Rustle Free Sanitary Pads?

[wrenna.livejournal.com]

VP'ers, I need your help!  Especially the ladies in the UK!
My friend's daughter has just got her period for the first time, and is absolutely paranoid that people will hear her opening her sanitary pads when she is in the bathroom at school.    Her Mom has tried to explain to her that most people will understand, because in a High School girls' bathroom everyone will either have already started their periods, or will start their periods soon.
However, she's so anxious that her Mom has kept her off school today.

I've been using the cup for some years, so I'm out of touch with pads, but I remember seeing an advertisement on the TV a while back for pads with "rustle free" packaging... I even think I bought some myself... but I can't think for the life of me which brand it was!   I know it was one of the big brands, and if I remember correctly, the individual packages were white papery-cottony type, and I think they had red flowers on them.
Does anyone know what the heck I'm talking about, or have I dreamed this up??

Comments

[atalanta0jess.livejournal.com]

I think those do exist, but I'm not sure what brand they are.

Here's my idea...what if she had some sort of little fabric pouch...she could pre-open the pads, and then stick the pad into the pouch to keep it clean. Then it would be rustle free.

(I feel like if she's so anxious about this little issue, she maybe needs some training in anxiety management or something)

[sexandsoup.livejournal.com]

Seriously? You can't remember being young and getting anxious over (what now seem like) the silliest things? Give the girl a break, geez.

[sweetthea.livejournal.com]

I know what you're talking about!! I can't for the life of me remember what brand they were though. Try looking a the Always or Kotex, or any other big brand since that's probably the company who makes them.

[wrenna.livejournal.com]

It's Kotex!! Thanks!!

[songforpolly.livejournal.com]

my guess is Always it figures they'd come up with something like that :p

[amigone.livejournal.com]

My roommate uses them THey're Kotex brand.

[0-tammy-0.livejournal.com]

Is the Kotex ones by the looks of it after a quick google search http://www.ciao.co.uk/Kotex_Sanitary_Towels__Review_5590908 here is someones review and at http://www.kotex.com/na/index.asp you can get free samples :) hope that helps

[wrenna.livejournal.com]

Oooh, thanks! I'll forward the link to her Mom.

[praeclarus.livejournal.com]

Amazon product description for Kotex pads: "Shhhhhh? This is hard to keep quiet, but improved Kotex Pads have a whisper-quiet, clothlike pouch that provides the ultimate in discretion. Now that's definitely not an uncomfortable silence."

[cryingcat613.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the Kotex has a fabricky like bag, but the paper liner on the sticky side is still a little crinkly. (But I do like the fabricky bag.)

[archangelbeth]

If non-rustle versions can't be gotten quickly, the default trick is to flush and unwrap quickly as the noise covers it?

[I do wonder what teasing's been going on that might make her so very wary of doing anything that might make her a target. O:( I hope it's just a case of teenage over-shys.]

[lydia9679.livejournal.com]

In psych class, I learned about something called the imaginary audience. It's a feeling that teenagers sometimes have where they think everyone is watching...or in this case, listening to every little thing they do when in reality, no one's paying nearly as much attention as they think they are. In fact, I think we all feel that way from time to time no matter how old we get. I think this is a pretty accurate example of that, so there may not be any teasing at all.

/end psycho babble. :)

[firesorceress.livejournal.com]

The ones that I use (in the US) that are rustle free are Kotex brand. I use them because they are also less plasticy than some other brands like Always, and the plastic used to chafe me. But I also used to be afraid people would hear the rustling when I was younger, so I do understand!

[crazyzoo8886.livejournal.com]

Kotex is the only one that comes close enough to sound that you are talking about. I use them. The outside wrapping you can't hear, but you can hear when you take the backing off of the adhesive part that goes in your panties, but I think anyone could deal with that.

[in-a-safety-net.livejournal.com]

I also think that it's bad for her mother to keep her out of school for this reason. I have a lot of experience with anxiety (in myself, and others), and the way you overcome it is by facing your fears and therefore lessening the power that they have over you. By allowing her daughter to avoid this situation, she is indirectly validating the fear and allowing her daughter to hide from it... which basically just makes her a day out of touch with school while simultaneously letting her procrastinate putting herself in this situation.

Maybe I am over-analyzing here, but it is a very bad idea for her mother to allow her to miss any more school because of this. The daughter should simply be told that a bathroom has lots of stalls... the other people are also girls who also get periods and would not be likely to make fun of her for having hers... if they even noticed. Odds are they probably wouldn't even notice the rustling or if they did, they wouldn't even know what stall it came from. And if THAT's not enough to assuage her fear, she could always flush the toilet while she's unwrapping the pad.

