Welcome back Auntie Flow: Yenta Talks Periods

If you were paying close attention to the title of this post, you can tell already we are going to get a little personal. You’ve been warned.

So.

Let’s talk periods.

I suppose all good things must come to an end.  As I’ve been slowly weaning the little man off the boob, I started feeling the all too familiar symptoms

• Irrational anger and hunger

• The roller coaster of emotions

• The need to nap every five minutes

• Feeling bloaty, crampy and farty

Look, these are perfectly normal side effects.  It just would have been great if I had a little more notice. Most women who exclusively breastfeed can expect to be period-free for up to a year, so I knew this moment was going to come. The looming return of Auntie Flow matched with his weaning has shaken things up.  Before my pregnancy, my periods were beautiful.  Well-timed, like clock-work, I knew when my ride on the cotton pony was coming and going. I tracked it in an app on my phone and everything was organized and predictable. But that was then.

Now?  I basically feel like a hot mess.  I know this too shall pass.  I know things will eventually get back on track, but what to do when trying to keep on plan?  Here’s my game plan:

1. Start tracking food habits and bring in the reinforcements.  For me (and I’m going to assume for many) periods means carbs.  And while it is easy to eat everything in sight, I want to be strategichow I nourish my body when its feeling completely out of whack.   Enter Kelly.  Kelly has been training me for the last few weeks and I’ve been feeling extra weak and tired on my runs.  Tomorrow we are going to review my food diary and come up with a game plan for eating on a schedule.
2. Get those 8-10 hours of sleep.  This is a hard one even when I’m not riding the crimson wave but so totally necessary.  Even if it means being a bore and going to bed at 9.  Maybe tomorrow (This is Us season, finale, um hello?)
3. Yoga.  Lots of stretching and gentle sequences over the next few days, as well as a workshop on the weekend.  Namas-yay.
4. Water.  I barely get enough water as it is so I’m decreasing the caffeine (sigh) and upping the h20.  I’m sure this will suck in the short term but I know it will be beneficial in the long run.
5. Meditate.  I’ve been trying to incorporate more meditation before bed.  Aside from the fact it helps me wind down, studies have shown that regular meditation can help improve breathing, increase focus and lessens worries and anxieties.  I use two apps on my phone:  Headspace and Insight Timer.  Be sure to check it out.

So that is my plan.  What do you think?  Ladies, I want to hear from you.  Share with me your self care routines for your monthly visitor.  Also, be sure to tune in tomorrow at approximately 3:40 pm on my instagram.  Kelly and I will be going live to discuss nutrition and she will be able to answer any of your questions.

Hope you have a great week!

xo

Jen