For the Love of Frida!

Today is July 6th, the day that Mexican painter Frida Kahlo was born. A feminist before her time, she inspires many women today to live fully and express themselves openly. An independent woman, Frida refused to pluck her uni brow or 'mustache'. She celebrated them, painting them into her self portraits. She was a vibrant, sexually liberated woman. Her father is quoted as telling her future husband, "She is a devil". Her works display her preoccupation with female themes and the candor with which she expressed them has made her a feminist icon in the last decades of the 20th century.

As a celebration of her life I listed my Frida: Feminist Icon Uterus Plush today.

With all of the Frida love going around I thought I would tell you a bit about her, hopefully I can do her justice.

Frida was born on July 6th, 1926. At the age of 6 she contracted polio, which left her right leg thinner than her left. She wore full, billowing Spanish skirts to hide this fact. She was working towards being a doctor. At the age of 15 she was accepted into a prestigious medical preparatory school in Mexico City. Three years later her plans changed when she was involved in a devastating bus accident.

She suffered fractures of the back, collar bone, ribs, pelvis, shoulder, and foot. An iron handrail had pierced through her abdomen and uterus. She spent over a year immobilized in bed recovering. It was during this time that Frida turned towards painting. Her mother had an easel made for her so that she would be able to create while in bed. During the span of her life Frida went through 35 operations. She lived in constant pain that would often become so intense she would be confined to the hospital for months at a time.

Drawing from her own personal experiences stemming from her numerous operations, her marriage, and miscarriages her works are characterized by stark portrayals of pain. She is quoted saying, "I never painted my dreams. I painted my own reality".
Of her 143 pieces, 55 are self portraits- most of which incorporate symbols of her physical and psychological wounds.

In 1929 Frida married artist Diego Rivera, despite her mother's disapproval. Their marriage proved to be a turbulent one. Both had fiery tempers and numerous extramarital affairs, Frida's including one of my favorite women: Joesephine Baker. Diego went a step further and had an affair with Frida's sister, Christina. This enraged Frida and the couple was divorced, but not for long. The couple remarried shortly afterword and their second marriage proved to be as turbulent as the first. They kept separate living quarters.

Before she passed Frida wrote in her journal, "I hope the exit is joyful - and I hope never to return".
Frida died on July 13th. 1954 at the age of 47. The official cause of death is cited as pulmonary embolism. No autopsy was preformed and some suspected that she died from an overdose that may or may not have been accidental. Days before her death her leg had been amputated at the knee and she was again bedridden.

About Cloth Menstrual Pads: FAQ, How To, and A Review on Betty's Site

Curious about the whole cloth menstrual pad thing?

Here are the answers to the questions I get the most often. 

Lets Talk Cloth Menstrual Pads

Pads can feel like fluffy clouds, pads can love you without leaking on you, once you've tried our pads you'll marry them and most of all, Unicorns exist.

On a more serious note... with the invent of disposable menstrual products we have come to associate menstruation with filth. It's a symbol and reminder of women's ability to create life and is absolutely NOT trash, its not dirty or filthy. By washing your menstrual pads rather than throwing them away you are not only doing something good for the environment but you are honoring yourself and your body.

*How do I use my cloth menstrual pad?
They are almost identical to using disposable pads with wings. Rather than sticking to your panties they fasten closed with a metal snap.

How often do I change my VLL cloth menstrual pad?
Gush! cloth menstrual pads are more absorbent than disposable pads, so you will be able to go longer with out having to change the pad. Average is about 1 every 4-5 hours, but that varies in your flow. Like with disposable pads you will learn while using them how often you personally need to change your pads.

How absorbent are VLL cloth menstrual pads?
Our regular flow pad consists of 2 layers of flannel, 2 of cotton terry cloth, a waterproof barrier and a stain resistant vegan fleece center. How do you like them manzanas?
The waterproof barrier lines the entire bottom layer of the pad, and to top it off terry cloth is much more absorbent than the treated cotton you find in a disposable pad.
So, what does that mean? 
Well, I have one customer that uses the maxi versions for her mother who has some problems with incontinence (which we love! Listen, when I'm old I don't want to wear a diaper- I want to wear a freaking  unicorn pad) and she swears by them. That's how absorbent they are.


