girls and periods

[TrailDawg]

I didn't see many girls this year having trouble or worrying with this, but I am curious to know how girls deal with their monthy periods while hiking the A.T. I know a girl hiking in 2005 and she is worried and clueless. Help her and educate me.

Happy Birthday to me, too!

TrailDawg.com

[Lilred]

I didn't see many girls this year having trouble or worrying with this, but I am curious to know how girls deal with their monthy periods while hiking the A.T. I know a girl hiking in 2005 and she is worried and clueless. Help her and educate me.

Happy Birthday to me, too!

TrailDawg.com

There are several options she can take. One is to get a prescription for the pill and, with doctor's approval, continue taking it without breaks, therefore no periods. She may have to break every few months, but better than every month. Another option is to get the implants. I think they are called NOrplants. No period for three months. Another option is to take zero days at the beginning of her cycle when it's the heaviest. There is also a device called the 'keeper' that allows you freedom from the hygiene products. She can do a search on the web and learn more about it. Hope this helps.

[Lilred]

Oh and I forgot one thing....


HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

[DebW]

Used tampons should not be burried or deposited in outhouses. Double bag and carry out. Some women like The Keeper or similar reusable cup as there is no waste to carry out. There are some hormonal birth control methods that can reduce the number of periods most women experience. Many thru-hikers stop menstruating after a few months when their body fat gets low. Some menstruate more often when they start a hike. It's really a matter of each woman finding how her body adapts to hiking and what works best for her. Experimenting in advance may be a good idea.

[broodX]

HAPPY B-DAY T.D.DOT C.!!!!!!!

HEHE DANCING BANNANAS

[wacocelt]

Happy Birthday TrailDawg!

[oyvay]

If you don't use a hormone pill you'll find your period winds up in sync with other women on the trail.

[Rosco]

Used tampons should not be burried or deposited in outhouses. Double bag and carry out.

Sounds like bear bait to me.
I'm pretty sure menstruating women have proven to be VERY attractive, aroma-wise, to bears.
Yikes!, another reason to be thankful to be a male.

[DebW]

Sounds like bear bait to me.
I'm pretty sure menstruating women have proven to be VERY attractive, aroma-wise, to bears.
Yikes!, another reason to be thankful to be a male.

I believe that that bear attraction theory has been debunked. Maybe it worked with polar bears but not blacks or grizzlies. Anyway, you can always hang them in the bear bag. Not a big deal.

[Grimace]

was on the pill but still opted to follow her normal cycle. While on the pill, her flow is much less than without and it is predictable. Still, we did not alter our plans based on her cycles. She just used normal sanitary things like tampons and pads at night and packed them out in the trash. She didn't always carry the items, but kept them in a bounce box. (Box sent form maildrop to maildrop) When she knew she should be expecting, she packed them. She's a tough cookie and did not complain. She is a huge fan of baby wipes and purel to help in hygiene.

[sassy03]

I did pretty much the same as what Grimace said. I just calculated when I needed them and went ahead and put them in our boxes. I used OB tampons so that there wouldn't be as much waste to carry out. One thing with some of the birth control methods that do away with her period is that she may have some spotting or breakthrough bleeding. I decided I would rather know ahead of time when I was going to bleed rather than be surprised in the middle of the woods w/ no options. If your friend also lives in the Atlanta area, I could help her out if she needs anything. We are in Acworth.

Take care & Belated Happy BDay!
Sassy
(PS- Great article in the AJC! And a great website! I really enjoyed your pics from Trail Days since I saw alot of familiar faces. Not sure if you know it or not, but the guy in the Flintstone outfit- Guided by Voices- is from Marietta also.)

[sassy03]

Forgot one thing... I kept dryer sheets in the bag with the used ones to mask any kind of odor. Worked well and never slowed us down a bit!
Sassy

[Pooja Blue]

If she wants to try the Keeper or a similar product, make sure she does so several months before she leaves for her hike. They take practice and are not for everyone.

