Menstrual Cups And Period Panties Are Eco
You can expect to go through more than 10,000 pads or tampons during your lifetime on average. However, there are options available that, over time, may be friendlier for your wallet and the environment: menstrual cups and period panties.
Menstrual cups are made of flexible silicon and sit in the vaginal canal to collect menstrual blood, according to a July 2019 The Lancet Public Healthstudy. Most cups can stay in for up to 12 hours, and reusable versions can be kept for years, significantly reducing the amount of waste youd have if you used a disposable product. The cup is reusable because you empty and wash it before reinserting it, which might not sound as appealing as tossing it in the trash, but its a lot more eco-friendly.
Like the cup, period panties are reusableper a July 2018 International Journal of Womens Health articleafter washing, meaning they have a smaller environmental footprint than disposable products. Period panties can hold up to three times the amount of blood one tampon can absorb. If youre not into pads, these panties are still helpful for backup coverage. You could also wear them with a menstrual cup or tampon to stop worrying about leakage.
Periods And Additional Needs
Periods can be especially challenging for young people with additional needs and their parents. If your child has moderate to severe intellectual disability, they might not understand why theyre experiencing changes to their body and mood.
Your child still needs to know about periods and the menstrual cycle at a level they can understand. Your GP, or other health professionals involved in your childs care, can recommend resources you can use with your child, like books and visual aids. You could also speak to your childs school about support.
How To Tell The Difference Between Spotting And Your Period
The biggest difference between spotting and your period is the amount of blood. A period can last for several days and require a tampon or pad to control your flow. However, spotting produces much less blood and doesnt typically require the use of these products.
When the bleeding occurs, also, is a good indicator of whether its your period or spotting. Most women generally have an idea of when their period will come and how long itll last, so if you notice bleeding off cycle but its not as heavy as your regular period, then its likely spotting. The color of the blood also is different. Blood produced during your period often is darker than the blood that appears when youre spotting.
Another good indicator the bleeding may be due to spotting, is if you dont have any other menstrual symptoms, like breast tenderness or cramping. If you normally have these symptoms right before your period, but they arent present during the time you notice some irregular bleeding, then its probably spotting.
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My Pregnancy Test Says I Am Pregnant What Should I Do Next
If a home pregnancy test shows that you are pregnant, you should call your doctor to schedule an appointment.
Your doctor can use a blood test to tell for sure whether you are pregnant. Seeing your doctor early in your pregnancy also means you can begin prenatal care to help you and your baby stay healthy.
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Am I Old Enough For Tampons
If you are having your menstrual period, your body is mature enough for using tampons. While many girls get their first periods between age 12 and 14, you may have your first period at a younger or older age. Whether to use tampons or not is a personal decision, there is no age restriction. You will need to learn how to insert a tampon, which can be tricky when you are new to using one.
You must be sure to change it every four to six hours to lessen the risk of toxic shock syndrome. Use the lowest absorbency available and start with those that have a smooth plastic applicator with a rounded tip . You may want to also use a pantyliner in case there is a leak. If youre active or want to be able to swim during your period, then tampons may be a good choice. You can also consider different kinds of underwear for that time of the month.
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You’re Moody Anxious Or Emotional
When To Go To The Doctor
Some Medical Terms
A girlâs first menstruation is called menarche. This is pronounced MEN-arc or MEN-arc-y. When a girl passes certain milestones in her development, but does not start having periods, this is called Primary Amenorrhea. This is pronounced A-men-or-rea or Ah-men-or-rea. The word primary is the part that means the girl has never had a period. The amenorrhea part means lack of periods . This is to distinguish it from Secondary Amenorrhea, which is when a woman has had periods and then stops.
The Standards For Going To The Doctor
These standards were developed long ago. Meanwhile the average age of puberty and menarche has dropped. So, Estronautâs opinion is that checking with a doctor a year or so earlier is not a bad idea. Also, girls of African descent mature sooner than Europeans, by about a year. So, these girls should substract another year.
