Self-care during Menstruation

Good menstrual care and hygiene practice is very important as it prevent infections, reduce odors, and help you stay comfortable during your period.

You can choose many types of menstrual products to absorb or collect blood during your period, including sanitary pads, tampons, menstrual cups, menstrual discs, and period underwear.

After a change, one needs to be very careful as to how to dispose your used menstrual products properly. The follow tips will further guide you:

1. Wash your hands properly before and after using the bathroom and before using a menstrual product.
2. Dispose used menstrual products properly; wrap them with recycled papers, tissue, or other material and then toss in a trash bin. You could also burn them to ashes. Do not flush menstrual products down the toilet.
3. Sanitary pads: Change sanitary pads every 4 – 6 hours, no matter how light the flow. If your period is heavy change them more frequently.

4. Tampons: Change tampons every 4 to 8 hours. Do not wear a single tampon for more than 8 hours at a time.

Use the lowest-absorbency tampon needed. If you can wear one tampon for up to 8 hours without changing, the absorbency may be too high.

5. Menstrual cups: Clean cups every day after use. Sanitize menstrual cups after your period is over by rinsing them thoroughly and then placing them in boiling water for one to two minutes.

7. Period underwear: Most reusable period underwear is machine washable. You could also wash and sanitize them properly with disinfectants and put the under direct sun to dry.

These hygiene practices can help you stay healthy and comfortable during your period:

Change your menstrual products as often as possible; Trapped moisture attracts bacteria and fungi. Wearing a menstrual product for too long can lead to a rash or an infection.

Wear lightweight, breathable clothing; (such as cotton underwear). It is advisable to wear comfortable clothes during your menstrual period. Tight fabrics can trap moisture and heat, allowing germs to thrive.

Drink enough liquids; The intake of as much liquid as possible helps wash out your urinary tract and help prevent infections, like vaginal candidiasis. Taking enough water daily is very healthy not only during your menstrual period.

Keep your genital area clean; Wash the outside of your vagina (vulva) and bottom carefully and properly, when you go to the bathroom, wipe from the front of genital area toward the back, not the other way.

Use only water to rinse your vulva, do not apply soap on it. The vagina is a self-cleaning organ. Changing the natural pH balance of your vagina by washing or using chemicals to cleanse out the vagina can be harmful and may result in a yeast infection or bacterial vaginosis and vaginal cancer.

Use unscented toilet paper, tampons, or pads; Scented hygiene products can irritate the skin and impact your natural pH balance.

Track and monitor your period; It is very important to keep track of not only your menstrual period/circle but your all-round health. Irregular periods can be a sign of conditions like diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, and celiac disease. You can track your period on a calendar or with an app on your phone designed for this purpose.

Visit a healthcare provider for your annual check-up; It is advisable to regularly keep your body in check. As a lady, a full check-up that includes a pap smear, a pelvic exam, and a breast exam should be done after every 3 – 4. These checkups are very essential for good reproductive health as they can catch early signs of cancer or other health issues.