Everything I can tell you about menstrual Sea Sponges

Sea sponges are an alternative form of tampon.
They are inexpensive, reusable, and gentle to the body.
They are not bleached, no dioxin is used, and there's no rayon string to wick bacteria.

(But they are not strictly vegetarian; these are the skeletons of little animals that grow on the ocean floor.)

For me personally, sea sponges have meant:
- Way less money spent on menstrual products
- Less cramping every month
- None of the pain of removing a semi-dry tampon that's trying to cling to me
- Happier feelings about my impact on the environment & the environment's impact on me
- Better sex during my period!

Where to get them:

I have bought sea sponges at health food stores, drugstores, and a sidewalk bazaar in Greece.
You can buy a big bath sponge and cut it up, or buy smaller "cosmetic" sponges,
just look for natural sea sponges with a fine grain (not big gaping holes).

Wash them really well.

I do the following:
- Boil them for a minute or so (in plain water) before first use.
- Wash with mild soap, preferably tea tree oil soap, and rinse really well, before first insertion each month.
- When I'm just taking it out to rinse and reinsert, I don't wash with soap unless there is (rare) stinkiness.
- If I'm in a busy public restroom, I take several damp and dry paper towels into the stall with me, squeeze
the sponge into the toilet, and clean up with damp paper towels. Not optimal, but I'm not
quite extroverted enough to shout "Close your eyes if you're squeamish! I'm coming out to
rinse my sea sponge!" as I've heard of some brave women doing.

Storage tips:

A cotton bag or pouch is nice for carrying and storing them.
A film can is a good-sized container to pop a bloody sponge into, if you
don't have a chance to wash it right away.
You can also keep them in zip-lock baggies or whatever.

Removal:

On the Menstrual Hut LJ, someone asked: "ok so this is my first time using sponges, and i'm having trouble
getting them out. they seem to rest in a spot a bit too far in there, and i can't reach far enough in to
get them easily! my pubis bone gets in the way. is there a good technique for this? i tried not putting it
in so far, but then it felt like it was going to fall right out! gah!"

I replied,

"Maybe it has to do with what position you're in when you try to remove it?

I used an unusually teensy sponge last month & at first I couldn't get it out. Then I, um, did
everything else I'd come in the bathroom to do, and after that it was lower in my vagina & easier
to remove. So based on that... maybe bearing down helps? I actually find it easier with an
irregular-shaped sponge... I usually buy a big bath sponge and cut it up; the little cosmetic
sponges that are very smooth and rounded are the ones I find harder to grab.

And, I have heard that some women sew a string on it, but I haven't tried that myself..."

Possible contaminants? (and other concerns)

I had a nice long chat with my GYN, about Toxic Shock etc., and she said
it was fine to keep using sponges as long as I wash them really well.
One of the first symptoms of TSS is a sudden high fever. Menstruating women should
be extra vigilant about flu-like symptoms. Take out anything (sponge, tampon, diaphragm,
cervical cap) and use a pad, and think about seeing a doctor if you have fever/flu symptoms.

There is a long article on the John Robbins website, Menstrual cycles and sea sponges.
Note that Robbins apparently created "Judy's" question based on several different letters he received
(including one from Liz Defiance). Anyway, he says, in part:

"Sponges are colonial animals, meaning that a piece of one sponge can conceivably
give rise to a complete animal. There are a few commercial sponge farms, but not many.
The market just isn't big enough to support it. Almost all of the sponges sold in stores
today for cleaning are synthetic.

"Your concern about ocean pollution making sea sponges potentially dangerous is justified.
In fact, this is the reason sea sponges are technically no longer allowed to be sold as
menstrual products. In late 1980, menstrual sponges sold commercially were examined by a
University of Iowa laboratory and found to contain sand, grit, bacteria, and various other
contaminants. Other studies have found chemical pollutants and fungi in sponges sold for
menstrual use. The Centers for Disease Control have documented a least one case of toxic
shock syndrome associated with the use of a sea sponge."

Then he goes into some pompous male shit about the "great cycles and rhythms of nature" and
how "honoring the way our personal cycles interplay with the vast forces of the planet and
the wider universe is part of our glory." I know he means well, but sheesh! I just don't
take it very well when some guy who's never had menstrual cramps starts going off about the
feminine mysteries and the tides. Anyway, he seems like a nice guy, even if I wouldn't want
to hang out with him.

And he has a point. Clean your sponges well. Boil them frequently (I don't know how often that
is; I still just boil mine when I first get them, and wash them with tea tree oil soap every month).

For more information:

Yoni.com's menstrual tips

Urban Armor (pads, sponges, info)

Jade & Pearl (a commercial site, online source for sea sponges)

The main John Robbins site (in case the sea sponge info has been moved).

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