had a bit of time on my hands

…so I thought I’d work on the New Moon website. I’ve been concentrating mostly on the pads page (the print selections are now made by clicking on actual pictures of the pads rather than just on fabric swatches). I’ve also changed the look of the purchase buttons a bit to make them less cluttered and more streamlined. Next I’ll be working on the bags page so that instead of fabric swatches it will also have clickable pictures of the bags in the same format as the pads page. I really like the new look (I’ve added a partial screenshot below). Hopefully everyone else will as well. Oh…and I’ve also brought back women’s quotes interspersed in the site content. I used to have them way back when but when I made a complete site design change they just kind of fell by the wayside. I’ve really missed them and I’m glad they’re back because I think they add a nice touch to the site…some inspirational…some funny.

Wow…when looking at the screen shot I realized that it shows just 1/4 of all the prints I currently have available (35 in the screen shot and over 130 available total). Think maybe I have a fabric addiction? Off to see if they have a 12 step program for fabricaholics.

toxic shock syndrome (tss)

TOXIC SHOCK SYNDROME:  Toxic shock syndrome has been associated with the use of tampons.  If you currently use tampons, be sure to read the information leaflet included in the box you purchased. 

CLINICAL FEATURES:  Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is characterized by sudden onset of fever, chills, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle aches and rash. It can rapidly progress to severe and intractable hypotension and multisystem dysfunction. Desquamation, particularly on the palms and soles can occur 1-2 weeks after onset of the illness.

ETIOLOGIC AGENT:  Usually exotoxin producing strains of Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium.

INCIDENCE:  In the United States, annual incidence is 1-2/100,000 women 15-44 years of age (last active surveillance done in 1987).

SEQUELAE:  5% of all cases are fatal.

TRANSMISSION:  S. aureus commonly colonizes skin and mucous membranes in humans. TSS has been associated with use of tampons and intravaginal contraceptive devices in women and occurs as a complication of skin abscesses or surgery.

RISK GROUPS:  Menstruating women, women using barrier contraceptive devices, persons who have undergone nasal surgery, and persons with postoperative staphylococcal wound infections.

Content source: Coordinating Center for Infectious Diseases (CDC) / Division of Bacterial and Mycotic Diseases

shop online and save gas and time

When you shop at either of my sister sites (Sweet Cheeks Diapers or New Moon Pads) you get your order delivered right to your door…without having to leave the house and waste time or gas…and currently shipping is free on all orders to Canada and the US (discounted shipping to international destinations).

Canada: Did you know that when you order from out of country you have to pay duty and customs fees for all orders over $20? That’s why with being a Canadian company it saves you money to order from SWEET CHEEKS.

US: Orders under $200 going to the US from Canada have NO DUTY OR CUSTOMS FEES? Yup…that’s right…zip, zilch, nada!

International: Most countries don’t charge duty on orders under $50 (US is $200). If you’re outside of Canada and the US, check with your customs department to find out their customs value level and keep each order under that value. In most cases it’s cheaper to pay the extra shipping on multiple packages than to end up paying customs/duty fees as well. Check out how to save the most on international shipping.

yay!!!

I absolutely love this print and was so sad when I ran out.  But I found more!  I’m so excited.  Hopefully it should be here in the next week or so.  I never did make myself any pads out of it but I’ll be sure to do up a couple for my stash as soon as it arrives.

so what is a moon wrap you ask?

A Moon Wrap is a separate wing system for wingless pads.  You just lay the wingless pad in your panty, wrap the Moon Wrap around it and your panty crotch and snap underneath.  Turns wingless pads into winged pads instantly!  

 

budget friendly specials

I know how tight finances can be for some but switching to cloth really can save you a lot of money.  Cloth pays for itself within the first year but can last up to 10 years which means you basically get 9 years of free menstrual protection.  To help offset costs a little further I’ll try as often as I can to offer some budget friendly specials so be sure to check the website often.

winged or wingless…how to choose and use

HOW TO CHOOSE

So you’ve decided to switch to cloth pads.  Now to decide whether you want winged or wingless.  How to choose?  Well, it’s all a matter of personal preference.  I prefer the wingless because they are less bulky and I find they’re easier to use.  Some prefer wings just for that added bit of security knowing their pads are “anchored” to their panties.  If using New Moon Pads winged pads, I’ve designed the wings so that they are sewn just to the back of the pad to prevent wicking and extra bulk.  Most other brands of winged pads are cut in one continuous wing shaped piece so that you’re actually wrapping the thickness of the pad around and that not only creates a lot of bulk (double to triple the thickness necessary) but it also leaves open the possibility of wicking (where blood is absorbed and distributed into the wings and wicks around onto clothing).

