Period stigma, cloth pads, Dottie Dot and more

U zadnjih nekoliko godina, ako pratite blogove o zdravlju ili ekologiji, mogli ste mnogo puta naići na članak o platnenim ulošcima. Iako to nije ništa novo ni revolucionarno, pošto su ih žene koristile već stotinama godina, dostigli su novi val popularnosti 1970. godina prošlog stoljeća.

Prvi jednokratni menstrualni ulošci bili su dostupni za komercijalnu upotrebu tek 1888. godine od strane tvrtke Southall.

Od moje prve menstruacije borila sam se s neugodnim plastičnim osjećajem jednokratnih uložaka, iritacijom, crvenilom i znojenjem te sam s vremenom počela tražiti alternative koje bi mogle zamijeniti jednokratne uloške. Sviđala mi se ideja tampona, ali bilo me previše strah sindroma toksičnog šoka (TSS). Tek prije dvije godine sam se detaljnije upoznala s platnenim ulošcima i menstrualnim časicama te sam ih odlučila isprobati.

(If you follow blogs about health and ecology, you may have came across an article about cloth pads. Although it is neither new nor revolutionary thing, since they have been used by women for hundreds of years, they reached a new wave of popularity in the 1970's.

The first disposable menstrual pads were available for commercial use in 1888 by Southall.

Since my first period I struggled with an unpleasant plastic feeling of disposable pads, irritation, redness and sweating, and eventually I started looking for alternatives that could replace disposable menstrual pads. I liked the idea of ​​a tampon, but I was too afraid of the toxic shock syndrome (TSS). Only two years ago, I started researching about reusable menstrual pads/menstrual cups and I decided to try them out.)

Menstrualni ciklus je postao tabu tema i sve više nailazim na komentare žena koje ga se srame ili im se gadi sama pomisao na menstruaciju. Nazivaju je raznim imenima poput – crvena dama, vještica, crvena rijeka, onaj dan u mjesecu, ženski problemi itd.

Zgražaju se na spomen platnenih uložaka i menstrualnih čašica, ističući kako je to za njih gadno i nehigijenski. Razumijem kako vas menstrualni ciklus može oneraspoložiti – nakuplja se voda u organizmu, izbijaju akne, imate žudnju za određenom hranom, raspoloženje vam se mijenja svako malo itd. Promjene koje nam se događaju u tijelu su potpuno normalne i koliko god me ponekada živcirale, shvaćam da su dio iskustva. Menstrualna krv je dio mene i jednaka je krvi iz posjekotine na ruci. Zašto krv iz posjekotine na ruci nije stigmatizirana? Zašto se žene osjećaju posebno nečisto tih nekoliko dana? Zar je taj mindset o nečistoći tijekom menstruacije još uvijek ukorjenjen u nama?

(The menstrual cycle has become a taboo subject and I often hear that in the comments of women who are ashamed or disgusted by the thought of menstruation. They are calling it a various names like - red lady, witch, red river, the day of the month, women's problems, etc. Women are disgusted by the thought of using cloth pads and menstrual cups, pointing out that it is horrible and unhygienic in their opinion. I understand how your menstrual cycle may be overwhelmed - water is accumulating in the body, you have breakouts, cravings for certain food, your mood changes constantly etc. It's all part of the changes that happen in the body and even though it makes me nervous sometimes, I realize it's part of the experience. Menstrual blood is part of me and it is the same as the blood from a cut on my hand. Why is blood from the cut on the hand not stigmatized? Why do women feel particularly unclean these few days when they are on their periods? Is this mentality of impurity during menstruation still rooted in us?)

Uz platnene uloške i menstrualnu čašicu naučila sam mnogo više o svom tijelu. Menstrualni ciklus za mene više nije bio samo sedam dana užasa kroz koji prolazim svaki mjesec, nego znak da sam zdrava žena sposobna na svijet donijeti drugo ljudsko biće ukoliko to jednog dana budem željela. To je prirodan dio mog života i trebam zapravo biti ponosna na njega, a ne sramiti ga se. Kao mlada žena odbijam prihvatiti da je upravo taj jedan znak početka mog sazrijevanja kao žene neprihvaćen od strane današnjeg društva i da ga se i dalje treba stigmatizirati. Žalosno je da i dalje u nekim dijelovima svijeta žene smatraju nečistima kada imaju menstruaciju te im je zabranjeno obavljati svakodnevne aktivnosti poput kuhanja i brige za djecu, jesti voće, dirati cvijeće, biti ljute, imati seksualne odnose, a ponekada su nažalost bivale istjerane iz vlastitog doma jer se smatralo da donose nesreću tijekom tih nekoliko dana. Voljeti svoje tijelo već je ionako teško mlađim generacijama te ih treba poticati da ga s vremenom prihvate i zavole jer to je jedino tijelo koje imaju. Nema ništa sramotno u tom crvenom krvavom simbolu novog početka, rođenja, sazrijevanja, snage i važnosti ženskog spola.

