50 Things You Need to Know About Periods: Know your flow and live in sync with your cycle

By Claire Baker

Everything you need to know to live in sync with your menstrual cycle.

We're taught not to discuss periods in public. Society doesn’t celebrate the menstrual cycle. Instead we say it's 'that time of the month' when 'Aunt Flo is visiting' and we've 'got the painters in'. But the truth is that it can be bloody hard living in a body that bleeds once a month. Have you ever stuffed a tampon up your sleeve on your way to the office bathroom? Avoided eye contact with the cashier as you paid for your sanitary pads? Felt overwhelmed, exhausted and annoyed by your hormones? Well, you are not alone. It's time we started speaking up about our menstrual cycles, and now everyone's friendly neighbourhood period coach, Claire Baker, is here to start the conversation!

Taking you through her 50 best pieces of advice, Claire explains the ‘four seasons’ of our menstrual cycle and how they vary hormonally to affect everything from mood, motivation and memory, to energy levels, confidence, focus and stress. You’ll learn how to chart your cycle to identify your unique superpowers in each hormonal phase, the tools you need to work with your body rather than pushing against it, and that you’re not crazy: it’s completely natural to feel different from week-to-week.

Illustrated throughout, 50 Things You Need to Know About Periods is packed with straightforward science, cycle-syncing suggestions and relatable real life advice that encourages you to experiment with a whole new way of living and bleeding. This simple and empowering book is the perfect gift to remind someone you love – or yourself – to join the menstruation conversation, see 'the curse' as the superpower it can be and #AdoreYourCycle.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HarperCollins UK
• Release date: Jul 10, 2020
• ISBN: 9781911663355

Claire Baker

Claire Baker is an Australian women’s coach based in London. Focusing on the intersection of life coaching and menstrual cycle awareness, Claire facilitates 1:1 sessions, educational online courses and inspiring workshops and retreats. Claire teaches women how to sync their lives with their menstrual cycle, believing this approach is the ‘missing key’ in women’s wellbeing. Her work empowers women to embrace their natural rhythm and transform their emotional, sexual, and spiritual self.

Book preview

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#1

Hands up if you’ve ever complained about your period

I always get a room full of raised hands when I ask this before teaching a workshop. Maybe you experience period pain. Maybe you find the whole thing inconvenient and unnecessary. Maybe you’ve never really considered the idea that your period could be anything other than a burden. Maybe you’re trying to conceive and your period sadly announces, ‘not this month’. Whatever brings you to this book, know this:

You are definitely not alone.

If you have complex feelings towards your period, I hear you. And yet, here you are – inviting in the possibility of period power and a positive relationship with your monthly flow. For that, I salute you.

#2

The difference between your period and your menstrual cycle

It’s a common misconception that a period and a menstrual cycle are the same thing. Or that there’s menstruation, the week of bleeding, and the rest of the time is same-same. Actually, if you’re somebody who menstruates, then you will always (at every minute of every single day) be experiencing one of the many phases of the menstrual cycle. Your period is just one of those phases.

Your menstrual cycle is the entire inner process designed to create a pregnancy during your body’s reproductive years. It’s counted from the first day of your period to the day before your next period begins.

There are two key events in the menstrual cycle: menstruation (the release of blood) and ovulation (the release of an egg). These two poles are governed by daily hormonal changes that occur in your reproductive system. Say a big hello to your ovaries, fallopian tubes, uterus, cervix, vagina, vulva, mammary glands and breasts! They’re all part of this process.

The menstrual cycle can be divided into four hormonal phases or ‘seasons’, which we’ll get to shortly (see #8). It can also be looked at as a cycle of two halves. The first half of your cycle is called the follicular phase. It takes you from menstruation (the beginning of the cycle) right up to ovulation. The second half of your cycle is called the luteal phase. It takes you from ovulation back down to menstruation, where one cycle ends and a new one begins.

#3

What’s a ‘normal’ period?

Periods can be affected by a myriad of things: changes in diet, sleep patterns, sexual activity, travelling (long haul flying always seems to mess with menstrual cycles!), getting an exciting but stressful promotion, how often you’ve been going to the gym, the list goes on...

Paying attention to your period over time will help you to understand what’s normal for you. However, it is good to know the ranges that a typical, healthy period falls in. If you’re an adult with a natural menstrual cycle (and you’re not using any form of hormonal contraceptive or hormonal IUD), then a normal period plays out like this...

• Arrives every 24 to 35 days.

• Bleeding lasts between 2 and 7 days.

• Menstrual blood loss is between 5ml and 80ml (1 to 13½ tsp) over the entire period. A regular tampon or pad holds about 5ml (1 tsp) and a super tampon or pad holds about double that. Menstrual cups hold between 15ml and 30ml (3 to 6 tsp), depending on the size.

• Blood is a rich red colour and may change day by day, possibly being darker at the beginning and end of your flow.

• Small amounts of clotting or clumping for the first few days, or none at all.

• Clots are no bigger than 2.5cm (1in).

• No severe pain. Some sensation or discomfort is okay.

• Minimal menstrual issues such as headaches, breakouts, sore back, and sore breasts.

#4

Get in touch with your menstruality

If you get periods, it’s likely you’ll have about 450 in your lifetime, over about 35 years. Your menstruating years begin at menarche, which is the name for your first period, and end when you enter menopause. These are your cyclic years. Consider the timeline below. Where are you currently situated in your cyclic years? Are you closer to the beginning, approaching the end or somewhere in the

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[wyvernfriend · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is one of those books that I finish and then want almost everyone to read, male and female alike. It's a healthy look at how a person who has periods also has a cycle that is influenced by hormones and that they can work with it to make their lives move with them rather than having to just cope with it. It's life-affirming and while a lot of it isn't applicable to everyone I found a few of the ideas worth noting.