Here are a few things i thought you should know in-case you are trying to get pregnant.

Cycle confusion

Women are different and cycles vary depending on the woman. Alot of women dont understand their cycles. Ovulation is two weeks before your period. Most people think that it’s two weeks after, but that’s only if you have a four-week cycle. Also sperms can live for three days in the cervix, so you don’t have to have sex on the day of ovulation, it could be the day before. Lubricant decreases sperm motility and transfer, so you shouldn’t use lubricant when you’re trying to get pregnant.

Keeping a positive attitude

It is always good to keep a positive attitude as our minds and body have a connection. Do not listen to the negative information but rather concentrate on making lifestyle changes and planing ahead for the baby.

Stress

You need to avoid stress causing factors by all means possible. According to naturopathic doctor Via Bitidis, co-director of the North Toronto Naturopathic Clinic, balance and calm are a crucial part of trying to conceive. Instead of altering your day to day routine, you can take some therapy or counseling and even do some exercises and meditations.

Sleep

When you deprive your self of sleep you lower your chances of conceiving as your body is too overworked and it cannot work as the immune system is also down.

Weight

Excess weight can have a huge effect on fertility, bu on the other hand a woman who is underweight or overweight may have some difficulty conceiving a baby. An undernourished body may not ovulate properly. If you do get pregnant when you’re overweight, the risk are; miscarriage, diabetes and premature delivery.

Lifestyle changes

You will definitely have to make some changes in regards to your current lifestyle. For example both you and your other half will have to quit smoking (incase you do smoke that is). Smoking affects your general health, but we know it can affect the lining of the uterus, making implantation an issue. Plus, smoking releases a lot of toxins and it’s just not maximizing the environment the embryo is going to be trying to implant into.

But the most important part of all is to seek professional assistance.

Xoxo,

African Queen.

Different women have different methods of how they handle that time of the month and what they use. Here is a look at some of them.

1. SANITARY PADS

It can also be called a sanitary napkin, sanitary towel, menstrual pad, maxi pad, or pad. It is an item worn by women during that time of the month to absorb blood flow from the vagina. These pads are not to be confused with generally higher absorbency incontinence pads, which are worn by men or women who have urinary incontinence problems or experience stress incontinence.  It is worn externally, between the vulva and a woman’s undergarment.

There are different types of sanitary pads:

• Panty liner – Designed to absorb daily vaginal discharge, light menstrual flow, or as a backup for tampons/ mestrual cups.
• Ultra-thin – A very compact (thin) pad, which may be as absorbent as a Regular or Maxi/Super pad but with less bulk.
• Regular – A middle range absorbency pad.
• Maxi / Super – A larger absorbency pad, useful for the start of the menstrual cycle when menstruation is often heaviest.
• Overnight – A longer pad to allow for more protection while the wearer is lying down, with an absorbency suitable for overnight use.
• Maternity – These are usually slightly longer than a maxi/Super pad and are designed to be worn to absorb bleeding that occurs after childbirth.

2. TAMPONS

It is a plug of soft material inserted into the vagina to absorb menstrual blood. Historically, the word “tampon” originated from the medieval french word “tampion”, meaning a piece of cloth to stop a hole, a stamp, plug, or stopper. Tampons are designed to be easily inserted into the vagina during menstruation and absorb the menstrual flow.

Tampons are available in several absorbency ratings, which are consistent across manufacturers;

• Junior/Light absorbency: 6 g and under
• Regular absorbency: 6 to 9 g
• Super absorbency: 9 to 12 g
• Super Plus absorbency 12 to 15 g
• Ultra absorbency 15–18 g

There was a case i read about a 13 year old girl who died from using tampons. Link to the story is attached.

https://www.yahoo.com/parenting/13-year-old-dies-from-using-1262473630326838.html

So let us see the guidelines to follow when using tampons;

• Follow package directions for insertion.
• Choose the lowest absorbency needed for one’s flow.
• Consider using cotton or cloth tampons rather than rayon.
• Change the tampon at least every 4 to 6 hours.
• Alternate between tampons and pads.
• Avoid tampon usage overnight or when sleeping.

3. MENSTRUAL CUPS

It is a type of feminine hygiene product which is usually made of medical grade silicone, shaped like a bell and is flexible. It is worn inside the vagina during menstruation to catch menstrual fluid (blood), and can be worn during the day and overnight. 

About every 4-12 hours (depending on the amount of flow), the menstruating woman removes the menstrual cup from her vagina, empties the collected menstrual blood into a toilet or sink, washes the cup under running water and inserts it again.

The menstrual cup is first folded, and then inserted into the vagina. It will normally unfold automatically and create a light seal against the vaginal walls. Menstrual cups are safe when used as directed and no health risks related to their use have been found. However, no medical research was conducted to ensure that menstrual cups were safe prior to introduction on the market.

The benefits of using them are;

• They are reusable and a woman will save money by using a menstrual cup.
• Tampons absorb all vaginal moisture, including secretions that are needed to maintain the proper pH and beneficial bacteria populations. Menstrual cups collect menstrual flow and allow the vagina to regulate its own moisture levels.
• If a woman needs to note how much menstrual fluid she is expelling for medical reasons, a cup can allow her to tell more accurately. Some cups even have measuring marks on them.

As much as they have benefits they also have their own st backs;

• Individual menstrual cups are more expensive than a package of sanitary napkins or tampons and require some upfront investment.
• Some women experience difficulty in inserting or removing the menstrual cup depending on previous experience and certain physical factors.
• Some women find menstrual cups uncomfortable.
• Removing a menstrual cup can be messy, with spillage of menstrual blood onto the floor being a possibility.
• Cleaning a menstrual cup in a public toilet can pose problems as the hand washing sinks are usually in public eye.

To get to understand how to insert them just check the link below.

http://www.mylovecup.com/#!how-to-use-your-menstrual-cup/czvz

In the end we always choose the one that makes us comfortable.

Xoxo,

African Queen.