Girlology: A Girl's Guide to Stuff that Matters

Clots are dark clumps of blood that are the consistency of liver or old Jello-O. Clots happen when blood stays in one place for a while, like in your vagina. You are most likely to see clots in the morning from the menstrual blood that has been in your vagina while you were lying down. When you get up, you might pass small clots. If you use a tampon, you might also see clots hanging on to the end of it when you take it out. These are normal, but if you have a lot of larger clots, that could signal heavier-than-normal bleeding.

Cramps!

Some girls will have cramping in their lower abdomen or pelvis before or during their periods. Sometimes the pain is even in the vulva, upper thighs or lower back. Most older teens and women will have at least some mild discomfort with their periods. About 10 percent (one in ten, right?) will have severe cramps that make them stop doing activities they would normally do.

Menstrual cramping happens because the uterus (made of muscle tissue) squeezes to release the tissue and blood that make up your period. The squeezing is caused by that hormone (progesterone) and some other chemicals (called prostaglandins) that are released after ovulation.

If you feel bloated (full or puffy in your lower belly) or crampy with your periods, there are some things you can do to feel better:• Exercise, such as walking, jogging, swimming, bicycling, stretching or yoga. These things really do help cramps . . . we’re not kidding!• Take essential fatty acids (especially omega-3) supplements like flaxseed oil, evening primrose oil or fish oil tablets.• Avoid red meat and fried, fatty or greasy food (they have saturated fats, which can actually increase cramping).• Try medications, such as ibuprofen 400 to 600 milligrams every six to eight hours or naproxen 440 milligrams every twelve hours. These may sound like big names you’ve never heard, but there are brand names that you are probably more familiar with. You’ll have to look at medication labels to see what is really in them. These doses are a little higher than the instructions on the bottle advise, but they are closer to prescription doses often used for menstrual cramps. It’s safe to use these doses for a couple of days. These medications block the prostaglandins that cause cramps and usually work better than some products that say they are for menstrual cramps, including aspirin or acetominophen. Aspirin products usually do little for cramps and may make bleeding heavier. Some medicines for cramps even contain caffeine. Caffeine does nothing for menstrual cramps and might make breast tenderness worse. Read the labels on medications you can buy without a prescription to find out exactly what is in them! Check with a parent before you take any type of medication.• A heating pad or a warm bath always feels nice.

If you have tried the things above and still have cramps that stop you from doing things or make you miss school, you should talk with your doctor. There are prescription medications and hormones that can treat even the most severe cramps. There are also some medical conditions that can cause bad cramps. Your doctor can discuss these with you and make sure you are okay.

Period Supplies

When you have your period, you obviously need to use pads or tampons (affectionately known, in totally unhip terms, as feminine hygiene products) to keep the blood off your clothes. There are tons of different brands in tons of different shapes and sizes. After a few periods, you’ll know what works best for you.

Whether you use pads or tampons, you should change them at least every four to six hours and may need to change them more frequently if your menstrual flow is heavy. If you aren’t familiar with them, here are some of the products out there. If you know all this . . . feel free to skip it and move on!

Pads

Pads are made with an adhesive that attaches to the crotch of your underwear. Just unwrap the pad, pull off the strip that covers the adhesive and put the pad in your underwear (sticky side against your underwear, not YOU! Ouch!). Adjust the pad into place as you pull your underwear up. There are different types of pads to choose from, including:Pantyliner. This is a really thin pad that works for very light flow. Some girls like to use a pantyliner when they are also using a tampon, just in case they overflow the tampon. Some girls also like to use these for the vaginal discharge they have between periods.Minipad. A little thicker than the pantyliner, this is for light to normal flow.Maxipad. This one can feel pretty thick. Some girls say it feels like a diaper! It’s good for heavy flow days or at night because it can absorb a lot.“Wings.” Pads with “wings” have flaps on the sides that you wrap around the crotch of your underwear. Sometimes a lot of running or activity will make your pad bunch up in the middle so that your menstrual flow goes over the edge and stains your underwear. The wings can help prevent that.Sanitary napkins. Another term for menstrual pads, it usually refers to maxis.Reusable pads. Some girls and women choose to use cotton pads that they can wash and reuse. They are probably better for the environment because you are not using disposable products. You can find them at health food stores.

Tampons

Tampons are little padlike things that actually go inside your vagina to absorb the menstrual flow as it comes out of the cervix. Sounds painful, but really, if you put it in right, you won’t even feel it!

You put tampons in with an applicator that helps you insert the tampon into the vagina. There is also a brand that doesn’t have an applicator, so you just put it in with your finger. The box they come in will have directions—look at the pictures they provide, and it will help. Just like pads, tampons come in a variety of sizes. For your first time, it definitely helps to use the slender or “light” size tampons. Sometimes it helps to put your finger in your vagina first to see what direction you need to “aim” the tampon. All tampons have a string on them so you can just pull the string to take the tampon out when it is time to change it. Don’t worry, the strings don’t break!!!! Even if they did, the vagina is a “dead end,” so a tampon cannot get lost inside you and end up coming out of your nose! (Whew!)

Tampons are nice because you can swim and do other activities with them and not have to worry about having a bulky pad on. Can you imagine trying to wear a pad in a bathing suit and then getting it wet in the pool?

It is safe to use tampons even with your first period. Some girls, though, feel more comfortable trying their first tampon after they are a little more used to having periods. When you decide to use a tampon for the first time, make sure you are on your period with a pretty normal to heavy flow. This is because the tampon comes out a lot easier when it is soaked. If it is dry, it feels like you are tugging on the walls of the vagina . . . ouch! There is no reason to “practice” using a tampon before you are on your period. It will work, but it takes a little getting used to.

If your mom doesn’t want you to use a tampon, you should ask why. Tampons have only been around for a couple of generations, so a lot of women your mom’s age or grandmother’s age were told they couldn’t use tampons until they were married. This means they couldn’t use tampons until after they had sex. Tampons won’t break your hymen, injure your vagina or tarnish your reputation as a nice girl. Even the super-plus size tampons are a lot smaller than an erect penis! And since you put a tampon in yourself, you will know how much pressure you can apply to get it in without hurting yourself.