“Yeah, sure, it’s just a bit of blood. Nothing you haven’t dealt with before, nothing you won’t deal with in the future.”
Our inner voice often tries to rationalise with us when our period comes along each month. Let’s just say it’s our mind’s way of telling us to stay calm, breathe and that this bloody storm will pass. But does that mean we should be sitting on that bleeding behind and not do anything to make ourselves feel better? No way!
Over Christmas 2020, my closest group of friends and I did a virtual gift exchange over video conferencing, because COVID! One of the friends is a doctor and they sent each of us a present that had us thinking, well, dang! Why haven’t we thought of this before? Wanna know what we are talking about?
Well, the lockdown clubbed with the idea of studying or working from home, locked among four walls can be ruddy depressing - to top that, our time of the month can be double the trouble because of the state of our mind these days. So to cheer us up, our friend gifted us a period care kit and it got us thinking, how about we go around making a DIY period care kit? Let’s show you how.
Anyone can make a period care kit and the best part - you can customise it as per your needs. A basic period care kit usually has all the essentials. So, this includes your tampons, your panty liners and your pads. Make sure you have menstrual hygiene products that are built to make you feel better. Go for the organic stuff, like LemmeBe. They are made from 100% cotton and they don’t have chemicals, so your period will be rash free. Also, add disposable bags or tissue paper to discard your used sanitary wear.
From this point on, you can start adding to your period care kit and truly make it your own. Here are some tips, tricks and pointers.
Box it or bag it.
Your period care kit needs to be handy - so that you can reach your stash of supplies anytime and anywhere. So we recommend bagging or boxing it. This also helps you know how many essentials you can fit in your kit.
Clean, dry, fresh
Sometimes, a period can be messy. Sometimes, vaginas can have a mind of their own and just bleed like there’s no tomorrow. Make sure you are prepared with a pair of clean and comfortable underwear because you don’t want to feel wet during your period. Also, there is no guarantee that your body will work like clockwork. So if your uterus decides to switch dates and arrive earlier than expected, you might not have access to your usual, familiar bathroom. Keeping cleansing wipes in your period kit is always a great idea.
Cut it out, cramps
We know those cramps can be a real pain. But they can be dealt with a simple hot water bag - manual or electric - your call. You can even try adding period cramp relief patches to your period kit. Or if it’s unbearable pain, a strip of period cramp relief medication (make sure you consult a doctor before buying over the counter medication).
Say yes to good comfort food
We know that craving to eat oily and salty foods takes precedence when we PMS. But that food will only make us feel good going in and later, it will make us feel so bloated and make our skin so oily. You’re likely to ditch those unhealthy food choices if your period kit offers you something much better. Toasted almonds, a bar of dark chocolate and a few sachets of your favourite tea are excellent additions to your period kit.
Think outside the box (literally)
Not everything in your period care kit can be fit into a box or a bag - but that doesn’t mean it won’t come handy while managing your period. Music can manage those mood swings - so create a playlist with tracks that comfort you and plug in those headphones and have some quiet time. Same results with a good book.
Remember, your period is actually your body’s way of cleansing itself. It’s totally natural and even though it can be cumbersome, you can always find a way to deal with it by making your own period care kit.
