Product Review: Bed Buddy ThermaTherapy Neck and Hand Wrap

For those of you following along in my Sharing a Challenge series, you know that I have been training for a half-marathon walk race. Given the associated aches and pains, it was excellent timing when I was asked to review the Bed Buddy®: Plush ThermaTherapy® Neck and Hand Wrap.

Here is the official description from Carex Health Brands:

This specially designed wrap with warming neck and hand pouches warms in minutes in the microwave. Moist heat ThermaTherapy® penetrates deeply to relieve aches, pains, tension or arthritis in chronic problem areas. Luxurious and soft, this wrap comfortably envelopes the neck, and hands can slip into warm pockets for indulgent therapy. Unique design allows you to sooth additional areas with the warming hand pouches. This reusable and long lasting wrap is filled with 100% all natural ingredients and is lightly fragranced with Lavender and Chamomile aromatherapy.

But, let’s cut to the chase.

It’s soft. It’s cozy. It smells really nice.

Creating heat

The first step is to microwave the Bed Buddy Wrap to heat it up. Nuke on high for 90 seconds, and if this isn’t warm enough, keep going in 20 second intervals up to two and half minutes.

I didn’t want to ruin my Wrap before I could even try it, so I went 110 seconds. This made it pleasantly warm, and I headed off to bed to enjoy the experience.

Then things went awry. Not with the Bed Buddy Wrap, but with the cats! We have to lock them in the front half of the house in order to stop the Siamese from yowling at us at 3 a.m. Normally, this involves a simple scoop and toss procedure. Scoop them off the couch and toss them through the French doors.

However, for some reason, both of them took off and I had to chase them around the living room. The whole time we are playing hide and seek, I’m getting more annoyed because I’m afraid my Bed Buddy will cool down and I won’t get to enjoy it.

I finally take it off my neck, capture my rogue cats, and toss them through the doors. In retrospect, they were probably trying to avoid the great yellow snake wrapped around my neck. Note to self: nuke the Bed Buddy AFTER the cats are corralled.

Anyway, I then dashed back to my Bed Buddy fully expecting to have to nuke it again.

Not so! It was still nice and warm, so I headed up to bed with it. After all, it is called a Bed Buddy.

The scent of lavender

Bliss. There I lay with lavender wafting into my nose, my neck gently cradled in warmth, and my hands all wrapped in coziness.

For over thirty minutes it stayed warm! And that’s not including the cat chasing time.

Mr Very Right has taken a great liking to the Bed Buddy as well. I arrived home from work one day to have him greet me at the door with his neck and hands enveloped in yellow plush. Not exactly a virile image, but, he had been working outside on one of my honey-do lists and had gotten chilled to the bone. Maybe not virile, but definitely endearing.

Checking out the durability

Having made the rounds of both humans in the house, and some serious cautious sniffing from the cats, it was time to test out the durability of the Wrap in the wash. I just popped out the sacs of herbs, and threw the plush in the washer and dryer. The instructions recommend using fabric softener, which I don’t use because I am sensitive to perfumes. I was worried, therefore, that it wouldn’t come out as soft as it went in.

Nope! It came out just as cuddly.

Unique use

The scent of lavender is a known stress reliever, and I proved this works after my escapade with the cats. Thanks to Mr Very Right, we also proved it nicely takes the chill out of your bones. But, ladies, I discovered a use for the Bed Buddy Neck and Hand Wrap that you won’t find on the box or product description.

Two words: menstrual cramps.

Yep, just warm that baby up, zen out to the scent of lavendar around your neck, and massage your belly with the hand pouches.

Gosh, I’m almost looking forward to my next period.

Okay, that’s an exaggeration, but now I have a natural solution for dealing with the awful bloating and pain associated with that time of the month.

Bed Buddy Plush ThermaTherapy Neck and Hand Wrap. Who knew? I think they really need to change their marketing strategy. Forget about the aches and pains associated with half marathon training. It’s all about menstrual cramp relief.

More information!

The Bed Buddy Plush ThermaTherpay Neck and Hand Wrap will be given away on Silver & Grace. Make sure you come back on May 6 and enter to win.

You can get more information on the Bed Buddy at Carex Health Brands and the Bed Buddy Facebook page.

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Product Review: Lunapads & Lunapanties

Ladies, how many of you have opened a box of sanitory napkins and thought “Wow, these are really pretty!”  Or, ever put the words incontinence pads and sexy in the same sentence?

Zero to none of you. That’s what I thought.

And yet, when I opened my package of Lunapad cloth menstrual pads my very first reaction was “Wow, these are really pretty!”

And when I looked a the the Lunapanties, “Wow, these are really sexy!”

A year ago, I purchased the DivaCup, a menstrual cup, and wrote a product review. The good ladies at Lunapads suggested I try their reusable pads. And knowing I was a runner, they also suggested Lunapanties for the occasional urinary leaks.

Lunapanties

Let’s start with the Lunapanties.

Sexy red low rise panties, with a sewn in absorbent gusset of soft brushed cotton.

That’s right. Sexy! Not old granny pants. And not bulky incontinence diapers.

I wear them during my period over night, either with or without the DivaCup. Zero leaks onto the bedsheets.

