[Mum’s Special #2] Fresh Moon Cloth Pads – AIO vs SnapOn

Here’s Part 2 of Mum’s Special series covering a review of Fresh Moon Cloth Pads. Ironically, I bought a menstrual cup, was very happy with it and never intended to get a full stash of cloth pads.

Why Cloth Pads When I Love the Menstrual Cup?

Then last November, I’d a miscarriage which came with a 3 weeks postpartum flow and WASN’T allowed to use the cup.

Oh gosh… having a miscarriage was already not fun and having to wear disposable pads 24 x 7 for three weeks straight was unimaginable. I thought I’ve ditched them for good?!? I certainly needed more than just the 1 Lunapads and 2 Fresh Moon All in Ones (AIO) on hand.

(Well, to be fair, disposable pads were handy for the first day when the flow was VERY heavy because I used medicine to induce the miscarriage at home. I soaked through a heavy-duty pad every hour!)

Within a few days of the flow, I srambled for my laptop, did some urgent online shopping and decided on more Fresh Moon cloth pads — 2 super-long AIOs, 2 fleece bodies and 6 bamboo velour soakers. baby-mel.com had lots of ready stock and shipped them over super-fast to save me from misery. Phew!

About Fresh Moon Cloth Pads

Fresh Moon cloth pads are made in the U.S.A. and are available in a variety of sizes and fabrics. Generally, there are 2 types:

1. All in One (AIO)
2. All in Two (AI2) called the SnapOn.

This is a rough summary:

	All in One (AIO)	SnapOn Body	SnapOn Soaker
Length	7″, 9″, 11″, 13″	9″, 11″, 13″	9″, 11″, 13″, 14″
Water-resistant barrier	Fleece	Fleece or wool	n.a.
Absorbent layer	Cotton/hemp blended fleece	n.a.	Cotton/hemp blended fleece
Top layer	Organic blend hemp,bamboo or cotton velour	n.a.	Organic blend hemp,bamboo or cotton velour

First Impressions

The main reason I went for Fresh Moon was the breathable fleece backing, which is very suited for sensitive skin. It’d be thicker, but I prefer it over less breathable nylon or PUL. (Wool isn’t my cup of tea because of my eczema and the need for special care.)

Of course, they’re also available easily in Malaysia compared to the Lunapads.

The fleece backing comes only in plain colours, so no fanciful prints like the Lunapads. I managed to get 4 in pink and 2 in green, and like the pink ones more.

For the top layer, I’d previously tried the organic bamboo velour and cotton velour. Bamboo velour looks shinier and feels much more luxurious, so it made up the rest of my stash.

When not in use, each cloth pad can be snapped into a cute bundle. Unused pads stay clean, while used pads can be kept neatly in a wet bag. (This can be done with Lunapads and I presume other brands too.)

My Detailed Review

Rating Guide: ★ Oh no!     ★★ Poor     ★★★ Fair     ★★★★ Good     ★★★★★ Excellent!

I’ve used the pads over two normal and one 3 weeks post-miscarriage cycles.

	AIO	SnapOn
Laundry	★★★	★★★★
Ease of Use	★★★★★	★★★★
Fit / Trimness / Comfort	★★★★	★★★
Performance	★★★★★	★★★
Quality	★★★★	★★★★
Overall Value	★★★★★	★★★★

1. Fresh Moon AIO 11″ & 13″

(a) Prewash & Laundry: ★★★ After only one prewash in cold water, the pads started absorbing fine. Ideally, 3 prewashes would enhance absorbency.

Like the Lunapads, after use, I’d rinse them with cold water and soak with a little bit of cloth diaper-friendly detergent. Then at the end of the day. I’d handwash them during shower time. Followed by a short spin and line dry. The single-piece structure takes about 1 to 2 days to dry by the window.

The creamy white surface means stains may be visible.

To prevent stains from setting in: rinse with COLD water soonest possible. On lighter flow days, continue to change frequently before the blood dries up.

(b) Ease of Use: ★★★★★ When the pad is soaked, simply replace with a new piece — as easy as disposable pads. The 13″ pads come with 2 snaps at the width to hold it securely in place.

