“when you’re traveling” surely has to be up there as one of the worst times. Especially if you’re constantly on the go or in a remote destination where toilets and sanitary products are trickier to come by. With that in mind, here are the best tips for dealing with your period while traveling.
1. Have your period product(s) of choice on hand at all times
This might actually be something you always do back home, but if you’re constantly swapping between bags or just plain prone to leaving the house with everything you own shoved in your pockets, you might want to start carrying a period stash. Shove a few tampons or pads in each bag you have with you and even one or two in your coat pockets for good measure.
2. Carry an emergency kit featuring wet wipes and plastic bags
As anyone who’s ever had a period knows, period paranoia is real. (Can everyone see my pad? Have I leaked? Can everyone smell that?) Long story short, periods can leave you feeling just plain gross, so carrying wet wipes to freshen up with (or use instead of toilet paper) will leave you feeling much more relaxed. And the plastic bags? Well, they’ll give you somewhere to throw your used products or stained pants if there’s no bin in sight. On that note, carry some spare underwear too.
3. Don’t forget about painkillers
Bleeding isn’t the only unpleasant side effect of your period, and cramps can leave you crippled. So instead of curling up in bed all day and doing very little else, pack some pain-relief products (like a travel-size hot water bottle and ibuprofen) to see off the aches and lethargy.
4. Maybe skip the skinny jeans
Obviously, this is entirely personal preference, but a period combined with tight jeans and (possible) hot and sweaty weather equals a higher chance of developing an annoying case of a yeast infection due to moisture down there. No one wants one on a good day, never mind while traveling and on your period. Therefore, steer clear of the skinnies and maybe swap to looser trousers for your heaviest days (this can also help you avoid bleeding right through every layer you’re wearing too).
5. Give yourself a break
You’re on holiday, or you’ve been traveling for some time, and your period strikes, but no matter what steps you take to power through, you feel like utter sh*t. If this is the case, don’t beat yourself up about it. Take a guilt-free day to lounge around your hostel (or hotel, tent, whatever) and let yourself rest. You’ll maybe have some residual guilt about “wasting” a day, but you’ll thank yourself for it in the long run. Plus, everyone knows sleep cures everything.
You may never know ā itās always good to carry feminine care products!
