What’s Your Flow

Generally, as a woman our period should come at the same time every month except for when it doesn’t which could be as a result of so many things which are generally termed as 'irregularities'. Suddenly, without warning  you are early or late - your flow is heavy, light or shy (and you know you are not on birth control pills, neither are you pregnant nor lactating). I am sure millions of women are with me on this, most of us understandably get worried. Is this normal? Or is something terribly wrong somewhere?

 As for me, my period came around as usual, I had taken certain precautions so I won’t be caught unaware. But this time…It was a tsunami with many waves, one would probably think I just had a miscarriage or abortion complications. I had to change my sanitary pads more frequently as the flow was heavier than usual, thus I visited the toilet more often than necessary. Annoying, right? You can’t imagine. This got me scared, so many thoughts flew in and out of my head. The very first thought was fibroid, as a close friend had the same issue, but thank God for early detection it was treated. I had so many other assumptions. GOSH! Am too young to be worried sick about this so I had to reach out.

Truly! I was nervous. It's impossible to tell how first all these assumptions entered into my brain, but once conceived, it haunted me day and night. So I booked a visit to see a gynecologist.“How exactly do you feel?” that was the first question I had to answer, and I answered like a proper Nigerian woman, “where do you want me to start from?” we both chuckled. That broke the ice and an enlightening session ensued.

 Apparently, the medical name for this condition is called Menorrhagia (very heavy flow). According to Dr.Akinsanya, a normal menstrual flow should range from a dot to (35ml) that is like 2 full teaspoon.While, Menorrhagia would start from (80ml) – (540ml) that’s like 2 tea cups. Studies have it that 25% of women will experience very heavy flow during their menstrual cycle, especially women in the reproductive bracket. According to the Mayo clinic, one of the major causes of Menorrhagia is hormonal imbalance. In a normal menstrual cycle a balance between the hormones:  Estrogen and Progesterone regulates the build up of the lining in the uterus (Endometrium), which is shed during menstruation. If there is an imbalance, everything goes south. The endometrium develops in excess and eventually sheds by way of menstrual bleeding. This is among other major causes like: small benign growths on the lining of the uterus (Uterine polyps) or certain drugs, including anti-inflammatory medications and anticoagulants. All these can contribute to very heavy menstrual flow.

So far I had enjoyed listening to all the medical jargons, but I needed a fix, “so what are my options?” I asked. “I will prescribe progesterone therapy” you can imagine the look on my face when she said so. “Therapy?” my mind showed flashes of images, until she explained further. “The progesterone (Progestin) hormone has been synthesized and its orally micronized to suite ingestion”. The progestin when ingested will help restore the hormonal balance which will in turn slow down or stop the heavy bleeding. Also, Ibuprofen, extra salty drinks and increasing my dietary or supplement iron can also do the trick. 

I had sigh of relief. Living a healthy life is something we all desire,but the key to peace of mind sometimes is talking to a qualified health practitioner when in doubt.

                                                               Copyright © 1978-2016 Wemy Industries.

Few Tips on Using Sanitary Pads Properly

It is incredible to imagine that a woman will use around 10,000 sanitary pads during her lifetime, if you don’t believe me sit down and do the math! 

So, it makes sense that serious consideration should be given as to how we use sanitary pads for optimum results. 

UNICEF 2010 asserts that one out of every 50 women use sanitary pads wrongly (some ladies use one PER DAY with no change). Ideally, the standard time to change a sanitary pad is once every 6 hours, although naturally this depends on your needs. Whilst some women with a light flow can afford to change every 6 hours the same can’t be said about women with heavy flow because they need to change theirs at shorter intervals. 

Here are a few tips on using your Sanitary Pads Properly.

Selecting a Pad 

* Always choose a pad that meets your peculiar needs; sanitary pads vary from length and absorbency level depending on the flow. We can use the super absorbency ones for the first few days, the longer for nighttime. 

* Using a scented sanitary pad is usually not advisable as it contains chemicals that can be harmful to our sensitive part. Also, panty liners shouldn’t be used as a substitute for sanitary pads irrespective of the flow, especially during menstruation. 

