Gain more control of your period!

It has been suggested that some women can control the flow of their periods, and in my experience this is somewhat true. While I cannot completely stop the flow (or rather, "hold" it in to be released later), I have noticed an increased ability to control the cramps I get, making them work to my advantage to "push" the flow out.

The secret? Kegel exercises. BOTH kinds.

You might be wondering what I mean by "both," or you may not even know that there are two kinds of Kegel exercises, Well, there are! Type one is when you squeeze the pelvic floor muscles, while type two involves "relaxing" or "pushing out" with the pelvic floor muscles, and these exercises are easier than you may think. The easiest way to perform both exercises is while peeing. Start by peeing just a little, then squeezing in to stop the flow. Hold for a few seconds, then forcefully push out as if trying to force the flow to go faster. Alternate back and forth between squeezing in to stop the flow, then pushing out. There you go! Two exercises! Practice this every time you need to pee, and you'll eventually gain much more control over your pelvic floor muscles.

How does this work with your period? Well, the cramping sensation you get means your muscles are pushing out your flow. Use this to your advantage by flexing your abdominals from top to bottom as the cramp progresses, ending with a push using your pelvic floor, thus forcing the flow out. As you gain more control over those muscles through practice with kegel exercises, you may even feel a small "gush" of fluid when you push out. Obviously, to (at least somewhat) hold the flow in (presumably until you can get to a toilet or get a pad/tampon/cup in place), squeeze the muscles to stop (or slow down) the flow.

I, myself, have been doing this for about 5 or 6 months, and have noticed a remarkable difference in how I bleed. I haven't been able to completely stop the flow, but I can slow it down or force it out by doing these exercises, and it has definitely helped with the cramping. Yes, the cramps still hurt, but I use them to my advantage and work with them to push things out, thus giving me more control over my cycle, It just takes some time, practice, and a bit of body awareness,

Good luck!