U.S. President Donald Trump met with 30 men in the Freedom Caucus of the U.S. House of Representatives to discuss maternity care. Before the Affordable Care Act, women often had to pay more than men for the same coverage. The health-care law is forcing many Americans to pay for benefits they would never need, such as maternity coverage. Renee L. Ellmers (R-N.C.) said the health-care law was forcing many Americans to pay for benefits they would never need, such as maternity coverage.
The United States is facing an ongoing maternity health crisis, with 1 in every 3 counties lacking a single obstetric clinician, affecting women’s access to maternity care. Plans are now required to cover 22 types of women’s health tests, visits, or prescriptions. Some women have been worried that they will lose insurance coverage for contraception under the Trump administration, but coverage for other women’s coverage remains.
Utah’s Shared Medical Costs law requires biological fathers to pay half of a mother’s insurance premiums during pregnancy. Women have to plan, conceive, carry, and labor to make babies who may not even have their last names. Eligible men are entitled to 2 weeks’ paternity leave, which innately appoints mothers as primary caregivers.
The International Labour Organization estimates that 40.6% of employed women have a statutory right to maternity leave, but only 34.4% of the total coverage. The ACA requires all individual market health insurance plans to cover 10 essential health benefits, including maternity and newborn care.
📹 What Men & Women NEED To Know About The Menstrual Cycle | Dr. Mindy Pelz
Renowned expert Mindy Pelz, uncovers practical tips and empathetic approaches for men to support their partners during this …
How does a man feel when a woman is pregnant?
Couvade syndrome, also known as sympathetic pregnancy, occurs when a pregnant woman’s partner experiences symptoms that mimic pregnancy. Men may experience constipation, gas, bloating, irritability, weight gain, and nausea while their partner is expecting. This condition is usually temporary and not serious, and may be caused by stress, empathy, or hormonal changes in expecting dads. Anecdotal evidence supports the idea of sympathetic pregnancy, with some mothers experiencing similar symptoms while their partners are expecting. For example, one BabyCenter mom-to-be experienced constipation, gas, bloating, irritability, and nausea while his wife’s pregnancy was underway.
Is childbirth hard for men?
Fathers often feel isolated during birth, often feeling abandoned or left alone in a room. They may find themselves alone during preparations for a surgical birth or after the birth. Men often describe feeling isolated when handed the baby and their partner is left alone in a room for over an hour. This experience can be particularly distressing when the entire room is empty, leaving the father to ponder the impact of their presence on their partner’s well-being.
How does a man feel when his wife is giving birth?
The study explores the experiences of fathers regarding their wife/partner’s delivery, revealing that some fathers find childbirth stressful. They are uncertain about their role, partner’s well-being, and potential complications for the mother or baby. Birth attendance by fathers has become a common phenomenon in recent decades, evoking both positive and negative emotions. The research aims to understand fathers’ feelings and experiences about their wife/partner’s delivery.
How do men feel about having babies?
Dads often experience a mix of emotions, including excitement, anxiety, and stress. 1 in 10 men experience depression or anxiety before or soon after childbirth, and 1 in 20 fathers experience depression while their partner is pregnant. While there are fewer conversations about postpartum depression in men, resources like PANDA can help research negative mental health issues related to men. If you’re feeling stressed or worried, have a conversation with your partner or trusted loved one about your feelings.
Do guys change after having a baby?
Dr. Anna has indicated that men experience hormonal and cerebral alterations when they become fathers. Both mothers and fathers are biologically predisposed to become parents, with the primary hormonal alteration being a reduction in testosterone, the male sex hormone. This decline in testosterone is a biological preparation for the new role of fatherhood, as it makes the father more competitive and motivated to seek a mate.
Can men sense their partner is pregnant?
Men can experience pregnancy-like symptoms, including morning sickness and weight gain, despite not carrying a fetus. This condition, known as sympathetic pregnancy or Couvade syndrome, is not well understood but is recognized as a common phenomenon. Couvade syndrome occurs when healthy men whose partners are pregnant begin to experience pregnancy-like symptoms themselves. The prevalence of pregnancy symptoms in men varies widely, with statistics ranging from 11 to 97. Kristina Mixer, an OB-GYN with Spectrum Health United Hospital in Greenville, Michigan, believes the number could be as low as 10 but as high as 65.
Why do men change after childbirth?
The main hormonal change in men is a drop in testosterone, the male sex hormone. This drop is beneficial for mating and dating as it makes individuals more competitive and motivated to find a mate. However, when becoming a dad, this drop prepares the body for the new role. Men with lower testosterone are more sensitive towards their children and empathetic, making them motivated to care for their child.
For example, men with high testosterone may find baby cries irritating, while those with low testosterone may become anxious. This is particularly true for fathers who are accustomed to handling their child’s crying.
Do guys fantasize about getting their girlfriends pregnant?
Breeding fetish can be a form of role-play and fantasy, with partners utilizing contraceptive measures. Nevertheless, the exchange of body fluids may also occur, thereby increasing the risk of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and unintended pregnancies. A pregnancy fetish is an attraction to pregnant individuals, with a focus on the physical changes that occur during pregnancy. In contrast, a breeding fetish is focused on the process of impregnation.
Do men change when wife is pregnant?
A study of 27 first-time expectant couples found that both men and women experience hormone changes that promote parental care during the transition to parenthood. The study found that expectant fathers showed prenatal declines in testosterone and estradiol, which predicted larger contributions to household and infant care tasks postpartum. Women whose partners showed larger testosterone declines also reported receiving more support and help with household tasks.
Expectant mothers showed prenatal increases in testosterone and estradiol, which predicted lower partner-rated support. These findings provide some of the first evidence that prenatal hormone changes may indeed be functional and that behaviors associated with these changes may be detectable by co-parents.
Why do guys change after having a baby?
New dads’ brains undergo hormonal shifts and an extra 10 pounds of “sympathy weight”, mirroring the changes experienced by new moms. By 12 weeks postpartum, parts linked to empathy, nurturing, and attachment thicken up. While these changes are smaller compared to new moms, it’s now known that not only women are physically changed due to parenthood, but also new dads. For more information on Happiest Baby products, consult our consultants.
Is 42 too old for a man to have a baby?
