29 Apr 09 MENSTRUAL CYCLE-CREATURE COMFORTS: IN BED

At night, something as simple as an extra protective layer of bedding may help to make us feel more at ease. We differ from one another in our attitudes to all sorts of things and one of the most influential as far as period pain is concerned is our attitude to the blood we lose. Some, particularly women who were born in the West Indies, see the flow of blood as a sign of health, a mark that their bodies are functioning properly. Others accept it as a natural flow, but see blood as dirty, something that stains sheets and clothing, and must be cleaned away as soon as possible. Others consider that menstrual blood is not only dirty, but morally ‘unclean’, something that they should be ashamed of. What we feel about our own blood is a result of what the women we know and love have felt and probably still feel. Some of us change our minds and our attitudes because we come into contact with other people with different ideas. But whatever they are, our attitudes affect our behaviour.

If we feel that blood is dirty, we may unconsciously be trying not to stain clothes and sheets — especially sheets that don’t belong to us. When you have learnt how to relax, you may recognize that you are holding your pelvic floor in a very tense state when you have a period, particularly when you are in bed. It’s possible that you are ‘holding back’ your period because you don’t want to make a mess on the sheets. If you are, it could be very difficult for you to relax completely. If you think this might be your problem, one answer to it is to use a drawsheet — a piece of old sheeting or an ancient towel on top of the under sheet for a little extra protection. It’s a lot less bother to wash than a sheet too.

*50\177\2*