(c) Fit / Trimness / Comfort: ★★★★ The AIO pads are slightly thicker yet more comfortable than Lunapads, especially the organic bamboo velour ones. Personally, I mind wearing thick disposable pads but not thick cloth pads because they’re very comfortable.

There are 2 snap settings at the width to fit different sizes.

(d) Performance: ★★★★★ On average, the 11″ AIOs last 3 hours before I change while the 13″ ones last overnight (at least 8 hours for me). So far, no leak at all.

Anyway, for hygiene reason, it’s better to change pads every 2 to 3 hours, just like cloth diapers. In the past, I found myself stretching the use of disposable pads in the day, perhaps subconsciously trying to save money. Someone should introduce cloth pads to students!

(e) Quality: ★★★★ The pads are very well made. I’d need to use them over more cycles to see if the quality lasts. So far so good.

(f) Overall Value: ★★★★★ Each Fresh Moon 11″ and 13″ AIO retails at USD10 and USD11 respectively. (In Malaysia, the prices are RM45.90 and RM47.90.) For such quality, performance and comfort, it’s certainly good value for money. Just note that AIOs take longer to dry, so a larger stash may be needed.

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What I like about it:

• Breathable fleece that doesn’t feel warm even in hot and humid weather
• Very absorbent — no leak even overnight (especially the 13″ AIO)
• Very comfortable, especially the organic bamboo velour
• 2 width snap settings to suit different sizes

What can be improved:

• Some ladies may prefer thinner pads
• More colours or prints would be nice

2. Fresh Moon SnapOn 11″

Though the AIOs are fabulous, I got more SnapOns instead to save money. On usual cycles, I’d still prefer to go back to the menstrual cup.

 

(a) Prewash & Laundry: ★★★★ After only one prewash in cold water, the soakers started absorbing fine. Ideally, 3 prewashes would enhance absorbency.

The 2-piece structure dries very quickly and can be reused by the next day even though I only dry them by the window.

Like the AIOs, the creamy white surface means stains may be visible.

(b) Ease of Use: ★★★★ When the soaker is soaked, simply remove it and snap on a new piece. There are 3 snaps to work with. On average, I use 1 fleece body and 4 to 5 soakers during the day.

(c) Fit / Trimness / Comfort: ★★★ Similar to the AIOs, the SnapOns are slightly thicker yet more comfortable than Lunapads.

The downside is that the soaker may scrunch up sometimes.

(d) Performance: ★★★ Same as the AIOs, each soaker lasts about 3 hours before I change. However, due to the occasional scrunching up, the sides and the fleece could be stained instead. For outdoors, I’d prefer the AIOs or Lunapads than the SnapOns.

(e) Quality: ★★★★ The fleece bodies and soakers are very well made. I’d need to use them over more cycles to see if the quality lasts. So far so good.

(f) Overall Value: ★★★★ Each Fresh Moon 11″ fleece body and 11″ soaker retails at RM31.90 and RM32.90 respectively. By getting at least 3 soakers to go with 1 fleece body makes it more economical than the AIOs. But the AIOs perform better.

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What I like about it:

• Dries fast in a day for quick reuse
• Breathable fleece that doesn’t feel warm even in hot and humid weather
• Very comfortable, especially the organic bamboo velour
• 2 width snap settings to suit different sizes
• For outdoor use, simply bring extra soakers — trimmer than bringing AIOs

What can be improved:

• Soaker may scrunch up, staining the sides & the fleece instead
• Some ladies may prefer thinner pads
• More colours or prints would be nice

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Get Your Own (with Discount!)

I bought my Fresh Moon cloth pads at baby-mel.com (Malaysia). You may get yours at a discount!

• Special Treat: 20% discount on Fresh Moon cloth pads
• Discount Code: JVK2TX42ETE82
• Validity Period: Until 31 August 2011

They’re also available at Tiny Tapir (Malaysia) and Fresh-Moon.com.

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P.S. Coming up next in this Mum’s Special series: Review on Angel Mel Collections Mama Wonder Wet Bags and a GIVEAWAY!

Catch the entire Mum’s Special series here.

Sharing time: Any cloth mamas here? Feel free to share your experiences and reviews in the comment box.