I was a little suprprised that the linen wasn't on top of the wool as a barrier, which is what I would do and I expected to see done upon hearing the two materials used. Otherwise, love this content. Great energy & focus. I subscribed.
Brings back memories of old locker room days! Had one girl who didn't like me much ask and then she started yelling no vj left behind! Thanks for taking one for the team!! LMBO she was no longer my enemy! After that I brought extra and kept in my altherics locker and my hall locker.
@@aprilvasquez6400 No vj left behind! hahaha love that. Back in High School, there were many times I've handed tp and tampons under the stall to my worst "enemies", and at least for that day we were cool, and some would become friends. Thinking back, a lot of my best friends through childhood started out as enemies lol.
I’m well past menopause. And now to sound like an old lady I’ll say “back in my day” no one told you about periods so when I started I told my mom, and her exact response was “didn’t they teach you about this in school?” She gave me a “sanitary belt” and a “sanitary napkin” and explained how to attach them together. No one spoke of menstruation as it was shameful and embarrassing. I am so happy women can speak of it openly now and thank you for this video.
I agree. My Mum grew up in an outback town in Australia in the forties and fifties. She told me that everyone knew when someone was menstruating because they had to wash their own 'rags' and hang them outside on the line. Mum never told me I'd get my period. I knew she had hers, but I thought it was something that only happened to mothers. When I got mine at 11 I thought I was dying! I told my three children (my sons and my daughter) about menstruation as soon as they could talk, and never wrapped shame around the topic. I also told them about sticky wet dreams so that they all realised that all our bodies change during puberty, and not only half of us have regular 'leakage'! Lol. :)
My grandma talks about belts and pads back when she was just starting to menstruate- I felt so fortunate to have modern luxuries for the couple of years I did get periods (pre my start transitioning to male at 15)
I was very fortunate to be in in the era of maxipads and didn't have to wear a sanitary belt. I managed to purchase pads accidentally for that. They had no plastic backs. I never made that mistake again. But now I understand where the phrase "wear an extra pad" came from. Using the old pads you could actually wear a double pad. (Though wearing a single one of those pads made no sense either since there was nothing to protect your clothing.) Today, it makes no sense since there's the plastic backing. Where would the extra pad go?
I’m now 29. When I was getting close to ‘period age’ my mom set up a box for me and my best friend (she had a single dad) with all kinds of period products and made sure we knew what everything was and that we could get it when we need it and ask her anything. I know it was really comforting especially for my friend. My mom started her period at 9 and was on her own, her dad would buy her what she needed but her stepmom was no help. I started at 12 and though I hate it I’ve always been comfortable talking about it probably due to it being so normalized. A few years ago I even ventured into the world of reusable discs and am never going back.
Back when I was having a period (I went through menopause a couple of years ago), I wanted to give my body an opportunity to "do its thing" overnight without using tampons, so I had my period towels that I would sleep on fashioned in much the same way. Had no idea I was being historical! 😂
I did something similar when my water broke and then kept leaking so I could get to hospital. Awesome how instinct can just give us these ideas to help ourselves 😊What's that saying? Need is the mother of invention? Something like that.
I don’t have a lot of experience with wool as I’m allergic to it, but it’s my understanding that in general it’s a very difficult fabric to launder. The wool might have better absorbency but wouldn’t the linen be easier to wash?
As a man, this was definitely not a topic I have put a whole lot of thought into. But I know the Romans made a lot of use of sea sponges, they put them on sticks, and used them for wiping. A woman with a heavier flow might well be able to cut apart a sea sponge, wrap them in some of the folds of the fabric so they do not rub against the skin or other sensitive parts. I am thinking of the thicker cotton on the edges of pads to help stop leaks, and it is definitely a resource that would be widely available in Italy, and I believe in Greece too, though I cannot say for sure. I love how open you are. Talking about mental health in some videos, and a topic so many people have shame and hangups over, and talk of your ethnic heritage, it is really great. Lastly, I would love to listen to you talk about the history of the Tatars, I don't know much about Eastern European history, or Turkic history before the Tatars moved west. Have you considered doing videos on the cultural history of your people, and the people you are interested in historically? Ok I lied, not lastly. Lastly lastly, the Roman subarmalis was made from a layer of wool, and a very thin layer of linen. I know nothing about fabrics and clothing and stuff, but what about the two together, thinnest of each you could find, for an undergarment? Is that viable? Again, as a guy, I am...completely out of my wheelhouse here, haha.