Sperm fragmentation, a measure of semen that increases with age, is linked to chromosomal abnormalities in fetuses. Fathers over 40 are at a higher risk of preterm and very preterm birth, as well as Trisomy 21, Klinefelter’s syndrome, Autism, and other disorders in men over 40. These include Down’s Syndrome, Klinefelter Syndrome, Autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, Schizophrenia, Bipolar disorder, Cleft palate, Neural tube defects, Upper limb defects, Congenital heart defects, Leukemia, and Central Nervous System tumors.
Evidence suggests that by age 35, men’s reproductive health changes, including a decline in fertility, potential decrease in ART success, increased pregnancy complications, and chromosomal and mental health diagnoses in offspring.
📹 The surprising effects of pregnancy
Discover how pregnancy changes every organ in the body— from the heart, to the brain and kidneys— and what we still don’t …
In a world where nobody acknowledges the true biological differences between men and women, this snippet was a real breath of fresh air. And how you said women’s ability to carry a baby for months and produce life is a beautiful characteristic that men don’t have, and that it’s a super power which makes the cycle a beautiful thing, not a thing to look down upon… I wanted to cry. What a respectful way to think about it. Our differences (male and female) are what make us beautiful and unique and powerful. When the culture erases those differences saying we’re all the same, it just takes that beauty from distinctiveness away.
Period Day 1-10 outgoing, energetic, more myself, better cognitive abilities Day 11-17ovulation (horny, body trying to make baby), skin glowing, most beautiful, heightened desire to seek love interests Day 18- 23, mood getting lower, getting more introverted, prone to depression, need to stay away from overstimulation Day 24-30 extra care needed, low self esteem, sensitive, desire to spend time around comfort people (potential to form the closest emotional bonds)
I’m gonna do women out there a favour and say this woman is not entirely right: leave her alone on Days 1 AND 2. She’s still bleeding pretty heavily on Day 2, so it’s best to delay difficult conversations until at least Day 3, or better yet – wait until her period is over (anywhere between Day 4 and 8).
My hubby knows when my period is coming and is Soooo prepared for it. He buys me chocolates because he knows I crave for it when I have my periods. I am 52 & still get my period and 31 years married & my hubby understands my cycle like a pro. He gives my space and when I am done he gets rewarded 😁😁😁
Day 1, 2 (1-4 – depends on a woman/ cycle) – give her some space Day 3-12 – resolve conflicts (she’s more verbal, more present, more outgoing, wants to connect, ready to handle conflicts) + the time to wine and dine her Day 10-15 (ovulation) – have sex (her libido’s the highest) Day 15-28/ 32 – be really nice, compliment her (she’ll disagree but keep going), rub her feet, be supportive
I’m so glad to hear you say menstruation lasts from 3-7 days. I come from at least 4 generations of women with heavy, terrible cycles, lots of pain. I had a doctor argue with me that there’s no way that my period lasts 5-7 days because periods are only 3-4 days long & accused me of exaggerating for sympathy. I guess when women go to the doctor with female health issues we are only there for “sympathy” not for actual answers or health care. 😳🤬 I’m against violence, got crap for breaking up fights in high school; however, I still wish I’d kicked that man in his “fake” balls. It absolutely would’ve been worth going to juvenile court; hell it would’ve been worth going to adult jail.
The male “period” is daily and yearly. High testosterone around 8am and it goes down to it’s lowest around 8pm. Very individualistic and in charge in the early morning. Individualistic less in charge afternoon. Cooperative by night. I haven’t looked extensively into the yearly one as much as the daily. Thanks for the reminder to look into that one.
This is so true. I’ve been tracking my cycle & notice how fertile, creative & outgoing I am during ovulation. Unfortunately, my PMS kicked in right as work is ramping up a HUGE project integration. My whole body is slowing down, but work is ramping up. I got so stressed & depressed that I’m at home in pjs working. I wish our cycles were more honored in society so that it makes sense for a woman to take a few days to work from home (or off completely) to let her body rest. More hormonal education & ways to embrace it would make such a difference! xo
I was 47 years old until I truly understood my body! It’s ridiculous moms don’t teach this to their daughters- if you know – do better. So many women suffer not knowing their bodies and how to take care of themselves. Definitely should be more conversations about this and for others to more understanding about overall in society!
What is really sad about some of those young women not aware of their cycle is that a lot of them get tagged with psych diagnosis when it’s really her fluctuating hormones. If they strive to fix the fluctuations the mental health issues will most likely vastly improve or disappear entirely. Junk food and caffeine are to blame for a lot of hormonal problems. Lights at night and interruptions to the natural circadian rhythms also affect her hormones. It’s SO important to be informed with what is happening in your body. I think men have hormonal issues as well but it’s also not very well known. You will hear about guys trying to get fit taking various substances that will cause them to not act like themselves-violent. Perhaps men sitting in prison today have a hormonal issue? I have a hunch that MOST mental health issues are caused by hormonal disruptions than anything else. That’s just a guess though. We don’t understand enough about the effects of hormones on our behaviors thoughts and feelings.
Fascinating stuff. I’m 50 and have ALWAYS been confused about my “cycle,” not only ignorant of what that means (cycle is not the same thing as period) but also my personal timing (because for most of my life I’ve been irregular. But I clicked on this article to see what I could learn because my daughter is just beginning her journey and I thought I could get some insight for her sake. It turns out we’re not ready for this information (she’s only 12) but I still learned something. On a lovely side note, I’m ending my journey as my daughter begins hers. I’ve only had a few periods over the last year. It had been probably around 6 months since my last period but suddenly the day my daughter got her first period, I got what will probably be my last. I love that I could share that with her.. kinda felt like I was passing the baton.
I feel so normal now 🙂 literally every month the last couple years I’ve been frantically researching my menstrual hormones cause they’ve gotten more intense as I get older, and I’ve at times felt so insane and just not like myself. Physically and emotionally. Now I’m learning how my body works more and how important it is to listen to it
Knowledge of the hormonal cycle by everyone is awesome. However, at the same time the last thing I want are people just assuming that my actions at any given point in time are due to my hormones and to then disregard what I’m actually trying to say or accomplish. No thank you. I’d rather have a meet me in the middle approach. I do my part to manage my emotions and energy, communicate clearly to those around me what I need (as she models in this article…yay! ❤) and then receive empathy and compassion from them. That’s it.
