January | 2012 | bepreparedperiod.com

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What is Endometriosis? – Basic Answers to Your Questions

By Arielle Denise Dance, MA in Women’s Health

Endometriosis…such a big word that can be very confusing. If you were to search the word, there would be information about painful periods, possible infertility and treatment options of surgery and birth control. You may find pictures of damaged reproductive organs from years of scarring or women doubled over in pain. If you were to ask me to simply explain this big word, endometriosis, I’d tell you that it is a disease of women’s reproductive organs that causes intense pain especially during their periods. Endometriosis can keep some women from doing daily activities like going to school or work and even from having children.

A woman with endometriosis may feel pain even when it is not time for her period. The pain may be cramping, sharp, dull, achy or stabbing. Some women feel pain on one side of their belly or in many places. Endometriosis may also cause pain in the legs and back along with headaches, pain with bowel movements or urination. Bloating, constipation and diarrhea are also possible. All of these symptoms can seem unbearable and can cause extreme exhaustion.

“What causes endometriosis?” Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by The Be Prepared Period Team

Monday, January 30th, 2012

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A Menstrual Product Valentine Faceoff

This month we are co-hosting (with You ARE Loved) a special “What’s to Love About Menstruation – A Menstrual Product Valentine Faceoff Event! We want to hear from you! Do you prefer pads, tampons, menstrual cups, sponges or …? Do you use reusable products or disposables? Do you have a favorite brand? What are your favorite feminine hygiene products and why? Please comment below.

This photo features some our favorite natural, eco-friendly and organic feminine hygiene products – DivaCup – Lunapads - Lunette – Maxim Hygiene – Natracare - Ruby’s Red Wash – Softcup. For more information or to order these products you can click their links or you can click the “Monthly Supplies” button in the right side bar.

Want to learn more more about our Valentine’s event (including an opportunity to win some great products by DivaCup & GladRags)? Visit our TweetChat page for details.

Posted by The Be Prepared Period Team

Wednesday, January 25th, 2012

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$50 GladRags Giveaway!!!

February 10th we will be co-hosting another great chat with You ARE Loved. Not just any chat, but a special Valentines Day edition! Joining us for this chat will be special guests from GladRags and DivaCup.

To help promote the event and encourage participation GladRags has generously given a $50 Gift Certificate (for GladRags.com) to give away to one very luck participant.

GladRags was inspired by the simple utility, earth-friendliness, and comfort of cloth diapers in 1992. Today, GladRags is still a small company but with a big presence, promoting positive attitudes toward menstruation and making the environment a safer, cleaner place. GladRags can be found in health food stores and natural pharmacies nationwide.

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Posted by The Be Prepared Period Team

Monday, January 16th, 2012

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DivaCup Giveaway!!! (not 1 but 5!)

To help promote the event and encourage as much participation as possible DivaCup has generously given us not one but FIVE DivaCups to give away to five very lucky participants.

For those of you that are not familiar with The DivaCup, it is a wonderful menstrual alternative. It ends hassles with unreliable disposable tampons and sanitary pads in endless absorbencies, shapes and styles. This makes it perfect for all activities.

”I bought one of these two months ago and it is the greatest thing ever! I don’t need pads or tampons at all anymore. It has made getting my period a much more tolerable experience. No leaks, no worries! I recommend this product to every woman! I dont think I will ever switch back to pads after using The DivaCup!” – Kristen

For more information on DivaCup, “Click Here.”

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Posted by The Be Prepared Period Team

Thursday, January 12th, 2012

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Handling Periods at School – Tips for Parents & Girls

For many young girls, one of the most deeply rooted menstruation fears is to rise up from their desk at school only to have accidentally leaked all over their clothes – for everyone in their class to see.

While this fear is diminished with time and experience, it is an absolutely normal and natural feeling for most girls who are menstruating to worry while they are at school.

Truth is, even adults worry about this, and it would be rare for any woman to choose to wear white pants, or a skirt – or any other clothing that would easily show blood should a pad or tampon malfunction.

Put it this way, females of all ages, have been wearing jackets wrapped around their waists, black pants and tunics during their periods for decades in order to find some peace of mind that their ‘private’ time of the month will remain just that. Private!

For this reason, and because plenty of girls experience cramps, diarrhea or other ‘issues’ during their period, combined with the fact that schools can be insensitive to the insecurities and fears of menstruating girls, many females choose to simply just stay out of school for a day or two during menstruation. And this too can become a problem.

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Posted by The Be Prepared Period Team

Tuesday, January 10th, 2012

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Ready for Her (Your) First Bra?

When does it start?

The majority of girls will experience breast development in elementary school. While some will begin as soon as 1^st grade, most girls are a bit older (8-12 years old). The initial breast development, often called budding, is typically the first sign of puberty.

What should we expect?

Not only will things begin to look different, they also will feel different too. Breast buds often begin as hard knots below the surface. The nipple and the darker area around the nipple, known as the areola, get darker and begin to poke out a bit creating a bump. While one may appear before the other, it is only a matter of weeks or months until the second arrives. Early on, it is also common for them to feel tender and/or itchy.

When do we shop for her first bra? Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by The Be Prepared Period Team

Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012

This post has 14 Comments