The idea of giving your friend or family member a pack of disposable pads or tampons as a gift is kind of ridiculous. The cheap bleached out cotton and plastic combination does not say, "I care," or send any message other than, "I don't know anything other than you're female." It's one of those horrible ideas when finding just the perfect gift for that special someone.
Reusable products aren't similar in this respect at all. Many times I've told my husband that I'd love to get another pad or try out a different reusable cup. As a matter of fact, for my birthday he even said, "I don't know how to pick them out or anything, really, but if you go online and you find yourself a few pads you want then get them as a gift from me to you. I wanted to get you some but I don't know what I'm looking for in those." That's right. He hit gold.
Gifting reusable menstrual products is a wonderful idea. They can be gifted from near menstruating age and going forward. Even grandma can use a few thing pantyliners for any discharge she may experience. A cute, comfortable pad that was handmade just for them? Absolutely.
I think that the idea of gifting period products was frowned upon long ago. It just seemed...weird. It wasn't socially accepted because of the privacy of menstruation. The truth is that our periods just aren't pleasant. Nobody likes cramps or feeling moist all day. Nobody wants to smell funny or feel like they're inhibited due to their own bodies. Gifting a reusable pad is like saying, "I'm giving you comfort when you're uncomfortable. I'm giving you 'pretty' when you don't feel pretty. I'm giving you necessity just especially made for you because I love who you are."
Here are some gift ideas:
* The perfect gift for grandma:
Grandmas face vaginal discharge too! Even though grandma doesn't see that bright red stain any longer it doesn't mean that she doesn't experience some extra-moist times that just aren't that great. Gift grandma a few pretty colored pantyliners. Maybe she would like floral patterns! Heavy and overnight pads are not recommended.
* The perfect gift for mom:Mom could use a variety of menstrual pads. When thinking of Mom you may consider that she is still child-bearing age, has regular menstrual cycles, and regular discharge just like every other woman. You may choose to give her a variety from pantyliners, to day pads, and a few heavy or overnights. Mom needs variety.
* The perfect gift for mom-to-be:Pregnancy comes with more than just postpartum bleeding. Give the gift of a few postpartum pads for when Mom gives birth, but also a few pantyliners during pregnancy so she can feel extra secure.
* The perfect gift for teens:Teens are just getting use to cycles and may experience fluctuations due to hormonal changes and stress. Mostly average day pads will be appreciated, but toss in a couple pantyliners and heavy day pads to cover all of the bases. Teenagers also tend to appreciate ultra-thin or super thin pads moreso, too, so it may be worthwhile to seek out thinner options when making a gift purchase. Unless the teen has a preference for cloth pads, I would not purchase many, if any, overnight pads for the gifting. Many merchants offer starter kits that may be optimal in this instance.
* The perfect gift for her:Whether it be your best friend or your aunt, a great gift is to give reusable products. You can certainly create a cute gift basket with a few day pads and a reusable cup in it, if desired. Overnight pads should not generally be included unless you are giving a color/pattern set and they match based on the fabric theme. Again, you may consider a merchant's starter kit combination for this gift idea.
