Friday, February 8, 2013

Cloth Pads from Goddess Moons: Review and Giveaway! (Closed)


Goddess Moons is a shop based in Vancouver which specializes in hand made cloth menstrual pads, panty liners and postpartum products. The owner, Melissa, firmly believes that the time for cloth pads to be accepted by the masses is long overdue, as cloth is more comfortable, cooler, healthier, affordable and economical, and safer to the environment.

I discovered Goddess Moons while searching for Canadian mama cloth retailers (as part of my quest to try different types of cloth during my latest postpartum period) and was impressed by the variety of sizes and styles offered as well as the company's drive to build awareness of cloth as an alternative to disposable feminine hygiene products. Needless to say, I was thrilled to hear back directly from Melissa who generously offered to send me a variety of samples to review!

I received four pads and two inserts, all in the Wildside Goddess style (one of eight beautiful themes available). I was particularly eager to try out the samples with the inserts, as this was the first time I'd come across this mama cloth feature.


Two of the samples are from their regular range, and two are from their new Stronger range which was developed to meet the needs of women passionate about using cloth, but who feel that their flow is far beyond the capabilities of cloth alone.



Goddess Moon wings have pockets at both ends designed to hold inserts in place. They are approximately 9 inches long by 5 1/2 inches wide, and are formed with 2 layers of flannel and a core of organic cotton/bamboo batting.

Goddess Moon Inserts are approximately 8 inches long by 2 1/2 inches wide.

  • a heavy flow insert is made from 1 layer of flannel, 4 layers of organic cotton/bamboo batten, and one layer of 100% cotton.



Night Time Pads are approximately 12 inches long by 3 1/2 inches wide, and contain 1 layer of flannel, 4 layers of organic cotton/bamboo batting, and 1 layer of 100% cotton.

 

Goddess Moon Stronger wings have pockets at both ends designed to hold inserts in place. They are approximately 12 inches long by 6 inches wide, and are formed with 2 layers of flannel and a core of organic cotton/bamboo batting. Goddess Moon Stronger inserts are approximately 11 inches long by 3 inches wide.

  • a Stronger insert is made from 1 layer of flannel, 4 layers of organic cotton/bamboo batten, and one layer of 100% cotton.  It also has a backing of PUL (polyurethane laminate).


 

Stronger night time pads are approximately 13.5 inches long by 8 inches wide (including wings), and contain 1 layer of flannel, 4 layers of organic cotton/bamboo batten, and 1 layer of 100% cotton.  They also have a backing of PUL (polyurethane laminate).  PUL should not be ironed as it will reduce its water-resistance.

All of these samples share the following care guidelines: 

When washing and drying, avoid high temperatures and avoid the use of softeners, whiteners or any other unnecessary additives.


My Review:

First things first - I love the animal print patterns in the samples I received! Very unique and attractive. From a tactile standpoint, both the flannel and cotton surfaces of all pads are pleasant to the touch, with the cotton having a cool feel. The night pads and inserts feel spongey when pressed, due to the layers of cotton/bamboo batting in each one. Melissa mentioned that the use of batting allows for better airflow than thinner, denser pads on the market, though it also results in a little extra girth.

I checked the initial measurements of all pads and inserts, and each was within 1/2" of its product description (or matched exactly) so this was good to see! I decided to prep along with my cloth diaper laundry which admittedly went against the recommended guideline to avoid high temperatures (as my CD routine involves one hot wash cycle). As a result, the pads and inserts shrank a little (1/4" to 3/4" for each measurement) which had me concerned they would no longer fit right. Indeed, the snapped together width did become a little narrower causing the fabric of my underwear to fold over a bit in the middle, however thankfully this didn't appear to affect comfort nor performance. (More on this in a bit.) All in all, I'd say my own personal preference is to wash on hot and endure some shrinkage as I like the sanitization factor of a li'l heat, however if maintaining the pre-wash sizing is super-important to you, you'd obviously want to follow the recommended guidelines.

Back to comfort. First, these pads definitely feel much nicer than disposables - no question there! The added thickness can be noticed compared to trimmer cloth pads, however it's not really an unpleasant feeling. The pads feel "pillowy" as opposed to just thick and bulky; again, presumably due to the inner batting. The night time postpartum pad does feel quite large, however there's no getting around this. It's all about function in this case, right ladies? :) Second, once snapped these pads stay in place really well. The only slight shifting I noticed was with the day pad, which appears to secure a little looser allowing it to move up and down a bit at times with moderate activity. This may have just been my own sample, however.

Performance-wise, these pads (and inserts) are awesome! They all appear to draw liquid lengthwise so it stays aways from the outer edges, which is key. The three largest samples (particularly the Stronger night time pad) can hold a heck of a lot of flow. I wore each of these at least once overnight during my first two weeks postpartum and didn't have a single leak. The Stronger night time pad could have probably held 2-3 times the amount so would definitely be an option for those with very heavy postpartum or menstrual flow. I'd even feel comfortable next time around (if there is a next time!) wearing it the very first night postpartum. Seriously!!

