My Period is a Morning Person

I’m not here to brag, even though it kind of feels like that. 

I just want to share something positive about my period. So here we go. 

My period is very polite in her arrival, and what I mean by this is I never seem to start my period in the middle of the day or the middle of the night. 

It always starts first thing in the morning when I go to the bathroom.

It’s like it waits for me to wake up, walk to the bathroom and to sit down to do my business, and then she’s like “Oh hello, good we can begin." 

And each time I’m like oh hello, thank you so much for being so patient and freaking polite. 

But just because it starts so easy doesn’t mean I don’t have my difficulties with my period. 

I still get cramps which require me to plug in my heating pad and take hot baths to soothe. 

I still leak and bleed through things, a lot. 

I still get tired, and emotional. 

But my period is a breeze compared to what it used to be. And I have a few things to thank. 

+ Going vegan — I truly believe diet has so much to do with how well your body functions. And I think going vegan played a huge role in lightening up my periods, calming the PMS and all that jazz. 

+ Getting off hormonal birth control and learning about my body — Yup, finally understanding how and why my body does different things made life so much easier. I felt empowered by this knowledge. 

+ Switching to menstrual cups and period underwear — Getting all the irritants that come with disposable products away from my vagina made everyone involved just so much happier. 

So you may be thinking “Screw her and her perfect period” but I’m here to share that even though it’s such a chill period I still have period problems. But also know that it hasn’t always been this easy and that if you have a period you’re not happy with it doesn’t have to be like that. 

I’m not saying what worked for me will work for you, or that there’s a right or wrong way to deal with cycle issues. I just want to encourage you to keep searching for your solution because I truly believe it is out there. 

What is something you’ve done that’s improved your period or cycle? 

I'm On The Hunt For New Period Underwear

It was last year that I started my excursion into period underwear. It all began with a single pair of Thinx, which was quickly followed by five more. I was hooked.  

They replaced awful disposable panty liners for me, which irritated my poor lady bits and also created a lot of waste. 

I use them as backup for when I use a cup, as well as by themselves on days I have a light flow or  spotting, aka didn’t need a cup. 

But after a few months of use I started noticing some discoloration in the crotch, almost as if they were getting bleached at the center most point of period collection. (TMI? Sorry, not sorry)

I’m not quite sure what is causing this. Possibly it’s that I use a dryer and don’t hang them out to air dry.

I’ve also noticed that the ones with lace have started to fray, the elastic bindings popping out every which way. 

It’s because of all of this that I am in search of some new period underwear. Thinx has dominated the market (good for them) but I’m ready to expand my horizons when it comes to period underwear, spreading the love and support of my monthly flow. 

Some would suggest giving reusable pads a go, which I have and need to (again), but at the moment I would much prefer period underwear. 

So, after a little bit of research, here are my contenders, feel free to weigh in with your thoughts: 

+ LunaPads - the MAIA Bikini + Hipster ($31.99-$34.99) 

Comparable in price, and I like that there's no lace to fray. Plus you can adjust your absorbency as needed. Plus I've heard good things about their reusable pads so I have high hopes for these. 

+ Modibodi - the Classic Bikini ($24.50-$27.50) 

I like the coverage of this one. They look simple, comfortable and effective. Not to mention they're $10 cheaper than some of the others. 

+ Knixwear - Leak-Proof Bikini ($25) 

Can you notice a theme here. I like simple, no frills, comfort when it comes to underwear for my period. I also appreciate these are more inexpensive as well. These would be good for cup back up. 

+ Dear Kate - Jackie Hipster Mini + Nellie Hipster Full ($36-$38)

A bit more on the pricy side. They look like fancier period underwear, but I've heard good things about them. They have different absorbencies depending on what you're using them for. 

+ Panty Prop - Propkini + Propster ($19.99)

The cheapest on this list. They are once again no frills. They come in various colors as well. 

What are your favorite reusable menstrual products? Because right now mine are the combo of period underwear and a menstrual cup. And I'm itching to try some of these on this list.