Many preppers are stocking up on tampons and menstrual pads but they do so for the “wrong reasons”. How about prepping for your period? Some men tend to ignore this topic while others will let the women in their lives take care of it.

Preppers believe that feminine hygiene products could come in handy when having to deal with a severe injury. Only a few of them acknowledge their mundane use, while others seem to ignore the reality of how a woman’s body works.

No one talks about their essential monthly use and it’s like the period, moon time or menstruation doesn’t exist. If they ignore it, eventually it will go away. This article will make most guys feel uncomfortable and if you can’t handle it, it’s better to pass it on to the women in your life.

A Taboo Subject

The period topic is sensitive for some of the men. There isn’t much they can do about to help in a crisis. We are used to seeing the ladies in our life go to the drugstore once a month and pick up a convenient box and that’s it. That’s all the period mystery for us.

However, in a scenario where drugstores are out of the picture, the period can become a real issue for a woman. This is why is better to be well prepared for your period. You should know how to deal with this situation during an emergency scenario.

The information gathered in this article will prove useful during a bug out situation, a natural disaster or during a long-term scenario when becoming self-sufficient is the only way to survive.

A first solution in prepping for your period is the Menstrual Cup

These are small, portable, medical grade silicone cups that are built to last for years. They were initially designed for environmentalists, but nowadays, these items are perfect for preppers. The menstrual cup has become so popular that there are now several competitors on the market such as the Diva Cup or the Dutchess Cup and Amazon is full of these types of products.

The small silicone pouch has to be squeezed up inside the vagina, as close to the cervix as possible, as soon as the period starts. The cup has enough room to contain several ounces of fluid. It can be left in for up to 10 hours.

Doing it the smart way

It is recommended to have two cups so that when you go to the bathroom, you dump the blood in the toilet, you clean yourself up and you stick the clean cup in. Once you’re done replacing the cup, you can clean the used one in the sink. It takes some time to get used to it, but the women who managed to do so, are satisfied with this choice. They recommended it as a long-term solution for the period.

The menstrual cup would be a real advantage in a bug out situation. You will not have to worry about checking on it for 10 hours and you will be able to focus on other priorities. You will not worry about your clothing getting stained or figure out how to deal with different hygiene issues. It is an excellent addition to your bug out bag and you should really consider getting one.

Even if this is something that you would rather not use on a day to day basis, if you are a prepper, it is certainly worth you investing in some. Although you will not use them every day, there may be a time that you find yourself in a situation that you wish you had something for your period, and the only way you can get through that time is with a homemade tampon or sanitary towel.

Tampons, the most common solution in prepping for your period

Since not all women can wear a menstrual cup, tampons are their second best choice. Tampons are offering the most comfort and familiarity. You should stockpile from time and your best choice should be the OB brand. They are small and they don’t waste precious space since they don’t come with applicators.

Even if you stockpile on tampons, you might find yourself in the situation where you have run out of these items. In that case, you will have to make your own tampons. When prepping for your period, try making some reusable ones from cotton. You can use pillowcases, sheets or any other type of used bedding that is made of cotton or linen.

Avoid synthetic fibers, as they can cause infections and cannot be rolled or compacted as cotton fibers can. The best thing is that tampons have other uses that can help you in a survival situation. You can find more about these applications by reading this article.

How to make your own tampons:

Rip out the seams of your pillowcase and lay it vertically in front of you, looking at the narrow end.

Cut a three-inch wide strip across the base and repeat until you run out of fabric. You will end up having more than 15 strips of cloth, three inches wide and a foot and half long.

Roll your strip of cloth like you would roll up a cigar. Fold one end of the fabric diagonally, so the corner point stretches past the bottom of the cloth. Starting at the pointy end, roll the cloth as tight as possible. When you run out of cloth, tie it twice. Once at the top and once at the bottom, with a small spare scrap of cloth.

Once you’ve used the homemade tampons, you can clean them. Do so by rinsing them as much as possible first, and then boiling them for at least 20 minutes so that all the blood gets out. After you’ve boiled the tampons, hang them up to air dry and they will be ready for your next period.

When prepping for your period, you like many other women might have problems wearing homemade tampons. The solution for this will be homemade sanitary pads.

Reusable period cloth pads when prepping for your period

One option to stockpile on reusable sanitary pads would be to buy them from Amazon, it will save you a lot of work if you don’t like sewing. You’re going to need a pad with a removable interior liner. This is an essential factor for cleaning and long-term maintenance.

If you prefer the make your own, you’ll discover on the internet an incredibly diverse variety of patterns. The best ones will be shaped like the hourglass, like the ones you bought at the store and they will have wings. The center should be easy to open in order to remove the lining. The wings should snap together under the bottom of your underwear. In a time of crisis, if you are caught unprepared you can still make your own by using washcloths or worn out towels.

Here is how you can do it:

Fold the towel until you get a rectangle about 3 inches across by 10 inches long. Use safety pins to attach the rectangle to your underwear. It will be a lot bulkier than the sewn models you find on the internet, but it will get the job done.

Just like the tampons, if you need to clean your homemade sanitary pads. You will have to boil them for at least 20 minutes. Once you’ve boiled the pads, make sure you unfold them and hand them up to air dry, in a sunny spot. The UV rays will also help disinfect the pads.

There are some other methods you could use to improvise an absorbent pad. However, they may require the use of moss and other material growing in the forest. It is not sanitary and I do not recommend using such methods for your period. If you really have nothing else, then you can use an old, or new, cotton shirt to get you by until you can get another form of towel or tampon.

A last word when it comes to prepping for your period

Prepping for your period is not a taboo topic and you should discuss it with the man in your life. He may feel uncomfortable at first, but it is an issue he needs to tackle. Just as he takes care of your other needs, he should be able to include this topic in your prepping plans. It’s not a pleasant solution to deal with when the brown stuff hits the fan and that’s why you need to prepare in advance.

Stay Safe and God Bless!

Other Survival and Preparedness resources:

The LOST WAYS (The vital self-sufficiency lessons our great grand-fathers left us)

Bullet Proof Home (Learn how to Safeguard your Home)

Blackout USA (Video about EMP survival and preparedness guide)Save