A little more on the design of the two day pads. The 2-part system is pretty neat! The base pad can be used alone as a panty liner to handle very light flow, or with an insert to add more protection. For the regular day pads, Goddess Moons offers both light flow inserts (with 2 layers of batting) and heavy flow inserts (with 4 layers of batting), so protection can be customized as applicable. The day pads in the Stronger line come with heavy flow inserts exclusively. Similar to all-in-two cloth diapers, if an insert alone gets soiled you can replace it with a clean one and reuse the base pad. This approach is more cost-effective as you can stock up on inserts and purchase fewer "shells". That said, my own personal preference is to wash both the base pad and insert together when the insert gets soiled, but I'm a bit Type A about these things. :)

All in all, Goddess Moons certainly offers some nifty mama cloth options! Their pads are breathable, perform well, allow for customized protection (via the 2-part system) and come in an array of lovely patterns. I recommend the Stronger line in particular for postpartum and strong menstrual flow. This is some heavy-duty cloth!! I also applaud the company for their commitment to spreading awareness of mama cloth as a greener alternative to disposable products. As for drawbacks, the pads are prone to shrinkage when exposed to heat (though they remain entirely wearable) and they're a bit on the bulky side, but these criticisms are minor. Overall, I wholeheartedly recommend Goddess Moons for those venturing into mama cloth, or looking to expand their collections!


Buy It:

You can purchase Goddess Moons cloth menstrual pads, postpartum products and other accessories directly from their website or via several third party retailers. Use the special discount code m2mgm on their website and receive 10% off your order! (Good until March 8, 2013.)


Win It: 

One lucky Manager to Mom reader will win a 4-pack of panty liners from Goddess Moons! Winner chooses from among available styles. Open worldwide!

To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Please follow all instructions within each entry option to ensure your entries are valid.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure:  The prize is being provided and shipped to the winner by Goddess Moons.  I received no financial compensation for writing my review or offering this giveaway, although I did receive the sample item free of charge.  This is my completely honest opinion above and may be different from yours.

82 comments:

  1. Sweet Cocoa Goddess is gorgeous!

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  2. I like the Natural Goddes sprints

    meikleblog at gmail dot com

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  3. I like the Burlesque prints and I think I'd pick the overnight pads becuase I have lots of great daytime stuff.

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  4. i like the sweet cocoa goddess. odd to think of pads as pretty :)

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  5. I like the Sweet Cocoa Goddess pads!

    RAFFLECOPTER NAME
    is
    Anne Taylor

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  6. I like the natural goddess pattern and the moon bags

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  7. Sweet cocoa goddess!
    Thanks for making this open to Canadians.

    Besos, Sarah
    Zookeeper at Journeys of The Zoo
    journeysofthezoo at hotmail dot com

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  9. I like the Sweet Cocoa Goddess in postpartum

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  10. ooooh i love the burlesque!! thanks so much for the giveaway- i need to find some great mama cloth pads!!
    beth c

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  11. Both the Sweet Cocoa and the Burlesque packs are gorgeous! I love how the different prints coordinate.

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  12. I like the purple passion goddess!!

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  13. I like the Sweet Cocoa Goddess
    - Beth Ann Erwin facebook/rafflecopter

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  14. I like the Burlesque Goddess pack.

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  15. I'd choose the Natural Goddess set.

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  16. Sweet Cocoa Goddess (although I really need to look in to their postpartum set.)

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  17. I love the patterns on the Burlesque Goddess :)

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  18. I would pick the Natural Goddess.

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  19. I like the Burlesque and Sweet Cocoa

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  20. I love the cowgirl goodess :)

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  21. Cowgirl Goddess I love, but Classic Goddess also caught my eye.

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  22. sweet cocoa goddess is such a pretty pattern!

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  23. I Like Sweet Cocoa Goddess best but its not in stock I also like the Night & Day Starter Kit

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  24. I really like the Sweet Cocoa Goddess and the Classic Goddess.

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  25. I like the Burlesque Goddess pack!

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  26. I'm digging the cowgirl prints

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  27. I'd choose the Sweet Cocoa Goddess pack.

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  28. I would choose the Burlesque Goddess pack

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  29. I would choose the Board Godess or the Burlesque godess! I also love the Board black skulls bag to carry them in!

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  30. Purple passion goddess

    Brittney House BBrittBrat1398@yahoo.com

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  31. I like the Burlesque Goddess patterns

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  32. I love the cowgirl goodness! I have always wanted to try momma cloth

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  34. I hope I get a chance to try these out! I love the burlesque goddess!

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  35. Post Partum kit would be very good!

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  36. Sweet Cocoa Goddess!! i woudllove to try the pantyliners!

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  37. sweet cocoa
    mckmnm@hotmail.com
    mary

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  38. I'd choose sweet cocoa, and I'd love to try out the bed pad or post partem kit next time I have a baby.
    {Sarah Jane McKelvy}

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  39. I love the burlesque prints! I would also love to have a travel bag. Katy Cain dragon _ at _ heart 04 @ hotmail . com

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  40. I would probably choose the burlesque pads, but I like a lot of them. Never tried cloth liners, but I am really interested in them!
    Their postpartum bed pads/baby change pads look great! After DS was born I lined our glider with the disposable incontinence pads as well as part of the bed :/. Their reusable and cute ones would have made me feel a lot better about the whole thing..
    I'm bookmarking their page for later in life for sure.

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  41. i like the board goddess the best, and the cowgirls ones

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  42. I like the Burlesque liners.

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  43. I like the Wildside Goddess liners!

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  44. Wildside Goddess!

    Jessica Eaton Ledford
    cherriesjessilee at gmail dot com

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  45. I like the Burlesque goddess patterns
    oddball2003 at hotmail dot com

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  46. My favorite is the Sweet Cocoa - flower bursts

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  47. Sweet cocoa goddess

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  48. i would get the stronger one in flower burst!

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  49. Sweet Cocoa flower bursts; i like the nighttime ones as well :)

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  50. I liked the design until the batting core. Batting isn't very absorbent, it's designed to capture air and make you warm, which is why it's in blankets.

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