5 Tips for Parenting Through PMS

If you’re a chick reading this, I’m sure you can relate to the feeling of dread knowing you have to manage your bleed on top of trying to co-regulate, keep your cool whilst your hormones are raging and trying to work out if that last bit of chocolate at the back of the pantry is still edible.

Now for those of you who are new or who didn’t know, I have endometriosis.  Fun fact, some days, the pain can be so intense, and the exhaustion associated with the blood loss is so much that it’s hard for me to focus let alone parent.

So here are my 5 quick tips that I use to help me get through this part of my monthly cycle:

1. I significantly reduced my sugar intake about two years ago, not because I was trying to lose weight, but more so I was advised to do so because of how the sugar was affecting my hormones.  What I noticed was that I was no longer bloated, the pain was completely turned down and I felt relatively normal.  I can safely say that when I did drink alcohol, (I’ve been alcohol free for 2.5 years) this affected my hormones just as much as the sugar.  So, if you’re feeling like you’re dreading your monthly, try to reduce your sugar and alcohol intake and see how you feel when your flow does come.

2. Now I know some of you and going to poo poo this idea, I know I did when I first heard it, but on day 2 of my cycle I love going for a hot bath. Now before you think am I going to get into this bath and it’s going to turn blood red, just relax, you’re not in a horror movie.  The hot water relaxes all your muscles and you’ll feel so much cleaner once you get out of the bath.  Don’t forget to add in the magnesium flakes (I wrote about the benefits of these flakes in my previous blog post) which will be so helpful at this point in your cycle.

3. My kinesiologist has been a God send for me when managing my period. Not only does he allow me the space to ask my 400 million questions, but he also gives me drops that I pop into my juice (you can’t taste them) which help me regulate my hormones and keep me one happy, sane mama.

4. Now this is a dicey one.  Some mamas out there simply cannot sleep as their child will not allow it, others have the gift of a child sleeping through the night.  During my bleed cycle, ideally, I love to be in bed by no later than 9pm and asleep by 9:30pm. Sleep is so hugely important during this time.  If you’re anything like me, and your iron levels are shot anyway, loosing more blood isn’t great, so getting extra sleep is going to be a game changer for your energy levels. And if you’re taking those hot baths the magnesium will put you straight to sleep.

5. I’ve recently just started taking Floradix which is an iron supplement. I’m not a big fan of infusions.  If they work for you, amazing, keep going.  For me, I’ll be great for a week and then I feel like I’m starting to decline.  Some people don’t like the taste; I actually don’t mind it.  This will help with your energy levels especially because you’ll be so tired during this point in time.

I hope you’ve found these tips helpful and if you love it, please share it with a friend.  As mums, I find sharing information is the easiest way to learn and consume knowledge.

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Podcast Episode #43: More Than Sex: The 13 Intimacies That Hold a Marriage Together

In this week’s episode I spoke with Angela Giffith AKA The Christian Sexpert.

Angela is a challenger of the status quo and disruptor of what has always been. With over 20 years of study in human sexuality and God’s design for sex, she coaches women toward a healthier relationship with their God-given sexuality.

Angela uses social media to change the narrative from the inside out. She sees the damage purity culture and Hollywood have done—but believes there’s a better way. She’s created multiple resources to help couples deepen both sexual and non-sexual intimacy.

Her bold, sassy style will have you laughing, blushing, and reaching for pearls to clutch—while inviting you to write a new story for your marriage.

She and her husband have one child. She’s a homeschool mum, ministry leader, and lover of all things glitter, reminding you to “Go have good sex!”

In our conversation we spoke about:
▶️ What to do if a couple feels like they are just roommates?
▶️ What are the 13 types of intimacy?
▶️ How can couples incorporate the intimacies when they have no alone time (with high needs kids, no childcare, etc)?
▶️ Many of our listeners are parenting kids with high needs or sensory challenges—how can they reconnect when they’re completely touched out or emotionally drained?
▶️ What does “good sex” mean —and how can couples work toward that when life feels anything but romantic or sexy?

Be sure to click on the link below to get Angela’s freebies.

To listen to the podcast episode, click here.

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