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Maria Nersi

The Journey of Womanhood – How to Prepare the Changes

The journey of womanhood is dynamic. It’s a self-exploration journey that will lead you to self-mastery when you can embrace every change in your life throughout the womanhood. It’s a very transformational yet empowering at the same time. In women’s life cycles, there are key practices that can help reconnect women with the rhythms of these cycles. These reconnections such as yoga or meditation, can nourish every one of us as a way to honor the rhythms of our cyclical experiences of female bodies.


Collectie Wereldmuseum (v/h Tropenmuseum), part of the National Museum of World Cultures, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons


In spirituality, these magical cyclical powers are often called siddhis. The female siddhis are naturally arising physical experiences; it is important to notice the difference between experiencing their physiological aspects as bodily functions, and recognizing these experiences as potential siddhis. Learn more about Female Siddhis here.


It’s very important for a woman to be aware of her womanhood. Changes are inventible so is the transformation. These are phases in womanhood that we can learn so we can prepare it ourselves and help other women who might need it:


Menarche (Puberty)

Leading up to your first period, you may notice these symptoms:

·      Cramping (pain or achiness in your belly, back or legs).

·      Bloating (your belly feels full or swollen).

·      Tender or sore breasts (chest).

·      Breakouts (acne/pimples flare-up).

·      Mood swings.

·      Fatigue (tiredness).


To prepare this phase, a girl who is in the process becoming a woman still needs the guidance from the adult especially other woman to understand her body during these changes. Hence, it’s crucial for parents or the caregivers to understand the changes her body will undergo.


Navigating the journey to womanhood can be both exciting and nerve-wracking, especially when it comes to recognizing the signs that your period is coming for the first time. For parents, understanding these signs can help them better support their daughters during this significant milestone. A well-prepared period kit can help make the first menstrual experience more comfortable and stress-free. Having essential items readily available can alleviate anxiety and ensure young people are prepared for their first period.





Menstrual Cycle

During the menstruation journey, women may face different phases and hormonal changes. The period cycle usually has two main phases; the follicular phase and the luteal phase. Learn your pattern to understand your body better, tracking your period is advised. Learn more about menstrual phases here. Since women’s bodies are different from one another, symptoms may vary between us; but it can include cramps, bloating, acne breakouts, sore breasts, fatigue, and mood swings.


By learning your menstrual phases, you can also practice awareness when you can align your exercise routine, work, self-care, and what you eat with your menstrual cycle to feel more in sync with our body’s natural rhythms. This method is called Cycle Syncing. Learn more about cycle synching here. Learn how to plan your exercise routine based on your menstrual cycle here.

 

Pregnancy

During the journey of pregnancy, a woman's body undergoes various physical changes as it adapts to support the growing fetus. Besides, women also experience a range of emotional changes alongside the physical changes. These emotional changes can be attributed to hormonal fluctuations, anticipation, and the significant life changes associated with pregnancy. You can learn and equip yourself with prior knowledge about changes you will endure during pregnancy here.


During pregnancy, exercise is still important. Regular exercise is linked to a wide range of health benefits for pregnant people including reduced stress and anxiety, faster childbirth, reduced risk of constipation and back pain, and improved ability to maintain a moderate weight during and after pregnancy. Although, you need to be mindful on how your body’s doing during the pregnancy and always consult to the doctor before planning a regular pregnancy exercise.


There is also pre-pregnancy fitness training to prepare a healthy pregnancy. Fit Parents, Fit Baby: engaging in pre-pregnancy workouts is a proactive way to care for yourself and your baby. These workouts help you maintain your physical fitness, prepare your body for pregnancy, and provide a solid foundation for a healthy and fulfilling pregnancy journey. Learn more about exercising for and during pregnancy here.


Pregnancy is a big life changing moment for women and we want to support them to feel comfortable during this transitioning stage. We create these tools for women so they can embrace these changes gracefully and beautifully.





Postpartum

Postpartum changes refer to the physical and emotional adjustments that occur in expecting mothers following childbirth. These changes can vary widely among women but generally include body aches, vaginal discharge, swollen feet, enlarged breasts, and vaginal pain.


In addition to support, therapy, and medication, the ideal treatment plan for postpartum or perinatal depression and anxiety often includes mindfulness techniques. Exercises such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and meditation, for example, have been shown to reduce blood pressure and promote recovery from many illnesses. Learn more about postpartum mindfulness techniques here.


Bymne wants to help women and mothers to find ways to get back to our nurturing soft side in times when it feels difficult, especially during the first stage of motherhood when we’re in a transition and we haven’t been used to it.





Perimenopause

It’s a natural process when the ovaries gradually stop working. This process is caused by the changing hormones within the body. The symptoms might the same as PMS when the estrogen level is high and you may have hot flashes when the estrogen is low. These changes might disturb your normal cycle and cause discomfort.


Since it’s a natural process from being a woman, treatment is rarely needed. But, you can lessen the impact using natural method such as regular exercises, changing diet, or even aromatherapy. Perimenopause comes roughly 12-months before the actual menopause, we can consider this phase as a transition and preparation year. Although, for some cases, perimenopause can come so gradually and almost unnoticeable even for serval years.

 

Menopause & Post-Menopause

Menopause is when the menstrual period has stopped completely. It occurs when your body stops producing the hormones that cause your period 12-months in a row. After you can assure that your body has stopped producing these hormones, it can be said that you’ve entered the post-menopause phase. During this phase you may still experience random hot flashes during the day and night.

Stay healthy during this phase is very important, especially the health risks are increasing as you age. Strength training is advised to maintain your muscle mass and bone structure, eating healthy diet, and practice mindfulness.



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