Category: Period tips

This is one of the questions we have probably all thought at some point.

Every vagina has its own unique smell that errs more on the side of “this is an actual human body part” than rose petals, strawberries and sweets.

Regardless of what intimate hygiene propaganda might have you believe, above mentioned fragrances have no business near your private parts.

So, what should a vagina smell like?

Generally speaking, the vagina typically smells like mildly fermented milk or musk, but there is also an array of other factors that will

determined/alternate the smell like your menstrual cycle phase, exercising, diet, sex…

What kind of odour should I watch out for?

An overpowering unpleasant (fishy) smell, burning sensation and itchiness may all be the indicators that the vaginal environment has been disturbed

and that there is more bad than good bacteria around, leaving space for very common culprit like bacterial vaginosis.

Luckily, BV is easily cleared up with antibiotics and other products.

There are, of course, other bacteria and inflammations that can cause bad odour, so do visit your gynaecologist if you notice the change in the smell.

Tips for a healthier vagina:

  • wear loose-fitting, comfortable cotton underwear
  • regular exercise
  • keep track of your discharge
  • change out of your sweaty workout clothes and wet swimsuit as soon as possible

Fun fact

Did you know that certain products can change the acidity level of the microflora responsible for your vaginal odour?

For example, citrusy fruits like oranges and other fruits like pineapple can make the smell and taste of vaginal fluids sweeter.

There are topics that we are uncomfortable talking about, even though they are a normal part of our lives. This certainly includes the first period talk. Am I right?

Below you can find some useful tips that will come in handy during this conversation:

When is the right time to talk about menstruation?

Start the conversation as soon as possible. I definitely recommend that you don’t wait until the last moment and start talking about the changes the body goes through during menstruation only right before or even after your child’s first period.

Likewise, don’t plan just one conversation in which you’ll blurt out everything you know about menstruation. Start the conversation several times and each time introduce a different topic (body changes, period product alternatives…)

period panties, talk about period

A positive view of menstruation

Although it’s 2022, society still views menstruation as something dirty and annoying. The key is to present children with menstruation in a positive light and emphasize that it is something completely natural and even beautiful.

Be concise

I don’t think teenagers are interested in long answers to already awkward questions, so keep your answers short, clear and point out the real facts. You can also share your personal experience.

period panties talk about period

Workshop

It might also be a good idea for a teen to visit a period workshop. A person who is no stranger to menstrual conversations creates a safe space where a group of peers can discuss menstruation in a positive light, while also addressing fears and shame and eliminating them with the help of appropriate education.

Some key pointers

Here, of course, you don’t need to present all the useful information at once. It will be enough if you start with tips such as: how to use e.g. inserts (you can also present different sizes).

Be careful to present these instructions in a positive light.

Of course, you can say that menstruation is often accompanied by a painful stomach, sensitive breasts… but also emphasize that there is a simple solution for these symptoms – a warm hot water bottle, herbal tea or (in more severe cases) painkillers

In last week’s newsletter, we talked about how to prevent period leaks.

But what if you haven’t figured out your perfect period alternative yet or forgot your extra period panties at home?

Boom, there is a little red circle on your clothes now. What to do now?

Our Lalipanties

 

FEEL NO SHAME


I know, I know – it is easier said than done, but try not to be embarrassed if you have had a leak while in public – it has happened to the majority of us!

Wrap a sweater or cardigan around your waist for an easy solution.

Bonus tip: always keep a spare pair of period undies or trousers on hand for those heavy days.

Let us now concentrate on attempting to save your favourite clothes and bedding after the leak. Try these stain removal tips, and you’ll be a pro in no time.

 

menstrual flow types blood stain on my clothes

 

FRESH BLOOD

1. Soak the item in cold water (cold water is required because we don’t want to “bake” the stain in with warm water).

2. Apply a bar of soap to the stain.

3. Rub in liquid laundry detergent.

4. Wash in warm water.
 


 
DRIED BLOOD
  1. Make a pre-soaking solution of cold water and laundry detergent.

2. Let the item soak in it for an hour.

3. Before washing, use colour-safe bleach.


SEVERE STAINS

Before washing the item in question, soak for a few hours or overnight in water mixed with bleach-free detergent and a bit of ammonia.

 
Hopefully, these tips will help you leak-proof your life! Catch you next week. 🙂

As a menstrual cup user, you are probably quite period savvy.

But what would you say if I’d ask you to explain what the difference between a light, medium or heavy flow is?

After all, this is all very subjective as your idea of heavy flow may be something completely different to what your friend is imagining under the same concept.

Let’s have a look at those 3 period flow types:

menstrual flow types
photo source: prevention

LIGHT FLOW

A light flow means a rather small amount of blood, so you will probably need to change your LaliCup only once during the day.

It is very common to have a light flow at the start or at the end of your period when your uterus is finishing up shedding the final bits.



MEDIUM FLOW

There is no universal definition for medium flow.

Menstrual cups are perfect for getting an idea of how much blood you lose during your period, so let’s just say that with medium flow you would definitely fill up our model M LaliCup up to 15 ml volume marker.

 

menstrual cup sizes Lalicup
menstrual cup sizes image

HEAVY FLOW

Heavy period flow is technically defined as a loss of more than 80 ml over the duration of your period.

To put that into a perspective:

Our LaliCup model L can hold 41 ml, so if you easily fill 2 cups, then you would be considered as someone with a heavy flow.

There is also a big chance of blood clots showing up mixed with your blood.


CONCLUSION

To conclude, none of the flow types is inherently good or bad. As long as your menstrual flow is more or less constant, you are good to go.

But if there is a sudden shift in your flow, you might want to check that out with a doctor.