I also wear them when I do high impact sports like running. No uncomfortable wetness to put a damper, pardon the pun, on my run.

Lunapads

My second thought when examining the Lunapads was “These will never stay in place.” 

They are built with wings that wrap around the gusset of your underwear and simply snap together. Surely the pad was going to slide back and forth.

I was wrong. They do not budge. Ever.

As a matter of fact, they are more secure than traditional pads with sticky tape. Probably because the Lunapads are thin enough to be held snugly to your body by your underwear. And they are super soft, so they aren’t chaffing against your skin, which also causes disposable pads to shift.

Care of both the Lunapads and Lunapanties

Just chuck them in the washing machine and dryer. Simple as that.

And since I do the household laundry, I don’t have to worry about the males in the house running screaming into the night.

You can also wash them in the sink and air dry them.

When you are out and about

I just carry a two small zip lock bags in my purse. One for the clean pads and one for the dirty pads. And I actually find the pads so absorbent, I don’t need to change them as often as disposable pads anyway.

Oh, and on that note, basically no odour either!

Cost

Loving my Lunapad experience so much, I purchased a kit with enough pads to last an entire average cycle. While the investment may appear expensive at $130 USD, the savings quickly adds up.

The pads last 3 – 5 years, making that a cost of  $25 – $45 per year. How much do you spend on pads in one year? I was certainly spending way more than that!

The panties are $15 USD. I wouldn’t spend that for old grannie pants, but for sexy underwear? I wouldn’t even blink.

Good for the environment

According to the Lunapads website “over 14 billion pads, tampons and applicators going into North American landfills every year”.

And that is just the North American statistics!

Given the convenience and comfort of cloth pads, there is simply no excuse for junking up our planet with disposable feminine hygiene products.

Purchase information

Lunapads and Lunapanties are available to purchase at www.lunapads.com

Remember that silly commercial about having a happy period? Well, with Luna products I actually am!

Only this time, as the Lunapads company tag line says “happier periods, naturally”.

Product Review: the DivaCup

Although in my mid forties, my monthly cycle is regular as clockwork. However, I am becoming more concerned about what I put into my body, and what eventually ends up in the landfill. So, I was very happy to find out about the existence of menstrual cups as an alternative to tampons. I purchased a DivaCup and have been ‘tampon-free’ for over a year now.

What is a menstrual cup?

According to the DivaCup website, menstrual cups were developed in the the 1930s. However, over the years companies folded and it has only been in the last 15 years that they have gained in popularity again.

The DivaCup is a non-absorbent cup that collects menstrual flow. It is made from health care grade silicone and safe for those of us who are allergic to latex.

The cup comes in two sizes:

Model 1- for women under 30 years old who have never delivered vaginally or by cesarean section.

Model 2- for women over 30 years old and/or for women who have delivered vaginally or by cesarean section.

The reason for the two models, is due to to the natural widening of our hips, and the loosening of our vaginal muscles as we age.

I had to admit my inital reaction to having to purchase a larger size was one of offence. “Huh, so I’m all loosey-goosey, am I?”, but I quickly got over that. It’s all part of the aging process.

How do you use the cup?

There are 4 basic steps to inserting the cup: fold, hold, insert, twist.

There are very clear instructions on the website and included with the cup. I did find the first several attempts a bit frustrating, but no more than when I first tried to insert a tampon way back when. Within 24 hours I was a pro, and can now insert the cup in seconds. You know you have it right when you cannot feel the cup, and it twists easily.

How long can you use it, and does it leak?

As there is no risk of toxic shock syndrome with the DivaCup, it can be worn up to 12 hours. However, I find that during my heavier flows it will leak if left that long. I just make a habit of emptying it each time I go the washroom.

How is the cup cleaned?

With each emptying, I wash the cup with soap and water. DivaCup also sells a cleanser you can buy. I did purchase it, but generally just use it at the end of my cycle before putting the cup away.

What are the benefits of using the DivaCup?

The obvious benefit is financial. According to government standards, the cup should be replaced one per year. I don’t plan on replacing my yearly, as I keep it very clean. However, even at once per year, the average yearly amount spent on tampons and pads is $150 to $200 U.S., as compared to $30 for a DivaCup.

As well, you are keeping waste out of the landfills. The following is thrown out each year in North America:

• 12 billion sanitary pads
• 7 billion tampons

And from a health perspective, tampons bring a risk of toxic shock syndrome. As well, they leach good fluids out of your body, along with your flow.

Are there any inconveniences assoicated with using a DivaCup?

I found there were two inconveniences, but I overcame both:

1. the ‘stem’ at the base of the cup. I found it quite long and caused irritation. I am assuming it is there to help remove the cup; however, I never use it, and simply grasp the base of the cup to remove it. So, I trimmed back the stem and no longer experience any irritation.
2. how to clean it when you are in a public washroom. I simply soak one paper towel with water and soap, and another one with water, which I take into the stall with me. This works quite well, and I follow up with a really good scrubbing once I get home again.

I’m all for simplifying my life now, and being more ‘green’. The DivaCup is a safe, reliable product, that protects both me and the environment, while providing me with far more convenience and protection from leaks than a tampon.