How to Stretch Underwear

No really! I've been saving this for April Fools Day--but if only you knew how many people have ended up at Flexines looking for ways to stretch their underwear (must be because of my post on how to pick underwear for stretching). Thank you for visiting, Googlers, you searched and it so happens I do have a few tips for you! 

Option one: Wear it and skip the heat

Okay, this is sort of a pain, I know, but the best way to get underwear to stretch out to fit your form is to wear it repeatedly. There are a few other alternatives to try, but let's explore this a bit first. Ideally you should wear it and wash it COLD. We've all heard that heat shrinks clothes but if you usually stick everything in the dryer you'd be surprised how much of a difference it makes to skip the heat. (Aside: If you've ever watched Myth Busters you may remember that experiment to see if jeans in a hot tub could shrink enough to cut off a deadly amount of circulation--and they can't but they shrink down tremendously.) If you need them dry quick, set your dryer to a low setting so the clothes comes out damp and air dry the rest of the way.

Or try: Pillow stretching

If they are too uncomfortable or you need to avoid wedgie pulling, pillows are your friend. Be concious of where you need a little more room--the last thing you need is drapey panties. Ish. I recommend a pillow or balled up towel--hangers and the like will give you a really horrible silhouette. (I have yet to see someone who is shaped like a hanger.) One of our teen boys hangs everything from socks to ties on hangers, or at least he did growing up, and I got a kick out of the funny contortion abilities of his underwear.

Check the tag

Keep in mind that cotton and high-cotton blends will resist stretching so you can be a bit more extreme in your attempts. Those cotton boy briefs lost the silly hanger shape after a wearing; blends with nylon, lycra, or elastane (think Victoria's Secret goodies) will not fare quite as well--be gentle. As a general rule I hate to stick anything non-cotton in the dryer because they air dry very well out of the washer and tend to take a beating from the dryer (the stretchy become the crunchy).

For Flexines readers, I hope you got a good April Fools chuckle. And for Googlers, don't forget to subscribe for inspiration on stretching your body, too!

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Why I am Boycotting Pregnancy Front Splits

Alma & AnyFer 72 (c) Edgarholgin
CC Attribution 2.0 License

The splits are my holy grail. I made it a point to get back my splits when I lost flexibility despite recovering from anemia, being in school, and balancing all sorts of craziness in my life. Being pregnant didn't stop flexibility from being a part of my life. In fact, I made more progress in all areas of flexibility while expecting than ever before.

But I still am quitting my front splits.

The problem with front splits snuck up on me. With so much that I'm doing right now it was hard to pin point what was causing gradually progressing pain. Groin pain. I considered all the textbooks I carry from taking classes and tutoring. It could also be my light strength training because even though last pregnancy I did a lot more it is possible for my body's tolerance to change. Sex of course was another worry--I sure did not want it to be that. haha

Try getting out of bed with crotch pain. Yeah.

What are menstrual cups made out of?

One of my biggest concerns when I first considered menstrual cups was what in the world are they made of? My interest was peaked when I learned they save a lot of money and are reusable. Being a poor college student and always without tampons or pads right when I needed them I was all for it that! But would they be safe? Comfortable? Leak-free?

Silicone

Lunette cup in a "c fold"
Used with permission

Most of the brands out there are made of silicone. This is generally the same type of silicone used to make breast implants and with medical devices like pacemakers. They are relatively soft yet will mostly hold their shape. Silicone cups can be boiled to disinfect them and come in a few different colors that vary by brand (blue, orange, pink...). These are all manufacturered outside of the US.

Care: Rinse/wipe down when you empty it and wash with soap between uses; can be boiled.

Brands: Lunette, DivaCup, MoonCup UK




TPE - thermoplastic elastomers

Assortment of Meluna cups
Used with permission

TPE is a fancy name for a plastic blend used in everything from baby bottle nipples to medical devices. There is currently only one brand that makes cups with TPE: Meluna. I am partial to their extra sturdy cup, Meluna Sport, made to work with the stronger pelvic floor muscles of athletic women. They are medically approved in Europe and are currently unavailable in the US during the lengthy FDA approval process. 

Care: Rinse/wipe down when you empty it and wash with soap between uses; can be immersed in hot water to disinfect.

Brands: Meluna


Latex Rubber

Rubber Tree (c) Ken Doerr
CC Attribution 2.0 License

Rubber menstrual cups look like little toy plungers to me. Natural rubber tends to have a rubber smell so they are not for everyone. They are brown so they do not discolor and are the only cups made from a non-synthetic material. Of course anyone allergic to latex should choose a different material. The only cup actually manufactured in the US is the latex rubber Keeper.

Care: Rinse/wipe down when you empty it and wash with soap between uses; can be boiled.

Brands: Keeper



All cup types are made of medically approved materials and most are also FDA approved. (The FDA requires separate approval for the cups themselves. All menstrual products including tampons, pads, and menstrual cups are considered "medical devices.") If you are worried about trying out a menstrual cup based on material remember that many menstrual cup users end up with multiple cups for convenience.

Still have questions? Check out this particularly informative post by Aerial Hoopla.

A cup for WHERE? Menstrual cups: a different solution

Years ago when I was a senior in high school I was browsing the internet for freebies, particularly free pad and tampon samples. I ran across menstrual cups in my pursuit of savings; I hated seeing how much hard-earned money went into that time of the month. Back then I only found cups around $40-$50--a steep investment for a college-bound high school student with no after-school job.

Even though it was super pricey I spent hours watching all the YouTube videos. If you've tried cups or at least looked into them, you know what I mean. There is literally a plethora of videos out there. Happy cup owners promote them for the convenience, cost-effectiveness, environmental benefits, and sometimes just because it is a neat idea. Some women might be squeamish but there are those of us who are too curious about the complexities of the female body to worry about a little blood. Flash forward years later with more affordable options and here I am getting my first cup!

Hold on, what is a cup anyways?

Underwear for Stretching: Problems & Solutions

This is one of those areas that I learned by making some uncomfortable choices. Who knew you need to choose underwear for stretching? Sorry men, I don't know much about men's underwear so I'll stick to ladys' options :D I'll also note that while I'm not going to be graphic by any means, remember this is an underwear topic =D

"Pantyart" (c) 2006 by fekaylius
Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 License

Problem #1: Restricting

I never thought such a small piece of clothing could be so restricting! Especially when I'm wearing a semi-opaque leotard to stretch I tend to err on the side of coverage. I get to stretch with friends but the thought of