Skip to main content

What in the bloody......period!!!

Period. Menstruation. Time of the month. Moon cycle. Whatever you  call it, it is something most females will, one day, experience.
Definition- the process of discharging blood and other stuff from the lining of the uterus, usually once a month. From puberty until menopause.

The year was 1996. I was 12 years old and it was Summertime. "The Diary of Anne Frank" was my favorite book. As Anne, I was also looking forward to getting my first period......and first kiss. But I digress.

It happened on a weekday. I was taking my morning "pee" before Dance Team camp. I was shocked to wipe blood, for  I had been longing for it to come and it had never happened, thus far. But I was excited "it" finally came. I told my mom and my sister and put on a pad. And my days of becoming a woman, began.

Soooo....I've been menstruating/bleeding for 20 years. And I've learned a lot about my body and my options.

I've learned to pamper myself durring that time. Hot, bubble baths are what I enjoy the most. I'm relaxed and relieved of cramps.
Rest, when your body needs it. If you wanna lie down....LIE DOWN! You are losing blood, even though your body replenishes it. Take time for yourself. Relax and just be. After all,  it is YOUR time of the month.

What to wear?
We have options. Some options you've probably never heard of. There are (disposable/ maxi) pads- which you take off and throw away after a few hours. Change it and put another on.
Tampons- which I wouldn't recommend for young girls just starting out. You insert it into your vagina and it sops up the blood. To remove, pull the string, take it out, and replace it with another. If you're a heavy bleeder, you might wanna place a pad on, even if you are wearing a tampon, for extra protection. Yes, you can wear tampons of you are a virgin. No, it won't break your virginity.
Cloth pads. Pads that can be washed and reused.
Menstrual (Diva) cups-It catches the blood. Pour blood out, rinse cup and put back in.
Choose whatever option is most comfortable for you.

Altering your diet can help alleviate pain (cramps) and can lighten the length of your cycle. Changing your diet, eating right, can obviously change your life.

You CAN swim and not attract the sharks!! There were so many stories about not swimming in bodies of water (beaches...etc) during your cycle, lest you wanna attract the sharks-which we know are attracted to blood. 😆 And you can swim in pools without leaving blood puddles or having a streak of blood follow you around.

NO MORE PERIOD SHAMING:
No more feeling insecure or ashame because you leaked a little blood or have stained underwear. Bleeding monthly (sometimes more, sometimes less) is normal. And one day....many years from the starting date.....it will end.

Women are magical.  So powerful. Create rituals for your moon cycle. Make your time of the month YOUR TIME!!

Much love,

Nicole Rene

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Seeking God, Finding Myself

I have been on a fervent, spiritual journey for the past seven years. It was only then, I began to know myself-as a person, as a woman. I was 28 years old before I was comfortable enough with myself to begin peeling off layers and allowing my freeness to flow. I am a mother. I am a teacher. I am a writer. And I am a sexual being. For so long, the latter was something I suppressed. I wasn’t comfortable enough to speak on that aspect of me. But it’s part of who I am and how I got here-to this place, this space. I grew up Catholic. Sex was to be abstained until marriage, according to our Sunday school lessons. Though people in my family shacked up and had kids out of wedlock-and weren’t looked down upon.  For so long, I masturbated with guilt. Even though the release was wonderful and I enjoyed touching my body, I felt like religion taught me I would be punished for the sin-even though it didn’t involve another being. I use to spew the words “But I’m a Christian”  not knowing w...

I AM a mentor.....

We finally had one big group meeting....with all the girls. There are about 35 girls total. I handed out group packets and went over our tentative itinerary. One thing that makes me smile is how, daily, girls ask me "are we meeting today". Knowing that they are excited about being a part of this is humbling and exciting. I want girls to feel safe to share. I want them to bond with each other. To understand how powerful females are and embrace that. And I want them to gather information. See, I never had certain talks with my Mother. Well, I should say, she never had those talks with ME. I learned from experience and ignorance. I'm not upset with my mother. She could only give what she had. Teach from what she knew. All my experiences shaped me into who I am and how I am. I'm very open and expressive and I encourage that with my son and my mentees. I express myself through writing and teaching. I recently read a Maya Angelou book where she stated she found out her call...

Massages: The healing power of human touch.

Today, as I laid on a table with my eyes closed, I silently cried. Today, during a massage, I began to heal. I have always heard how massages are healing. And I believed that,  since I have received massages before. But, today, I truly felt like healing was taking place. My massage therapist was gentle and kind. She oiled and touched my body, working on spots that were filled with tension. Under a dim light, with soft music playing, I closed my eyes and silently cried. I cried because it has been over a year since I last went to a massage parlor. My body was in much discomfort, yet I didn't feel the need to get it massaged. I received multiple signs over the past two days that forced me to realize I NEED this. Human touch can be delicate, sensitive, and is innately craved by all beings. Human touch, itself, has healing powers. You see, so many people don't experience that. The homeless population, the incarcerated, those deemed unlovable. They rarely, if ever, receive human...