My cycle is only 21 days given peri-menopause. I bleed for 7 days. Totally it causes a change in personality! Seriously men, take this up and take care and help women. Men are clueless about blood loss and how it impacts them. Have mercy on us and our moods. That’s why God wanted you to lead to support women!
It makes me feel so bad when I become so moody and just overall not so comfortable to be around. Or when I snap, it’s hard to apologize with “I’m near my period”. But if the men and women in my life were more understanding, I feel that it would be so much easier to socialize in those moments. Especially when I fail and I can’t get my work done, I already take it out so hard on myself. I often forget that I’m near my cycle.
Since I had my daughter I don’t get any pains any more which is amazing. It’s mainly the pms symptoms I get 10-12 days before the period that turn me into a a different person and is really hard. Mood swings, irritability, fatigue, tearfulness, emotionally sensitive, food cravings that ruin my health goals I’ve been sticking to the rest of the month. I feel like I only get about 5 days of feeling amazing before it starts all over again 😂 a good diet and exercise does really help but it’s hard to keep it up when you feel like that.
I can definitely relate to this, it makes life easy when women are self aware, can identify and communicate the changes in their bodies/emotions to those around them. I’m the only girl in my house & so my hubby and teenage boys know all there is to know about my cycle and how they can be around and with me during the various phases.
My husband saved my life by tracking my cycle. I would go through periods of deep depression and would be suicidal. We noticed that those feelings went away immediately before I started to bleed. Maybe a few hours in between. He started charting my cycle and realized that I was only suicidal on the 2-3 days before I got my period and started helping me deal with it. Now I take hormonal bc to stop my periods (and the terrible mood changes) altogether because there just wasn’t any other solution to my symptoms. I was afraid I would do something horrible if I didn’t stop the mood swings. Now I wonder if there other options…
So many people – men and women- downplay the menstrual cycle and how important it is to know and understand it. I learnt a way to look at it was like a report card. Each month a woman’s body is giving her a report card of what might be going on inside. Things like pain and very heavy bleeding and very short or long cycles can suggest there are other things going on. Men don’t get that report card and sometimes if there’s something going on they dont know until it’s serious.
There used to be an app called red alert on iOS. It did exactly what this article was describing. It was fantastic. It would track my wife’s menstrual cycle and tell me specifically how to interact with her. It was overlayed on the calendar and I could use it to plan things. Really unfortunate that the app stopped being developed. If anybody has any new apps to do the same thing, please recommend.
Got teary eyed perusal this 🥲 Yep, day 19 for me 😁🙈 bracing myself for next week. The interviewer’s reaction was very heartwarming. We need to spread awareness about this. It may save marriages, children from trauma, and maybe even some lives. This is not rocket science, everyone can understand this. I strive to organize my life around my cycle – it’s life changing. So much less unnecessary self inflicted problems 💃 I’m sharing this with everyone 👍💪
I honestly loved everything about this conversation. I myself as a women, only recently started learning more about my cycle and how it FULLY functions. articles like these help spread awareness not only to men(about the complexities of women’s moods & cycles), but also serve as an encouragement to women to learn more about how empowering understanding your body really Is!❤️✨
As a woman who has mood swings I disagree that it is up to others to be mindful, or even be told what your cycle is like it’s something they need to tiptoe around! It is for the lady to be a bit more self aware and thoughtful of others that her moods and sensitivity might create social upsets. She needs to be responsible for her own actions. If she’s feeling down or sensitive, she should speak to her spouse, communicate and maybe apologise if she’s being overly sensitive. Be an adult woman. Not a victim of your hormones. You are your own responsibility. My two cents.
Period Day 1-10: outgoing, energetic, more myself, better cognitive abilities Day 11-17: ovulation (horny, body trying to make a baby), skin glowing, most beautiful, a heightened desire to seek love interests Day 18-23: mood getting lower, getting more introverted, prone to depression, need to stay away from overstimulation Day 24-30: extra care needed, low self-esteem, sensitivity, desire to spend time around comfort people (potential to form the closest emotional bonds)
Don’t normally comment but felt it was worth sharing a little on this in case anyone else is similar and worrying. My periods have consistently lasted 7/8 days and I have a 26 day cycle. With my 2nd pregnancy I bought ovulation sticks to find my peak ovulation days and according to the sticks I don’t ovulate (on my 3rd pregnancy so clearly not true 😅) but when I track when I was having sex and getting pregnant turns out I ovulate consistently on day 20/21 of my cycle. There’s so much variation and knowing your own body is always a plus ❤ appreciate this topic being brought up and discussed in such a respectful way 👍🏼
This was really insightful. I usually feel weak and irritable a week prior to my menstrual cycle, and now I know that the body needs glucose because it’s trying to produce progesterone! That’s why I feel like energy is being zapped out of my body for the production of my period, and it’s hard to work a fast paced job when my body doesn’t have enough energy for it. I’ve been having this problem for so long. I’ve gone to doctors for this problem, and they conclude that my sudden spells of weakness are panic attacks and caused by anxiety, which they are not, and then they they try to coerce me into “taking something for it” which by that they mean antidepressants, which then I say no, and things go nowhere. I mean, I’m just going to try and add more glucose and carbs to my diet a week before my period, and see if that helps.
To all the beautiful women out there❤ When i learned about my cycle my whole relationship with my body changed. Instead of judging myself i started to appreciate my body and give my body permission to be instead of to do all the time. If you have not read the book in the flow please do read it. It can give more information about your cycle. Whenever i get a chance i spread the information with my sisters and it is a true taking power back session for any ladies 🎉
What she described does not match my experience one bit. I see no correlation between my mood or behavior and my menstrual cycle. My mood is far more affected by my hunger level, my activity level, my general health and comfort, the amount/quality of sleep I’ve had recently and my environment (like the mood of those around me). I believe my hormones are cycling exactly as they should as I have 7 days of bleeding, a 29 day cycle, give or take a day, I never skip a period, super heavy bleeding for days 1-4 then tapering off, strong cramps for the first few days, loose stool(s) on day 1… everything is pretty typical, unpleasant, and boring really! No cyclical mood changes though. I suspect she’s trying to sell a book… it’s a little too certain and neatly wrapped up–like she has figured out the formula for when/how guys should interact with women–like we’re so predictable based off of just our hormones–nevermind everything else that actually impacts mood. I’m not buying it until I see some hard science behind it. Is she even an MD or just has her PhD in something? Something seems off… talks like a self-made guru…
I’ve been paying for the Flo app for over a year to track my period. I didn’t know how tethered my emotions and energy levels were to my cycle. It’s amazing. I can plan events around changes in my hormones, know which days are best to dedicate to busy work and others to fun. It gives me the feeling of control over my moods and body. I absolutely love it and I don’t know how I’ve been without it for so long. It’s crazy how no other woman I know personally does this or is knowledgeable about how their cycle works.
