Pads or tampons in clean days, tampon as moch on Shabbat
23 January, 2017
Question:I can generally get a clean hefsek on day five, but I’m always concerned that I will start bleeding again, which does happen on occasion. Besides not particularly wanting to stain my underwear, it might be heavier than just light spotting, and I would really prefer to keep using some form of protection.
I have read your answers, which seemed to indicate that you weren’t particularly keen on sanitary pads during ‘white days’, but what then can I use? Sometimes tampons are an option, but sometimes I’m too irritated, especially after a hefsek. (Are they any better anyway?)
Also, since I often do continue to use protection for a day or two after my period seems to have stopped, if I used a tampon as the moch dachuk on Shabbat, would it be carrying?
Answer:In light of your concerns, you may use white pantiliners during the clean days. If you could purchase cloth, reusable ones, that would be preferred. A tampon should not be used, since even a drop of blood on a tampon could invalidate the clean days, and also due to the concerns of irritation that you note.
A moch dachuk is placed so that a woman can clearly establish that her bleeding has ceased. A side concern that bleeding might resume does not override its main purpose. So using a tampon for a moch would be considered carrying on Shabbat according to many authorities, even if there is also a slight concern about renewed bleeding.
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