Handling Periods During Long Distance Travel

When it comes to travel, the first idea that would normally strike a person is fun and enjoyment. Sometimes, it could even be something less amusing like business trips and emergencies.

However, for women of menstrual age, the period cycle comes to mind and they begin to mentally calculate and compare their period due dates with the duration of their travel time.

Thus, most vacations, especially camping trips and beach visits are planned around their due dates.

women on holiday

How Flying Affects Your Period

The worst thing that could happen is getting your period mid-flight and not having supplies.

Unfortunately, most airlines do not stock-up on feminine products and it is always better to take matters into your own hand.

Moreover, when you’re on an aircraft, your menstrual flow will be very light due to the high pressure in the sky. So don’t be alarmed!

Wear light and comfortable clothes while travelling and make sure your outfit makes it convenient to change your sanitary pad or tampon in the washroom mid-flight. Remember, those washrooms are usually tiny cubicles and you don’t want to be trying to undress your extra skinny fit jeans in that small space.

Credits: Pexel Caption: Travelling during your periods

Most women would be happy and perhaps surprised to know that menstrual discharge does stop when you are in water. Although the menstrual flow doesn’t stop, the high pressure of the water helps the discharge stay inside the vagina.

Women can wear tampons or menstrual cups as an extra precaution as they aren’t visible in swimwear. As an additional precaution, you could wear dark swimwear.

Beach holidays during your periods                Credits: Pexel

Untold Menstrual Problems

Although this problem isn’t always openly discussed in a society like India, handling your periods during long distance trips are actually a large concern for women.

This is because it creates a lot of restrictions that usually go unnoticed until it’s pointed out – like swimming, finding convenient ways to dispose of sanitary products, using public toilets or even finding restrooms to change your sanitary pads or tampons.

Keep in mind some women who have erratic cycles and have to always be prepared at any given point in time.

Cleanliness and hygiene is top priority during your periods but it can never be guaranteed when you’re travelling to a new or unknown place.

To add to this problem, periods are accompanied with a lot of pain and discomfort. You could be looking at the Eiffel Tower or The Statue of Liberty and still be distracted by that pinching sensation in your stomach.

When the hormones are all over the place, it changes our mindset entirely!

Essential Period Travel Kit

All that being said, it is empowering to be a woman and to overcome these problems.

With the right amount of essentials, it is more than possible to ensure a stress-free and comfortable travel experience during your periods.

Making Travel Possible            Credits: pexel

Here’s a list of some of the most essential products you must add to your period travel kit:

⦁ Sanitary products

There are many sanitary products. At the end of the day, it’s a personal choice.

Credits: pexel Caption: Sanitary Products

⦁ Tampons, sanitary pads and liners: Most women prefer tampons while travelling as they are very effective and can be worn for a longer period than sanitary napkins. Moreover, this sanitary product can be worn under swimwear and you can enjoy that sunbathe without anyone ever noticing.

On the other hand, Pads are more convenient to sleep in when compared to tampons as it reduces the risk of toxic shock syndrome (TSS). Once used, they are easy to dispose of and replace.

Lastly, liners can be used during light flow or even when you don’t have your periods while travelling. It will give you a sense of security and calmness as you’d be prepared for it.

Credits: Pixabay Alt tag : Menstrual Cup

⦁ Menstrual Cups: The problems with tampons, pads and liners is that they occupy space in your luggage and we all know how precious luggage space is while travelling, especially on airplanes.

It is also difficult to replenish these products while you are travelling due to lack of availability. Moreover, the maximum period they can be worn for is about 6-8 hours.

The Menstrual cup solves all these problems as they all need to be changed 3 times a day. Besides, who would want the constant mental reminder to change your tampons or pads when exploring a beautiful city or camping in the middle of the forest. Since they are reusable, they also offer more luggage space as one would not require to stock up on them.

Moreover, they can simply be washed and then reworn, making them so much more convenient.

⦁ Hygiene products

To prevent infection and problems, a woman should always be maintaining top notch hygiene.

⦁ Femini wipes and unscented soaps: As mentioned before, cleanliness and hygiene can’t really be guaranteed when one travels to unknown places. Thus, unscented soaps always come in handy in any circumstances. They serve as a genital cleanser and can also be used to clean menstrual cups.

Lastly, feminine wipes also serve the same purpose but offer an advantage if there is a lack of water source.

Unscented soap        Credits: Unsplash

⦁ Disposable and toilet paper

They come in handy more than you would realize and therefore should always be carried. The paper could be used to clean the public toilet seats, wraps around disposable sanitary products or even used to clean menstrual cups.

Besides feminine hygiene, they are very essential to a traveler in general.

⦁ Medications and Pain Control Products

The last thing you want is for your menstrual cramps to stop you from enjoying the holiday of your dream or nail that interview you’ve been working so hard on. Pain control products really come handy in situations like these.

Pain reliever tablets are very effective in controlling cramps and abdomen pain. If you have time to spare in your hotel room you can also place a hot water bag or a heating pad on your stomach, while sipping on a glass of herbal tea. It would do wonders to ease or even get rid of the pain in no time.

Another alternative is the use of creams that ease out the cramps.

Herbal supplements to ease period pain            Credits : pexel

Bottom Line

woman travelling on her periods.            Credits : pexels

In conclusion, it is more than possible to travel just about anywhere while you are on your periods and have the same amount of enjoyment as you usually would. The key is to always be prepared and plan ahead of time and rule out all possibilities of an inconvenience.