Period talk. (Menstruation information.)

Cramps 😖 ( AND HOW TO HELP THEM)

All people are unique, and some may get cramps, and others may not!

What are cramps?

Cramps are a bad pain in your lower abdomen. They happen when your uterus starts contracting. It gets tense and causes pain. The reason it contracts, is because it is shedding blood and pieces of the wall of your uterus. That is what a period is anyways! Some people might not get cramps at all, and some get them horribly bad. (Like me.)

What do cramps feel like?

I would describe the feeling of cramps, as kind of what it would feel like to be having really bad gas, constipation, and someone squeezing all your lower organs really hard from the inside, all at the same time. Of course that's what it feels like for me, as I have super bad cramps that almost bring me to the point of curling up in a ball, and crying. BUT don't be too scared because there is ways to help cramps a lot. (Which I will talk about down below!)

What can I do to help the pain from cramps?

Okay so I'm going to make a list of things that can help cramps anywhere from a tiny bit, to completely stopping them for at least a few hours! (I have used some of these, and i will put this emoji, ❤️, next to the ones that work well for me.) I usually use a combination of a medicine and something else along with it too.

1: Try taking Midol, or Ibuprofen, (AKA Advil) as soon as you feel the pain starting, so maybe it will be starting to work by the time they pain gets bad. ❤️ (ask a parent or trusted adult before taking medicine if you are on the younger side, to make sure you take the right amount!)

2: Try using a Heating pad to put on your back, or belly area. Heat helps cramps a lot, just put it wherever it hurts! ❤️

3: You can also use a sock filled with dry, uncooked rice, or beans, and microwave it until it's pretty warm. You can tie up the end or wrap a hair tie around it to close it, and put it on wherever it hurts the most. It works the same as a heating pad! ❤️ (any other store bought bead filled microwaveable one can work too, just MAKE SURE it's meant to be microwaved first)

4: Take a hot bath. Works the same as the last two choices! But it also covers more area! ❤️

5: Drink tea! You can drink any of these types down below! (Keep in mind, these probably won't work immediately but if you drink any of these types of tea while you're on your period it can help with cramps! (Chamomile tea, Ginger tea, Raspberry Leaf tea, Peppermint tea, Fennel tea, Cramp bark tea, AND the easiest to find, Green tea!

6: Avoid super greasy foods while on your period, they can make cramps worse! (Although I always eat it all anyways. 😂🤷‍♀️😈)

7: Avoid caffeine! If you're going to starbucks try something like the cotton candy Frappuccino, it doesn't have any coffee in it or caffeine. (As far as I know) and if you do want coffee, try decaf. Caffeine CAN make cramps worse but of course not for everyone! ❤️

8: Try eating some of these foods more often while you're on your period, they are said to help with Period side effects like, PMS and Cramps. Bananas, Peanut butter, Spinach, Berries, Dark chocolate, Chick peas, and Lentils!

9: Most people don't think of this but actually, menstrual cups help a lot rather than wearing a tampon on your period, that causes cramps in the first place. A menstrual cup only collects blood and it doesn't cause cramps! My menstrual cup has already helped a ton with making my cramps less bad!

❤️ (Every time I have cramps, my go to thing to do is, take Midol, plug in my heating pad next to my bed, then quickly go warm up my sock filled with dry rice, in the microwave, and then lay in my bed with one on my back, and one on my belly, and wait for the medicine and heating pads to start working. Which feels like it takes forever when I waited too long to take the medicine and the cramps are already bad.)❤️