I agree with the first person who commented, that maybe she needs training in anxiety management if she has anxiety issues over other minor things like this and they prevent her from attending school.

[wrenna.livejournal.com]

I can see your point... her Mother does over-protect her, but I understand the kid's anxieties too. She's 11, the first amongst her group to get her period, and the bathrooms are the hangout for all the year 11 (16 year old) girls.
I think she's just a little intimidated to be around them.
I was the same way at 11 too... I think it's a fairly normal, and common anxiety to be wary of the "big kids" at school.

[dayglow.livejournal.com]

Nowadays, I'm the kind of person who will grab a tampon out of her purse with no attempt to hide it and loudly announce 'I have to go control my uterine bleeding, be back whenever. If I don't come back, I had a huge blood clot get stuck in my vagina and I died so come find my corpse please.'

But back in the day when I was one of exactly two girls in my class to have their period, it was a bit freaky. My mom got me one of those little purse things that you put pads or whatever in. I never used it - it was big and bulky unlike a tampon which I could fit into a pocket, so everyone knew I was going to change anyway. Really though, if she's already in high school, chances are she's in the minority of just starting her period. EVERYONE hates the rustle of bleeding-control items, but you get used to it. *shrug*

[christemo.livejournal.com]

Can you be my best friend?
Hahaha, I do the same thing.

[portiasreign.livejournal.com]

I've been using cloth pads for awhile so I'm a bit out of touch with disposables...but I do think it's Kotex that markets the crinkle-free pads that I saw advertised on tv. Is cloth totally out of the question?...only because it doesn't crinkle at all haha. Other than that, if she's that worried than I agree with the people who said to unwrap them and store them in a little cloth pouch and that way she won't have to worry about people hearing her. And the flush and rip trick will work for getting the paper off the sticky part of the pad.

I was the same way when I was younger...I was very uncomfortable with crinkly wrappers and would always pray that no one was in the bathroom when I had to change pads. I don't think it's that out of the norm for a girl who's just started her period and who has grown up in a culture that tells her periods are gross. I think in time she'll most definitely grow out of it and stop caring, but for now, I see nothing wrong with helping her through this and finding things to minimize any embarassment she may feel (though if she still feels this way in 5 or 10 years, then I can see people saying she needs to work on her anxiety.)

[wrenna.livejournal.com]

LOL, my first words to her Mom was "CLOTH PADS!". (I'm a cloth and cup convert). Her Mom is interested in the concept, and I think they may even try them somewhere down the road!

[sparkle-lite.livejournal.com]

I know exactly how the girl feels. I was terrified that someone would be outside the bathroom door and hear the ripping of the plastic. I'm not sure why I thought that my mother would care if I was changing my pad. The Kotex brand are a little quieter, but not silent, but they might help her feel a little better. It really is something she'll get over with time, as all of her friends start their periods and start sharing pads and tampons in the bathroom.

As mortified as I was that someone would know I had my period, I've now discussed my menstrual cup with my mom while cooking dinner, and my very helpful little brother has helped me cut out cloth pad patterns.

[tokudama.livejournal.com]

Kotex in the US is rustle-free :)

And gawd, I do remember being embarrassed about that. Ugh.

[fantasmicalidea.livejournal.com]

If there are hand dryers in the bathroom at school and she's worried about the crinkly sound she can just hit the button before going into the stall. It's what a lot of the girls at my high school do to drown out any bathroom sounds. :)

[sarasnee.livejournal.com]

If she gets uber anxious about it, she might want to try a cup or cloth pads... or bringing unwrapped tampons to school (not as if they're sterilized anyway).

[rasa.livejournal.com]

I was just thinking about this the other day... how when I was younger, it seemed like my ENTIRE LIFE revolved around worrying about my period. Especially being a tomboy who never carried a purse until The Curse hit. OMG did it just start? What if it starts and I don't have a pad on me? Is my shirt long enough to cover my butt? OMG can people tell I'm wearing a pad?

It seems like such a ridiculous thing now at the age of 31, but I so vividly remember the horror that was trying to open crinkly wrappers silently. I don't think twice about things like that now.

Staying home from school... yeah a bit extreme, but she's far from alone in her fear.