Putting it on 

* Remove pad from individual wrapper

 Most pads are individually wrapped,and the wrappers should be removed but don’t throw it away … use it to wrap your old pad conveniently before you place it in the dustbin. 

* Take off the adhesives and fold out the wings   ( if you use the ones with wings) . Wings usually help to provide extra comfort with super adhesive to fit perfectly into the panties. 

* Stick the adhesive part of the sanitary pad in a position where it is directly beneath the vagina, one should also ensure the pad firmly clips the panties by aligning it a little further back to prevent leakage. 

* Many of us dig out our old panties or our granny pants during this time of the month so we should probably leave our thongs for another day!

Disposing Used Pads

*It’s very important to maintain a high standard of hygiene while menstruating. At every change, one should thoroughly wash the hands.

*It is really important that we DO NOT flush sanitary pads. They will block the sewage pipe Instead, wrap the used pad properly and place discreetly in the trash. When removing the pad from the underwear, pull from the top end and hold firmly before wrapping for disposal. 

Do not forget to carry an extra sanitary pad as most come in individual packs and are purse friendly for those unusually heavy days.

Have a pain free period!

                                                         Copyright ©1978-2016 Wemy Industries.

Menstruation Wahala!

So, what’s your definition of a bad day? Let’s see. . . You wake up in the morning to what looks like one of Picasso's masterpieces. . . What? Yeah! That’s what your face looks like when you forget to take your make-up off the night before. Still, unperturbed by the disjointed oil painting on your face go about your merry way and hop into the shower ... and then the hair. . . At this moment you are staring at the mirror wondering why it's going north while you're simply combing south . . . Hmm!  That's why we ebony sisters reach for our beloved hair pieces on rebellious days such as these. So you put on your lace wig, touch the touchables, brows are on fleek, your makeup game is so strong. . . It couldn't be any easier right?

Eventually, you set off to work. You are embraced by the usual traffic ... Damn! The invisible mammy spirits and Pharaohs on 3rd Mainland Bridge won't let my people go. Eventually, you get to work a bit refreshed only to be served a memo for an emergency team meeting with the MD. As you rush off to the board room to have your seat you feel something run down your leg like hot urine. . . Gosh! You should check that right? I know. You rush back to your office, grab your purse and race to the restroom. Luckily for you, there was a spare sanitary pad in your drawer for those 'just in case' moments.  You quickly clean up, touch up your make up and head back to the board room. 

Thirty minutes into the meeting, you can only feign a smile because your periods also come with very painful cramping. Then, as if things couldn’t get any worse the MD, asks you to address the team. . . How great!. . . You can’t even stand properly with this curdling pain below your abdomen and your sweat is heating up fighting hard for a spot on your face.  The AC is on but your body wouldn't know it ... If only you could just go lie down for five minutes ... You're hoping and praying so bad that your system doesn't disgrace you ... Now THAT is my definition of a bad day on steroids!

For some of us menstrual cramps (primary dysmenorrhea) can be severe and totally ruin our whole day (and week). According to Mayo Clinic, about three out of four women experience menstrual cramps and one in ten women experience severe cramps. So what’s up with this cramps thing? There is something called prostaglandins and this takes us back to female biology.

Prostaglandins are hormonal chemicals produced naturally in the lining of the uterus during our periods. They cause the uterus to contract, but when there is an overproduction of these hormones they cause the uterus to contract really hard.  This in turn leads to it temporarily shutting down its own blood and oxygen supply and this sets in motion these nasty painful cramping we feel.  Nasty prostaglandins!

Dr. Akinsanya, a Gynaecologist at LUTH, suggests certain tips that can help reduce menstrual cramps. He suggests exercise, hot water bottles, taking chamomile tea ... even having orgasms... Seriously? Yes!  According to Dr. Akinsanya, orgasms can help reduce the pain as it releases endorphins. They also help to relax your whole body and induce sleep so you won't feel any cramping at all. He also stated that there are certain fruits that can also assist in reducing menstrual cramps. . . And this is where the gist got very interesting as I am a sucker for fruits (can't help it). So, I went digging and trust me, I found juices. . . Stay tuned!

​​​​​​​                                                                        Copyright © 2015 Wemy Industry Limited.

