Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Preparing for the flight
• Part 2 of 3: Dealing with your period during the flight
• Part 3 of 3: Getting through the flight as comfortably as possible
• Tips
• Warnings

Long flights are often boring and uncomfortable for most people. This is especially true if you have your period and are concerned about changing your tampons or pads during the flight. Fortunately, planes have several toilets and you can take things with you to make your flight as comfortable as possible.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Preparing for the flight

1. Consider booking an aisle seat. If possible, book an aisle seat. Chances are you'll have to get from your seat every two hours or so to go to the bathroom, and if you're in the aisle, you won't have to keep asking the other passengers if you can pass.
   • If you can't get a seat on the aisle, don't worry. You will always have to ask the person sitting next to you if you can pass it when you need to go to the bathroom and that may make them somewhat annoyed. However, remember that you have to do what you have to do and it is not your responsibility to please other people. Ask the person sitting next to you if you can please drop by to go to the bathroom. If you are polite and respectful, you don't have to worry about anything.
2. Take enough things with you. Make sure you bring enough of the product of your choice. If you usually only bring tampons or a menstrual cup, it may also be a good idea to bring some pantyliners. These resemble sanitary pads but are thinner. They can collect the blood that can leak from your tampon or menstrual cup. If you are using a menstrual cup, bring an extra cup if you have one. Otherwise, bring one or two more tampons or pads than you think you need.
   • Also, consider bringing a small package of hand sanitizer with you. Chances are the toilet on the plane has soap and water, but it's good to bring your own in case you run out of soap.
   • You can also bring a small pack of hand lotion with you. The soap provided by the airline can dry out your skin. Because you have to wash your hands often, it is good to have something to combat dry skin.
3. Bring extra pants. You may be leaking and some blood may get into your pants. When this happens, you'll be glad you have clean pants with you to put on.
   • If this happens and you have a plastic bag big enough to put your pants in, you can rinse your pants in the sink and put them in the bag.
   • If you don't have a large enough plastic bag with you, roll up your stained jeans so that the blood stains are on the inside. You can then keep the pants in the bottom of your carry-on until you get to where you can wash and dry your pants.
4. Wear comfortable clothes. A long flight is uncomfortable for most people, whether they have their periods or not. You don't have to dress like a slouch, but wear clothes that are comfortable for you. Consider wearing nice sweatpants or yoga pants in a color like black, so it won't show if you leak through.
   • Don't forget to layer. It can be difficult to estimate how hot or how cold it is on the plane, but on most long flights it is a bit colder on the plane. It is often a good idea to wear a comfortable short-sleeved shirt in case it gets hot and bring a warmer sweater or a thin jacket that you can put on if you get cold.
   • Bring extra underwear in case you leak. If you do leak through, put on the clean underwear and rinse the dirty underwear in the sink. Put it in a plastic bag so that your other things don't get wet.
   • Bring a pair of warm, comfortable socks to put on during the flight. You can also bring earplugs and a soft eye mask if you plan to sleep.
5. Bring one or two resealable plastic bags. It is a good idea to bring an extra resealable plastic bag to use in case there is no bin, or the bin is full. If so, you can wrap your used tampon or sanitary napkin in toilet paper, put it in the bag and throw it away later. Special hygienic disposable bags for used sanitary towels and tampons are available at pharmacies and supermarkets.
   • With a plastic bag, you have an additional option for disposing of your used pads and tampons, even though this may not be ideal for some people. If you go to the bathroom and find that there is no place to throw away your used pads and tampons, you will be glad you have a bag.
   • It may also be helpful to have a plastic bag in case you need to rinse blood stains from your underwear. You can then put the damp, rinsed underpants in the pocket without worrying about your other gear getting wet.
   • If you don't like having to put your bag of used pads and tampons in your hand luggage, you can put the plastic bag in a vomit bag. You can usually find this in the back of the airplane seat. Take the bag to where the flight attendants are and ask them if they have a bin for you to put the bag in.
6. Put all your pads and tampons in a bag. If you are embarrassed that people see your pads and tampons, you can put them in a small bag. The toilet on the plane is usually very small, so it is probably not possible to bring your hand luggage. With a bag you can keep all your things in one place, so you don't forget anything when you go to the toilet.
   • If you don't want or can't take another bag with you to the bathroom, just keep your things in your hand. Periods are normal and natural, and don't be ashamed of it. Most people on the plane are too busy sleeping, reading, watching movies, or working to even see what you're doing.
7. Consider bringing wet wipes. With damp cloths you can clean yourself underneath so that you feel fresh and clean. There are a lot of wet hygiene wipes on the market, and many are packaged separately so you can just open one up whenever you need a wipe. In general, you shouldn't use these products and stick to plain white toilet paper, but it's okay to use a wipe every now and then, especially if you have a fairly heavy period.
   • You can also use a baby wipe or just wet some toilet paper or tissue, but treat the skin around your vagina gently.
   • If you're using a cloth or wet tissue, don't flush it down the toilet. This can clog the toilet. Instead, throw the cloth or tissue in the trash or put it in your plastic bag for disposal later.
8. Put some painkillers in your carry-on. If you have cramps, back pain, or headaches because of your period, take a pain reliever designed to treat menstrual pain. You will feel even more uncomfortable during your flight if you have cramps and headaches.
   • Make sure to take only the recommended dose.

