Imagine waking up every morning in your small hostel room with a stomach ache. Little signal by the stomach that you need to go and poop. And you rush like P.T. Usha to washroom only to see piles of used sanitary pads on the flush box soiling right in front of you. Forget to poop; my food is ready to come out of the mouth that very moment. The sad part is I study with a bunch of educated women, and still, they behave like it doesn’t matter or is irrelevant. We live in the 21st century; please stop using clothes, rags, sand and paper for menstrual purposes. It affects your body in many ways- from vaginal rashes, yeast forming in the vagina, stomach ache, improper pregnancy, heavy flow periods, etc.
Women here leave these pads right inside washroom which dogs living in our hostel take – eat, tear apart, throw it here and there- making environment unhygienic and bad for health too. Please google the word, ‘Discretion’- No, I’m not asking you to be ashamed of your periods, but please try to keep the party of your pants little private- Wrap your used pads properly because it smells if it gets in contact with oxygen. If unwrapped people will see blood stains; It contains harmful bacterias which can affect health in many ways and lastly little discretion can save embarrassment.
Imagine how many people are prone to bloodborne pathogens because of some people’s mistake. We cannot always directly blame it on one who is suffering- some women stay in an environment where it is considered sin and it is hard for them to talk about it or to get proper care or probably never received good parenting around same topics. Microorganisms such as the Hepatitis A virus, E. coli, salmonella, cryptosporidium, Staphylococcus and C. diff., which can survive for months on sanitary napkin disposal units unless these units are regularly and properly sanitized. I think every college and workplace or even public places for that matter should have proper disposal units, one which is completely locked for such disposal.
Another fact which I want to highlight it that, Feminism is about being proud of your periods- no doubt. Celebrate womanhood, after all, it is your blood but doesn’t it make you uncomfortable when it is of someone else- you lose your cool. People can feel same about you. There are a lot of individuals who cannot handle blood sight small kids or old people- try not to make them uncomfortable- in some cases people have the tendency of fainting to the site of it.
And ladies, there is nothing cool about posting the picture of your period stain. Periods are much more than that. Your periods’ stains are not something you boast. Keep that Game of Thrones moment of your life to yourself. You are not supposed to market your cramps.
Here are few hacks which will help you:-
• If your pad is too wet or damp, then please change it soon because it causes rashes, infection and abnormal flow. It doesn’t matter whether the flow is heavy or not, just change it if you are feeling uncomfortable.
• Try to take a bath regularly during periods because that will keep your vagina clean and your body odour free.
• Try to change pad in every 6 hours and if the flow is heavy then in now and then no matter what brand you are using or no matter what 12 hours or 24-hour scheme they are providing you with same.
• Do not use soap on the vagina, probably it will kill a couple of bacterias, but it will give birth to another set. Use proper vaginal cleansing products
• Do not flush the pad down. It is unhygienic and can cause blockage in the pipe. In case you don’t know sanitary pads is made of 90% plastic.
• Wear whatever keeps you comfortable and loose clothes during periods. Don’t think much about the period leak.
• Always carry a sanitary pad and sanitizer in your bag. It doesn’t matter if you are on periods or not. They always come in handy, probably not you but if someone else is in need, you can pass it on.
• Please be aware of candidiasis, trichomoniasis, pubic lice and scabies are some problems you should be aware of, Google them and try to know if you possess similar symptoms.