10 Menstrual Hygiene Tips For Every Woman

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Many women go through their periods secretively and when you are younger, you do not know exactly what to do during this period. The aspect of hygiene for many is self-taught as one matures and gets to understand their body and what works for them. Women is villages and smaller towns still use reusable unhygienic cloth during their periods. And since periods are considered unclean, they are not even allowed to use detergent for washing the soiled cloth well in some households.

Here are some important tips to maintain hygiene during your periods, some of which you may not know about:

  1. Choose your method of sanitation:

Women have so many options to use these days such as disposable pads, reusable pads, tampons, menstrual cups among others to stay clean. In Uganda, most women prefer to use sanitary pads. If you do decide to use a tampon remember that it is essential to choose one that has the lowest absorbency rate for your flow. Many prefer to use one particular brand they are comfortable with that takes care of their needs. The best tip here is to try and use one brand for one type of protection for a while to know if it helps your needs. Frequent switching between brands can make you uncomfortable since brands are as unique as you, they suit everyone differently.

  1. Change regularly

Menstrual blood – once it has left the body – gets contaminated with the body’s innate organisms. This rule applies for even those days when you don’t have much bleeding, since your pad is still damp and will have organisms from your vagina, sweat from your genitals, etc. When these organisms remain in a warm and moist place for a long time they tend to multiply and can lead to conditions like UTIs, Vaginal infections and skin rashes.

The standard time to change a sanitary pad is once every six hours, while for a tampon is once every two hours. That being said, you have to customize the changing schedule to your needs. While some women might have a heavy flow and would need to change more often, others will need to change less frequently. There are a few instances where your sanitary napkin or tampon might not be completely used usually on days when you have a lesser flow but you must change at regular intervals.

  1. Wash yourself regularly:

This practice also tends to beat bad odour from the vaginal region. When you menstruate, the blood tends to enter tiny spaces like the skin between your labia or crust around the opening of the vagina and you should always wash this excess blood away. It is therefore important to wash your vagina and labia (the projecting part of female genitals) well before you change into a new pad. If you cannot wash yourself before you change make sure to wipe off the areas using toilet paper or tissue.

  1. Dont use soaps or vaginal hygiene products

Washing the vagina with soap can kill the good bacteria making way for infections. It is important to wash yourself regularly during this time, all you need to use is some warm water. The vagina has its own cleaning mechanism that works in a very fine balance of good and bad bacteria. It is advised to use soap on the external parts but do not use it inside your vagina or vulva.

  1. Use the right washing technique:

Always wash or clean the area in a motion that is from the vagina to the anus. Never wash in the opposite direction. Washing in the opposite direction can cause bacteria from the anus to lodge in the vagina and urethral opening, leading to infections.

  1. Discard your used sanitary product properly

It is essential to discard your used napkins or tampons properly because they are capable of spreading infections, will smell very foul. Wrapping it well before discarding it ensures that the smell and infection is contained. It is advised not to flush the pad or tampon down the toilet since they are capable of forming a block and can cause the toilet to back up. More importantly it is imperative that you wash your hands well after you discard your used napkin since you are likely to touch the used portion of the pad or tampon while discarding it.

  1. Beware of a pad rash

A pad rash is something that you might experience during a period of heavy flow. It usually occurs when the pad has been wet for a long time and rubs along the thighs causing it to chaff. To prevent this from occurring, try to stay dry during your periods. If you do have a rash, change your pads regularly and stay dry. Apply an antiseptic ointment, after a bath and before bed this will heal the rash and prevent further chaffing. If it gets worse do visit your doctor who will be able to prescribe you a medicated powder that can keep the area dry.

  1. Have a bath regularly

Do you know that in some cultures it is believed that a woman should not bathe during her periods. This myth was based on the fact that in the olden days women had to bathe in the open or in common water bodies like a river or lake. But with indoor plumbing having a bath is the best thing you can do for your body during your periods. Bathing not only cleanses your body but also gives you a chance to clean your private parts well. It also helps relieve menstrual cramps, backaches, helps improve your mood and makes you feel less bloated. To get some relief from backaches and menstrual cramps, just stand under a shower of warm water that is targeted towards your back or abdomen. You will feel much better at the end of it.

  1. Be ready with on-the-go stuff during your periods

When you have your periods, it is important to be ready. It is important to have extra sanitary pads or tampons properly stored in a clean pouch or paper bag, a soft towel, some paper tissues or towels, hand sanitizer, a healthy snack, bottle of drinking water, a tube of antiseptic medication (if you are using one).Changing your pads/ tampons regularly is essential, so you will need extra.

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