incandescent lightbulbs for CFLs, we use reusable grocery bags, and use steel water bottles instead of the disposable kind.

We are working on decreasing our footprint more. We use cloth diapers and wipes. I'm on a continual search for the perfect reusable nursing pad, and in my postpartum recovery, I tried out mama cloth.

Before my daughter was born, I was a teacher. I'm taking a year off to spend with her and watch my sister's two daughters while she goes to graduate school. I'd love to stay home permanently someday, and I dream of this shop helping me get there.

This blog will be part shop blog, part advice on living a greener life, and part product reviews. Look for more coming soon!