May | 2012 | bepreparedperiod.com

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Summer Sampler Giveaway!

What words come to mind when you think of summer? Swimsuits…Water…Camping…Sun…

But what about menstruation? Have you thought about how you will handle your period (or your daughter’s) during the warm summer months that are filled with opportunities to play in the water?

Never fear! This month’s tweet chat was designed to help with just that! June 8th we will be discussing, Menstruation: Summer Periods – Camp, Vacations, Swimming & More – What Parents and Caregivers Need to Know with our co-host You ARE Loved.

To help promote the event and encourage participation Be Prepared Period will be giving away one of our brand new Summer Sampler Kits to one very lucky participant.

The Summer Sampler is a perfect way to try several new products all at once! Whether you are a “menstrual veteran” searching for healthier options or are completely new to internally worn products, this kit is for you. Where else can you try 6 products from 3 different brands?

The Summer Sampler Includes:

2 – Instead Softcups

4 – Maxim Hygiene Organic Regular Tampons

4 – Maxim Hygiene Organic Super Tampons

4 – Natracare Organic Regular Tampons

4 – Natracare Organic Super Tampons

4 – Natracare Organic Reg. Tampons (non-applicator)

PLUS a travel size bottle of Ruby’s Red Wash – Perfect for saving swimsuits from summer leaks!

For more information or to BUY a Summer Sampler Today, “Click Here.”

*With this giveaway being designed to promote our upcoming TweetChat, Friday, June 8, 2012 the winner must be present to win. (Present, being defined by posting at least one #PeriodTalk tweet between 1:40 and 2:40pm Eastern on June 8th, 2012.)

Want to stay up-to-date on our giveaway opportunities or upcoming tweet chats? Sign up for our giveaway notifications and be notified the next time we are giving away more FREE stuff! Receive Tweet Chat announcements/reminders by signing up, here.

“Click Here” for more details about the chat. To Enter the giveaway: Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by The Be Prepared Period Team

Wednesday, May 16th, 2012

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Ruby’s Red Wash Giveaway!

What words come to mind when you think of summer? Swimsuits…Water…Camping…Sun…

But what about menstruation? Have you thought about how you will handle your period (or your daughter’s) during the warm summer months that are filled with opportunities to play in the water?

To help promote the event and encourage participation Ruby’s Red Wash has generously donated a bottle of their natural stain remover for us to give away to one very lucky participant. ($11.95 value)

Ruby’s Red Wash is a stain remover created just for women— to deal with the problem of menstrual or period blood-stained clothing (perfect for saving swimsuits!). It dissolves even dried, set-in blood. Quite simply, any girl or woman who bleeds or has a period ever needs Ruby’s Red Wash. You are never too young or too old to make your life easier with RRW!

“I was asked to test this product, and I’ve been using it for more than a year. I can tell you – it works on underwear, sheets, clothes, everything! I can’t live without it!” – Lindsay

For more information or to BUY Ruby’s Red Wash, “Click Here.”

“Click Here” for more details about the chat. To Enter the giveaway: Read the rest of this entry »

Posted by The Be Prepared Period Team

Tuesday, May 15th, 2012

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Yoga and Menstruation: A Remedy for PMS

Until my 20’s, I struggled with PMS. Whether it was backaches, migraines, excessive cramping, etc. it was a constant struggle. I always did the obvious, painkillers, PMS tea, read all the tips from magazines and it seemed, nothing worked. It wasn’t until my late 20’s I met a modern day goddess (and yoga guru), Zahra Haji. She fashioned unique practices for women to connect with their feminine energy, under her business Yoga Goddess. Amongst her different series of classes, she had a very special offering Moon Goddess. This class focused on how women’s bodies connect spiritually with the moon, and how women are cyclical just like the moon. Each phase of the moon, connected with one of the four phases of the monthly cycle a woman goes through. It was through this series of kundalini yoga, meditations, and using specific yoga poses for each part of the cycle I go through with my body, that helped me achieve the most important success in my struggle with PMS; love and acceptance of my body, what I go through and how it makes me unique.

I now know that pigeon pose, butterfly and bridge pose help alleviate all my pain. For my headaches, I do alternate nostril breathing and the biggest change I made was switching to the cup and ditching all chemical feminine napkins and products. The changes I felt with the Moon Goddess Series changed my attitude and well-being for the better. It takes time for individuals to experience their own level of physiological and psychological freedom with PMS. For all of the teenagers reading this, I offer you the following advice as you mature in your years:

1) When you are dealing with PMS, the best thing is to keep hydrated with water (room-temperature or hot, not cold) and eat fruit every four hours.

2) If you can, nap or if you’re in school, put your head down on a desk or lie in the grass, (just not in the middle of a lecture or exam!)

3) Primrose oil works wonders, if needed take it with one Advil liquid-gel in the morning, and only water throughout the day. One piece of dark chocolate also will make you feel better!

