Chances are, you aren’t embracing Aunt Flo with open arms. I mean, how can you welcome someone who punches your uterus on a monthly basis and shows up uninvited on your romantic weekend getaways?
But registered nurse Suzie Welsh, the founder of BINTO (a delivery service that sends personalized women’s health products like vitamins, tampons, and fertility supplements right to your door), says loving the ultimate mean girl isn’t as hard as society would have us believe. Sure, she can be messy, cranky, and a little bitchy, but she also connects us as women and opens the door to welcome future generations of XX-chromosome carriers to our tampon-clad sorority.
Using her extensive experience in women’s healthcare, Suzie found a way to make our periods a little easier now, while helping to protect our fertility in the future. Every month from BINTO, you can receive a kit packed with all-natural vitamins and probiotics crafted for your personal hormonal needs, whether parenthood is in sight or in your rearview. Your kit can also include organic, chemical-free tampons that most big box stores have yet to carry.
With the right hormones, healthier products, and a few holistic tips, you can put Aunt Flo in her place. And feel free to talk about her to the rest of the world.
GIVE HER A HIGH FIVE
“Maybe it’s the fertility nurse in me, but I think it’s amazing the way our bodies were built. Since we go through a menstrual cycle every month, it gives us the ability to grow a human inside of us. That’s a pretty incredible thing! But menstruation also has some great side effects we never think about. Our breasts are fuller after ovulation, which some women really love. We also can experience heightened pleasure during intercourse when we’re on our period.”
GET SOME RELIEF
“When bad cramps hit, hot water bottles are a huge help. I also think maintaining a healthy diet leading up to and during your period is really important. You need a mix of complex carbohydrates, Omega-3 fatty acids, and protein to balance out hormone levels. If you have bloating, probiotics are a great way to deal with that. Also, watch the caffeine—switch from coffee to herbal teas or hot water with lemon. And get plenty of exercise. But one of the best ways to relieve menstrual cramps is intercourse!”
TALK THE TALK
“I went to an all-girls school and I’m a nurse, so I’ve never felt awkward talking about periods. But we should all feel comfortable to talk about it—it’s part of our everyday life. If we approach periods in a positive way and teach our daughters to appreciate it, we’ll all be better off in the long term. Our co-founder is a man, and I’ll go off on a tangent about vaginas and how inserting a tampon should feel. He’s good about it, but finally he’s like, ‘Ok, ok, I get it.’ I don’t even blink—to me it’s just normal. It should be that way for everyone!”
PREP FOR YOUR POSTPARTUM PERIOD
“Your period can definitely change the first few months after having a baby. If you’ve had a vaginal delivery, you could have bleeding post-delivery for several weeks. Some women get their period again after six weeks; some might be a while longer if they’re breastfeeding. The first few periods after birth can be heavier than you’re used to. It really changes from woman to woman.
If you have excessive bleeding after delivery when you’re at home, you need to see your healthcare provider.”
CELEBRATE YOUR WOMANHOOD
“Having a period gives us options. One woman may want to preserve her fertility for future kids; another woman may never want children. As women, we should never judge each other or our feelings. Instead, we should be empowered to have conversations about our options as a community. One of my goals with BINTO is to make women feel safe and empowered by their health choices, no matter what those choices may be.”
Sign up for BINTO to get customized, responsibly sourced products for your period, fertility support, pregnancy, or menopause sent right to your door.
