Managing your period at school can be stressful. But we’ve got some top tips to help ensure it’s as worry-free as possible. Spoiler alert - the key is preparation!
- Be prepared: Good old Aunt Flo can turn up when you least expect her so make sure you’ve always got a secret stash in your school bag of whatever you normally use - pads, menstrual cup or period underwear.
- Track your period: Using a period tracker or a diary so you get to know your cycle and when your period is likely to start can help you prepare and avoid getting caught out. If you use a menstrual cup, disc or period underwear - start wearing them a day or two before your period is due (just remember to remove and clean as normal) to ensure you’re never caught short.
- Be the Queen of comfort: If you can, opt for looser fitting clothes - avoid anything that is too firm around your stomach.
- Talk to your teacher: If your period is heavy, you might need to take a bathroom break in the middle of class. If you don’t want to make a big deal about it, just let your teacher know that if you get up during the lesson - that’s where you are heading. That way you can discreetly exit the room without having to raise your hand and ask permission.
- Use pain relief: Period cramps can be a real distraction so plan ahead. Anti-inflammatory pain relief such as ibuprofen is always good to have in your bag if needed. If your school doesn’t let you carry pain-relief medication, make sure you let the school nurse know when your cramps are causing pain so she can provide something to help.
- Drink water: Keeping hydrated can help regulate symptoms such as bloating and headaches so have a water bottle at hand and keep drinking!
- Share period management tips with your friends: At Hello Period we’re big on normalising periods. Talking about them with your friends goes a long way towards this - but also a great way to find out other hacks for dealing with your period at school.
- Take it to the top: If you think of a way your school could be more supportive of people with periods, let them know. Whether it’s providing access to period care products or having more bathroom cubicles with taps - by being proactive you can help make the journey easier for others too.
