FEELINGS IN MADNESS...a Journey In Song

Period Misconceptions

PERIOD MISCONCEPTIONS ANSWERED

10 commonly asked questions and the facts

Questions about your period probably start in your mind when you hit puberty or before. Sad thing is most of what you learn about it are false information that you've gotten from your friends, right? Or from a parent that is to embarrassed to talk with you about it. Well Im going to give you facts that can easily be Googled. At the end of this report I will give you the same websites Ive used to gather this info. OK lets get started shall we?

1. WHAT IS A PERIOD AND WHY DO WE HAVE THEM?

Simply put: A period is when a girls body releases tissue it no longer needs. This happens on a monthly cycle every 30 days. This usually begins around the age of 10-13 in young girls. The tissue that the body is flushing out comes from the uterus, wich is where a baby (fetus) develops in a female. Every month, approximately every 30-32 days, the uterus lining gets thicker to prepare for a fertilized egg in the case of becoming pregnant. Fertilization is done by having male sperm embeds itself into the unfertilized egg. How does fertilization happen? Ask your mom this isn't a sex ed report. If the egg doesn't get fertilized the lining of the uterus isn't needed and gets washed from the female body as blood through the vagina. This monthly process is called menstruation or a period.

So when a girl has her period, her body is just getting rid of some unneeded tissue that the body is not going to use. This is a completely normal process and without it the human civilization would die off. So, girls, you are the most valuable asset on this planet as without you or your periods we would all be dead...

2. WHAT DOES A PERIOD FEEL LIKE? DOES HAVING YOUR PERIOD HURT?

The actual flow of your period, bleeding, doesn't feel like much, actually. You probably won't

even feel that you've bled. Until you have your cycle down and you know when your going to start, the most you will probably feel is dampness around your vaginal area due to blood on your panties. For that occasional spottiness on your panties use Hydrogen peroxide and a que tip to remove the spots. Menstruation itself doesn't hurt. What does hurt sometimes is the bloating, cramps, headaches that can be associated with your period. These symptoms are usually caused by the hormones that your body releases during menstruation that cause the uterus to contract so it can shed its unused tissue or lining.

3. DOES HAVING YOUR PERIOD SMELL?

It shouldn't! Menstrual odor happens when the period blood comes into contact with air. When menstrual blood is absorbed within the vagina, as is the case when using a tampon, it is not exposed to air hence no odor. Odor MAY or CAN become worrisome when using a pad as the period blood is exposed to air. Simple fix really, just remember to change your tampon or pad frequently. Especially if you are having a heavy flow. What I mean by this is the amount of blood released can range from spotty to heavy. Just be aware and don't take for granted that last month I had a very light flow so it will be the same this month. That isn't always the case.

4. I STARTED MY PERIOD AND I HAVEN'T TOLD MY MOM YET. ITS REALLY HARD FOR ME TO TALK TO HER ABOUT THESE THINGS. I HAVE ALLOT OF QUESTION. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

We all know that some moms just aren't that great at answering embarrassing questions. We know that even Dads can be a pain when confronted from their daughters with questions pertaining to sex or your period. Don't let this be a reason that you don't ask someone. It isn't just looking up online something and going by that alone. An older sister that's had her period for a while, and aunt you get along with, a friends Mom, just ask someone you trust and that HAS EXPERIENCE with that thing. Because there are things that go along with your period like should I use a pad or tampon? When should I use a panty shield? Can I have sex during my period. Things like these.

5. IS IT OK TO TAKE A SHOWER OR BATH WHEN I HAVE MY PERIOD?

Believe it or not this question some girls actually ask themselves. During your period it is especially important to keep yourself and your vagina clean. Feminine hygiene should be paid special care during this time. This would be a good time to ask your mom, your aunt a friends mom about what things are especially important in the way of vaginal care. Just washing it every night helps, of course, but there are things that a girl needs to learn about vaginal health and why its so important. From best panty material to Ph balance to yeast infections, PMS(premenstrual syndrome), cramps, birth control methods. Yes, ladies, there is more to keeping your vagina healthy then once over with a wash-cloth.

6. IS THERE ANYTHING I WONT BE ABLE TO DO WHEN I HAVE MY PERIOD?

Your period shouldn't stop you from doing things that you normally do such as going to school, sex( If sexually active remember that YOU CAN Still Get PREGNANT DURING YOUR PERIOD so don't assume its safe. ALWAYS USE A CONDOM whether you are on birth control or not. A condom doesn't prevent 100 % against pregnancy. ALWAYS MAKE SURE THE CONDOM BEING USED HAS Nanoxynall-9 in it. Its a spermicide). There will be things that you will feel self-conscious about doing when on your period. For instance swimming. And that really is the only thing that this writer can think of. Still with the right tampon swimming should be of no concern.

7. WILL ANYONE, LIKE BOYS OR MY DAD, BE ABLE TO TELL THAT IM ON MY PERIOD?

NO- not unless you tell them. If asked its up to you wether you tell them or not. You will find tho that there are certain characteristics that a girl shows only when on her period. Some are good some are not so good. A girl tends to be more on edge, focuses less, concentration can be diminished, frequent bathroom trips, and so on. Most guys wont ever pick up on these things unless they are your boyfriend and you've been with them awhile. Dads, of course, will know because your used tampons and pads will be in the trash. NEVER FLUSH PADS, TAMPONS OR PANTY LINERS DOWN THE TOILET this will clog the toilet being used whether at school, restaurant or home.

8. HOW MUCH BLOOD DO I LOSE DURING MY PERIOD?

Most girls will lose about a ¼ to a ½ cup of menstrual blood during their full period cycle. This happens in usually the first 3 days. You will still bleed some after that but usually, not always, a lesser amount. It also depends on your flow, the amount of menstrual fluid that you've been releasing. If your flow is heavy then naturally you will lose more. Its ok, your body is already set up to make more during these times.

9. WHEN WILL I STOP HAVING MY PERIOD FOR GOOD?

Women stop having their periods when they reach menopause. This is when women can no longer have children and her menstrual cycle stops for good. In most women, menopause happens in their late 40’s to early 50’s. Menopause can happen earlier or later. Some girls may stop menstruation in their mid 30’s to as late as their 50’s My sister is in her early 50’s and she still has her period. My other sister stopped having her period when she was in her late 30’s. A good average is 35-45.

I have tried to be thorough in answering these most often asked questions pertaining to periods. As always these few questions beg one to ask other questions. Questions about sexual health, tampons what are they and how does one use them. What are the kinds of tampons? Feminine hygiene, Pads and panty liners, contraception use, yeast infections, shaving underarm and leg hair, waxing, trimming down under,make-up and perfume, douching, and so much more head-exploding stuff. No its not easy being female but the rewards are endless of being the keepers of the human race. Here are some websites that will be able to help you with questions such as these:

kotex.com
always.com
gurl101 on YouTube

these are only a very small fraction of sites. I have gotten lots of helpful info from Kotex.com and Always.com as kotex and always make tampons and pads. Thank you for reading and again if you have any suggestions for articles that you would like to see please go to We_Care and leave a suggestion in the comments.

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