HOW TO USE

WINGLESS PADS

No fussin’, no snappin’, no stuffin’…just lay in and go!

Place fleece side against panty to prevent pad from slipping and to keep moisture away from clothing (soft absorbent flannel print side goes against skin).  Just lay in regular snug fitting panties…the fleece backing and panties hold them in place.  New Moon Pads conform naturally to your shape when worn.  The pad forms a gentle “U” shape from front to back for a comfortable natural fit.  Remember to pinch the pad through the front fabric of your panties when pulling them down.

WINGED PADS

The trim wings are sewn to the back of the pad to prevent wicking.  Just lay pad in panty the same way as the wingless and snap wings around and under panty crotch.

Below is a picture of the front and back view.  The back view shows the winged pad style.

testimonial

by Anna Denomey (thrilled with the product and the service) on 05/05/2008

I’ve ordered two packages on two different occasions from New Moon. My first order was in February 2008, and the products and service were great. I am impressed with the softness of the pads, and how comfortable they are, and only kick myself for not exploring cloth pads sooner!

I was so happy with the pads I got the first time that I ordered more of them a few weeks later. In March 2008 I purchased two more pads, but this time, they did not come in the mail! I was distraught to learn that the package had gotten lost somewhere along the way (I curse thee, Canada Post!), and disappointed that my pads would not reach me in a timely manner.

However, once I reported the problem to Renee (the owner), it was promptly set right! She put another identical order in the mail for me that same day, and I received the package mere days later. To me, this is exceptional, stellar, fabulous service! This service, coupled with the high-quality pads, are the reasons I will be referring New Moon to my friends and family.

Great job, Renee!

female ecology notes

U.S. women landfill or incinerate 11.3 billion “disposable” menstrual products per year.

~ It takes approximately 500 years for one “disposable” menstrual pad to partially biodegrade.

~ ”Disposable” menstrual product manufacturers are not required to list their ingredients.  Nail polish and shampoo manufacturers are.

~ Slim “maxi” paper products are impregnated with synthetic gelling crystals to increase absorbency. Their safety has been hotly debated in baby diapers but overlooked in “disposable” menstrual products.

~ Women are absent in upper management of Fortune 500 companies that manufacture “disposable” menstrual products.

~ An individual woman throws away about ten thousand paper pads or tampons in her lifetime.

~ The primary target markets of Fortune 500 companies are adolescent girls and underdeveloped countries like Eastern Europe, Soviet Union and the Pacific Rim.

~ In the U.S., menstrual pads are considered “medical devices”.

~ ”Disposable” menstrual products are not sterilized.

~ Chlorine bleaching of paper pulp results in 400-700 million pounds of toxins being dumped into U.S. waterways.

~ Dioxins, the side-effect of chlorine bleaching, are suspected carcinogens and resistant to biological breakdown.

~ Dioxins have been documented to impair liver function and depress human immune systems.

~ The ozone is thinned by the CFC’s that are produced in the manufacturing processes that utilize chlorine – plastics, paints, dyes, bleaching agents, cleaning solvents, aerosols, deodorants, refrigerants, and wood preservatives.

~ Chlorine was the noxious substance used to suffocate soldiers during the First World War.

~ French nurses experimented with the first “disposable” menstrual products from cellulose surgical gauze during the First World War.

~ Trout store dioxins up to 86,000 times more than the water they find themselves in.  We eat these fish!

~ Humans are harboring increasing levels of dioxin in their fatty tissues and breast milk.  Ed. notes: Formula also has high dioxin levels, so this is not a reason not to breastfeed.

~ An estimated two million seabirds and one hundred thousand marine mammals die annually from swallowing plastics including tampon applicators.

Call the 1-800 number on “disposable” menstrual products and all white paper products and insist on products that have not been bleached at any stage of production with any chlorine.

Sources: Whitewash, Greenpeace

Please consider buying cloth and reusing.  The benefits to you and the planet are huge!

recommended quantities for pads

As a general guideline, calculate how many disposable pads you use through one full cycle.  That total is approximately how many cloth pads you will need to purchase.