• Green Upgrader sings some praises in Reusable Menstrual Products Help Reduce Waste, Save Money.

• A study finds that the presence of older brothers delays menstruation in girls.  Learn more about why they think that is and how it relates to sexual activity here.

• I’ve always wondered What Causes Digestive Issues During Menstrual Periods.  And now I know!
• Ashley at Domestic Chaos reviews cloth pads and the Instead and rates them according to effectiveness and comfort.
• A new study finds a link between stress and worse PMS symptoms.
• Life on Health brings us many reasons to start using menstrual cups in Wondering How To Forget About Menstrual Pains & Discomfort Of Constant Tampon Or Pad Changing? Menstrual Cups!
• Check out this laughable recent ad for douching How to Ask for a Raise: First, Wash Your Vagina.  If only we could all feel comfortable with our own bodies silly shaming ads like this would not be a problem!
• Reasons to use a menstrual cup, let blogger Delta S count the ways.

About GladRags:

• Thanks to everyone who donated to our campaign for an orphanage in Nepal!  Learn more about the orphanage and our donation campaign here.
• You can see the TigerMama crew sporting their new GladRags pins in the picture to the right! Want one of your own? Sign up to be a GladRags Guerrilla!

Izzy, a volunteer for the Nepal Women and Children Service Society, recently contacted us about donating GladRags to orphaned girls.  Here’s her description of life for the Nepalese children she works with, and why cloth pads are greatly needed:

The Nepal Women and Children Service Society (NWCSS) is a local co-operative aiming to rescue and support deprived women and children. Established in 2002, the group opened an orphanage in the Jorpati district of Kathmandu. Although the NWCSS are working hard to fund it, this orphanage is in dire need of external donations to offer the children a quality of life beyond the basic necessities.

For the last two years, I have volunteered at the orphanage. The living conditions of the children are incomprehensible to any measurement we might make, but this is not what defines them. Each day, I am greeted by cheeky smiles and requests for chewing gum. They are kids. Despite their desolate environment, they have retained the curiosity and joy we hope for in children. My goal in working with the NWCSS is to maintain that attitude and optimistic view of life.

More than half of the 25 children are girls, many of whom are coming into adolescence. Eight of the fourteen girls are in need of menstrual products. On my last visit, I learned that the eldest girl had been given an old towel to use as a sanitary napkin. As you can imagine, this single towel is hardly a sufficient, hygienic or comfortable means for dealing with menstruation. Another volunteer purchased a small supply of disposable pads for the girls but this is not a long term solution. Aside from the cost of disposable pads being high, there is also no hygienic way of disposing of the pads. The waste from the orphanage is collected in garbage cans and dumped 20 feet from the rear of the home. The heap attracts the expected stray animals and rodents, and is regularly set on fire, the fumes engulfing the orphanage.

You can learn more about the orphanage at this volunteer-run website and easily donate pads through the GladRags website.  Visit our donation page to learn how — you can even sew your own! Thank you for doing your part to ensure that girls everywhere have access to safe, clean, and comfortable menstrual supplies!