A woman’s monthly cycle can often bring physical discomfort and emotional ups and downs. As a caring partner, you play an important role in helping alleviate any pain she experiences on her period. From small acts of service to empathetic listening, here’s how to support your girlfriend through shark week:
Check in on Comfort Needs
Ask if she needs anything from the pharmacy – favorite snacks, heating pads, specific over-the-counter meds that work best for her cramps. Does a hot bath or massage ease body aches? Offer to run errands saving her energy when she feels lethargic under the weather during her flow.
Help More Around the House
Pick up additional chores as she copes with cramps, bloating and headaches. Empty the trash before it overflows with used products so she avoids that hassle. Stock up on extra toilet paper rolls and baby wipes placing them conveniently within reach. Volunteer to handle dinner, drinks refills or anything reducing her burden as hormones cause fatigue.
Surprise With Small Treats
Surprise treats bringing smiles demonstrate you’re already anticipating needs before she asks. Leave chocolate or other beloved period comfort foods on her bedside table to discover. Draw a bubble bath with epsom salts to soak soreness away. Set up a tablet cued with her favorite movies to distract from menstrual woes while resting. These proactive comfort measures say “I understand” better than words.
Listen With Sensitivity
Simply making space to vent frustration over painful PMS symptoms validates her experience. Don’t try “fixing” it with solutions – just listen, reflect her feelings back showing you understand, and offer empathy through hugging or a reassuring hand squeeze indicating she’s not alone. Validating her rollercoaster experience during shark week provides emotional release.
Buy Menstrual Products
Save her potential embarrassment by keeping the bathroom stocked with preferred pads, liners or tampons so she needn’t request them. Offer to make pharmacy runs when she runs low. Discreetly providing needed products prevents self consciousness about natural cycles. Normalizing periods as everyday reality promotes positive body image.
Suggest Soothing Activities
Gentle activities provide distraction from persistent cramps. Offer head, neck and shoulder massages to melt tension away. Brew soothing teas she enjoys. Play mellow music and dance together or take slow evening strolls holding hands under streetlights. Recommending relaxing rituals demonstrates caring.
Educate Yourself
Reject taboos around menstruation by proactively reading up on it yourself via educational resources online. Follow body positive activists teaching women’s health empowerment on social media. Being knowledgeable about the science behind her period symptoms prevents spreading myths and celebrates cycles as wondrous rather than embarrasing.
Reassure Her She’s Still Beautiful
During “bloat week” before her period, women often feel self conscious of temporary weight changes. Counteract insecurities and self criticism with loving affirmations of her timeless beauty in your eyes. Attraction rooted in deeper connection remains steadfast regardless of fluctuating hormone water retention effects on appearance.
Support Healthy Coping Strategies
Everyone handles discomfort differently. Discuss what self care tools work well for her during cycles rather than assuming. Brainstorm ideas together – exploratory journaling about emotions/bodily sensations, prepping healthy snacks reducing sugar/carb cravings, adding magnesium/vitamin B rich foods, establishing exercise regimens lessening anxiety/depression. Customize a holistic wellness plan improving her period coping toolkit.
By proactively lending support, you ease monthly struggles she shoulders largely solo simply by virtue of anatomy. Helping needn’t be complex – small gestures to make her days happier and providing strength when hers feels zapped demonstrates loving commitment matching the depth of your bond.
