Travelling solo while menstruating
Travelling is one thing every other person craves for, irrespective of the fact if we talk about a man or a woman. In a patriarchal society, it is far easier for a man to travel on his own, rather than a woman. An additional problem for women at times is that they have to manage another totally normal phenomenon, which they experience in their daily routine: the menstruation cycle. Planning a trip and simultaneously dealing with the menstruation cycle can be stressful for women.
The menstruation cycle could be taken care of by many means available these days, including birth control pills, tampons, or IUD implant.
Using pads or tampons while traveling can be disturbing, as you are required to change them every 6-8 hours. Usually, either you don’t find any public toilets or even if you find them they are not clean and hygienic. And if you are planning to go to a coastal area, it can be even more difficult. Also, you have to deal with all the pain, redness on the swimsuit line and itchiness. However, the solution for it can be a much better and hygienic option, namely the menstrual cup. It is comfortable as well as it can last for long hours, as it requires clean up after 12 hours.
Birth control pills are by far the best and the easiest way to control your periods. The periods could be delayed or the change of date could be adjusted according to the plan of the trip. These not only help in adjusting the menstruation cycle date but also allows you to have a healthy sex life without the worries of getting pregnant. This is one of the cheapest and less harmful ways to enjoy travelling.
Living in an era full of technical advancements, it would be a disappointment not to expect any advancement in the medical area. But fortunately it’s not true, IUD implants in the cervix are also available which doesn’t just delay the period but prevents them from happening at all while you are travelling. It’s one of the ways to enjoy travelling without the worry of the menstruation cycle.
Irrespective of all the methods you choose to prevent or delay your periods, a good traveler takes care of the fact and the things he/she would be requiring during the trip. Packing an extra pair of sanitary pads, tampons or reusable pads, menstrual cups (which could be used for long term travel and work as long as 12 hours and could be reused by simply washing them), comfortable clothing, heating pads, etc. could be of extra help.
Just locating and deciding of a place for travel is not enough, rather you need to research about the place and things you may or may not find there. You need to take care of your hygiene while you travel irrespective of the fact that you are menstruating or not, because that could decide your mood during the trip. Hence, maintaining your hygiene is an important challenge whilst planning a trip.
Menstruation cycle no doubt could be a setback for the trip but it’s not an unregulated phenomenon. It is something which can be preempted, controlled, and even prevented. Its bad effects can be neutralized. It is important to plan ahead, especially if you want to be completely carefree and have a good time.