[portiasreign.livejournal.com]

OMG this totally hit home...you're right! I spent SO much of my younger days (I'm only 21 now but middle school seems like an eternity ago) worrying about my stupid period when I could've been enjoying myself! I think I lived in fear 2 1/2 weeks out of the month...first a week and a half worrying about it starting and then the actual week of it worrying if my shirt was long enough to cover my butt if I leaked and if everyone could tell I was wearing a pad haha. Gah, I wish I could go back in time and tell myself not to worry about silly things like that! LOL.

[superfrogqueen8.livejournal.com]

Yup, they are Kotex. They are fairly quiet and pretty nice. Also if she is afraid of them showing through her pants, go for the Ultrathins with wings. They are pretty much invisible through pants and they are very absorbant. :P

[rearrangedfaith.livejournal.com]

yeah, kotex.

my mom and sister use them.

[burntbuffalo.livejournal.com]

I can remember being in middle school and being mortified that everyone would notice that I was carrying my purse to the bathroom with me. I mentally tracked how much traffic each bathroom got and would make it a point to go far out of the way to use the single toilet bathrooms that didn't have stalls but the door actually locked. I always had a sweatshirt with me in case I needed to tie it around my waist, and I'd never wear skirts (and skirts were my normal garb) because it would be more obvious if I leaked, and then I worried that everyone would notice if I didn't wear a skirt for a week every month. Now, I don't really care, and I even take pride in being on my period because with my cup I don't miss out on anything, even camping and boating all day.

But, more on topic, I think the brand is Kotex, although I think the ladies who suggested unwrapping them and using a pouch is also a good option if the other kind can't be found. I hope the girl feels better and less embarrased with time. Is there anything you and her mother can do to help her celebrate this occasion as something really great and special? All my mom did was hug me and say congratulations. It was better than something like "haha, sucks for you" but it still wasn't anything very empowering or anything.

[betterbebalboa.livejournal.com]

For me, the worst part was always trying to figure out a way to get the pad or tampon with you into the bathroom without making it really obvious that you were carrying one. You didn't want to have to hold in your hand, because what if someone saw, oh my god, but picking up your whole backpack to bring into the bathroom with you just looked dumb...

Plus, the bathrooms at my high school didn't have doors at the entrance. There were locking stall doors, and the stalls themselves were away from the entrance, but if you were in the hallway you could still look in and see the sinks and stuff. So yeah... everyone could hear the noises someone made in the bathroom. It really sucked.

Sorry I have no advice. Just reminiscing.

[h0rsegurrrl.livejournal.com]

Red flowers on the packaging, if my memory serves me correctly, is the Kotex brand.

[nsrawther.livejournal.com]

Brings back memories. I wasn't worried about the noise when I first got my period on a Tuesday and had to go to school (finals!!!) 'cause we had individual toilets that were pretty big but what I remember worrying about was the pads being dirty.. So a few spots of blood and I would change the pad! That carried on for the next few days of my first period. Then I figured that I was being paranoid.. : D

[welovedumplings.livejournal.com]

I think everyone has worried about something similar at least once in their life but I don't think those pads would help too much because then she'd only notice how much noise she thinks the pad makes as you unstick it from your knickers. I used to wonder if anyone else could hear it too.

But really, at some point, at least one girl is going to be walking around not knowing that she has leaked through her dress and others will forget pads and either have to borrow them from peers or ask for some at the first aid room.

But then sometime later these things won't feel like such a big deal, periods will become topics of conversation amongst friends (maybe she'll even discover that she and her friends have their periods at the same time!) and maybe the girl who gets her period when she doesn't expect it will be able to ask if anyone has a pad in the same way one might ask for a pen.
(this happened once when I was in PE, I said "I think I have one" and then worried as I walked to my bag that maybe she didn't mean a sanitary napkin but a pad of paper. ha).

[teenspot16.livejournal.com]

Yeah those are Kotex. I haven't used them in a long time. I think they are just as noisy as any other pad/wrappers and they don't have wings so I leaked more with them. I would pick out a cool looking sock and put a pad out of it's wrapper in there.


Some free samples...

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Kotex ultra thin compact pad
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Glad rags cloth pad offer
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Lunapads cloth pad offer
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Tampax Pearl tampon
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Playtex Sport tampon
http://www.startsampling.com/sm/21561/captureAddress.iphtml?item=21561&source=

OB tampon(i'm not sure if it will arrive)
http://www.obtampons.com/mightysmall/en/register.jsp

[teenspot16.livejournal.com]

Tampax cardboard sample -http://www.startsampling.com/sm/24286/captureAddress.iphtml?item=24286&source=upgradeu_redirect