Tips On Maintaining Menstrual Hygiene During Heavy Flow Periods

Description: Periods are a messy affair! Even during a lockdown, women still have to deal with the humongous stress of having a heavy flow period while secretly battling the consequences of poor menstrual hygiene habits. 

It can get quite difficult to maintain good personal hygiene in times when bathing once in two days is socially acceptable. But when you have a heavy flow period, following basic menstrual hygiene habits becomes imperative! Poor menstrual hygiene has been called the “Fifth largest killer of women all around the world” and could lead to some very serious bacterial infections, rashes and other health problems. 

The importance of maintaining good hygiene especially in “those days” is rarely discussed. Prevailing myths and misconceptions about periods being taboo don’t help either. Some women wash their blood-soaked pads before discarding them to get rid of the “impurities” and others are still asked to throw their used pads in ponds behind their homes. 

While the task of maintaining good menstrual hygiene may seem quite daunting, it really isn’t! Let us break it down with some basic dos and don’ts that you can follow for good menstrual hygiene, especially during those heavy flow days! 

1. Clean, Change and Repeat 

Changing your pad every 3-4 hours is a must if you want to prevent urinary tract infections (also known as UTIs), rashes and irritation. If you have a heavy menstrual flow, then you might want to change it even more often to prevent not only these health issues but also avoid leakage. 

2. Bath time = Fun Time 

Did you know that your period temporarily slows down when you take a shower? So, if you are afraid of riding the crimson wave across the bathroom floor given the heavy flow period, don’t be! Washing your vagina regularly with warm water helps get rid of any hitchhiking germs that may have stuck around after you’ve removed your menstrual products. It also helps get rid of those oh-so-painful backaches and cramps! 

3. Vaginal Hygiene Products are a big NO-NO! 

Just like one of those self-cleaning automated vacuum robots, your vagina also has a beautiful mechanism that cleans itself. Avoid using harsh hygiene products especially during menstruation. Beware of soaps and washes that are full of artificial fragrances that chemically destroy the “good bacteria” and also hamper the natural cleaning process. 

4. One Menstrual Product at a time

When you get your period, refrain from using multiple menstrual products at the same time. If you stack multiple pads together during a heavy flow or use them with tampons, you are not only at risk of forgetting to change them frequently but also making yourself more prone to the possibility of contracting vaginal infections. 

5. Discard your pads the proper way 

Improper disposal of menstrual products is a menace not only for you but also for those around you. While women have adopted many ways of discarding their pads over the years, we would suggest the safest way is to wrap your used pads in a newspaper and discarding it in a dust bin. 

So there you have it. Our top 5 menstrual hygiene tips that are guaranteed to make your period less messy this time around, even if you have the heaviest flow!

If you think your heavy flow period is making it impossible for you to follow these tips, think again! A heavy flow requires extra care and attention. With Rio Pads for heavy flow, it takes care of not only absorbing all the gushing blood but also comes with a hygienic top sheet which is free of chemicals like artificial fragrances, chlorine and latex. This protects you and keeps you away from heavy-flow stress!