<div><p>I, like countless other preteens learned a lot about puberty and periods from Judy Blume's classic <em>Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret</em>. This book published in the 1970s had teens scratching their heads when they made reference to the "sanitary belt" that Margaret uses when she finally gets her period. </p><p>With TV ads about Kotex active fit, and Always flex wings, we knew about tampons and pads, but what the heck is a sanitary belt? </p><p>Before there were tampons, Diva cups and pads with wings, women had to sport a Sanitary Napkin Belt during their time of the month. </p><div><figure><a href="http://www.mum.org/beltclass.htm" target="_blank"><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/beltclass.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/beltclass_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/beltclass_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></a><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite><a href="http://www.mum.org/beltclass.htm" target="_blank">Mum.org</a></cite></figcaption></figure></div><p>Tabs from disposable menstrual pads attached to the buckles on the belt that women wore around their waist. </p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/beltclpk.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/beltclpk_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite>Mum.org</cite></figcaption></figure></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p>Disposable pads started to replace washable ones in America in the 1920's, which means at least you won't have to wash the pads when you were done. </p><p></p><p>Adhesive pads started to appear in the 1970s effectively killing the belt-and-tabbed pad industry. </p><p>Stayfree was the first brand to produce a belt-less napkin. The adhesive on the underside of the bad attached to the underwear which secured it in place. </p><p>This created a revolution for women everywhere!</p><div><figure><a href="https://healdove.com/reproductive-health/Overview-of-menstrual-pads" target="_blank"><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/05/5327244_f520-1.jpg" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></a><figcaption class="op-vertical-center"><cite><a href="https://healdove.com/reproductive-health/Overview-of-menstrual-pads" target="_blank">Heal Dove</a></cite></figcaption></figure></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p>Blume did modernize the book in the '90s so that modern girls wouldn't have to be horrified about the idea of belts and pins in their nether region. </p><p>Like that time of the month couldn't be any worse without having to wear your feminine hygiene products around your waist. </p><div><amp-iframe sandbox="allow-scripts allow-same-origin" layout="responsive" frameborder="0" height="9" width="16" src="https://giphy.com/embed/nzUaVNFX76iNW"></amp-iframe></div><p>For once change is definitely welcome when it comes to the evolution of women's menstrual cycle. </p><p><strong>Have you ever seen one of these before? </strong></p><p></p></div>