Myra, strong independent, career oriented , smart 24 year old working in leading media house had so many dreams to fulfill but suddenly her life took a twist with so called “SOCIETY” pressure on her parents to get her married, and when a well settled, educated , financial independent boy like Akash proposal dropped in for her, Myra’s parents convinced her to get married , though she knows that Akash family is very orthodox and settled in a small town in Uttar Pradesh & Akash is senior IT manager in Mumbai, she said yes !!
Everyone was really happy as marriage is there within a month and best part Myra can continue her job in Mumbai with Akash but her in laws put up one condition “Myra should stay with us at least for 2 months after marriage in our town to understand the culture and tradition we follow in our home” which Myra & her family gracefully and happily accepted.
Myra got married to Akash and marriage customs & rituals went smoothly and time arrived when Myra moved to stay with her new joint family in UP for 2 months.
Myra got a new friend in her new house her 16 years old sister in law Rashmi, they shared good bonding with each other and like every month Myra got her #PRIDEPERIODS which she was never ashamed of, but on contrast when she went and asked Rashmi “where to dispose off sanitary napkin?” Rashmi without uttering a word went straight to her mom and told about Myra’s periods.
“Was it a crime, I got my periods?” Myra was thinking standing in front of her room.
Then her life changed as soon as her mother in law came running and said “Wait bahu!! your mother doesn’t tell you what to do and don’t on these days?”
Myra was surprised “Is there anything mom missed to tell me ” she was born & brought up in a very healthy & open environment, where she can openly discuss her fears to her mom, but what happened now.
Her mother in law said “let me tell you, what you should do & don’t do at this time…”
- Not allowed to water plants especially tulsi ji or sleep in the same bed as their husbands!
- Your touch can rot the food in the kitchen.
- Stay in another room. Even the utensils you served the food in, are specially kept away for you to use during her period.
- Don’t touch the pickle, it will spoil!
- Not allowed to enter a religious place or attend religious ceremonies.
- You cannot wash hair for at least the first 2 days of her period.
Myra was shocked to hear all this as she is a 21st century girl not expecting such illogical taboos & myths still people follow and decided to speak up against it.
She discussed Akash & told that she wants to stay for some more time to educate them about periods and break myths. Well this was not an easy task to do, but she first took Rashmi in confidence & then explained to her mother in law, what all logic behind these myths and time to break such taboos which are illogical and irrelevant.
Her mother in law after long argument found little sensible points and agreed to call girls and woman in town age between 12-30 years and Myra can break the ice break of #PRIDEPERIODS.
Here’s what Myra explained :
What is Periods?
Period is a bleed from the womb (uterus) that is released through the vagina. Women have a period every 28 days approximately. However, some women may have a 24-day cycle while others may have a 35-day one. A period is part of the woman’s menstrual cycle. It is like your body is discharging impure blood.
MYTH # Don’t wash hair for at least the first 2 days of her period.
MYRA # This is something weird passed on from older ladies in the family. Maybe years back when baths had to be taken in streams, it used to be inconvenient to wash body and hair when bleeding as the period generally lasts about five days. Bleeding is more profuse during the first two days. But in today’s age, it is just one of those illogical things that need to be followed in the family.
MYTH# Not allowed to enter a religious place or attend religious ceremonies.
MYRA # People can still do without all the crazy rules mentioned above but this thing they can never let go. Why? Because God has specifications? And when did he ask mankind to make temples in the first place, let alone make such good-for-nothing rules, all such written rules are man made written rules.
MYTH# Don’t touch pickles, it will spoil or touch can rot the food so kitchen.
MYRA # Yes, the first 2 days are as said bleeding is more profuse so better you rest more but if you have pickles & food stored in you fridge go touch & eat it will for sure not get rotten.
MYTH # You can’t get pregnant during her period.
MYRA # It’s not likely, but there’s always a chance. Ovulation can be unpredictable, you can sleep on same bed with your husband and even can have sex, why it’s said sex should not be done in periods with only reason is HYGIENE.
MYTH # Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) is all in the mind.
MYRA # PMS symptoms are related to the way your daughter’s hormones change through her monthly cycle. Symptoms can be emotional (like irritability, depression or fatigue, and physical (cramps or headaches).
These were a few myths Myra tried to break, not even this she also gave a few tips to mothers who have daughters going into the menstruation cycle.
- Most girls get their first period between 11 and 13 years old, but it can start anywhere from ages 8 to 16.
- The average cycle for most girls is 28 days, but it may last from 21 to 35 days and still be “normal.”
- If she has a short cycle, it’s likely she’ll have a period more than once a month. On the flip side, if her cycle lasts longer, she’ll have fewer periods in a year. Every girl is different!
- If you don’t talk to her first, she may be scared when she starts bleeding! It’s always a good idea to be open and honest with your daughter. Because girls typically begin menstruation any time between ages 9 and 16 (for most girls, between 11 and 13), it’s hard to know when to have the first period mother daughter talk.
After this Myra gave menstrual hygiene tips every girl and woman should know:
- Choose Right sanitary napkin : Try and use one brand for one type of protection for a while to know if it helps your needs. Frequent switching between brands can make you uncomfortable since brands are as unique as you, they suit everyone differently.
- Change Regularly : The standard time to change a sanitary pad is once every six hours, Menstrual blood – once it has left the body – gets contaminated with the body’s innate organisms. This rule applies for even those days when you don’t have much bleeding, since your pad is still damp and will have organisms from your vagina, sweat from your genitals, etc.
- Discard your used sanitary product properly: It is essential to discard your used napkins properly because they are capable of spreading infections, will smell very foul. Wrapping it well before discarding it ensures that the smell and infection is contained. It is advised not to flush the pad down the toilet since they are capable of forming a block and can cause the toilet to back up. More importantly it is imperative that you wash your hands well after you discard your used napkin since you are likely to touch the used portion of the pad while discarding it.
- Have a bath regularly: In old days it was believed that a woman should not bathe during her periods. This myth was based on the fact that in the olden days women had to bathe in the open or in common water bodies like a river or lake. But with indoor plumbing having a bath is the best thing you can do for your body during your periods. Bathing not only cleanses your body but also gives you a chance to clean your private parts well. It also helps relieve menstrual cramps, backaches, helps improve your mood and makes you feel less bloated.
- Be ready with on-the-go stuff during your periods : When you have your periods it is important to be ready. It is important to have extra sanitary pads properly stored in a clean pouch or paper bag, a soft towel, some paper tissues or towels, hand sanitizer, a healthy snack, bottle of drinking water, a tube of antiseptic medication (if you are using one).
After this knowledgeable meeting she saw number of questions from ladies and she cleared their doubts, and she realized that if not 100% ladies are convinced at least 70% will sure bring this change and leave behind the taboos and Myths of #PRIDEPERIODS and returned back with a feeling of satisfaction that she was able to share her knowledge with most required people.
This post was originally published here – #PeriodPride | ForFoodiefamily (wordpress.com)
