I agree with Leah that preferences could be an entire post of their own!
I’m in my mid-40s. I started using a cup about 15 years ago and LOVE it. I started with the Diva cup, but it became very painful after my second or third kid. I found MeLuna cups (thanks to Wirecutter! https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-menstrual-cup/) which solved that issue. Seriously, check these out! Better design overall, plus more sizing options.
The downside is my properly fitting cup is a small cup, so my heavy days (now very heavy after having kids) would require a lot of changing. So now I often wear a pad for the first day or two. Always Infinity hold so much and stay so dry that I use fewer of them, which makes me feel little better about the waste.
Then, when my oldest daughter got her period, I discovered lined underwear. They aren’t absorbent, they just prevent bleed-through. LIFE CHANGER. Now my girls and I all have them, and the peace of mind – with whatever absorbent items we prefer – is amazing. I usually just wear those instead of liners as back-up for my cup now.
