9 ways to enjoy your bleed

We were raised to dread, hide, fear and be ashamed of our bleed...

And when we're trying to hide something that is so core to our body's functioning, we internalize shame about our flesh and blood. So, I know it can feel overwhelming to deal with blood dripping out of you while you're trying to be productive, but here are a few really easy and simple ways to start honoring and YES enjoying your bleed. Because our bleeding time is meant to be a time of slow pleasure and retreat. 

1. Rest (and don't work out)

It is not supportive to be running, jumping, bicycling (ouch) when you're bleeding. The ligaments that attach the uterus to your pelvis are looser during bleeding and should not be subjected to additional strain. Some gentle yoga or stretching might feel good. But any exercise or aerobic work you can skip. Think of yourself as a shedding mammal during this time. 

2. Order In Dinner

In a perfect, woman-centered world we would retreat to the red tent during our bleed and our meals would be delivered to us. It's something to strive for, definitely. But for now, just order in dinner on your heaviest day of bleeding and/or cramping. You don't need to be standing at the stove. You need to be resting. 

3. Drink Tea

In chinese and ayurvedic medicine, cool drinks are considered unproductive during bleeding and postpartum. I have a hard time avoiding cold water (especially here in the desert) but defintiely add some tea to your bleeding days. Nettle tea is really good for cramps and women's fertility in general. 

4. Use a heating pad

The womb likes to be warm. All of your female parts thrive in warmth. So use a heating pad or rice sock. It helps with cramp pain but you don't need to have pain in order to care for yourself with heat. 

5. Wear Socks

This one goes along with #4. In Chinese medicine, the feet are connected to the womb. So if your feet are warm, your womb will be warm. And if you want it to feel even yummier: clean your feet with warm water, apply oil and then put on your socks. Mmmmm, feels so good to relax on the couch like this. 

6. Go to bed early

Our bodies need more sleep during the luteal phase (right before bleeding) and the bleeding phase. You might be able to thrive on 6-7 hours of sleep when you're ovulating or in the follicular phase, but during the fall and winter of your cycle you need more sleep. So go to bed one hour earlier than usual. Your dreams will be more potent too. 

7. Tell someone you're bleeding

If you're already used to doing this, then I challenge you to tell someone new that you're bleeding. Like maybe your male colleague (eek, I know but it's so fun to watch their reaction LOL). But if you don't usually tell anyone, then I challenge you to tell someone in your household. Tell your partner and/or your kids. You could start with "I'm bleeding right now, so I'm not going to cook dinner." Or "I'm bleeding right now, so I'm going to stay on the couch, but I can play a board game".

8. Cancel one meeting or social hang

This one can feel really edgy. It was so hard for me at first to tell anyone I was bleeding, let alone use it as a reason to cancel something. We're supposed to be able to do everything a man can do, right? But we contribute to breaking the taboo around menstruation when we model for others that it's ok to skip something or even cancel it altogether. You can also cancel without explaining why. 

9. Free bleed for one hour

Free bleeding is the practice of allowing the blood to flow from your womb without obstruction. I free bleed for 75-90% of my bleeding but I worked up to it. And if free bleeding isn't for you all the time, that's fine. But if you spend one hour sitting on a towel or a blanket with your tea, socks and heating pad you will feel the inherent pleasure of being a bleeding animal. Check out my mini course if you want to learn more.