5 Tips for Backpacking on Your Period
Let’s face it, there are a ton of things that women have to worry about while taking a multi-day trip that men don’t. Our bodies seem to have a way of bringing on these inconveniences at inopportune times, like during a fun trip. It can be frustrating at times, but you can’t let it keep you from enjoying the adventure! You just need know how to handle backpacking on your period.
Every woman who spends time in the woods has had their fair share of uncomfortable situations regarding feminine health on the trail. Most of the stress of the situation comes from being unprepared. You can take on these little surprises with a lot more grace when you’re ready for them. These tips will help you with that!
1. Always Pack Supplies
It can seem like a backpacking sin to spare precious space and weight on your back for items you probably won’t use. However, there are some non-negotiables such as first aid, bear spray, and other safety measures that you bring in hopes you won’t ever need them. Well, add feminine sanitary products to your list of just-in-case essentials.
Even if it isn’t your time of the month.
Backpacking is an incredibly strenuous activity that puts a lot of stress on your body. That stress may lead to a variety of reactions that may impact your period2. It may cause your period to arrive early, or it could cause some off-cycle spotting1.
Sometimes, your period just sneaks up on you. If this happens when you’re on a backpacking trip and you don’t have any supplies to deal with it, you’re going to have a bad time. There are no drug stores along the trail. You’ll have to improvise with some of your toilet paper stash or various items in your first aid kit.
Every woman knows a makeshift pad is never comfortable!
If the dates of your period and your trip align, make sure you pack extra. More than you think you’d use, just in case. You don’t want to be caught with short supply when you are miles deep in the forest.
2. Be Prepared for Other Symptoms
Every girl has her own aches and pains that come with her monthly period. Cramps, digestion issues, irritability, and cravings are all common to experience with your time of the month. These symptoms can make you feel miserable when you’re in the comfort of your own home – let alone in the middle of the woods.
That’s why you need to plan ahead and sacrifice a little bit of backpack weight for some small comforts that will keep you in a better mood.
Bring Midol in your first aid kit, some of your favorite chocolate in your food bag, and make sure the clothes you bring are comfortable. They should be anyway!
If you tend to get bad cramps and back pain, bring along a couple body warmer heat packs. These can act as a hot pack to help relieve those pains. Bringing along your favorite candy bar or treat can satisfy those cravings and put you in a better mood!
3. Wear The Right Underwear
Backpacking is not the occasion for the cute underwear.
Backpacking on your period is the time for your most comfortable, sweat-wicking, and durable underwear. So make sure you have plenty of these on hand when packing your clothing for the trip.
Make sure your undergarments are the right fabric for being active. While cotton is often considered one of the best fabrics for women’s underwear, but it might not be the best choice for such an active trip. Cotton is absorbent, which means that after a little while of sweating, it is going to gather a lot of moisture.
Instead, look for nylon, bamboo, polyester and spandex underwear for your backpacking adventures. These will wick sweat from your skin and dry more quickly so you aren’t feeling swampy.
Lace should be avoided mainly because it is less durable. The last thing you need is a broken strap or a skin-irritating tear when you are 4 miles away from your next campsite. Make sure you’re bringing underwear that are new enough to be dependable, but not so new that you don’t know if they are comfortable.
4. Keep Your Hands Clean
It’s important to have a method of cleaning your hands when you’re backpacking. You may not notice it, but you’ll touch a lot of rocks, boulders, and trees as you walk through the woods. Before meals, you’ll want to wipe off any dirt, mud, or bacteria that gathers on your hands. This is important for making sure you don’t ingest anything that may make you sick.
You’ll also want to clean your hands before and after you change out your tampon or menstrual cup.
You’re touching a lot of dirty things as you walk through the woods. Keeping the filth that gathers on your hands out of your body is important for keeping yourself healthy and safe. Having plenty of hand sanitizer, wipes, or biodegradable soap will help with this. Use them often and if you’re using wipes, dispose of them properly!
Check out these tips for staying hygienic on the trail!
5. Leave No Trace
It may be unpleasant to think about, but leave no trace applies to your pads and tampons as well. If you are backpacking on your period be sure you have an extra plastic bag for your wrappers and products. An air-tight zippable plastic baggy is best for this, just make sure to double bag it to make sure it doesn’t tear or pop.
If you are using a reusable product such as a menstrual cup, you’ll have to be considerate when cleaning it out. A general rule for human waste is to dig a 6 inch deep hole at least 200 feet from any water source and bury your waste there. If you are cleaning out a cup, follow this guideline. Bringing along a small trowel or backpacking shovel can make this a lot easier.
Conclusion
No one hopes to go backpacking on their period, but sometimes it just works out that way. That doesn’t mean you’re going to have a lousy trip! Being prepared will save you from a stressful situation if your time of the month catches you by surprise. Having extra supplies and a few creature comforts on your backpacking packing list for those trips will help keep you in good spirits even though the conditions are less than ideal.
Photo by Ivana Cajina on Unsplash