Listening to this conversation as a pregnant woman, I am fascinated by the simple breakdown and incredible information of a woman’s cycle and the effects of women’s and men’s hormonal patterns. I would love to know more in this level of specific detail the hormonal changes in a woman throughout the duration of pregnancy, either week to week or through each trimester, and then also in the same level of detail the hormonal changes during the first month and subsequent 6 months postpartum as a woman’s body works on returning back to it’s normal/preexisting state and hormonal cycle, and if anything permanently changes after having a child and becoming a mother.
I’ve had Parkinson’s since 39 years, 57 this year. Gut health for me is paramount for meds absorption. Dr Mindy’s conversation with you Stephen unlocked many answers as to why I (or the meds) responded in very different ways when I appear to be keeping the same routine. For example, my meds work brilliantly if I eat once a day and poorly if I eat albeit a small lunch and dinner. Weight gain has been a huge anxiety trait for me over the past three years so I believe her guide to all stages of fasting can be of benefit to both body and mind. Your recent pod casts on self help have been enlightening, thought provoking and utterly fascinating. I hope everyone presses the subscribe button and you realise your 50% target soon.
Periods were such a big topic in my life… yet men NEVER think about it. I never had cramps but I had extremely heavy flow, causing me to have chronic anemia due to the loss of blood (1 in 3 women have this). The flow would increase if I was sexually active, not sleeping enough, stress, not eating enough, or working out too much, so it was very high maintenance to regulate. Not to mention, all the time I spent cleaning blood stains or public embarassment if I accidently overbled in public. During my period, I would feel weak, then the few days after I needed a few days to rebuild my energy back up, then when my period was approaching I would have Pre-menstral stress and swollen pain in my breasts. But, that’s like 1.5-2 weeks out of a month, so half of life was in someway being inconvienced by my period. Last year, I got an IUD and I basically don’t have periods anymore, and I can freely workout and live my life without all these hassles, plus I don’t need to worry about getting pregnant either, I can remove it anytime I am ready to have children. One of the best decisions of my life.
Definitely cycle shouldn’t become an excuse to be unbalanced. the knowledge is to learn to control and balance it. already from listening to it i feel better and even motivated. we just have to know when we have to nurture us and when we should use all our potential and energy nature gives us. instead of wasting it on complaining and overworking. thats what its for. to work together with it to reach our full potential as women, men, humans, partners, family, society, and civilization
If I would have known what I know now as a teenager a lot of pain and suffering could have been avoided. I was so confused as to why I was constantly monthly going through highs and lows. Turns out it’s just biological now as an adult I handle it so much better with what I know about Menstruation 🤷🏽♀️
This is so informative and helpful. Love how this just popped out on my feed today while I’m on my 2nd day of period. And ironically, I and the guy that I’m dating were just discussing earlier about menstruation and he was asking me a few questions about it out of curiosity, later on he apologized for asking those questions as he thought I might be uncomfortable but I told him it was okay. And now with this article, I learned all the more how important it really is for both men and women to be aware of our cycles…
I honestly have a hard time understanding my own cycle, so thank you!! 🙏🏽 I can say I’m very lucky to have an understanding partner… he calls it my “womanhood” and HE was actually the one who pointed out that the times that I’m super emotional seem to be occurring at a certain time each month… 😂❤ “Do that til she bleeds!” Haha love it! ❤
Just thank you for bringing loving attention to one of the most overlooked and/or misunderstood aspects of being a woman. If men are smart they will listen and learn and they will realize the beauty and benefits of what a woman who feels valued and understood will bring to their life/relationship. A happy, loved, understood woman will give you the world.
I think this kind of knowledge and approach is genius! Nowadays we have lost contact with what makes us truly humans because we dont wanna seem “needy” or “inappropriate” when indeed it has nothing to do with it… its just being humans! We are so obsessed to be hyper independent that we have forgotten its imposible to be so individualistic
preach sister. I am an anthropologist with a PhD, and I am so so sad that this is not common knowledge for all of us especially women. Boo-boo boo to pour knowledge circulation and patriarchy, because these are gems of knowledge! And dead on. Could’ve save me so many troubles, both in life love and in therapy. A note to therapists: stop fabricating women’s mood disorders along side, their hormones! or both genders. we can do better for ourselves by spreading this kind of insight! Bravo.
Love this ❤ but also when men have tried to notice this in the past… we totally called them out in negative ways for it. So, I think there’s a lot to say about the individuality of our experiences with hormones and at the same time, the extreme power of hormones and how much that we all still don’t understand. How are you feeling is a wonderful question for us all to ask. 😊
I hate to be that person, but I don’t want to tiptoe around someone I work with on certain days and it happens monthly for decades. I am a woman, but i am productive and a team player every day i come in. Are there days i don’t feel great? Yeah, but i think men are like that too. I have self control and i understand that there are professional behaviours and expectations and people depend on me to be constant and level.
I do not ask others to deal with my mestrual cycle (my husband is always caring anyway) but I do plan my month acordingly – activities, hollydays, extra works I have to do, social activities, doctor appointments… It helps to know my vulnerable time and not to push myself too hard and also my most energetic time for fun activities. It’s hard for me to accept that my body is so complicated but that comes from upbringing and shaming.
This is a powerful topic much needed. The menstral cycle is powerful. Most ppl know nothing about it. Not only should men know about their women’s cycle, but when a group of women work together they should know each others date as well because it changes their environment, attitude, personalities and emotions. Women working or living amongst each other alters each other’s menstral date, which eventually they all will likely have the menstral at the same time. Crazy!
🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 08:01 🍔 Carb cravings: Before her period, women crave carbs due to glucose needs for progesterone production. 08:15 🧘 Emotional sensitivity: Week before her period, women may be irritable, slower, and less tolerant of conflict; be gentle and supportive. 09:22 💪 Women’s power: Recognize women’s ability to create life as a unique superpower, leading to their hormonal cycle. 09:48 🌟 Manifestation phase: During ovulation, women experience heightened creativity and energy, suitable for starting new projects. 10:30 🗣️ Communication about cycles: Openly discussing hormonal moods with your partner fosters understanding and empathy. Made with HARPA AI
I’m diabetic and I realized just a few years ago that my glucose levels go up a week before periods .. i literally double the amount of insulin I take in order to keep myself out of danger. Periods are hard and ignorance makes it worse. It’s crazy how most men and even women have no idea what’s going on in their bodies. I’m 39 and I just noticed a few years ago that my mood swings happen because of periods .. This article needs to reach more audience ! So informative ! Thank you!
What she’s not mentioning is that Women’s cycles are meant to match the lunar cycles. If we didn’t have light pollution, pollution in the environment and birth control, Most women would ovulate during a full moon( hence the honeymoon) and menstruate during a new moon. Women embody the divine feminine. They have a spring summer fall winter. Winter being menstruation and Summer being ovulation. So see where you cycle matches with the lunar cycle. Hope this helps.
Some women have a harder time with their menstrual cycles. I personally have always struggled with energy and torturous pain. Endometriosis runs in the family, but I have been diagnosed with PMDD, among other chronic illnesses. Sometimes, it’s torturous pain, and sometimes, I’m energetic and a powerhouse when I bleed. Some women will even be more “romantic” in the bedroom while they are on their cycle. I still struggle with figuring out my hormonal cycles because it’s always changing. If you wish to know more about your lady’s cycle, please learn HER cycle days, not the “one size fits all” standard that everyone knows because it’s always fluctuating. And for the love of God… it’s just blood dudes, get over yourselves and respect like this man. Menstrual blood is even known to have healing properties in scientific studies, which is just magical 🌙
1:20 Know her cycle! Days 2-12 in good mood. 2:30 28-32 days 3:20 Ovulation between day 10 and 15, has more testosterone. 4:20 Day 17+ Higher progesterone. 5:00 Men are more straight forward. 6:30 Women = Volatile hormones 7:55 More irritable a week before period; carb cravings; slower. 8:55 Conflict resolution is easier during high estrogen. 9:40 Manifestation phase
very happy this conversation is becoming more popular. I think soon we are really going to see how interesting the cycle is and how blind and in many cases harmful we have been in basically ignoring/shaming it in science and education for decades. Investing in quality science and education re the cycle would have to have massive public health benefits.
I learned my cycle by the time I was 22. Never took birth control. I know my body well and can tell exactly where I am on it every day. I know when to avoid sex and when it is “safe” to have it without worries about pregnancy. I used to give my ex husband updates on it so that he would know what days were good to go and when we had to abstain. Never got pregnant during my marriage and my fertility was and still is normal according to my doctor. Natural family planning works perfectly well when the woman knows her body signs. Don’t have kids yet but would love to with my next husband.
I am a woman and the problem i have with these conversations is most women use the cycle to be witches with a capital B. It’s not that men don’t need to know this information but also that you should be self aware and try to control yourself. What this woman doesn’t mention is that men also have fluctuations in testosterone and what you never hear when a man fails to control his emotions is “I’m testosteroning” but women always say “I’m pmsing”. When i notice my temper is short i do the math, realise ah, it’s day 20 and work on being present and concious so as not to blow things out of proportion. Knowledge is supposed to be power not a crutch. I should add people knowing you’re more amiable when oestrogen is high can leave you open to manipulation so again i think learning to emotionally regulate yourself through the fluctuations is more important that resigning to “this is how i am because biology”.
The big issue with this is that it’s what a NORMAL cycle is supposed to look like. In 2023 and the environment we live in, MOST women have an imbalanced and inconsistent cycle, imbalanced hormones, conditions like PCOS and many other things, periods are painful and unbearable to most women, etc… all things that are NOT normal and are posing a HUGE problem for women that no one seems to care or talk about. What she is describing is true in an ideal world where the environment is not polluted, food doesn’t have chemicals and hormones in it, life style isn’t fast, furious, and hyper stressful, sleep isn’t inconsistent, rest isn’t a luxury, etc. etc.
Good stuff, and I’m glad we’re FINALLY brining awareness to how the menstrual cycle works! Knowing when you ovulate and when you enter into each part of your cycle is really empowering. But…your hormone cycles don’t happen like this if you’re on hormonal birth control. You don’t ovulate—that’s the point of taking hormonal birth control. That’s an important caveat to keep in mind. Also, if you’re not on hormonal bc and you don’t want to get pregnant, DON’T have sex while you’re ovulating. That’s WHY your libido is higher—because your body wants you to get pregnant! I feel like that was also an important part (maybe the most important part) that was left out.
Great information if your cycle is regular. My cycle was (I’m menopausal, I think) was VERY IRREGULAR. It wasn’t unusual for me to go months without having a period (actual bleeding).I had to learn to read my symptoms. If I had mood swings, craved salt/sugar, became clumsy, bloated/gassy and muddled thinking, I knew my period was about a week away. Sometimes, I would become sensitive to smell and my personal scent would change.
When I had very low vitamin d levels, it threw my cycle off. I was always irregular. Instead of normal pms, I felt pmdd symptoms. I had awful debilitating pain. If I don’t go out into the sun, I gotta remember to keep taking vitamin d and magnesium supplements because I do not ever want to feel all of that again.
