Can I Swim When I Have My Period?

Every young woman wants to know if she can swim when she has her period, or take a bath. The answer is yes! You certainly can.

However, you don't want to wear a pad, because it will soak up water. You can wear either a tampon or a cup. If you've never used a tampon or cup, or are younger than 18 years talk with your parent or doctor before you use either the cup or tampon.

As for bathing, both a shower or bath can help to relieve menstrual symptoms like cramps, but will also help keep you clean and help avoid any odors that may occur.

Irregular Periods

Lately I've received many e-mails about irregular periods, of course that means I have to take to the blog and write about it.

The word oligomenorrhea means abnormally infrequent or scanty menstrual flow. It's common for a young woman to experience this in the first year or two of the onset of mesnses. Typically, over time, the periods become more regular -with an interval of 28 to 35 days, and a duration of 5 to 7 days long. Generally it isn't of concern, however, you can take your daughter to see her doctor should you want to know more about it, or why your daughter's periods are irregular.

You can read more about oligomenorrhea here:
What are irregular periods (oligomenorrhea)? What causes irregular periods?
Irregular Periods


 

If you're planning a Menarchi party for the young lady in your life, then you'll want to check out Menarche Parties R Us. They are elite Menarchi and Puberty party planners! You can purchase items for the party straight from their site. And, they have games too that the attendees can play -not only are the fun, they're educational too.

The people over at I Heart Guts, have designed a 'Periodic Table of your Period'. In their words they "have included everything from bloating to chocolate, corpus luteum, to period underwear. 
Promoting awareness of such things as period symptoms, menopause, safe-sex, and conversation, we at Menses Today, encourage you to check it out.

Surfing the Crimson Wave

By Lisa Davis

Often when my period arrives I remember the line from the movie Clueless, when Cher says, “Mr. Hall, I was surfing the crimson wave. I had to haul *** to the ladies'.” This is probably because the movie came out the year I got my period, and that was one of the famous lines from it. Still to this day, my friends and I often joke and say, “I’m surfing the crimson wave.” as our way of notifying each other that ‘it’ has arrived. I also use it with my boyfriend, who is now my husband and the father of our sweet and beautiful two year-old daughter.

Anyway, I remember that moment very well when it finally arrived. I was twelve, and had been expecting it for a year. My mother got her period when she was eleven, my older sister also got her period when she was eleven, and my friends had started getting their periods. So naturally I expected mine would arrive on time at age eleven. But, by age twelve I was still waiting for it. I was convinced there was something wrong with my body. That it was broken, and I would never get my period.

I grew up in one of those families that put a lot of emphasis on family. Particularly that girls grow up, become women, get married, and then make babies. What was I to do if I never got my period? How could I make babies without it!? Even though my mother had assured me it would come, I decided it was time to talk with her doctor. My mother obligingly took me to see her, even after telling me that it was normal, and that I would definitely get it. The doctor said basically the same thing my mom had said, but I wasn’t convinced. I knew my body was faulty.

As it turns out they were right, and a few months after my twelfth birthday I finally got my period. The thing I hadn’t thought about was the fact that it would be with me for the next 40-50 years until menopause [editor’s note: menopause begins about age 51, with a range of 30-60 years of age.]  If I had considered this, maybe I would have relaxed and have tried to enjoy my time before puberty a little bit more.

Now, at the age of twenty-eight, my periods are on a twenty-eight day cycle. I bleed for four days, and experience mild cramping sometimes, but mostly I just bleed. So, my period is on the mild side, I don’t experience PMS [editor’s note: PMS or premenstrual syndrome are symptoms associated with the menstrual period, i.e. cramping, fatigue, nausea, food cravings, and irritability.]. I exercise regularly and eat a well balanced diet, and I think that has a lot to do with my period health. When I started out I used tampons, but have moved onto the Diva Cup, which I have found to be more physically comfortable, and better for the environment. Of course the decisions are for you to make J.

I look forward to the time my daughter is grown, and the time arrives when she will start her period. I plan to keep the lines of communication open between us, and let her know she can come to me with anything, and count on me to be there for her; and, mainly to help her to make the right choices for herself. We live in a wonderful time when there are a lot of options available, you can choose what you want to use, whether it’s disposable pads or tampons, or cloth pads, or a cup. The choice really is yours to make. So, make the most of it!

About the author: Lisa Davis is a wife and stay-at-home-mom, who spends her time scrapbooking, cuddling with her daughter and reading her daughters favorite books to her. She and her husband enjoy spending time together as a family, visiting parks, relatives, and visiting their local museums.

The Size of Your Uterus Throughout the Month.

Information is very important to me. It helps me to understand what's happening, and that understanding usually helps me to feel better emotionally, if not physically. To that end, I want to share with you this picture with two life-size models of the human uterus. On the left we see it as it is throughout the month in it's regular size, and on the right we see it during our period. The difference in size is astounding, kind of explains why you might feel "bigger" and "heavier" during your period. The change in size is what is supposed to happen during menstruation, and your uterus will return to it's regular size when your period is over. 

Resources:

The photo used in this article is credited to Jacintha of the Jocelyn Centre in Sydney, Australia.

It Couldn’t Have Come At a Worse Moment!

By Heidi Gutenberg

Okay, so I was 9 years old and sleeping over at my friend’s house. This was a big deal because it was the first time I spent the night at a friend’s home. I hadn’t felt well, but didn’t tell my parents because I really wanted to go. I thought I would feel better. I had thought it was just stomach upset from being nervous about sleeping over.

After arriving at my friend’s house, my stomach really started hurting more. I thought I should say something to my friend’s mom that I should go home, but when I told my friend, she didn’t want me to. She asked if I could wait and see if I would feel better. I didn’t!

Later we went to bed, but I had to go to the bathroom. When I wiped there was blood, and I thought I had done something wrong for that to happen. I got really scared. My mom and I hadn’t really talked about me getting my period. I thought I had more time before that would happen, so did she. I woke my friend and told her I really needed to go home, because I was sick. She woke her mom, and she called my parents and told them she was driving me home. When I got home my dad kind of yelled at me, saying that I could have waited until the morning. But my mom new as soon as she looked at me that I got my period, and told him she would handle it. I thought at first she might yell at me too. But she didn’t. She took me to the bathroom, told me to wait here. When she came back she had a pad with her. We stayed up for a while talking about what it would be like, how I should take care of myself, and what I would need to do every month like bring pads to school.

My mom also told me about using hot pads to help with cramps, and taking naps to help with irritability. She gave me disposable pads. But in school we learned about cloth pads too. I decided I wanted to use cloth for the environment. She also took me to her doctor, and she talked to me about periods and pads. At school the girls talked about their older sisters getting it, none of them had it. I was the first. I haven’t told anyone at school about it, or any of my friends except my best friend whose house I stayed at. I told her that was why I had to leave, and she understood.

I’m 10 now, and have had my period for a year now. It’s not bad at all. Not that I enjoy it, or like having it, but it’s not bad either. No one knows when I have it either. I used to think EVERYONE knew, but they don’t. My friend still doesn’t have hers, and we talk about it. She knows when she does get it she’ll be okay too.

About the author:

Heidi lives at home with her parents, and sister who is still waiting for her period to arrive.