Part 2 of 3: Dealing with your period during the flight

1. Go to the bathroom every few hours. If you are using a sanitary napkin, it is a good idea to check that it is full every 2 to 4 hours. This is especially a good idea if your periods are heavy and you lose a lot of blood. If you are using tampons and are losing a lot of blood, you can check every 1 to 2 hours to see if you have leaked. However, know that you need to change tampons every 6 to 8 hours.
   • If you keep your tampon on for too long or use a tampon with too high an absorbency rate, you are more likely to get toxic shock syndrome. It is therefore important that you use tampons with an absorption rate that matches the amount of blood you are losing. Only use tampons with a high absorbency on the heaviest day of your period, and change your tampon every 6 to 8 hours.
   • If you're using a menstrual cup, you can probably keep it in for a little longer without having to empty it. However, depending on how much blood you lose, you should empty your cup every 4 to 8 hours. Empty your cup every 4 hours if you are losing a lot of blood and notice that you are starting to leak. Empty your cup every 8 hours if you are losing less blood and not leaking.
   • If the toilet is taken, it's okay to wait. You can also try a different toilet as most larger planes have at least two. It's a good idea to walk around every now and then during a long flight, so don't feel like you're disturbing other people.
2. Wash your hands. It's important to wash your hands before touching your genitals with them. The bacteria you got on your hands from touching various things can cause unwanted infections, especially if you've touched things in a crowded public place like an airport.
   • If you brought hand sanitizer with you, you can use that too.
   • Wash your hands again when you are done in the bathroom, whether you got some on your hands or not.
3. Change your tampon or sanitary napkin. When you see it is time for you to change your tampon or pads, do so. Wrap enough toilet paper around your used tampon or sanitary napkin and dispose of it in the bin. If you're using a menstrual cup, empty the cup in the toilet and rinse it clean in the sink before reinserting it.
4. Don't throw your used tampons and pads in the toilet. Whether you're on a plane or elsewhere, don't throw your pads and tampons down the toilet. Chances are that this will clog the toilet, so wrap toilet paper around your tampon or sanitary napkin and throw it in the bin.
5. Clean up. Hopefully you won't have to clean too much, but if you accidentally made a mess or got blood on something, make sure to clean. Of course you do not want other passengers to have to go to a toilet that you have dirty.
   • Concerns about blood-borne diseases can also cause a commotion about whether it is safe to use the toilet if a passenger finds some blood on the toilet seat or elsewhere. The flight attendants can decide to close the toilet completely.
6. Drink lots of water. Bring a resealable plastic water bottle and fill it in the toilet or at a fountain after clearing customs, but before boarding the plane. The humidity in the plane can drop by as much as 20%, causing your body to dry out more.
   • This will likely make you need to go to the bathroom more often, but in this case it's fine because you'll need to go to the bathroom regularly anyway to see if your tampon, pad, or cup is already full.
   • Do not try to go through customs with a full water bottle. This is not allowed for security reasons, and you will have to throw your bottle away if it is full of liquid.