Why Men Should Buy Sanitary Pads.

So, last week I was out shopping for some refreshing beverages and my favourite Dr Brown’s sanitary pads. Whilst waiting in a queue to pay, this good looking guy walks in. He must have been in his early 20’s, he certainly had the swag and the energy of a man in that age bracket. As I continued to watch this young man he heads towards the ladies section and picks up some Dr Brown’s sanitary pads … well, personally this wasn’t really that strange to me since I felt he must be shopping for someone else. Anyway, as I was waiting for my change I noticed some ladies giggling in the corner. They could have been giggling about something else, right? I wanted to believe that they weren’t giggling about, you know who…

So, here’s me still waiting for my change from the ever so sluggish cashier and guess who walks out, but the young man in question, having already paid. Well, the moment he steps out of the shop it was as if someone released laughing gas. The laughter went viral coupled with endless  giggling and so forth. This really got me wondering why people thought him funny or weird. Does a man need to menstruate to be allowed to purchase a sanitary pad? What about women who purchase condoms?

That was not even the funniest part of the story, this is it … a girl just has to be a girl and I wanted to know where this young man was taking the Dr Brown’s sanitary pad. To my total amazement the answer unfolded right then before my eyes. There was a girl just across the road waiting for him and once he handed the sanitary pad to her, they walked off together. As peculiar as it may sound, I also came across the same guy later that day in another store.  You know my friends always tell me I’m fearless and I guess in this instance I was because with a twinkle in my eye I couldn’t resist going up to him and saying, “Hey, I’m also a big fan of Dr.Brown’s.” He laughed heartily and said, “Nooo, they were for my teenage cousin. She is just like many other girls; ashamed of purchasing sanitary pads in a crowded store.” Well, blow me down with a feather. I was shocked.

I once asked a girl, “If you were asked to purchase either a pack of sanitary pads or a pack of condoms, which would you go for?” She told me blatantly she would go for neither.  “WHAT?” If most girls think this way, then how do they get by?  What do they use?  My mind ran wild at the notion.

Upon investigation, I discovered that in Africa about one in every 10 adolescent girls miss school during their periods and that some even eventually drop out of school because of menstruation related issues (UNESCO 2013). Once I read this, I knew then that what we have at hand is quite a situation. Further, about 65% of women in Nigeria alone are still making use of cotton wool, rags and tissue paper during their periods. This is quite shocking. Not only because of the lack of education or the rate at which these women expose themselves to the dangers of infections, but because of the fact that sanitary pads are so freely available. And yet, so many other educated girls and women want to shy away from the task of going to a shop to purchase a sanitary pad for themselves.

I often ask myself why some of us girls behave this way since nowadays guys walk freely into pharmacies to ask for condoms, even females. So why can’t we do the same for sanitary pads? It is a fact that during the course of their lives every female, having reached a certain maturity, menstruates. A female is expected to menstruate every month unless she is either pregnant, reached menopause or she’s making use of a certain family planning method. So why then can we not embrace this and take proper care of ourselves independently?

I feel it is time to educate our fellow sisters that they should be proud of their bodies and their feminine nature. Help us teach the youth of today that menstruation and femininity is not a curse, let us guide them as to how they can love and take pride in the glory of their true being. Our brothers too must also help out in any way they can, male figures massively influence impressionable teenagers. Together lets build a better, healthier society.

As Judith Butler an American female philosopher and gender theorist puts it:

“Masculine and feminine roles are not biologically fixed, but socially constructed.”

                                                      Copyright ©2015 Wemy Industries Limited.

Dr.Brown's Baby Water Wipes

Product Review:

Baby water wipes are non allergenic wipes composing of 99.9% water and a little extract of grapefruit. It is wetter than normal wipes and contains no harsh chemicals or fragrance. Water is chiefly the major ingredient in this wipes, thus the name natural wipes is earned. The grapefruit extract is of little quantity and acts as a disinfectant and a powerful antibacterial agent.

The baby waterwipes are a suitable alternative to cotton wool and water for newborns. It is gentle, soft and pure for the baby’s delicate layer of skin and also for adults as well. It leaves no irritation or rashes. The water wipes  are convenient for all diaper change and general body cleaning of newborns.

