Watching my 12-year-old suffer through menstrual cramps inspired this.
I wish I knew what that feels like, but I never experienced period pain. If I did, I cannot remember.
I have a sister that got menstrual cramps pretty bad, she got injected with something that made the pain go away.
Period pain is common and a normal part of the menstrual cycle.
“Period pain usually starts when your bleeding begins, although some women have pain several days before the start of their period.”
“The pain usually lasts 48 to 72 hours, although it can last longer”.
“Most women get it at some point in their lives.
It is usually felt as painful muscle cramps in the tummy, which can spread to the back and thighs.
The pain sometimes comes in intense spasms, while at other times, it may be dull but more constant”.
We tried the initial things we read on the internet: hot water bottle, eating bananas, light yoga and dark chocolate.
To be honest, relief came only after the Advil kicked in.
Now, she is all happy, but I am sure the pain will return, and I will be traumatized all over again about watching my daughter in pain.
Back Story
I grew up in Nigeria.
My auntie lived with us. She showed us to use cloth which made the blood experience nasty, sticky and very uncomfortable.
A weekend with mum introduced us to the luxury of the Always sanitary pad.
We never returned to the cloth system.
Sanitary products appear cheap here in the United Kingdom than in Canada.
I cannot prove it, but the average pack of Always costs 50p here. Anecdotally, I would say it has been subsidized.
Charities in Canada work hard to end period poverty.
Growing up, my auntie taught us that we were dirty whilst we did our periods.
She linked it to the grace of God – a concept I cannot explain – an ideological stupidity that made me feel ashamed each time it was that time of the month.
As I don’t want my daughter to grow up feeling ashamed about her natural cycle – the best way to destigmatize something is to talk about it.
The menstrual cycle is an ancient mystery that determines the survival of mankind.
It’s a burden and a blessing for the modern woman.
*****************************************************************************************
Re-Imagine a world where period pain and period poverty does not exist. Tee Adeyemo is the Publisher of Ladiescorner.ca. She writes a weekly blog for LCCMedia.