Part 3 of 3: Getting through the flight as comfortably as possible

1. Distract yourself. A long flight can be very boring. So make sure you have plenty of ways to enjoy yourself. Bring a book you want to read, music you can listen to with earplugs, or a tablet or laptop to watch movies on.
   • On many long flights you can watch movies on the plane. That's great, but don't count on it because this isn't always the case. Make sure you always bring something yourself.
   • Try to get some sleep. For many people it is almost impossible to sleep on the plane, but if you can, try to sleep for a few hours. This will allow you to kill some time and rest before arriving at your destination.
2. Move your chair back. If you are on a long plane trip like a transatlantic flight or you are flying at night, recline your seat slightly. Many people find this rude, but you will find that most people recline their seats on a long flight.
   • However, try to do this neatly and only recline your chair as far back as necessary for you to sit comfortably. First, take a look behind you to see who is sitting there. If someone is sitting on the chair behind you for a very long time and he or she already has limited space, do not recline your chair to make it even more uncomfortable for him or her.
3. Bring a travel pillow. Even if you don't plan on going to sleep, it's a good idea to bring a travel pillow on a long flight so you can sit a little more comfortably. If you don't rest your head on it, you can put it behind your back or sit on it to get a little more support.
4. Bring snacks. You will probably get food on your flight, but this food is not always very tasty or healthy. Oranges, bananas, watermelons and wholemeal bread have been found to be very good for women who suffer from menstrual problems. Cut a watermelon into pieces and put it in a storage box that you can seal, or just put an orange or a banana in your bag. These foods are not only healthier, but also help relieve your discomfort.
   • Don't forget to bring a treat. To get through a painful period it is important to eat something tasty. In this case, you can bring some of your favorite candy or chocolate to eat during the flight.
5. Drink tea or coffee. Tea and coffee are also thought to be good for your period. Many airlines already offer coffee and tea anyway, so enjoy a warm cup of tea or coffee to ease your discomfort.
6. Use a heat band. There are several products for sale that use heat to relax the muscles. These heat bands work just like traditional heat pads. You put them on the painful area, but you don't need electricity or hot water to make them work. There are also heat bands specially designed to soothe menstrual cramps.
   • You can usually wear such a heat band under your clothes, so before you go to the airport, you can put a heat band around your lower abdomen or any other place where you have cramps from your period. You can also put on the heat band in the toilet on the plane.
   • Cramping is caused by your muscles contracting, and heat causes your muscles to relax slightly.

Tips

• If you're running out of pads or tampons, most airlines have extras you can ask for.
• Do not flush your tampons and pads down the toilet, as this can clog them.
• Remember to put gels and liquids such as hand lotion and / or hand sanitizer in a small clear plastic bag that you can remove from your bag and pass through the scanner at customs. Do not try to smuggle them, because they will probably search your bag.
• If there is no waste bin or it is full, wrap toilet paper around your used tampon or sanitary napkin and put it in a plastic bag. You can throw it away later. If you're worried the bag is going to smell, don't worry. The odor will be stopped by the sealed bag.

Warnings

• If you drop off a bag or suitcase, make sure you have packed all your belongings in your hand luggage. You won't be able to access your bag or suitcase during the flight, so it's important to remember where you put your pads and tampons.
• Never use an opened tampon or sanitary napkin. You never know to which bacteria the product has been exposed. Prevention is better than cure.
• You run a greater risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) on long flights. DVT occurs when the blood circulation in the legs is slowed or the blood clots with little movement. A good way to counteract this is to take a short walk every hour. You can also wear compression stockings, which put pressure on the lower legs and keep the blood from clotting. Know that your risk of DVT is higher if you take the contraceptive pill.