6 Tips For Good Menstrual Hygiene

After Akshay Kumar’s Padman (2018), Guneet Monga further strengthened the dialogue around menstruation with her oscar-winning, Period. End of Sentence. The 2018 Akshay Kumar-starrer, which was based on a man called Arunachalam Muruganantham’s true story, also took active stance to spread menstrual hygiene knowledge. In rural India, Muruganantham also called the Menstrual Man of India, revolutionized menstrual hygiene by inventing the low-cost sanitary napkin machine. Even so, India still has a long way to go as several thousand women still use rags, leaves, and other unsanitary substances during their periods. These not just restrict them to stay at home, they also affect their health.

We are often so flustered with the idea of getting our period, that we forget to make sure that our usual practices are sanitary. Here are some tips that we all should make sure to follow to have a Menstrual Hygiene.

1. Use only one type of menstrual product at a time: 

Some women who experience an extremely heavy flow during their period choose to use two sanitary pads together, or a tampon and a sanitary pad together, or even two tampons. This may seem like a definite way to prevent you from leaking out. However, this may cause you to forget to change your pad or tampon at frequent intervals causing infections. In fact, leaving tampons in your vagina for long periods of time can put women at risk of developing Toxic Shock Syndrome.

2. Keep your vaginal area clean for better menstrual hygiene 

It is important to keep your vaginal area clean especially during periods when there is blood flow from the body. Use warm water and diluted soap to wash the area. You can also use recommended vaginal washes available in the market to keep yourself clean. If, however, they irritate your skin or vagina, discontinue the use and speak to a doctor. The vagina also has a self-cleaning mechanism, so these washes aren’t really necessary for most women.

3. Carry extra Underwear 

This is a very basic tip but we often forget about it. In case you stain your underwear, having an extra one is always beneficial. Why? because wearing stained underwear for prolonged periods of time could cause infections. An additional benefit is that it would help to change your stained underwear before it stains your clothes.

4. Bathe Regularly During your Periods

This has several benefits. Not only does it help to keep your vagina clean by removing the excess blood that could stay and cause an infection or bad odour. Taking bathe is also believed to help alleviate one’s mood and reduce menstrual cramps. You can also relief your period pain through some mild heat and Cramp Comfort keeps you warm and comfortable for 8 hours straight.

5. Wear comfortable and Clean Underwear 

While changing your sanitary pad is essential, it is also important to wear something comfortable during these days. Tight thongs or underwear made of fabric that doesn’t allow your skin to breathe will also lead to infections. Stick to clean and comfortable cotton knickers that do not stick to your skin.

6. Getting enough rest

This is our most favourite of all and also the most underrated one! Getting enough rest may not keep you hygienic physically but definitely ensures mental hygiene. Periods can take a toll on us with mood swings, fatigue and cramps, and therefore following healthy sleeping habits can only help with this.