Despite them having existed since the dawn of humanity, there is no denying that our periods can still make us suffer. It is also true that there are no rules and that we all suffer to varying degrees: from physical ailments such as cramps, bloating and headaches, to emotional ones such as self-doubt and anxiety, or increased levels of sadness and anger. Having recently undergone a big shift in my experience of periods I wanted to share with you the alternative period products I have discovered that help me to feel better and more in control during my time of the month.
Coming off the contraceptive pill
In February 2020, I came off the pill. I have been on one pill or another for 20 years now, at first for the management of bad teenage acne, right through to being on a progestogen-only pill while breastfeeding my babies. You may ask how I fell pregnant despite being on the pill and its a fair question. With my first child, we can only assume that I accidentally missed a pill or two and therefore reduced the efficacy of the protection it offers. With my second we came off of the pill and fell pregnant within 2 months. So I really truly have been on the pill for pretty much my whole teenage and adult life with the exception of my months of pregnancy. Until March of this year of course when it all changed.
Why I needed alternative period products
Damon and I were supposed to get married in August 2020, until Covid-19 hit and the world made other plans. Our intention had always been that I come off of the pill in February, allow my periods time to re-establish while using an alternative form of contraception, and then start trying for a baby in the spring before our wedding. I prayed for a honeymoon baby, hoping with all of my heart and soul that we would be lucky enough to fall pregnant again quickly.
The postponement of our wedding, a decision we took in April when the world fell apart, therefore took a massive toll on my emotional wellbeing as it also meant to postponement of us having a child. And actually, that loss was something that I had not anticipated and that shook me more than our wedding postponement did. The “easiest” thing would have been to go straight back on the pill again, after all I had only been off of it for a month. However, it was not a decision I felt emotionally ready to make as it would so fundamentally equate to the baby dream being over for the time being.
Period Problems
Having a period is something I am finding emotionally triggering every month because it is a signal that my life has not gone in the direction that I had hoped, and therefore anything I can do to make my cycle and my period easier to manage is meaningful for my overall wellbeing. The other downside of bleeding again after all that time on the pill is that I, for the first time I can ever remember, have had both physical and mental period symptoms.
My whole life I have avoided them. No cramps, no backache, no grumpiness…not a symptom to speak of. However, with the return of a regular cycle for the first time since my early teenage years, my body decided to make up for lost time and I have had it all. Occular migraines, fatigue like you wouldn’t believe (but only for the two days around ovulation), constipation (which is hardly ideal when I already have IBS), tearfulness, cramps…you name it, I’ve had it. And on top of that, I was having to deal with bleeding again, which I haven’t done for a long time now. This is why it has been important to me to manage my cycle and my body via alternative period products and solutions to make the whole experience easier to bear.
Managing your menstrual cycle: Flo app
The first change I have made to managing my cycle and my period is by downloading and regularly using an app called Flo. Flo is an app designed for all kinds of cycle management whether trying to get pregnant, using natural conception methods, or simply trying to stay on top of your health as a woman.
You build the app to track the information that you want to track, from your predicted days of ovulation to tracking you emotional and physical wellbeing, and even counting steps and the amount of water you are drinking in a day. Flo has been amazing for me to understand my body better and begin to recognise patterns of behaviour in how I’m feeling.
Rarely now do I have a day where I feel sad, tired, tender, negative, bloated…or anything else for that matter…without knowing and understanding WHY. I now know that the 2 days around ovulation I get so unspeakably tired that I can fall asleep sitting up and that I should not be the designated driver on our journeys north to Scotland. I now know that on the 2 days before my period I will be up all night with insomnia and Damon will need to be on parent duty on the early shift.
Alternative Period Products: Menstrual Cup
I had always used tampons when on my period. It was just what I knew and what I preferred. I had tried pads when Always released a new technology when I was about 26 but I can’t for the life of me remember what it was called. Either way, I didn’t like them and felt extremely uncomfortable with the bulkiness, the itchy dryness and the waste. However, I also did not want to go back to using tampons again due to the utter waste they also cause. Did you know that tampons should not be flushed down the toilet? For so many years I thought they would break down like toilet tissue does, completely unaware that in fact they do not and that they ultimately end up in landfill!
Since my periods started again earlier this year I have been using a menstrual cup. A menstrual cup is a flexible silicone hemisphere that you fold up and place inside the vagina just underneath he cervix. Once in position, it opens up and creates a seal with the vaginal wall acting as a collection device for menstrual blood. It sounds a bit weird to anyone who hasn’t used one before, and I get that, it probably sounded a little bit weird to me too at first. However, following the first month when I really wasn’t sure at all because I hadn’t quite worked it out yet, I am now converted and can’t believe I ever used tampons before.
One issue with tampons is having to take them out with you and find a public toilet nice and clean enough to feel confident to change when you need to without it feeling like a health hazard. A menstrual cup on the other hand will sit all day from daybreak to bedtime without needing to be emptied, so no more getting caught while out and about or having to worry about leakages.
I use the Moon Cup as my most frequently used alternative period product which I bought easily on ASOS, click here to check the Moon Cup out.
Alternative Period Products: Period Pants
I absolutely hate sanitary pads for their mess, their bulkiness, how itchy and dry they are, and because it just feels a bit gross, doesn’t it?! And if you feel that considering a menstrual cup is just a bit too alien for you and want to try something simpler you may wish to consider period pants. I have recently started using Modi Bodi period pants as an alternative period product and am blown away by how much I like them having not anticipated to like them as much as I do.
Modi Bodi period pants come in various shapes, colours, fabrics, and sizes. You can search through the Modi Bodi range by your period flow type from light to super heavy, by the shape of pants that you prefer (my favourite is the sensual hi-waist bikini in light-moderate, click here), or by range type such as seamless, vegan-friendly etc. I have tried several and have a clear favourite in the sensual hi-waist bikini which feels comfortable with its cute lace waistband and on which the fabric is super soft. I tried the seamfree range too but just didn’t like the fabric at all which didn’t stretch or feel soft enough for my liking, but if you like a firm hold pant then the seamfree full brief is your friend.
Modi Bodi is dedicated to supporting women in need globally and when you check out you can choose to donate a small amount to cover the cost of Modi Bodi giving a pair of their underwear to a woman who needs it. So, if you want to help save the planet by reducing waste, and help the people of the planet by supporting those in hardship, all while wearing a comfortable, clean, odour-free period pant then try Modi Bodi.
Alternative Period Products: More Ideas
There are another couple of small sustainable ideas you can try to help manage your periods and cycle. I have started taking Wellwoman vitamins every day to try and feed my body with more of the vitamins and minerals it needs to be healthy. Along with a myriad of other benefits, Wellwoman gummies contains Vitamin B6 which contributes to the regulation of hormonal activity which can only be a good thing. And I can say honestly that since taking them the ocular migraines I was getting just before my period have now stopped which could be a coincidence of course but it could also be me taking better care of myself in this way.
Also, try looking after your skin with some clean skincare containing proven natural ingredients for managing hormonal breakouts and inflammation. Check out my blog post on the benefits of rose-infused skincare here as this is my go-to skincare ingredient when I have hormonal breakouts. My post on recommended rose skincare products is also worth checking out for some affordable and lovely products that can help you to look after yourself during your time of the month.