Hi folks. My girlfriend and I are going on our very first kayaking trip this coming Saturday, and we will be gone for a week. My girlfriend is very worried that she may end up having her period during our trip–for most women, this wouldn’t be a big deal because most women would just use a tampon or a menstrual cup. She cannot wear either, though, due to extreme discomfort, so she just uses pads. Does anyone have any suggestions I could pass along to her that would make having her period and getting soaked not an issue? We would really appreciate it.
Thanks so much!
Karen
Backup aids
She might feel better with extra protection by taking along some Depends type underwear in case there is an overflow. I don’t suppose she is on the pill? If so, she could take it for an extra week to put off everything till she’s back home.
sent you an email
If there is enough time, alter cycle w. birth control pills.
Tampons are vastly better than pads for so many reasons.
but if that really is totally out:
big pads + depends or similiar adult diaper. Test fit
sitting in the boat. Make sure the boat seat has a washable, dark surface or liner. Be prepared to dunk the boat and drain it, lifting bow first. Relax. People do all kinds of functions in their boats.
carry disposable bags just for the used pads and put them in a drybag til the trip’s over. If you are in a primitive area, isolate the bag, hang it high. Never leave in tent. Predators have exquisite noses for blood.
Microfleece cloth at night under her in the sleeping bag. wring out and clean each morning, air dry at camp or in the kayak bungies.
Enjoy the trip. If no one makes it a big deal, it won’t be one.
pill cycle
When my wife (who is a Family Doctor) was on the pill, she would alter her menstral timing to suit trips or adventures. It’s perfectly safe to take an extra week of the real pills (from a spare pack) before going on to the one week of sugar pills that come at the end of each pack (when you have your period). Or she can just skip the period week of pills and jump right to the next week.
Neither strategy works quite as well with “triphasic” pills (where each of the three weeks of the real pills has slightly different hormone levels). If using those she might still have a very light period or spotting if she skips or delays the period week. You can probably figure out if her pills are triphasic by searching the internet with the name of her pills, or by a call to her doctor’s office.
Have a fun trip! 
First Trip?
Is this your first time in kayaks or your first time in Kayaks together?
Rag Week, at least in my opinion, is not a good time to try a new sport. Otherwise, I can’t say much more than what has already been said.
A little tip for cramps. get some of those chemical heaters you put in your gloves, activate, and put them where they need to go. I’ve taped them in my panties befor. I saw some made up just for that at evil-mart, I think Therma care makes them.
Oh, and don’t forget the Midol!!!
I second the Depends
And dont be embarassed. Its a female kayakers best friend…especially with a drysuit.
One of the problems though is disposal… buy a small bag of kitty litter and put the used ones in there. To avoid looking at the disposed, perhaps an opaque over bag would be useful.
Womens best friend while kayak camping is Baby Wipes. A box of 80 will do without scrimping on keeping fresh.
I would put off the trip
– Last Updated: Aug-04-09 7:44 PM EST –
You're camping for a week in the boonies? That'd be a lot of bloody pads or rags to try to dispose of. I know from experience that it takes a VERY hot blazing fire to burn soaked tampons, which at least are smaller than pads.
Some tampons are longer than others. It might be worth her searching for the shortest, skinniest ones made and trying that before the trip. (She can smear them with KY jelly, if necessary.)
I remember my mother telling me that "tampons are only for married women" or some other BS. There is an old wives' tale that using tampons will stretch the vagina, making it appear that someone has lost her virginity when she has not. Could it be that her discomfort is due to having been handed this crap also? When I switched from pads to tampons (and the hell with my mother's lies), I could not believe how much better they were for bicycling. What a world of difference. I can't even believe someone would contemplate paddling with pads on.
Second the baby wipes. They're great for all kinds of cleanup.
It is SOOOO good to be a guy! NM
Thank god Aunt Flo
doesn’t usually stay a whole week!