Features:

99.% Water- truly natural

1% Grapefruit extract- Very gentle on skin

No harsh Chemicals – Pure and Natural

Wetter- It is not like any other regular wipe

Ingredients:

Treated Water, Grapefruit seed extract

Reviews: 

Mrs Tope from Oshodi:

I have just started using Dr. Browns baby water wipes for my 3 weeks old baby. I noticed the baby had little rashes while I was using the cotton wool and warm water solution. Immediately, I started using the baby waterwipes the rashes left.

Irene from Ikorodu:

I have been using Dr.Brown’s regular baby wipes, when I heard of the Baby waterwipes I knew it was going to be a better product. I was not disappointed after using it for my 9 months old baby boy.

Mrs.Deoye from Fadeyi:

At first I wasn’t sure if the wipes were safe, a trial convinced me.

Panty Liners and Uses

Despite our wide and far-reaching medical advances, the human body is indeed still a mystery in many regards.  There is no bigger a mystery for teenagers than when they start puberty.  Huge changes to their bodies take place, which can be quite unsettling.  In particular for girls, once puberty starts naturally they will experience an increase in vaginal discharge.  This can be quite upsetting if they are totally unaware of what it is and why it is happening, especially if they have yet to start their periods.  They may feel embarrassed, ashamed, even worried which is why it's important our young girls are educated in all things vaginal ahead of time.

Vaginal discharge can occur at any time throughout the month, but may be linked to a girl’s cycle.  Everyone is different, even down to how much is produced.  What is consistent for everyone though, is that discharge in this area is completely natural and essential.  The secretion of the discharge serves as a regulator for the vagina; it’s not something that can be stopped.  It acts as a kind of self-cleaning mechanism that also acts as an indicator when something is not quite right.  Ordinarily the discharge will be white, creamy or sometimes colourless.  It could also be sticky.  What it shouldn’t be is smelly or green.  Plus, if it is accompanied with itchiness this may indicate an infection and you should visit your doctor.  This area of a female’s body is very sensitive to pH changes so it is important we manage it effectively.

So how can vaginal discharges be managed?

A panty liner is a perfect solution for managing discharge. Worn in the underwear, the panty liner serves to collect the discharge and protect the underwear from being stained.  The panty liner can easily be changed to maintain freshness all day, whatever the time of the month!  Being very small and thin they fit compactly into any sized handbag.  So, just as we carry along a hairbrush, compact mirror or notebook so too we should have our panty liners in our bag on standby.  

As a side note, it is really important that we don’t ‘wash’ the vagina.  This area is very sensitive to pH changes and the use of soap or shampoo inside the vaginal walls can easily upset its natural balance.  When this happens thrush may occur which is both itchy and cumbersome when experienced.

What other ways can we use panty liners?

As young girls, it can take a while… sometimes years… to fully get to grips with what is happening to their bodies on a monthly basis as they progress through puberty and beyond.  As they change so too can the discharge and the periods.  This is where panty liners can serve a really useful purpose and should be something every young girl has in her possession. 

They are really useful both at the start and at the end of a period.  Many young girls and ladies experience irregular periods.  This can be a nightmare as we go about our regular life, out and about, both in the classroom and the office.  Some periods can also take three days to ‘start’ with a brown, sludgy discharge taking place as a precursor to the main event.  Panty liners, therefore, offer that required protection and confidence to manage this onset.  Such that, if someone does get caught unawares and her period starts she doesn’t have to drop what she’s doing to sort it out.  As a young girl, coping with everything else, her body is throwing at her this small bit of confidence could be massive in any given day.

As you know, many females around the world wear tampons.  Again, panty liners offer protection against any leakage since some days periods can be heavy and some days period can be light.  The presence of the panty liner manages that for you. 

It is so important that our girls know what to expect and know how to look after their vaginal health.  Let’s educate them and demystify this area so we can remove any uncertainty and provide knowledge so they can progress through life confidently and meet their daily challenges head on.

                                                                          Copyright © 2015 Wemy Industries.

Nigeria’s indigenous diaper coy sales to hit $1bn in a decade | BusinessDay

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