Bleeding On The Run, Sustainable Periods While Traveling

A little background, I am a bleeding human. I also travel a lot and care about the planet. I know that period products are horrendous, not only for the people who use them (and their bodies) but for the planet (and her celestial body).

So I have tried everything, the cup, reusable pads, and period underwear. Here are my experiences, advice, and conclusions about sustainable period products while traveling.

The cup

Excited to engage with sustainable period practices, I bought a period cup. At first, I had trouble with leaking, but this didn’t last long. I think many people experience leaking while they get used to the cup. Somehow your body and the cup meet some sort of agreement and get along merrily.

Putting in the cup was a bit trickier than I had wanted. I remember the woes of getting a tampon in those first few times so I thought the process would streamline itself.

Sadly, I must admit, putting in a period cup is just as much of a task now than it was in the beginning. To be honest, it’s my least favorite part of the cup. However, it’s not enough to deter me from using one.

It breaks down into three parts. The extraction, the blood, and the cleaning. The last being the trickiest part while traveling and the part I have struggled with.

Ok, so when you remove the cup, it's full of blood. You can simply tip it into the toilet. Then cup instructions ask you to rinse your cup before reapplication. This is where things get tricky for a traveler. How to do this when living in a hostel.

The hostel situation is about finesse, timing, and luck. In the bathroom, you can clean the cup with toilet paper then wait (if necessary) to be alone. Then clean it in the sink quickly before turning back around into the stall for reapplication.

Alternatively, you could find a cafe with a private bathroom to do your business. This requires some recon but any alone time is a luxury while traveling and living in a dorm setting.

Cleaning the cup between periods can also be tricky. Ask for boiling water from a coffee shop in a to-go cup. Take into the bathroom and dunk your cup for 2-5 minutes. If you are in a dorm, they often have kitchens with kettles. Boil water, put the water in a takeaway mug or reusable water bottle, tada!

Reusable pads

The next thing I invested in was reusable pads. Cloth pads you line your underwear with. You get it, they are pads but made of fabric. I’ve both purchased them and made my own.

I immediately noticed that the pads felt comfier than traditional pads, but the snaps were a bit of a bother. Like most things, I got used to it and now I don’t notice the snaps, but still am curious about an alternative.

The other thing I immediately noticed was that the heat down there was significantly less than normal pads. The way that traditional pads trap heat is reduced with the cotton alternative and so is the smell. I am a huge fan of the pads and now prefer them over the cup after my heavy days.

The pads also need to be cleaned in the sink or shower at the end of the day. How to do this at a hostel? For the cleaning process, you have two hurdles to overcome. Washing and drying. I have four pads, so I am able to alternate them. I recommend buying at least two to start.

You can scrub the pad in the dorm bathroom or, if that feels too risky (like someone might come in) then bring the pads in the shower with you and rinse them there. Then airdry the pad from your dorm ladder or tucked in a corner. You can let them air dry with the patterned part showing or drape a light shirt or towel over them so they are hidden.

In some places, it feels like a courageous thing to hang them for all they see. I ran into some cultural taboos while in Nepal and drying my reusable period pads.

This is where period underwear comes in.

Period underwear:

They just look like underwear! I have two pairs of period underwear by Thinx. I love them. Period underwear is by far my favorite sustainable period product. It’s everything in one. Your underwear and your protection all wrapped in comfort and convenience.

The feeling of period underwear is different than normal underwear, just thicker. I can get a little nervous when my flow is quite heavy, but I have only leaked once from period underwear and it was overnight.

The best thing about period underwear on the run is that they look like underwear! While you do still have to wash and rinse them out in the sink or shower, you can dry them wherever because they look like underwear.

Period underwear is probably my overall favorite sustainable period product, but to be fair, I use them all during my menstruation.

There are lots of options out there now for bleeders to make more environmentally responsible choices. It is an amazing opportunity to save a lot of single-use products-- packed with paper, cotton, plastic, and packaging.

These sustainable products also provide a more intimate connection with your period blood. For this reason, I have also found these products much more fulfilling. I feel more connected to my body and the experience of bleeding. I recommend all bleeders to move closer to their blood.

Lots of love for those who bleed on the run, it can be scary to bleed while traveling. Reach out anytime! xxx