DIY for girl parts

[Mouse]

let's face it, pretty much any punk related scene is a boys club. so I like to take any chance I get to help girls w/ diy tips for making cloth pads, herbal abortions, and other female-centered DIY ideas.

I recently was given some free Luna pads and I must say they fucking rule. If you've ever got the money to spare I highly suggest buying a set http://www.lunapads.com/

but that's nto very DIY now is it? sorry. I digress.


BUT if you haven't got the money... making your own is insanely easy. http://www.geocities.com/thixle/diypads_tutorial.html
pattern- http://www.geocities.com/thixle/diypad_junior1.html


the benifits from using cloth pads:
less waste
many women report their flow is lightened (from persoanl experience I know this to be true)
they pay for themselves
a lot more comfortable
safer than bleached, plastic, unnatural panty liners

If you're not into pads and prefer tampons it's even better if you use natural fibers for your monthly bizness. store bought tampons can kill ya for fucks sake.

the method i prefer is taking an old (BUT CLEAN, duh) sock and cutting it into 2 inch strips, rolling it tightly, and like magic you've got a washable and reusable tampon for pretty much free. comes in handy if you're caught off guard as well.

wash it with anti-bactirial soap and let dry and it's ready to use again.

there's also natural sea sponges you can buy in some makeup departments at stores that can be used at tampons. I've never tried these so that's something I can't comment on.

_________________________________

I've read a lot about herbal abortions but never had to attempt one (*knocks on wood, crosses fingers and prays to the virgin mary that it will never fucking happen*)

If anyone has personal experience or second hand experience with this I'd love to hear what you've got to say but for now I'll post some resources --

Hot Pantz zine can be ordered from microcosm publishing. it contains a detailed list of ingredients and instructions.

Sister Zues - http://www.sisterzeus.com/Abortif.htm
sling shot - http://slingshot.tao.ca/displaybi.php?0082011

I'd love it if the ladies posted more female related DIY stuff.

 

[Poking Victim]

I know the sea sponges work; a girl I was traveling with used them.

 

[punkkus]

Sorry if this was mentioned, but it's been discovered that Law Schools (& possibly universities), have been known to freely dispense tampons & pads in little baskets or piles for their female students in limited bathrooms just like some womens bathrooms have a lounge, chair, or bed! (Grody, but true) The mens bathrooms still do not, but this is besides the point.

Most, that I am aware of, lawschool libraries are actually free to the public so long as you don't make the place look bummy - that's what your local library is for Security often patrols for any suspicious activites due to the high-risk college student abduction rate & unfortunate muggings, but otherwise they are usually harmless. Just imagine you're an airhead yuppie & you'll be fine. I recommend dressing down to sneak in & out with ease and if you take too many then you ruin it for everyone. Just wanted to pass it along for the responsible & resourceful.

Gender Equality! Peace. -punkkus

 

[smellytravelerchick]

This all sounds really neat, what if yournot around anywhere to wash the pad/tampon...or your panties get all bloody then what? (besides changing them) is there any panties that wont get bloody besides plastic...?

What do you girlsdo with cramps? just deal or take motrin with ya??? some ppl have reely bad cramps. okay im done asking stupid questions

 

[CaseyCatastrophe]

smellytravelerchick wrote:

This all sounds really neat, what if yournot around anywhere to wash the pad/tampon...or your panties get all bloody then what? (besides changing them) is there any panties that wont get bloody besides plastic...?

What do you girlsdo with cramps? just deal or take motrin with ya??? some ppl have reely bad cramps. okay im done asking stupid questions

I don't think they're stupid at all. In fact, I think they're totally legitimate concerns for lady travelers.

 

[circle_b]

I know I mentioned this sometime awhile ago here, but my menstrual product of choice is the Diva cup (http://www.divacup.com if you don't know what it is) - I bleed pretty heavy, and I've still never had an issue of any kind of bleeding over/bad leakage (which is why I got it to begin with). It's not as convenient as, like, tampons, because it has to be cleaned/rinsed off, but you can do it pretty simply even on the road.