What do I do with them when I need to replace them and I am not at home?
Excellent question. :)
VLL's cloth menstrual pads are designed to be able to fold and snap closed, like so:


All of the moisture is on the inside of the pad and the back of the pad- the part of the pad with the waterproof lining- is facing out, this does wonders in preventing leaks.
The easiest thing to do is fold them up and place them in a waterproof bag. Many women use zip lock bags. If you are looking for something more eco-friendly and discreet we sell leak resistant wet bags that have two separate sections: one for used pads and one for clean pads.



How do I wash my Gush! cloth menstrual pads?

Give your pad a good rinse in the sink, wring them out and repeat until the water you wring out is clear. If you have dark colored pads and see no stains your done! Just throw your pad in the wash with your other clothes.

If you see a stain and you want it gone, fill the bathroom sink or a plastic container with warm water and hydrogen peroxide. Let it sit for an hour or so. {If you have a really stubborn stain pour some fresh warm water and mix in one scoop of Oxyclean. Let it sit for an hour or so. Works every time) Then, wring out one last time and throw it in the laundry pile. That's it. Seriously, wring it out- throw it in a pile and move on with your life. 

How much money will I actually save by switching to VV cloth menstrual pads?
If you spend just $8.00 monthly on your disposable menstrual products (likely you spend more) you are spending $96.00 yearly. Every 5 years you are spending $480. 2 sets of  VLL pads will cost you $115.00, saving you $198. If you care for your pads they will last even longer than 5 years, saving you more.

How many do I need?
This really depends on your personal flow and how often you do laundry.
Our basic sets are a beautiful way to start-
Find out how often you need to change them, how often you wash them and go from there. We find that the heaviest of flow with the woman that hates laundry the most (ok, yes, Im talking about me...) only needs 5 liners and 1 maxi to go the entire week without washing clothes. We sell the main sets with 4 pads each and then if you find you need to add only 2 you can totally do that-  and in a different, fabulous pattern.
Variety really is the spice of life.

Are VLL cloth menstrual pads comfortable?
The base of the pad is made of soft vegan flannel- on both sides. And the center piece is made of this ultra soft vegan fleece that molds to your body like some kind of.. Vulva magic.

We promise you no crinkling, no bulkiness, and none of that taking a small breath before pulling out your tampon feeling.
When we say they feel like clouds, we are 100% for real.


Will my VLL menstrual pads leak?
They hold 3x more liquid than other cloth/store bought pads and they are fully lined with leak-resistant fabric. Now, just like any menstrual product if you are having a really heavy day and don't check on them or change them for hours you may end up with a leak- but with our pads you are much less likely to run into that problem.

Is there an odor problem with Gush! cloth menstrual pads?
VLL pads breath more than disposable pads- which should make them smell, right?
Actually, it helps keep your pad drier- so you will find that you don't have an odor care in the world.

How long will they last?
At the very least they will last you 3 years- if you totally don't bother to take care of them.
Depending on how well they are cared for they can last up to 7. Instructions for care are included with your order, but they are pretty much the same as you find here. So, taking good care of them really isn't hard.

Are they sanitary?
Yes. When you prick your finger it's not un-sanitary, same concept. Plus, like you panties, VLL pads are worn outside of your body, not in- tampons really just holds the menstrual blood in the vaginal canal and that can cause some problems. Not from the blood but from the tampon. Toxic shock much? And if you don't think it happens, take a look.
Menstruation is a natural, harmless substance that is in no way harmful or unsanitary.

So this all sounds too good to be true, but we can prove it. 

Use tampons? 

We promise once you try our cloth pads you will never go back. Don't believe this fairy tale? Here is a review we got on Betty Dodson's site. Yes, Betty Dodson. {Freakin love her}

So go ahead- Menstruate Fabulously!