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FREE PERIOD KITS INITIATIVE

Created by Laura Curry

Young Adult Librarian

lcurry@sclibnj.org

More about tampons:

There’s a bit of a learning curve when it comes to using tampons, so don’t feel pressured to start using them as soon as you get your period. For a handy guide on using and inserting tampons safely and comfortably, click on this link here!

It is very important to know that tampons should be replaced after 4 to 6 hours, and should not be left in for over 8 hours. If a tampon is left in for 8 or more hours, there is a slight risk of getting Toxic Shock Syndrome, which is a rare but serious bacterial infection.

Other period products:

While not included in your GRL PWR. period kit, there are other menstrual products out there that can make your periods more comfortable. This includes period underwear and menstrual discs or cups. These options are reusable, which means they are much better for the environment. It is worth noting that menstrual cups or discs also come with a learning curve, and it may take a lot of practice to insert and remove them comfortably and successfully.

A week or two before your period starts, you may experience PMS (premenstrual syndrome) symptoms.

These may include:

• increased irritability, sensitivity, anxiety or feeling depressed
  
• bloating, weight gain & sensitive tummy
• fatigue
• food cravings
• breast tenderness, headaches, backaches, joint pain
• acne breakouts (Healthy Women, 2019)
  

Notable Period Facts:

• While the average age to start your period is 12, some people begin menstruating at 8 or even 16 years old.
  
• It is normal for your period to last between 2 and 7 days.
• Your body only loses around 3 to 6 tablespoons of blood during your period.
• The average menstruating American will have around 450 periods in their lifetime.
• Over the course of a menstruating person’s lifetime, they will use over 10,000 menstrual products.
  
• Weight fluctuations, stress, or illnesses can cause irregular periods (longer or shorter periods, more painful periods, or no period at all).
• Scented tampons and pads can cause irritation, skin rashes, and infections.
• It has been proven that period syncing is a myth!
  

Try these tips to relieve symptoms:

• Breathing exercises, meditation or yoga
• Get plenty of rest
• Eat healthy meals & snacks
• Stay hydrated!
• Take a hot bath or use a heating pad
• Have a cup of tea such as chamomile, ​peppermint, ginger, or red raspberry leaf
• Take an over-the-counter pain reliever ​such as acetaminophen or period-​symptom specific options like Midol or ​Pamprin. Make sure to check with your ​doctor and parents first (Healthy Women, ​2019).

If your period symptoms become ​unmanageable, make sure to talk to your ​doctor! There are certain signs to look out for ​that may indicate you are dealing with a ​medical condition.

Some of these signs include:

• Heavy bleeding
• Excruciating cramps or pain during period
• Irregular periods (spotting, skipped ​periods, nonstop bleeding)
• Major mood changes
• Migraines

Symptoms like these may be indicators of ​Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), ​endometriosis, ovarian cysts, Premenstrual ​Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), or other medical ​conditions. To learn more about conditions ​like these, visit Women’s Health.gov.

Medical doctors recommend that those with ​female reproductive systems should begin ​visiting a gynecologist between the ages of 13 ​and 15 years old, or around the time you begin ​menstruating. Regular visits to the ​gynecologist will help you maintain good ​reproductive health and give you the ​opportunity to stay on top of everything ​related to menstruation and your reproductive ​system (Hirsch, 2021).

• Stages of the Menstrual Cycle - A detailed article about menstruation, courtesy of Healthline.
  

• Menstrupedia - a blog that covers everything you need to know about periods.
  

• Girls Helping Girls Period Organization - An organization dedicated to putting an end to period poverty through education, donations, and advocating.
  

• Kids Health.org: All About Periods - offers answers to all the questions you might have about periods.
  

• Planned Parenthood - Everything you need to know about puberty and periods.
  

It is the lack of access to safe and hygienic ​menstrual products, menstrual health education, ​and sanitation services due to social, economic, ​political, and cultural barriers (Geng, 2021).

Examples and statistics on period poverty:

• Nearly 1 in 4 students struggled to afford ​period products in the U.S. in 2021 (Cardosa, ​2021).

• “In Sub-Saharan Africa, 1 in 10 girls is likely to ​miss school monthly because of their period, ​leading to them missing 20% of the school ​year” (Jaafar, 2023).

• “64% of 16.9 million low-income women in ​the US could not afford menstrual products ​in the past year. 46% of these women had to ​choose between menstrual products or ​food” (Geng, 2021).

• 10% of girls in the United Kingdom have ​been unable to purchase menstrual ​products, 15% have struggled to access ​them, and 19% have switched to less ​appropriate products because of high costs ​(Jaafar, 2023).

• An example of an economic barrier that ​limits access to menstrual products in the ​United States is the Tampon Tax. 21 states ​classify tampons and other period products ​as luxury items, which means sales tax ​applies to them. States that have a sales tax ​do not tax items like food and medical ​supplies because they are viewed as ​essential, while menstrual products are ​viewed as non-medical or non-essential ​items (Jaafar, 2023).