4) Boys will be boys – ignore them (you know what I mean) and remind them who matures faster in this world – women!

5) Lastly, remind yourself you are not alone and help is here. Forget the old adage no pain no gain. I say no pain, MORE gain. When we learn how to embrace our darkness (PMS is connected to the darker energies of a woman’s nature) rather than trying to push it away, the darkness leads us to light; it just wants our attention. Then the pain dissolves in the light of self-acceptance, self-nurturing and self-love.

Thanks for reading.

By Ayeesha S. Kanji: To connect with Ayeesha, visit her Facebook page or Blog

Posted by The Be Prepared Period Team

Thursday, May 10th, 2012

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My First Period – Heather Lynne’s Story

I have to start by saying that my mom and I are now best of friends and this is in no way criticism of the way she raised me it was a different time and talking about certain things were still taboo.

When I was a young girl there was no “talk” about your cycle or what to expect, actually I don’t think there was much talking about anything regarding our bodies. I do remember my very forward-thinking mom buying me “Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret.” But that was probably the only real “discussion” we had.

When my period came the only real information I had was the vague information from “health” class (in those days it was less information more ewww it’s yucky) and from my peers as well as the outdated information in the book from mom.

I was 11 or 12 when “aunt flo” came to visit the first time, I know it was a bit scary and I was surprised when cramps and clots happened. No one mentioned these exciting and fantastic things I got to discover on my own.

The usage of tampons and pads were awkward and I spent many days scrubbing stains that I wasn’t prepared for. I knew that mom had a bucket under the sink for her icky things so I took her signal as this was the way it was SUPPOSED to be.

The whole period thing was disgusting, horrible and uncomfortable as I have fibroid cysts on my ovaries (making my cramps insufferable).

The older I got the more I knew that if i were to have a daughter I would talk to her about what to expect from her period. She was 6 when I was pregnant with her brother and I knew it was time to start talking. Everything from body dysmorphic disorder to menstruation was open to discussion. I used every method of talking to her from lunch dates with her just to talk about something she asked about to using my OBGYN for open straightforward factual discussions. If anything she was over informed she knew about cramps clots and stains, she practiced with pads and we discussed tampons.

When she was 9 or 10 I finally found the DIVA cup. It was my ahhh haaa moment, the one where the light-bulb comes on in your mind and you find that periods don’t have to be horrid ungodly experiences. The cramps lessened, my whole outlook on menstruation changed, it stopped being the scary gross time of the month and started being closer to normal.

My talks with my daughter changed as my outlook changed, less doom and gloom more sunshine on my shoulder.

When she started her period there were no surprises, she was comfortable with what was happening, she is still using pads and tampons but she KNOWS the options and I am trying to talk her into a cup of her own. But for her (at 13) there is still the yuck factor and she doesn’t want to be different from her friends. She makes less mess since she is more informed and she knows that if she has any questions she can come to me.

A far cry from a while ago when I was trying to figure all this out pretty much on my own. I hope that you can talk to your daughter while she is young too, honestly and openly, remember your daughter will one day be a woman with a period too.

By Heather Lynne

Posted by The Be Prepared Period Team

Wednesday, May 9th, 2012

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How You ARE Loved Changed My Life

In contrast to the many Toxic Shock Syndrome stories on You ARE Loved‘s site, mine is not one of illness, loss or pain. I am a lucky one!

Getting Started with Tampons

I started my menstrual journey at 15 the way most girls do: using pads. I never got along with them, and hated the “diapery” feeling and the odor.

My mom solely used tampons, so I was naturally curious about them. After only a few cycles of using pads I snuck some of my mom’s tampons (and never looked back.) After “borrowing” a large quantity from her, I feared she would begin to notice.

Somehow I worked up the courage (for some reason I thought she might not approve) to approach her and let her know I wanted start using tampons. She understood my dislike of pads and was ok with me making the switch. A lot like the menstruation/puberty talks we had, this talk was also very brief. I only recall her mentioning a quick caution to not leave them in too long because of something rare called TSS that could make me sick. That conversation did not concern me enough to read the warning on the box (or leaflet inside).

Finding You ARE Loved

I learned of You ARE Loved through an email I received from Natracare, which included the story of a young woman, Amy Elifritz, who had recently passed away from Toxic Shock Syndrome. Her story moved me, and was the first case of TSS that I had ever heard. When visiting their organization’s site I learned TSS was not nearly as rare as I thought: The odds are 1 out of 700 women! These are odds that I could not dismiss, especially as a mother of a young daughter. I learned that the symptoms vary, and often are confused for flu symptoms. These facts were and are scary!

I wanted to do more to help spread the word that TSS is a very real danger (not something of the past), especially for tween and teen girls. As I began working with You ARE Loved I was introduced to more and more cases of Toxic Shock Syndrome. As I read these stories it really set in how lucky I am. I relied almost exclusively on tampons my whole menstrual life and was not always careful about the length of use. I realized how easily “I” could have been one of these cases.

