I haven't used disposable period products in 4 years. These are the products I use instead.

I started "free bleeding" after the birth of my first child.

After a pretty uneventful pregnancy that culminated in an emergency C-section to save my son's life, I was sent home with my trauma, a tiny newborn born a handful of weeks early, and a huge supply of adult diapers to contain my postpartum bleeding. 

I tried the diapers at home, but quickly realized they weren't for me. The fabric rubbed my freshly sewn abdomen in a way that made an already painful experience even worse. 

While my baby napped one day, and I failed to "sleep when your baby sleeps" because of how uncomfortable I was, I draped a towel over my side of the bed, stripped naked, and laid for hours, allowing my body to air dry from all the fluids.

That's how I discovered "free bleeding" four years ago. I've never looked back. 

Free bleeding is when you have your period but don't collect your flow, meaning you don't wear tampons, pads, menstrual cups, or period underwear. 

Tracking my period religiously has made it possible for me to free bleed, as I always know in what stage of my cycle I'm in.

For heavier flow days I wear period underwear. As with free bleeding, it allows me to have my period without stopping it with disposable products like tampons or cups. It also allows me to chase after my three kids without staining my clothes. 

With the tampon shortage in the US, some people might be looking for alternatives, and I've discovered some reusable period products that I love. Here are some of my favorites. 

I recently discovered the Cora Free-To-Flow sleep short and I'm already a huge fan.

The Hello Undies's high-waisted underwear is colorful and playful.

Ruby Love's period swimsuit allows me to hit the beach without stressing about stains.

The Modibodi leggings are great for working out and I don't need to wear underwear beneath them.

These Knix reusable pads are a great alternative for people who still want to wear a pad but are concerned about creating waste.