First off, don’t scroll past if you aren’t in the menstruating club. This review is specifically for my female friends who have their periods, but you definitely want to check out MammyKo if you are interested in Merino underwear, bras, or nursing pads, too. Hang in until the end to hear my favorite pampering products for “that” time of the month!
TMI warning: If you are squeamish, or not open to, well, open-ness, you might want to stop here. I’m very open about all things menstrual, but it’s ok if you aren’t and I want to give fair warning.
The items in this review were gifted to me by MammyKo for the purpose of content creation. All thoughts are my own and as always I try to be as detailed as possible. If you have any questions feel free to comment or ask me over in my Facebook group, Wool Obsessed. Now, on to my review.
I am an expert on period care. I will take a moment to share my credentials. The medical consensus is that I probably have endometriosis with my severe and extended menstrual symptoms. After three decades of dealing with a very heavy period, that’s a lot of miles on the period care train PLUS: I have long, heavy cycles. I’m talking, for years I had 11 day cycles out of a 25 day month. Yes, that is 14 days off. I also know it was severely heavy because there is a volume measure on menstrual cups. So there will be no medical gaslighting me and telling me it was only a couple tablespoons for the entire month. Get out of here with that, medical community. Additionally, I have Interstitial cystitis. Basically chronic inflammation of the urethra. For me, that has made tampons super, super uncomfortable for the last 5 years or so (I didn’t love them before that but now they are horrendous). I also started having trouble with menstrual cups, which used to be my go-to. *Sigh* So now I stick with pads. I think we all deserve a bowl of ice cream after reliving those stats. 
Because my period lasts forever, I have used every period product under the actual sun. I have used disposable pads, tampons, cups of all shapes and sizes, period panties, reusable pads, discs. For pain management I have owned a million heating pads, supplements of many kinds, special teas, hormonal creams, been on birth control, tried Livia tens machine, stuck herbal pads on my stomach, tried disposable heating pads, and I should definitely own stock in Ibuprophen. Now, every woman is different and we all have different needs. But my experience has been that reusable options are DRAMATICALLY better than their disposable counterparts. It’s very similar to the difference in wearing a synthetic fabric versus a high quality wool material…you really can’t compare them. It is a true upgrade in comfort and performance and I have been so much happier.
Lucky for me, I was recently gifted a gorgeous set of handmade pads from the lovely Nataliya, founder of MammyKo. MammyKo offers bras, underwear, nursing pads, period pads, period underwear, all made by hand in Ukraine.
I have tried a lot of products, like I said, and I have to tell you I am very impressed by these. In the past, I have used cotton pads and they serve the purpose, but there are a few reasons that I prefer wool or silk for these items. Primarily, the lovely soft feel, odor-resistant properties, and the important fact that wool can absorb moisture without actually feeling wet! This makes the pads more comfortable and more effective. Here are a few more reasons wool & silk pads are a true life upgrade:
Luxury Fabric:
There is nothing like the feel of silk and wool. These pads feel very luxurious and comforting, and wearing them feels so lovely, nothing like the awful feel of disposable pads. More like the perfect comfy undergarments that get you through that time of the month.
If you have never used quality reusable period products, here is my pitch for you. Imagine this: you are getting out of a lovely hot bath and instead of reaching for a soft, clean, fluffy turkish towel, you are asked to dry off with a cheap off brand paper towel. That is the difference I feel between using disposable paper period care compared to a high quality reusable product. Of course, the environmental impact of reusable monthly care products versus disposable is also very relevant to the conversation. But for me, the choice is mostly selfish. I want to feel good at the time of month when I otherwise don’t and these MammyKo pads are the perfect self-care upgrade for me.
Design:
I very much love the shape of these pads. There is extra coverage in the back, and the shape means they fit better and give security where it is needed. Many pads I have used in the past just didn’t give the coverage I needed to be comfortable and secure, but these do, without shifting.
Function:
I love that these pads feature two snaps for a custom fit. I realized that I prefer more coverage in my undergarments and that means a larger size for period care. The button makes fitting different size gussets simple.
Care:
These are very simple to wash. For best use, you rinse them in the sink immediately after use and place them in a wet bag before machine washing. Mine have held up well to 4 or 5 washes so far, and they still look like new.
Choices:
You may purchase these pads with PUL or without which is a nice option. I requested PUL in all my pads because I know my period tends to be heavy and unpredictable. That waterproof layer gives me extra protection and security so no leaks!
I want to send a special thanks to MammyKo for these items. I can honestly say that the quality is excellent and the performance is just what I needed. I will probably be ordering some of the period panties to try next!
Time to Pamper Yourself!
As a little bonus, here are my favorite Pampering Products for *that time of the month!* Thanks for checking out my affiliate links for these:
Pain Management
First off, I use my Heating Pad every single night without fail, but during my period the Heating Pad is absolutely non-negotiable. I have owned many heating pads, and this has been my favorite…I really love the weighted design! Besides my heating pad and Ibuprophen, I really like to keep Goody’s Headache Powder in stock for pain management. It works so fast, and it’s the best for the rare migraine I get, too. I also love to take Epsom Salt Baths anytime of the month!
Sleep
Obviously getting plenty of sleep is crucial, especially during your period. Did you know many doctors recommend an extra hour of rest for women who are menstruating? Here is a product that has been a life-saver for me since I’ve been struggling with sleep over the last six months due to a medication change. Natural Calm Sleep has given me MUCH better rest. I’ve used this brand a lot in the past and have always been happy with it, but I particularly love this formula for rest!
Hydration
Clearly, it’s important to stay hydrated throughout the month, but it’s definitely important when you are feeling exhausted and dealing with other symptoms. I absolutely love my Simple Modern Tumbler and have carried it everywhere since I got it for my birthday in June. My favorite tumbler to date!
Supplies
Along with my cloth pads and period panties from MammyKo, I always use my Wet/Dry Bag to store my pads before I wash them. This is not the brand I own because mine is like 15 years old, but this one seems to be very similar. It’s nice that it has a dry pocket and a wet pocket!
FLO Supplements
I have been using Flo brand supplements for at least a year now and overall I am really happy with these. My teen daughter has had great success with Flo helping her hormonal acne and I have used the URO version for my Intersistial Cystitis symptoms. I really think they help! We have also tried Retro for skin. This is my first month using the Flo Supplement but I do have to tell you that my period was much shorter this month, closer to 6 days instead of 10-11, and I do feel like my PMS symptoms were improved. That seems like progress to me!
Comfort Clothing
Honestly, cozy clothes are absolutely crucial during that time of month, and I’m already a cozy clothes fanatic, so I take this very seriously. Depending on the time of year, I will choose between some of my favorite wool& lounge pieces. In the heat of summer, I am choosing my wool& Grove Shorts and wool& Jade Tunic tee. When it’s colder I tend to wear wool& Summit leggings and wool& sierra layered with a tee shirt or cardigan.
If you try any of the products in this post, I’d love to hear what you think!