Making the Change

My quest to live a healthier and green life was already underway. But this new information really opened my eyes and mind to trying alternative products. I simply cannot conceive of ever using a traditional tampon (tampons that contain viscose rayon) again. The risk is just not worth it.

As the owner of a feminine hygiene business, I have access to many different products. Last year I began my quest to really experiment with trying many of them. Surprisingly, I found myself trying out pads…again. Shockingly, “they were WAY better than I had remembered!” Much improvement has been made since my last experience (I won’t say how many years ago). The “ultra-thins” didn’t feel much thicker than some panty liners and I didn’t experience the odor issue I remember having as a teen. I have also included menstrual cups in my experimenting. So far I’ve tried the Instead Softcup and the Lunette cup. While every product certainly has pros, cons and a learning curve, I really love the flexibility that comes with cups. For the first time in my life I actually find myself saying, “I wish I had more periods so I could try all of the many products sooner!”

As women, I think it is easy for us to get stuck using a product that we feel “works,” simply for the reason it works “better” than the few other products we’ve tried. That said, how many of us still hate or dread that “time of the month?” If more women found products that worked well and that helped make their monthly cycles more pleasant the perspectives on menstruation would become more positive.

Whatever product(s) I end up settling on, I am grateful for the opportunity to learn more about and try many new products. I am grateful there are so many healthier alternatives today. I am grateful for all that I have learned about my body and menstrual cycle through this process. But I am most grateful for the work You ARE Loved is doing to raise awareness about TSS. I can honestly say that You ARE Loved has changed my life and how I view the safety of menstrual products.

Ready to Learn More?

I would like to invite you to join me (Be Prepared Period) and You ARE Loved for an online event this Friday, May 11 at 11am PST/2 pm ET. We will explore the topic “New Products & Perspectives,” in an interactive tweet chat. Additional details about this chat and information about future chats can be found on our tweet chat page. Be sure to register in advance to be eligible to win one of our great giveaways.

In addition to raising awareness of TSS we have also partnered with You ARE Loved to help educate women and parents with daughters about their feminine hygiene options. So many women are not aware of the alternatives. I’m here to tell you, “We have more options today than ever!” Now is a great time to try something new!

By Tara Bruley, founder of Be Prepared Period

Posted by The Be Prepared Period Team

Tuesday, May 8th, 2012

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“What is a Period, Mommy?”

Say it again

Last fall I had a conversation about menstruation with my then two-year-old daughter. I didn’t want to; I was forced. Some were amused by its content. Some inspired.

Just the other night, the topic of periods came up again. Because I was having mine, and once again my daughter saw the string between my legs.

The conversation started off exactly like the first time, but ended up going in a different, more detailed direction…

“Somefeen in your butt, Mommy.”

“We had this conversation before, honey. Do you remember? There is nothing in my butt. It’s in my vagina, and it’s called a tampon.”

A look of recognition came across her face, and she nodded as if to say she remembered. And then she was quiet for a moment. I thought I was getting off easy this time. But…

“Why you need it?”

OK, that’s a big question. Do I really want to explain to my three year old about bleeding from the vagina once a month? I think not. At her age, she’s really not capable of handling that information.

It’s best to keep things high level and age appropriate at this point.

“I need it because I am a woman, and I have something called a period once a month.”

“I not have a period.”

“No, you don’t yet. You will when you are a big girl.”

“Will it hurt?”

I really hesitated on this one. I don’t want to lie to my child. Periods can hurt. I had terribly painful periods most of my life. They were debilitating until I had a uterine ablation after she was born.

But I don’t want to scare her, either. Turn a period into something she learns to dread. So I compromised by responding with, “Sometimes it can hurt.”

I was trying to think about how I would continue, but her attention span was spent. She was ready to move on. I was not disappointed.

But every time the subject of periods has come up, I’ve felt unprepared. I really do need to think about how often I want to talk about this with my daughter and what I want to say.

It’s good to take advantage of opportunities when they come up. And keep the conversation moving forward. But planning ahead is never a bad idea, either.

We currently have a book about the human body my daughter loves to have us read to her. It includes a section on how babies are made. She enjoys seeing a baby growing in the Mommy’s belly.

It does discuss egg and sperm. Perhaps next time this subject comes up I can introduce the concept into the discussion and begin to tie everything together…

By Elizabeth Flora Ross

Elizabeth blogs about her struggles and successes as a writer and a mom at The Writer Revived. She is the author of Cease Fire: A Call to End the War Between Women, which she is currently working to get published. In March 2011 she launched The Mom Pledge, an online campaign to eradicate cyber bullying among moms. You can connect with her on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.

Looking for more information on periods?
Check out our Info on Periods & Puberty page for helpful information OR stop by our new PeriodTalk forum to get answers to the questions you’ve been wondering about.

Posted by The Be Prepared Period Team

Friday, May 4th, 2012

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