• Many countries have problems creating a ​safe place for individuals to manage their ​menstrual products comfortably, which has ​caused menstruating folks to wear products ​for long periods of time, which can cause ​urinary and vaginal infections such as toxic ​shock syndrome (Jaafar, 2023).
  

• Period. The Launchpad - Frequently updated website that features resources for menstrual equity activism.
  

• Ballard Brief Report on period poverty in the United States - Completed in 2023, this report gives a comprehensive overview of period poverty and its impact on menstruating people in the country.
  

• Period Law - An organization that works to put an end to the tampon tax and make sure that menstrual products are tested for safety.
  

• Menstrual Information and Research Assistant - Basically a database on all things menstruation, with research from 500+ reliable articles and reports.
  

• State of the Period 2021 Report - Thinx and PERIOD collaborated on a detailed report of the widespread impact of period poverty on US students.
  

• I Support the Girls - "A nationwide organization that collects and distributes essential items. This includes bras, underwear, and menstrual hygiene products."
  

• GirlUp - A worldwide organization dedicated to women’s rights, gender justice and girls leadership.
  

• Alliance for Period Supplies - an organization dedicated to getting menstrual products to those in need.
  

• CBS News Video: “The bloody truth about period poverty in America.”
  

• YouTube Video by the National Library of Medicine on Period Poverty.
  

Period stigma refers to any form of ​negativity or discrimination against those ​who menstruate. It is the sense of shame, ​embarrassment or hesitation to discuss ​periods (Resnick, 2021).

Period stigma is prevalent all around the ​world. It manifests in accusations that a ​person is "PMS-ing" or menstruating if they ​are perceived to be acting sensitive or short-​tempered. Period stigma is how many ​cultures view menstruation as dirty or as ​something to hide. And it can be seen in the ​code words that we often use to refer to our ​periods like "Aunt Flow" or "shark week." We ​need to talk about menstruation in a ​straightforward way to put an end to the idea ​that it isn't acceptable to discuss it plainly ​(Resnick, 2021).

Examples of Period Stigma that

ARE COMPLETELY FALSE AND ​ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS:

• You are unclean or impure when you ​have your period. FALSE!
  

• It is taboo to have physical romantic ​contact with a menstruating individual ​during their period. FALSE!
  

• Using tampons causes one to lose their ​virginity. FALSE!
  

• Periods should not be discussed in school ​or the workplace. FALSE!
  

• Menstruating people must be isolated ​from others by sleeping and living ​separately from their family until the end ​of their period. FALSE!
  

• NBC News: Breaking Down the Stigma of Menstruation.
  

• Shape Magazine: Why You Absolutely Need to Care About Period Poverty and Stigma, My Take Series with Nadya Okamoto.
  

• Netflix: Period. End of Sentence Documentary, watch on YouTube.
  

• Removing the Shame and Stigma Surrounding Menstruation
  

• Period stigma and how it impacts girls and women
  

• Putting a stop to period stigma
  

• Period Stigma Infographic
  

• Fighting Period Stigma Zine
  

• Nearly half of us women experienced period shaming
  

bibliography

Cardoso, L.F., Scolese, A.M., Hamidaddin, A. et al. Period ​poverty and mental health implications among college-aged ​women in the United States. BMC Women's Health 2021, ​https://bmcwomenshealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s1​2905-020-01149-5#citeas.

Geng, Caitlin. “What to Know about Period Poverty. Medical News ​Today, 2021, ​https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/period-​poverty#what-is-it.

Hirsch, Larissa. When Should My Daughter First Go to the ​Gynecologist? Nemours KidsHealth, 2021, ​https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/first-gyn-exam.html.

Jaafar, Hafiz et al. “Period Poverty: A Neglected Public Health ​Issue.” Korean journal of family medicine vol. 44,4 (2023): 183-188. ​doi:10.4082/kjfm.22.0206.

“Normal Periods: Symptoms of Menstruation.” The Society of ​Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, 2023, ​https://www.yourperiod.ca/normal-periods/symptoms-of-​menstruation/.

Resnick, Ariane. “What is Period Stigma?” Verywell Mind, 2021, ​https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-period-stigma-5116231.

“Your Daughter’s First Period: How You Can Help.” Healthy ​Women, 2019, ​https://www.healthywomen.org/content/article/your-daughters-​first-period-how-you-can-help.

“Your First Period.” American College of Obstetricians and ​Gynecologists, 2022, https://www.acog.org/womens-​health/faqs/your-first-period.

Somerset County

Youth Council

The Somerset County Youth Council helps middle and high school students establish strong leadership skills through community service and the development of programming ideas for the community.

youthcouncil@co.somerset.nj.us

4-H

Somerset Senior Council

The 4-H Somerset Senior Council is a youth club devoted to leadership and community service in the local area. We focus on making a difference as we take on projects and community needs with a team of diverse teens.

https://4histops.org/senior-council

I Support

the Girls

"A nationwide organization that collects and distributes essential items. This includes bras, underwear, and menstrual hygiene products. Having these essential items allows women experiencing homelessness, impoverishment, or distress to stand tall with dignity."

isupportthegirls.org