Keep coming back to this article every couple of weeks just to drill this stuff into my head and heart. Btw, made this from the article: Supporting Your Partner Through Her Cycle: A Simple Guide DOs: Track Her Cycle: Use an app or a calendar to know where she is in her cycle. This helps you understand her moods and needs. Days 1-2 (Period Starts): Do: Give her space and let her relax. Don’t: Push for social activities or intense conversations. Days 3-10 (Estrogen Rising): Do: Engage in conversations, plan dates, and resolve conflicts. Don’t: Avoid her or ignore her increased energy and social side. Days 10-15 (Ovulation): Do: Be romantic and initiate intimacy; she’s likely to be in the mood. Don’t: Miss this opportunity for connection and creative discussions. Days 16-28 (Pre-Menstrual Phase): Do: Be extra supportive, offer comfort, and avoid big conflicts. Don’t: Criticize her or expect her to be very energetic; she’s likely to feel tired and irritable. Bonus Tip: Second Half of Her Cycle (Days 16-28): – Compliments: Tell her she looks beautiful, even if she feels bloated or down. Simple, sincere compliments work best. – Acts of Kindness: Offer to do something relaxing together, like perusal a movie or giving her a foot rub. These small gestures show you care and understand her needs during this more sensitive time. -Be Patient: Understand she might feel more emotional or withdrawn. Just being there for her, without expecting too much, will be greatly appreciated.
This is my first time knowing about these cycle hormonal problems in this way. I was always wondering why I crave comforting foods, get depressed, irritable, barely could handle any stress a week, fatigue, don’t feel ambition to exercise before my period. And the first week of ovulation, I have a boost of energy to get things done and feel very confident then after ovulation, I am back to feeling very emotional and not good enough.
My cycle is every 22 -24 days. 😊Yes men and women are created fundamentally differently but I don’t think it’s this deep. Nowadays people want to make everything so complicated. Yes women have unregulated hormonal balance but women aren’t that difficult. I’m on my periods now, on day one. 😄If I allow myself to say that because of my hormones I’m allowed to be more emotional or be upset, and use periods for bad behaviour, I wouldn’t be ready to be a partner. I refuse to say that I have some other social skills or abilities to act differently when I’m on certain hormones. There’s no excuse for good and kind behaviour. No hormones are going to affect my behaviour. What is on the other hand, is how mindful I am about who I need to be. Every day I’m asking myself am I the best person I can be today and have I done the best of my abilities today for my own sake and for others. That’s all. Why worry about cycles other than when we want to have a family? There is no change in personality if we’re talking about it in psychological language. In common spoken language personality is used so lightly. Personality is quite fixed in time and through situations, but can be altered through major life happenings through persistent self reflection and awareness and or intervention. Mood change is not character change. Yes you feel more social or less social or less attractive or more attractive. Those are feelings and thoughts, and those things aren’t who you are. You are what you consistently do.
“After day 12 what am I doing?” 😂 Another brilliant, informative and entertaining interview. Stephen, your humour, interview technique, curiosity and ability to build rapport with your guests makes for such engaging content. I have learnt so much from listening to your conversations and will continue to tell everyone I know and work with that yours is the one to watch. Thank you and here’s to more of the same!
I work as a waitress on evening shifts. Some days during my cycle I get that feeling “I just can’t take any bullshit today’ . Still I do my best to keep up my best service face, ignore my own irritation and smile. Girls, remember to take care of yourselfs, eat well before a shift, have a toilet break when needed. Treat yourselves some chocolate, a bath and good night sleep after work ❤
What sucks about being a woman with ADHD is that your ADHD medication doesn’t work the week leading up to your period because of the change in your hormones. So not only are you PMSy, but you feel even more shit because you’re dealing with full ADHD brain and trying to get work done 🙄 I have to mentally prepare myself at the beginning of that week (so whatever is around 7 days before my period is due) and do a lot of positive self talk and tell myself in advance that it’s okay and to not get upset when I can’t focus and get all of my work done.
I think this could easily be a tool women use for manipulation. I like what another commenter said, that she feels like it’s really better applied as a tool for myself to be more aware and then apply good communication skills, self control, or self care. I think men should learn this but not to apply it to “you need to tip toe around me at this time, then talk to me here, then back off there.” The awareness and communication is a great takeaway here, but do not use this to coach your husband or children or coworkers to tiptoe around you
I am so proud that my son is aware of how the body works. We discuss the differences and similarities of men and women’s chemical/hormone issues. I love the comment that during ovulation, we can manifest anything. So true. It feels like we can do anything. Where as the opposite side we pretty much just want to die. Loved this article.
Thank you for this really helpful article ! 🙏 It really helps me appreciate and understand my partners emotions more. I would also love to know more about male hormonal cycles and how they influence our behavior. I feel like the knowledge I do have about these things ( I am a psychiatrist ) is not nuanced enough to make sense of many of the more subtle shifts in mood I ( and presumably other men too ) frequently experience.
Fantastic clip. Thank you! The cycles we all have are magical and so filled with nuance and fantastic insight. Mine was closer to 40 days with ovulation only 16 days from the end of that. Now well after my own daughter has learned her own cycle, Mine’s closer to 23 says with ovulation 7-9, and 14 day luteal (later stage) phase. Each of us has such a unique and changing cycle as we grow. I’ve found that men, tho often much more subtle and rarely as predictable, go thru their own cycles and drastic mood shifts and changing needs. The coolest thing is when you get to see someone get to a place (I realize it’s pretty rare given it takes a lot of privilege) where they can honor and live from their cycle. Asking for a raise at the right time, working or spending more creative energy on the outside world at the right time, nesting and bringing energy to them at the right time, etc. Magic things happen. Wouldn’t the world be amazing if we could do this.
When I was 14 i learned all this about the menstrual cycle from books in my home library. It was almost 30 years ago. I remember being mesmerized by those scientific facts and remember that I started following and registering the menstrual cycles of my female friends at school in secret. It worked like a clook, like a damn perfect clock! I used my menstrual diary to be more popular around them. It was amazing. Observing their behavior and reactions and understanding them to a certain degree and knowing how and when to modify it. I was fascinated by realizing how science can understand and manipulate the universe. One of several scientific discoveries I made in my life. I have used that knowledge all my life and has helped me a lot.
After 24 years, my husband definitely knows my cycle, lol. Especially since we’re on the rhythm method. I am lucky to have a husband who is actually very aware of our options and my health. After being on birth control for seven years, my husband and I both mutually agreed that it wasn’t good for me to stay on it long-term. He took one for the team and decided to start wearing condoms. But he does look forward to the day or two right after I end my period. No condom necessary, lol. 😂 But we did learn our lesson once, when we were careless and didn’t follow our strict attention to it. Eight years of successful rhythm birth control, and LITERALLY, ONE careless night gave us an extra baby, lol. No joke. 😂❤ She has been a blessing though.