On age alone: Age 15 1/2 to 16 1/2 for whites, age 14 1/2 to 15 1/2 for blacks.
If no breast or hair development: Age 13 to 14 for whites, age 12 to 13 for blacks.
If there is breast development or hair two years after either of these started.
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Your Vaginal Discharge Gets Thicker
How Do I Know If Im Ovulating
A few days before you ovulate, your vaginal mucus or discharge changes and becomes more slippery and clear. This type of mucus helps sperm move up into your uterus and into the fallopian tubes where it can fertilize an egg. Some women feel minor cramping on one side of their pelvic area when they ovulate. Some women have other signs of ovulation.
Luteinizing hormone is a hormone released by your brain that tells the ovary to release an egg . LH levels begin to surge upward about 36 hours before ovulation, so some women and their doctors test for LH levels. LH levels peak about 12 hours before ovulation.1 Women who are tracking ovulation to become pregnant will notice a slight rise in their basal temperature around ovulation. Learn more about tracking ovulation to become pregnant.
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What Your Period Is Trying To Tell You About Your Health
When we talk about menstruation in our culture, we tend to focus on all the ways it can be seriously unpleasant and gross, with lots of attention paid to the emotional effects of premenstrual syndrome, or PMS , and almost none to whats actually happening in your body every month. Board-certified reproductive acupuncturist Kirsten Karchmer, founder of Viv Wellness, believes that for most women, PMS is a critical tool in deciphering overall healthand it doesnt have to come with every period, or at all, if you pay attention and learn to pull the right levers. Ive been working with women in my clinics for almost twenty years, and while a lot of them come in with PMS and cramping, by the time theyre done with treatment, a significant majority are symptom-free, she says.Below, Karchmers take on period health, and her advice on how to gain controlplus, our round-up of items to make periods a little more comfortable, including 100 percent organic tampons delivered straight to your door.
How Do I Know If My Period Is Coming
Some people get signs that their periods are coming like bloating, pimples, sore breasts, and feeling emotional. Many people get cramps in their belly, lower back, or legs before their period. These symptoms are called PMS. Not everybody has signs that their periods are about to start. And sometimes the signs change month-to-month. As you get older, it usually gets easier to tell when your period is coming.
Many people mark the days they have their period on their calendar or on an app. Keeping track of your periods will help you know when your next period is coming. It can also tell you if your period is late or early. Its really common to have periods that dont come at the exact same time every month especially when youre a teenager.
Keeping a tampon, period underwear, or a pad in your bag can help you be prepared for your period, no matter when it shows up. If you start your period and don’t have a tampon or pad, you can ask a parent, friend, teacher, or the school nurse for a tampon or a pad. Some bathrooms also have vending machines where you can buy a tampon or pad. If youre REALLY stuck somewhere without a tampon or pad, you can fold up a bunch of toilet paper or a clean sock or washcloth and put it in your underwear to soak up the blood.
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Signs Your Period Is Coming: The Takeaway
Everybodys experience of PMS symptoms is unique. And lets be honest: Managing PMS is not exactly a walk in the park. The good news is that most PMS symptoms should start to taper off as your period starts.
Tracking your cycle in Flo can be a useful tool for gathering information you can pass on to a doctor for a PMS or a PMDD diagnosis. Its also a great way to gain more control over your cycle. It helps you understand when your next period is coming and enables you to understand what factors like a lack of sleep or drinking too much coffee may intensify PMS symptoms. Recognizing the signs can help you prepare for your next period, and it can allow you more time to listen to your body and practice a bit more self-care.
References
You Have A Chronic Condition
Certain chronic health problems, especially celiac disease and diabetes, are sometimes associated with menstrual irregularities.
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that affects your digestive system. When people with celiac disease eat gluten, their immune system reacts by attacking the lining of the small intestine.