I used tampons and double-bagged the used ones (I like the dryer sheet idea, too)! I think it's wise to keep a supply in your pack at all times, because even on the pill you don't know ahead of time what the impact of daily hiking is going to have on your period. It's not like tampons weigh much or take up a lot of space, and better safe than sorry.

[java]

I used tampons and double-bagged the used ones (I like the dryer sheet idea, too)! I think it's wise to keep a supply in your pack at all times, because even on the pill you don't know ahead of time what the impact of daily hiking is going to have on your period. It's not like tampons weigh much or take up a lot of space, and better safe than sorry.

Some good advice here, the only thing I would add is that I carried some tin foil to wrap the used ones in. It keeps everything neater. Can't also stress the value of handi-wipes. Luckily, I usually found a bit of foil in hiker boxes, and I kept some in my bounce box, so I never had to buy a huge roll for just a foot or two.

[ridgewalker777]

What's so bad about burrying all human waste? I know the guidelines discourage it but why? A foot under, who will care? And as for taking unnatural measures to change or stop ovulation, this really seems contrary to the free spirit of the A/T hike, unless you're hiking with your husband or boyfriend.

[minnesotasmith]

A bit of background on Western women and menstrual cycles:

1) Menarche has gotten earlier by at least 3 years in America just in the past century, and who knows how much by in the last 20,000 or so years.

2) Women's life expectancy is much longer than it used to be. In the days just of the Roman Empire, life expectancy from birth was about 21. Most women did not survive until the age of menopause.

3) Women used to be pregnant much more of their lives than they do now.

Add these up, and while a woman in pre-agriculture days (10,000+ years ago) might have ten cycles during her whole life, currently women here have 400 menstrual cycles, 40 times as many. (Yes, that means men have to put up with FORTY TIMES as much PMS from women as we are supposed to have to.)

A "natural" hike by a woman, therefore, would mean (if she even came along hiking, not staying behind with the children as women mostly did while men hiked and hunted) that she would be more likely to be pregnant or nursing an infant than menstruating. Certainly, those are historically more "natural" (as a percentage of how female life has normally been spent) than is having a menstruation while on the Trail. Yes, that means that "natural" female hikers don't get to have any PMS while hiking.

[java]

What's so bad about burrying all human waste? I know the guidelines discourage it but why? A foot under, who will care? And as for taking unnatural measures to change or stop ovulation, this really seems contrary to the free spirit of the A/T hike, unless you're hiking with your husband or boyfriend.

It's gross, but needs to be said; the reason you don't bury used tampons is that animals WILL dig them up (and this I have witnessed). And I have a feeling that raccoons shouldn't be eating big giant wads of bloody cotton...granted I'm not a veterinarian, but I do know that that is not a part of a wild animal's diet.
As for the spirit of hiking the AT, I think we're all free to decide how much 'spirit' we inject into our own personal hikes. If you prefer your hike menstruation free go ahead. That's really a personal decision. If you're a man, than I suggest that perhaps you can't relate.<o =""></o>

[Nameless]

To help with break though bleeding...

Just bring along some panty liners. They are TINY and control a LOT of breakthough bleeding. I use them a lot at home the day before i expect a period, and the day after i end, to make sure i dont have any accidents... (I usually use them with tampons too) You will never notice they are there. And they are real sanitary for when you are not bleeding too, instead of constantly changing underwear, just use a new liner each day...

Just my two cents
Pink

[Lilred]

To help with break though bleeding...

Just bring along some panty liners. They are TINY and control a LOT of breakthough bleeding. I use them a lot at home the day before i expect a period, and the day after i end, to make sure i dont have any accidents... (I usually use them with tampons too) You will never notice they are there. And they are real sanitary for when you are not bleeding too, instead of constantly changing underwear, just use a new liner each day...

Just my two cents
Pink

The weight of panty liners are negligeable. They do help keep sanitation at a maximum. Be sure to pack them out tho. Do not bury or put them in privies.