So this is the emotions around hormones (and in so many cases women suck them up and manage them in silence), emotions come from a lot of things and its not as simple as we have a cycle and men don’t. Anger is usually the perview of men and can come at the drop of a hat for any reason. As an FYI this is women of a certain age, usually over 16 and under 40 (or in alot of cases but not all under 50, it varies). Knowing this should be to enrich relationships not decide women are moody or blame them for what they are managing. She didn’t even mention the discomfort and pain of the whole process we can have for 25 to 35 years and then menopause… don’t get me started…why we don’t have this as mandatory education is just wrong
It’s great to have more conversations on menstrual cycles. But I do also think we need women to be more educated about their own cycles and bodies. Many of us don’t know our own bodies, what to look out for the changes etc. the above advice is great, if again your body follows the pattern of a 28 day cycle. Many women don’t and other factors such as stress levels/ or hormonal contraception etc can play a huge part in altering those patterns in cycle. I couldn’t recommend the DUTCH test more!! Learn the exact time you ovulate. The exact time your progesterone levels drop. Check how your body excretes oestrogen and whether this pathway could go on to lead to cancer! It’s a pricey test, but ones that’s amazing to your health and understanding your cycle and body better! I stand behind more education for women and their health, better access to education and more funding into women’s health! The last study on PMS was conducted in 1940! It’s about time there was greater equality in the health care of women!
It’s a bit more complicated. Some women have irregular cycles, where they have no idea when they will ovulate. This can be due to things like PCOS, where you have several follicles growing instead of one and are therefore difficult to reach ovulation. As she said, even women with regular cycles will vary a lot in cycle length. I ovulate around day 16 of my cycle. The dates that she mentions work for an average woman, but they will be different for most individual women. Ovulation tests can show you when you actually are about to ovulate and you can confirm it afterwards by measuring basal body temperature changes. Counting backwards about 14 days from your period will give you a quite good idea as well (but for me, it’s usually about 16 days before my period, so there’s a bit of variation). Some women are more affected by hormonal changes than others. Estrogen doesn’t affect me a lot, but others feel horrible when they have low levels of it. I have a relative who has low estrogen constantly (she has amenorrhoea = no period) and she is fine mentally and doesn’t feel any different from when she had a normal cycle. Progesterone affects me more – I can feel more depressed and anxious when my progesterone levels are high. In conclusion, if you want to adjust your behaviour to your partner’s cycle, you should first observe how she acts/reacts during different parts of her cycle, because it won’t be the same for everyone.
My cycles were always 36 – 50 days with 8 – 11 days of heavy bleeding. I ovulated around day 11 – 13. Hormones were not so discernable with mood, but cramps were wicked, sending me to bed as a teen, and making childbirth feel like a breeze as an adult. As far as sharing information outside of a woman’s immediate circle, I am not sure that it would be terribly professional to be allowing mood swings to influence work, or expect co-workers to make allowances or walking on eggshells for everyone around them. Sometimes at work we just have to suck it up and fake it instead.
His note taking was what made the article, this was so sweet. Very eye-opening, I didn’t start paying attention until I was around 23 years old. I wish I would have noticed how impactful it was years ago. I thought for the longest time, that it was a joke how men were more hormonal stable. I think it plays a large role in why women learn to regulate their emotions, because we’re always being told we’re over-emotional so we have to hide it instead.
When we work and honour the cycle and rhythm, men can benefit too from the more mystical spin offs of this natural cycle. We celebrate the pregnancy and can too with the approaching menstruation as prior before can be a deeply creative window of opportunity, intuition peaks, as does insight and thus healing…women’s intuition, Collectively synchronised, ie the moon cycle, imagine the benefits to the community at large in imparting wisdom knowledge insight through various means of creative expressions? The wisdom and knowledge of menstruation reclaimed has so much potential, and women hold the key 🗝️. Naturally! Where there is taboo oppression suppression distortion ie “it’s a curse” is precisely because of its hidden power linked to the mysteries, and it’s one of the most significant forgotten knowledge that in our countries would do well for our young women to remember and harness. In one indigenous culture men would emulate menses by cutting the tips of the penis aware of the hidden power of women’s creative potential, not just in child rearing and not only from the biological physical perspective but a supernatural mystical one too….how to deal with PMS….harness the creative peaks via projects…it kinda rebalances the psyche, wellness, the truth serum reveals golden nuggets of blocks etc for resolve in partnerships and the male partners aware all the while, can greatly help and participate with the dance and meet the women’s rise in their anima by a corresponding rise in their own anima .
I swear as a women, mood changes are really disruptive. Especially when you’re trying to focus and you’re emotional for no reason. Getting cramps and trying to take care of minor things. Also you never know what a woman is going through on her period. You can be talking and a huge clot of blood comes out of you and you realize your pad is too full to absorb it. Like women have it the worst. It’s expensive too. Imagine having no money and need pads or tampons. Women have no control over it. Even if we tried, it creates a whole new emotion
I couldn’t even finish this article because i couldn’t relate to a lot of things that were being said. As a very emotionally intelligent, self reflecting/analyzing person i feel my best right after my period is over. This is the best time to talk about conflict. I am the horniest right before my period starts! You shouldn’t “pamper” a woman based on her cycle unless you are trying to make her feel better with chocolate and a heating pad while shes bleeding. You should be consistent or spontaneous and not base your actions off of her cycle. Feelings within your cycle also changes due to eating/drinking habbits, other conflict in life, birth control, pregnancies ect.
I think this is absolutely brilliant, thank you! There with be shades of grey and difference among us, but the I think everyone knowing where they are in a 28-32 day cycle is invaluable information. Doesn’t excuse anything, but can so easily give insight for families and partners to relate and empathise with each other. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 Also, for anyone that does want to learn a bit more – there’s a book called ‘Period Power’ by Maisie Hill which talks about our phases and how to best approach and care for yourself during the different ‘seasons’ in a digestible way. Aka, summer more outgoing, winter more wanting to chill by the fire. It’s quite logical but can be really helpful to organise things at different times (when possible!), expect different things from yourself and support yourself in a way that overall helps level things out.