I know some company made some more disposable version of the diva cup (where you use one once a day, they come in boxes of 6), but I've never tried them, don't know how they are, BUT -- they're in lots of big grocery stores so they might be easier to steal/find than a diva cup, if you want to go that route.

i have a bottle of ibuprofen in my bag when i go on extended trips. worth its weight in gold when you need it. as far as the bloody panties: i've come to accept that most of my underwear is always going to have some blood stains on them.

 

[Mouse]

smellytravelerchick wrote:

This all sounds really neat, what if yournot around anywhere to wash the pad/tampon...or your panties get all bloody then what? (besides changing them) is there any panties that wont get bloody besides plastic...?

What do you girlsdo with cramps? just deal or take motrin with ya??? some ppl have reely bad cramps. okay im done asking stupid questions

underwear gets staind... pretty much ya jsut deal with it.

as for not being able to clean them promptly... always keep m ore than one on hand if you're stuck without a sink or soap. usually 2 cloth pads are all I need. One sock can make about 6 "tampons"


as for cramping... taking a vitamin B complex before you're about to get your period usually lessens the pain and moodyness. my gyno recomended this and at first I was specital (a multivitamin will tame my horrible mood wings? suuuure) but it actualyl works. I wouldn't suggest using it everyday because 1. your tollerance will build. 2. high doses of b 6 and 12 are known to cause acne breakouts so if you're got bad skin it will only make it worse.

also there's Chasteberry. an herb you can buy in whole form and make into tea (it's seed like looking, reminds me or soy nuts only grey). I believe you can also buy it in supplement form at organic style health food stores. it's used to sooth psm, regulate cycles, and lessen hormonal acne breakouts. it's also said to lower your libido but that's not entirely proven.


-----------------------------------------------------

Circle b - I totally forgot about the diva cup! stupid me. I've never used it beause the initial cost of one has always been more than I could afford. They seem interesting though.

 

[Code Name Mary]

The sea sponges do work really well, I once lived with a hippie woman and this was all she had so I used and reused it, you just have to trim it to your liking and I:dry: recommend boiling it every once in a while. I personally don't like the diva cup things because they always leaked when i tried, but maybe I just suck at using them?:dry:

 

[Oaksey]

Menstrual Extraction: from the zine "What is this thing called M.E.?"
bodyautonomy@riseup.net
Need-
-Collection Tubing
-Towel
-Rubber Stoppre
-Adapter tube
-Mason Jar
-4mm Cannula
-one-way byppass valve
-50cc syringe
-gloves
-lubricating jelly
-tissues
-o-ring forcepts
-cervical stabilizer

Usually takes place on the first day of a woman's expected period or several hours after her period starts. It can be done in comfortable surroundings, often in the woman's home. One or more experienced women in the group do a uterine check to determine the size and position of the uterus so that the group does not find itself dealing with a more advanced pregnancy than they are prepared for. Such a case could result in an incomplete extraction, which usually involves resorting to medical personnel who have access to the necessary equipment and skills to complete the procedure.
Wearing a surgeons plastic glove, one woman inserts her index and middle fingers into the vagina. Pressing down on the abdomen just above the pubic hairline, she can feel the outline of the uterus between her hands. In early pregnancy, the uterus is usually teh size of an unshelled walnut, and firm.
The woman who is having the extraction then inserts her own speculum and checks her cervix with a mirror. Then the other members of the group check it also. If she is pregnant her cervix might very well be puffy and have a bluish tint. This change usually occurs in the first three months of pregnancy.
It is very important to the group to have information about the woman's menstrual cycle and her past experiences with menstrual extraction, irritations, or infections/signs of pregnancy. Although the whole group should evaluate this information before proceeding, the final decision to proceed is always left o the woman having the extraction, provided she is sufficiently familiar with the technique to evaluate the information.
The next step is to pump up the vacuum in the Del-Em. Some women prefer to have the vacuum established before the cannula is inserted and this can be done by pinching the tube attached to the valve. Others prefer the suction to be built up slowly after the cannula is inserted into the uterus. If the woman decides to use the stabilizer which looks like a pair of tweezers, it is attached to the cervix at this point. The stabilizer is used to keep the cervix from moving.
The cannula is now inserted carefully through the cervical canal and into the woman's uterus. With the size four or five cannula, there is normally no need for dilation (stretching of the canal). The woman holding the cannula will feel it pass through the inner cervical opening and know the cannula tip is in the uterus.
If the cannula does not go in easily, it is helpful to grasp it with the O-ring forceps to give it more stability.
When the cannula is in teh uterus, the woman doing the extraction turns the cannula first in a clockwise direction, then in the opposite direction and moves it forward and back as well, to make sure she is picking up all of the uterine material.
The woman having her extraction should always be in control. If her cramps are to heavy or if she feels too uncomfortable, she can ask that the extraction be stopped.
If a pregnancy has been interrupted, it is important that the extraction be complete. This can usually be determined by the woman, who will feel the stronger cramping that indicates the emptied uterus is contracting down to it's usual size. The woman holding the cannula will usually notice a difference also. The cannula is harder to move in and out and the interior of the uterus which at first felt smooth, feels rough like a washboard when it is empty. The contents of the uterus--blood, clots or small bits of tissue are examined in a shallow glass or dish. If chorionic villi, the yellowish material with branchlike structures, which is the beginning of the placenta are present, then it is a good sign that the menstrual extraction ended the pregnancy.