(Since I started using cloths pad and menstrual cups I learned a lot more about my body. The menstrual cycle for me was no longer just the seven days of horror through which I go through every month, but the sign that I am a healthy woman capable of bringing another human being to this world if I want it. It's a natural part of my life and I really need to be proud of, not ashamed of it. As a young woman I refuse to accept that this sign of the beginning of my maturity as a woman is unacceptable by today's society and that it should still be stigmatized. It is sad that even in some parts of the world, women are considered to be unclean when they have their period and are forbidden to carry out daily activities such as cooking and caring for children, eating fruits, touching flowers, being angry, having sex, and sometimes unfortunately being expelled from their own home because it was considered for them to bring misfortune during those few days. To love your body is already a difficult task to accomplish for younger generations, and we should encourage them to accept and love themselves because this is the only body they have. There is nothing embarrassing in that blood-red symbol of the new beginning, birth, maturity, strength and importance of the female sex.)

Prednosti platnenih menstrualnih uložaka:

1. Iako isprva izgleda kao da morate uložiti veliku svotu novaca, platneni ulošci vas koštaju zapravo mnogo manje nego jednokratni jer se mogu iznova koristiti

2. Bolji su za okoliš. U prosjeku žene tijekom svog života potroše oko 16 000 jednokratnih menstrualnih/dnevnih uložaka i tampon. Zamislite koliko je to otpada ako uzmete u obzir da u prosjeku na svijetu ima oko 4 milijardi žena

3. Uvijek su vam na dohvat ruke

4. Udobniji su

5. Smanjuju mogućnost infekcija i iritacije kože

6. Mogu biti prilagođeni vašem obliku tijela i vašim potrebama

7. Upijaju mnogo bolje nego jednokratni

8. Ublažavaju neugodne mirise

9. Smanjuju grčeve i krvarenje tijekom menstruacije

10. Mogu se lako napraviti kod kuće

(Pros of cloth pads:

1. Although at first it seems like you have to invest a large amount of money, cloth pads cost you much less than disposable ones because they can be reused.

2. Better for the environment. On average, women spend about 16,000 disposable menstrual pads/panty liners throughout their life. Imagine how much waste it is if you take into account that there are around 4 billion women on average in the world.

3. They are always available for use if you need them.

4. They are more comfortable.

5. They reduce the possibility of infections and skin irritation.

6. Can be customized to your body shape and to your needs.

7. More absorbent then disposable ones.

8. They reduce any odors present at the time.

9. It is proven that they also reduce cramping and bleeding, making your periods lighter and shorter.

10. They can be easily sewn at home.)

Bila sam neopisivo sretna kada sam pronašla najdražu Dottie i naručila svoje prve dnevne i menstrualne platnene uloške. Svaki njen uložak je kao jedno malo umjetničko djelo upakirano s printom i etiketama koje je sama dizajnirala. Privukao me izbor predivnih dizajnerskih pamuka i općenito jedinstveni dizajn njenih uložaka koji odlično pristaje mom obliku tijela.

(I was extremely happy when I found my dearest Dottie and ordered my first panty liners and menstrual pads. Each pad is one beautiful piece of art with printed packaging and label that she has designed herself. I was attracted by the choice of beautiful designer cotton terry and unique design of Dottie's pads that fit my body shape so beautifully.)

Od materijala koji vam prijanjaju uz kožu možete birati između pamučnog velura i bambus frotira. Ulošci su mekani, udobni, lako se peru i ne klize s donjeg rublja.

(For the interior layer of the pad you can choose between cotton velour and bamboo terry. Pads are soft, comfortable, easy to wash and they do not slip or move while wearing them.)

Kada sam prvi puta naručivala uloške od Dottie jedan od dizajna koji mi se svidio je dizajnerski pamuk s uzorkom Avengersa. Pošto sam joj rekla da jako volim Iron Mana ponudila mi je da ga dodatno centrira kako bi cijeli pokrio gornju površinu uloška. Iskreno, bila sam oduševljena pažnjom koju mi je posvetila tijekom naručivanja i izvrsnom komunikacijom. Zaista ju je zanimalo što točno želim i potrudila se maksimalno da na kraju budem zadovoljna s ulošcima koje sam naručila. Dottie je definitivno moja najdraža šivalica i ostati ću joj vjerna zauvijek.

Cijelu ponudu predivnih stvarčica koje šivaju vrijedne ruke moje Dottie možete pogledati na njenoj web stranici Dottie Dizajn.

(When I first ordered cloth pads from Dottie, one of the designs I liked was designer cotton terry with Avengers pattern. Since I told her I really liked Iron Man she offered me to center it further to cover the upper layer of the pad. Honestly, I was thrilled with the attention she had given me during ordering and communication with her was excellent. She was really interested in my wishes related to cloth pads design and did her best to make everything perfect. Dottie is definitely my favorite seamstress and I'll stay forever faithful to her. The whole offer of wonderful stuff that diligent hands of my Dottie make is on her website Dottie Design.)