A Few Little Ideas to Make Your Period Easier

I suffer from really bad cramps when I am on my period, so I have found so many little life hacks that might help you.

Always, and I mean ALWAYS carry an emergency period kit. I have had so many embarrassing moments because I did not have a kit on me. I have had accidents at school and I have always been so scared to ask anyone for a pad or a tampon, so now I always have something with me. In your kit keep your preferred period items (pads, tampons or a cup) and painkillers.

When you get a cramp and you are not at home, take ibuprofen. I don't know why but I find that ibuprofen works better than paracetamol and that it gets rid of the pain so much faster and has me ready to go really soon. I tend to take Feminax, which is an ibuprofen that is designed to target cramps.

Experiment with pads, tampons and menstrual cups to find out what works best for you and what is the most comfortable for your vagina. At first I thought that pads were for me and that nothing else would work as well as pads, but then I had to swim on my period at school back in year seven (11 to 12 years) and I had to learn how to use a tampon so I could swim. I found that they are so easy to use and sit comfortably. Not too long ago I decided to try a menstrual cup. For me I find them difficult to insert, but once they are in they can stay in for 12 hours and sit in really well. Try to find what is best for you and your vagina.

When you are at home and a horrid cramp decides to suddenly surprise you, I tend to spend forever looking for a hot water bottle and I know I am not alone in this, all of my friends agree with me. Sometimes it is best not to look for that water bottle but instead stretch. Now, some of you may think why on earth world you stretch when you have a cramp! But it feels so much better to stretch it out than to spend forever looking for something that you will never find when you need it.

Another way to get rid of your cramp is actually to lie on your front on an electric blanket. The heat wards off the cramp and it makes me feel so much better. I also keep in on my bed at all times so it is easily found.

I have never tried birth control pills but many people I know have tried them and think that they are so good. To start with your hormones get thrown of track completely, but it is beneficial as it stops your period as long as you take the pills. It also has many sexual benefits.

Keep a red or really dark colored blanket somewhere you can easily find it. When you go to bed and it is a really heavy period slide this on over your sheet to stop you bleeding all over your nice sheets. This is such a life saver and a money saver too, as a cheap, mess blanket costs so little.

Keep hydrated, all the time. Not only is it really good for your skin, hair, nails but it also prevents you from getting really bloated. Avoid caffeine, now I understand that this is really hard (as a cup of coffee gets me out of bed in the morning!) but caffeine makes you retain water and can give you that achy, crampy, bloated feeling. So cut back as much as possible.

Exercise gently. Swim, jog or do some yoga. This will increase blood flow and that reduces cramps. I have found that a light jog every few days while on my period helps and since doing that my cramps have reduced massively and also my flow is lighter.

Get yourself some period pants. They saved my life when I went to the cinema with my friends, I was worried that I would bleed all over the chair so I put my coat down, but thanks to these pants I didn't even bleed through my trousers. !YAY! If you can't find the right period pants for you, use bikini bottoms. They are so easy to wash when you leak on them and are really comfortable. You can also double up on the undies to avoid leaks.

So I hope that this is helpful for you and you try out some of these ideas. Thanks for reading.