 

[Mouse]

THAT sounds painful... and a lil above most peoples skill levels. but interesting. thanks

 

[blackmatter]

my friend uses oregano oil as a painkiller when he gets kidney stones and he has them alot he says more or less neutralizes the pain and its stronger than the over the counter shit hope it helps

 

[rocksy]

If you're looking for something like the Diva Cup, but cheaper, I was at walmart last night, and saw something called Instead. It was the same idea, and definetly liftable. I didn't see how much it was though.

edit: i found a website site for it. they're super inexpensive. http://www.softcup.com/index.php

Post edited by: rocksy, at: 2007/06/09 05:43

 

[Mouse]

I remember hearing a loooong time ago about this Instead thing... isn't it some sorta contraceptive that doulbes at a cervical cup type dealy?

kinda like a female condom you can leave in during your period so mentral sex isn't messy???

 

[Zanzae]

on the website, it says that it's not a contraceptive...so be aware!

 

[inky]

i've heard the plastic dixicups work, and i knew a chick that used them, but i think if i tried to get one up there it would surely break. it worked for her though; she only used them as a last resort, and i to this day cannot figure out how they didn't get smashed in her pack. whatever.


as for the washing on the go thing: the sock strip/general clean absorbant fabric strip tampon thing works, and then you can just toss it when yer done. i guess this defeats the purpose of saving trash and whatnot, but its a good cost effective alternative even if it doesn't save the planet.

and menstrual cramps can be eased with a massage, i think i've seen ones in differant DIY guides before

 

[So1o]

My friend drinks beer for her cramps.

 

[Ravie]

hmmm well for cramps i try to drink milk. sorry vegans, but it works so well its almost stupid. every time i feel cramps coming on, i just drink a glass of milk. and let me tell you, if i dont, i get the type of cramps that feel like someone's kicking you in the gut over and over again. if milk doesnt cut it, i just go for advil. NEVER TAKE ASPRIN. it thins the blood and makes you flow heavier.

For a last resort on tampons, i just roll up a piece of toilet paper real tight and use that. not super comfy but it works. and i allways make sure to wear black pants and underwear, just incase it does leak, it wont stain.

as for the abortion thing, im against it. but i miscarried once from not knowing i was prego and going on a week long vodka binge. just remember, after any abortion, herbal or not, go get checked by a doctor, because left over remains could kill you.

 

[Dameon]

Girls are gross. This thread absolutely proves it. That is all.

 

[Ravie]

maybe gays are actually doing something right? haha nah actually it sounds way worse than it really is...

 

[Ravie]

so.... its harder on the road, but easier because your "stuff" is right next to you and not in the other room? fuck, i know im not stupid, but i can hardly understand that post.