Let’s be honest: we’ve all had the experience of going to the toilet, pulling down our underwear, noticing a different colour discharge than usual, and wondering “Is that normal?”
 
 
Many of these colours are common and are not indicative of underlying illness. But what do they actually mean? 
 
You don’t have to wonder any longer. We created a colour guide just for you. 🙂 

verywell/Laura Porter

What exactly is vaginal discharge?


Discharge is a term that describes the fluid that comes from the vagina. 
 
With it your body eliminates dead vaginal skin cells, bacteria, secretions… and at the same time also keeps your vaginal tissues and reproductive system clean, lubricated and healthy.
 
Because your hormones influence the amount and consistency of the discharge, you may notice different amounts and colours at different time periods (depending on if you are on your period, pregnant etc.) 
Vaginal discharge red

Brown, red, pink


Is common just before or during period. However, if you see red throughout the month, it could be a sign of an underlying health problem, such as an infection. 

vaginal discharge white

White

Discharge in a range of white shades is very common. The shade can extend to cream or light yellow as well. Don’t be concerned about this colour unless your discharge is accompanied by specific cottage-cheese-like textures or strong odours.
 

vaginal discharge grey

Gray

This colour can be a symptom of a common bacterial infection and it also causes other symptoms like strong odour, itching and irritation.

Clear

Clear discharge is the go-to discharge emitted by a healthy body in order to rebalance itself. 

vaginal discharge yellow

Yellow, green

Discharge that is a darker shade of yellow, yellowish-green, or green usually signals a bacterial or sexually transmitted infection.

When to see a doctor?

You should consult your doctor if you have noticed that your vaginal discharge has an unusual smell, texture and/or appearance.

You finally decided to take the plunge and purchase LaliCup. Hurray, welcome to the club! ? But after testing it a couple of times you can still find a blood drop or two on your panties and, let’s face it, there is nothing quite as frustrating as a leaking menstrual cup.

So, should you lose hope in all menstrual cups? Absolutely not! Leaks are super easy to troubleshoot and fix once you’ve figured out why they occur.

It's easy to avoid leakings when you know how to deal with it
slika: N. Veger

The biggest reasons for leaking cups:

·         You are a new cup user and getting used to a period cup may very well just be a part of the learning curve.

·         The cup is too small. When purchasing a menstrual cup, you ought to consider a few factors: have you given birth, do you have strong pelvic floor muscles, are you already sexually active…

·         The cup isn’t inserted properly. After insertion LaliCup will ‘pop’ open and form a watertight seal. If the cup hasn’t opened completely, try using a different folding technique. We have a bunch of short instructional videos on the most common folding methods that you can check here.

·         Did you check your cervix height? If the cervix sits ​​low in the vagina we recommend a smaller cup. In case you cannot touch your cervix with a finger, don’t fret, we created the XL/high cervix model just for you.

My menstrual cup is leaking Lalicup to the rescue.
slika: N.Veger
Ready to throw in the towel anyway?   I get it, one can only deal with a limited amount of failed attempts. You might need to put the cup on the side-line for a moment and try again later. Regardless, we’ve got you covered. You can find different alternatives in our store from period panties to washable pads until you are ready to give the cup another go.

Has it ever happened to you that you checked your period app only to notice that your period should have started already? And, let’s be honest, now you are ever so slightly panicking inside. Don’t worry! Normal cycle is more of a spectrum than anything else. It usually lasts somewhere between 3-7 days, with a blood loss of around 4 tablespoons in total. However, nothing is set in stone, as some people have lighter/heavier periods than others, and it can even vary from cycle to cycle. ​A general rule of thumb is that a period is considered late if it is delayed by 7 days or more.

Period a normal cycle

Stress may be one of the biggest reasons for your period coming later than usual. Having a manageable amount of stress in your life is absolutely normal but excessive levels of either physical or mental stress can have different effects on your body, one of them being delayed period.

Period a delay
How to get back on track?

– Make time to relax. Whatever floats your boat meditation, journaling, colouring books… – go for it!
– Track your moods, changes in diet or big life events in order to better identify some of your stressors.
– Cut back on caffeine and alcohol as both can increase cortisol levels.
– Prioritize healthy sleep we often focus on quantity and forget about quality, a good night routine may help your body fall into a proper sleep rhythm.

Every Summer we receive quite a few calls from worried parents whose teenage daughters just started their period and now they do not know what to do – should they reschedule their holidays, or should they present them with tampons and menstrual cups?  Should they simply tell them to pack extra tampons, throw on a pair of swimwear, and despite the gorgeous weather watch their daughters suspiciously tell everyone “I just don’t feel like swimming today”?

Once in a while we even get a dad calling in his daughter’s name saying that she will not, under any circumstance, put anything into her body as it will “take her virginity” – such a persistent myth deserves a blog post of its own so I will not dwell on it any further here. Would you like the next newsletter to talk about that? Do let us know.

Got it, no menstrual cups then. Luckily, we just might have an alternative that will satisfy everybody!

Enjoy your holiday even in your first period

Period underwear

I know, I know – it sounds odd when underpants are introduced as an alternative – the name itself implies that they are supposed to be worn under something.  But just hear me out on this one.

Period scrundies Emilla are nothing like the adult diapers you’re probably imagining right now. They feel just like normal underwear; the only difference you might notice is a leak-proof layer as well as a soaker pad sewn inside. Their snug and comfy fit is perfect for when you are bloated or having cramps and not to mention, they are washable and reusable, making them the perfect eco-friendly alternative to disposable sanitary products.

 They come in different fun designs that will definitely put a smile on your face. You might not be able to swim in them for hours on end, but they will definitely protect you if you decide to go for a quick dip in the ocean. The only question left now is – what top will you wear to match your period panties?

Would you like to check the panties out?

Catch you next time!

Lali team