{"id":3482,"date":"2025-05-24T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-24T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/?p=3482"},"modified":"2025-05-28T21:34:13","modified_gmt":"2025-05-28T21:34:13","slug":"ive-embraced-free-bleeding-when-im-on-my-period","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/24\/ive-embraced-free-bleeding-when-im-on-my-period\/","title":{"rendered":"I\u2019ve embraced free bleeding when I\u2019m on my period"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n\t\t\"Hannah\t<\/div>
I\u2019ve formed a greater connection to my body (Piture: Hannah Shewan Stevens)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Every month, a week before my period<\/a>, cramps from my cervix flow into every bodily crevice.<\/p>\n

Alongside the pain, my mood drops with a crash.<\/p>\n

My periods are brutal because of endometriosis<\/a> \u2013 a condition that causes body-wide pain<\/a> due as endometrial tissue grows outside the womb.\u00a0The pain is constant beyond bleeding days, and the actual menstruation? Savage.\u00a0<\/p>\n

To prepare, I charge my TENS machine (a pain relief device) and electric hot water bottle, and stock up on painkillers.<\/p>\n

But since I ditched menstrual products<\/a> and started embracing the ancient practice of free bleeding<\/a>, rushing to buy pads and tampons is one less thing to think about. I don\u2019t ever see myself going back.<\/p>\n

\u2018Oh, a period for the modern, woke, feminist?\u2019 I hear you moan. Not so much.  <\/p>\n

People have bled freely for centuries, especially before underwear became common in the 1800s. If you want women to return to \u2018traditional femininity\u2019, you can\u2019t get more femme.  <\/p>\n

In the 1970s, the term was coined amid a rise of menstrual activism and its popularity rose due to fears around toxic shock syndrome<\/a> (TSS), a rare and potentially fatal condition that can be caused by improper tampon usage.  <\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"Hannah\t<\/div>
Medieval accounts of women letting blood run into their skirts intrigued me (Picture: Hannah Shewan Stevens)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 2015, the movement surged again when Kiran Gandhi<\/a> ran the London Marathon<\/a> without a tampon. Her choice sparked global discussion, ranging from applause to disgust. <\/p>\n

I\u2019d considered free bleeding while at university, where I battled thrush<\/a> and couldn\u2019t always afford tampons. Medieval accounts of women letting blood run into their skirts intrigued me. But period shame held me back.  <\/p>\n

Despite being raised by a feminist matriarch, social period stigma<\/a> had a massive effect. Into my twenties, I hid tampons up my sleeve to avoid people seeing them <\/strong>and panicked over the tiniest leak. I\u2019d been socialised to believe my periods were inherently bad, that men would dismiss any mood change as ‘PMSing’. I figured the less people knew, the better. <\/p>\n

But I couldn\u2019t find a period option that worked for me. Sticky sanitary towels gave me thrush or caused vulval irritation. Tampons were uncomfortable and fear-inducing. Reusable pads, while softer and chemical-free, still irritated my skin, and the constant rinsing was time-consuming. <\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"Hannah\t<\/div>
Everyone should try free bleeding at least once (Picture: Hannah Shewan Stevens)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Period pants<\/a> were the winner overall, but on summer days, they made my crotch feel like a bloody furnace. <\/p>\n

After cycling through menstrual cup<\/a> options \u2013 digging inside myself, in a public bathroom, put me off for life \u2013 I decided to try free bleeding in April 2024 and I haven\u2019t looked back.  <\/p>\n

There\u2019s no irritation, no smell, and fewer expenses<\/a>. The average annual cost of period products is around \u00a3128 for disposable products. I haven\u2019t spent a penny in over a year.  <\/p>\n

I\u2019m no longer worried about whether I have enough pads, or waste time soaking reusables.  <\/p>\n

I also bleed less. Although I don\u2019t have any scientific evidence, I used to go through up to eight pads or four tampons a day, and now I rarely get through my underwear. I only bleed for three to five days, instead of up to eight. I don\u2019t know the exact source of this menstruation miracle but I\u2019m not questioning it! <\/p>\n

Similarly, I\u2019ve also noticed far less cramping. <\/p>\n

Instead of dousing my vulva with Sudocrem or Canesten after a long day of discomfort, I just wear dark clothing and usually change my underwear once, usually about mid-afternoon.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"Hannah\t<\/div>
My period is my business and how I deal with it doesn’t impact anyone else (Picture: Hannah Shewan Stevens)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On light days, I can go the whole day in one pair; on rare heavier days, I might go through three. I sit on a blanket as an extra precaution, but in over a year of free bleeding, it\u2019s never been stained. <\/p>\n

On work-from-home days, I sometimes eschew underwear and clothes to let my vulva breathe. I use a towel to soak up any blood and take an extra shower during the day if the blood gets on my thighs, which I already do at least twice a day during my period.  <\/p>\n

Apart from the extra laundry load, the only down-side has been avoiding the swimming pool.  <\/p>\n

Everyone should try free bleeding at least once. It\u2019s cheaper, environmentally friendly and so freeing \u2013 I\u2019ve formed a greater connection to my body and embrace all its functions without shame. <\/p>\n

\n
Comment now<\/title><span class=\"metro-comment-cta__text\">Have you ever tried or considered free bleeding? Share your thoughts below<\/span><\/span><a class=\"metro-comment-cta__button\" href=\"#metro-comments-container\">Comment Now<\/a><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p>People imagine free bleeders dripping blood and leaving puddles in their wake, but we only lose an average of two to three tablespoons of blood per period. It\u2019s not like the slasher film you\u2019ve conjured up in your head.  <\/p>\n<p>When I have shared in the past, no one has judged me \u2013 because my period is my business and how I deal with it doesn’t impact anyone else. I\u2019m grateful for any little bit of stress I can remove from my already <a href=\"https:\/\/metro.co.uk\/2025\/03\/09\/gave-disability-benefits-werent-worth-stress-22660834\/\">chronically ill life<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re curious, start on a light day near the end of your period to test the waters. Wear dark, thick fabrics and see how you go. It might not be for you, or you might become a convert. <\/p>\n<p>In the face of enduring period stigma, I plan to remain a free bleeder for as long as I have a period.<\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Do you have a story you\u2019d like to share? Get in touch by emailing <a href=\"mailto:jess.austin@metro.co.uk\">jess.austin@metro.co.uk<\/a>.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Share your views in the comments below.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I\u2019ve formed a greater connection to my body (Piture: Hannah Shewan Stevens) Every month, a week before my period, cramps from my cervix flow into every bodily crevice. Alongside the pain, my mood drops with a crash. My periods are brutal because of endometriosis \u2013 a condition that causes body-wide pain due as endometrial tissue […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3484,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[9],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3482"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3482"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3482\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3489,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3482\/revisions\/3489"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3484"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3482"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3482"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/curiousdrive.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3482"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}