She is only ovulating on day 14 is she has a 28 day cycle. It’s 14 days before the first day of your period. The first few days of your cycle you’re having a period. Some women are fine. Some have cramping and a plethora of symptoms. Tired. A cycle can be anywhere from 28-35 days. She’s incorrect if she thinks most women ovulate on day 10. That would give you a 24 Day cycle. That’s short. Assuming you’ll have the symptoms she refers to isn’t accurate. Many women have none or have acclimated to them so well, it’s a norm.
I was on multiple strong contraception after having my second daughter and I really lost track of what my natural cycle was, along with the added hormones from pregnancy I felt horrid. I then fell pregnant again on both of the methods i was on. I then took a long break from contraception (celebate) and wow I finally synced up to my natural cycle and rhythm, I felt healthy and my hair grew it’s longest it’s ever been. I’m glad I took that break for myself. I believe I had too much hormone overload (two pregnancies and synthetic hormones to digest out of my system) and I could feel when I ovulated every month. Now I am back on a different version of contraception, and getting used to a new cycle but it feels unfamiliar and it’s harder to know what’s going on intuitively but it’s so important to learn about it all
Wonderful start, I have read women is primarily on a moon cycle ( around 28 days) while men on sun cycle ( daily) So simplistically put, mens energy rises in morning and wanes in the evening, it’s a repeat and rinse day after day for the most part. So he can be more consistent and current expectations of life, work place are all aligned to his cycle. A woman on the other hand, her ability varies from one day to another depending on the day of her cycle. So if she tries to fit to the demands of current expectations, she will have to mostly be not affected by her moon cycle, which if she manages, it will be at a cost of health, both physical and emotional. Those who cannot do that still gets impacted, because of the shame of current expectations to ace the demands and criteria of modern days definition of a efficient human being, success etc, which has mens sun cycle as the basis without necessary amendments to adapt for womens cycle
The week before my period, I was crazy rampant wild cavewoman, like your body is screaming breed now breed now 😂 I’m old now, no periods. HRT definitely helps though, like I’m back to normal, but no cycle, no low and high, a sort of gentle coasting along. A few turns of the key gets the ignition going. 😂
Sorry but this isn’t true to that extent. You can not blame your behaviour completely on your hormones. That’s a scapegoat. You need to stay in control of yourself and be able to solve problems whenever they present themselves. And we are made to be able to handle that. What a lame excuse to blame hormones for being a jerk.
I dont know what made me watch this, but its one of the most cringey things ive seen in a while. No one needs to know when im on my cycle. And im responsible for my behavior ALL of the time, i dont expect others to treat me differently or walk on egg shells around me to appease me. Nobody can tell when I start my cycle because i act exactly the same.. other than sometimes im tired after work and take a nap 😂
I’ve got PCOS I think (still haven’t been to doctors to check) as I haven’t had a cycle for few months. I don’t take any birth control. I’m 28, I’ve gained so much weight during lockdown, and then I don’t have a desire to go out or even exercise! I eat so much rubbish and just eat a lot. I just about work from home. I need to sort my life out. Just all the information she’s provided is so helpful 😊
When I was 11 my teacher told me it gets better. The pain and the symptoms get better with age. I’ve learned now I’m 24. It gets worse. Lol. The older I get the more my cycle controlls my life. You get used to the pain, it’s the changes to the body, the hormons and mood changes you do not get used to. Having a 24-27 day cycle, I’m lucky to get 7-10 decent good days every cycle. Learning about the cycle and not just the period has helped alot. But we do not get taught this in school.
I love the diary of a ceo!!! And every article i have watched i have looked up to the people he interviewed on here but this woman should not be giving advice using “day #s” because as she says all girls cycles are different. All girls emotions are different, life situations, sex lives, lifestyles, age!!! Like i find it crazy she studies this stuff and thinks its possible to have a road map for girls cycles! Even the SAME girl is going to experience different things during different cycles! At different ages. As a child, As you get closer to adulthood, menopause, as you have children. There is so many different phases of life that switches things. Not counting what you put into your body.. its ongoing! And its changing constantly
I would like to add that not all women or people with female reproductive organs also have an (active) cycle. To have a menstrual cycle you need to be ovulating and that only happens if you’re not on hormonal types of birth control eg the pill. And secondly I want to highlight that every person’a cycle varies not only from other people but also from cycle to cycle. So instead of just blindly following these proposed times I suggest learning to track you cycle using basal temperature and other symptoms eg cervical fluid observation. What she is talking about in the interview are ‘average’ times and days. You may only ovulate on day 18 and/or have a heavy bleed for 3 days and won’t be up to be talked to for that first three days. So observe yourself or your partner and openly talk about this and learn together. But this article is a great first step to make this information more available and normalise conversations around menstrual health.
It’s important to note that if she’s been keeping something in (an issue or something she’s been meaning to bring up) she might bring it up during bleeding. Not bc she’s moody and is making/creating issues but bc she typically won’t have the patience to deal with/put up with anymore. PMS DIDNT CREATE THE ISSUE, IT GAVE HER THE COURAGE TO ADDRESS IT. Also, not all people mean bad but some of them do. So please be careful with who you choose to share your cycle information with.
Other things can affect us. Growing up in abusive situation, having extra of one hormone. I have PCOS…which means I have more testosterone than normal. I also crash harder when my period does strike. I also cannot handle stress and drama well anymore because of what I grew up in. My hubby is a gem. He gives me lots of love and TLC plus he is teaching me not to go into full panic mode when we argue.
I have been using the same app as her (Clue) for over a year now. It is pretty useful, and you don’t have to calculate anything yourself. What made me pay more attention to my cycle was actually weight loss. I was losing weight a couple years ago and noticed that some weeks it would be very easy, and some weeks the weight would not drop even if I ate fewer calories. However, once I noticed the difference in the level of hunger, energy and metabolism at different phases in the cycle, I started using it to my advantage. Also, (might be helpful to some) the way I deal with the sensitive part of the month is once I start feeling overly emotional, I just put on a sad movie or read a book with a tragic story, get the tears out, and feel better the next day. It also helps me to avoid reacting emotionally to otherwise insignificant life stuff or other people, because I already feel drained.