When the small intestine is damaged, it impairs the bodys ability to absorb nutrients from food. This can lead to malnourishment, which affects normal hormone production and leads to missed periods and other menstrual irregularities.
Those with type 1 and type 2 diabetes might also experience a missed period in rare cases. This tends to only happen when blood sugar levels are not managed.
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How To Know When Your Period Is Coming
This article was co-authored by Rebecca Levy-Gantt, MPT, DO. Dr. Rebecca Levy-Gantt is a board certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist running a private practice based in Napa, California. Dr. Levy-Gantt specializes in menopause, peri-menopause and hormonal management, including bio-Identical and compounded hormone treatments and alternative treatments. She is also a Nationally Certified Menopause Practitioner and is on the national listing of physicians who specialize in menopausal management. She received a Masters of Physical Therapy from Boston University and a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article has 25 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 2,444,392 times.
Having your period is nuisance enough without the added stress of a surprise visit. While theres no scientific method of determining exactly when your period will come, these methods below will help you estimate your menstrual cycle length and help you be prepared for the next one. Carrying pads or tampons around in your purse at all times is a simple but effective strategy to never be caught off-guard.
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Causes For An Irregular Period
Dr. Jones:
So whatâs abnormal menstruation? And that would be periods that occur less than 21 days or more than 35 days apart. If you miss your periods for more than three cycles, flow thatâs much heavier or lighter than usual, periods that last longer than seven days, periods that are accompanied by severe pain, cramping or nausea or bleeding or spotting that happens between your periods or with sex.
You said they came two weeks early. Now, that would be probably less than 21 days, so it means this period was abnormal. But you donât have to see a doctor for this unless it happens all the time or unless youâre pregnant. So what do you have to see a doctor for?
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How Many Weeks Am I Pregnant From My Last Period
Wondering how many weeks pregnant you are right now? Well, you first must know when your last period was in order to find out how many weeks you are right now. Calculating an accurate due date is an important first step in pregnancy. The calculation of the estimated due date is based on the day of the date of ovulation and fertilization. The EDD can be calculated by adding 266 days to the day of ovulation/fertilization.
Should I Take A Pregnancy Test If I’m Spotting
Anyone who’s been sexually active in the previous month and could possibly be pregnant should take a pregnancy test after irregular bleeding of any kind, says Dr. Vyas.
Keep in mind that implantation bleeding will happen beforea missed period. If you experience bleeding that isn’t implantation- or period-related , it could be what’s known as the first trimester bleeding.
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists , this common phenomenon occurs in 15% to 25% of people early in their pregnancy. “But it might also be the first sign of a pregnancy loss or even an ectopic pregnancy,” a potentially fatal condition where the embryo implants outside of the uterus, says Dr. Berman.
Those who experience abnormal first-trimester bleeding should see a health care provider. “There are pregnancies that bleed early on that do just fine,” says Dr. Patounakis, “but your health care provider needs to evaluate to make sure you’re safe.”
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Your Discharge Has Dried Up
Another sign your period is coming is discharge, or rather a lack of it. Cervical mucus is a type of vaginal discharge that changes in amount and consistency throughout the menstrual cycle. When were most fertile, cervical mucus is sometimes visible in our underwear or when we wipe after using the toilet. Since were not fertile in the days directly before we get our period, there should be very little or no discharge to see.
Even after your period has ended, it will likely be a few days before discharge is visible. You can look out for the changes in your cervical mucus throughout your cycle as it varies in amount and consistency as you approach your fertile window.
Check If You Have Heavy Periods
You may have heavy periods if you:
- need to change your pad or tampon every 1 to 2 hours, or empty your menstrual cup more often than is recommended
- need to use 2 types of sanitary product together, such as a pad and a tampon
- have periods lasting more than 7 days
- pass blood clots larger than about 2.5cm
- bleed through to your clothes or bedding
- avoid daily activities, like exercise, or take time off work because of your periods
- feel tired or short of breath a lot
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