Sounds likely. I mean, they would have made use of what the had on hand and if sponges were easily available, they would have been an obvious solution. Easy to exchange and wash out when placed inside the 'underwear'.
sea sponges have actually been used for hundreds of years not as a pad but as tampons! They were trimmed to size and inserted. Seems quite practical considering that tight fitting undergarments that a pad type device could be placed in were def not the norm throughout most of history in many places
Funnily enough, I was doing some research, and new studies suggest that the Romans didn't actually use the sea sponge on a stick for wiping; it was more likely that it was used for cleaning in and around the toilet! Of course, they did still wipe themselves; there were discarded tufts of grass with fecal matter on it, as well as smooth stones, bits of cloth, glass marbles, etc. These items were found in pretty close proximity to Roman toilets.
Can I just say that as a woman, I LOVE this comment of yours? In my exp, not many men engage in the discourse on menstruation in such a normal way, if at all. I really wish it isn't generally treated as a taboo subject. Your comment was very interesting, informative and charming! I especially appreciated the very first sentence and the last ❤
I’ve been wearing an indigenous Māori owned brand of period underwear called Awwa for almost 4 years now, so this was really cool to see. It’s so interesting to know about women in the past used to manage their cycles.
OMG I had to look up the Awwa period undies! Dang, for the first time since I hit menopause I want my flow back! Between the period panties and menstrual discs and cups, I’m so jealous of those of you who still bleed! I’m a mid-century modern gal, so when I started my period, back in the early 60s, we used these nasty elastic belts that attached to huge, bulky pads-it was all horribly uncomfortable and gross and leaks were inevitable. Finally we were rescued by pads that attached to your undies. Thank goodness for technology!
might be more common then you think, I know I've done it before 😅 and red has often times been worn for protection against harm so might be one of the most common colours to wear while mensurating after white. /info
I can't imagine free bleeding being comfortable for anyone... blood drying on your skin is very itchy, additional moisture in the thigh area greatly increases chafing, getting blood on chafe stings... unless you think someone would be hanging out in the bath for almost a week.
Additionally, if you're someone who has skin that rubs other skin in that area of the body, free bleeding can really aggravate things. The chafing is already not ideal, but then your skin that's already prone to chafing gets involved with the flow... yeesh. It sounds very uncomfortable. Excessive dampness is not your friend in that area and will irritate everything. But then I have really sensitive skin to begin with and take a lot of care to prevent harming my skin barrier. I can't imagine freebleeding as a regular practice for myself.
This is why it's interesting to wonder what our pre-historic ancestors did, even from before we had the capacity to invent tools. The physics don't really change, but our methods of making ourselves more comfortable certainly do.
I'm also not a fan of purposely letting my clothing stain. And I'm stumped at how diapers or pads don't count as free bleeding when washable period underwear or rags are still collecting material and protecting your clothing. It does seem that there are differing definitions, that to some people "free bleeding" is just letting it leak on everything and to others it's more like "not using disposable products," because that second crowd still counts period absorbing underwear as free bleeding. There's a happy middle ground where the sanitation aspect can be cared for without the methods used being stigmatized.
As a classicist and uterine care access activist, I love this video SO MUCH. Can confirm, the Romans stigmatized menstruation, but they were also invested in identifying the causes of menstrual health problems. This was because childbirth was the top cause of female mortality, and there were times when civil war and other ravages made any population loss a major crisis, to the city and the larger Empire both. And it's worth noting that their work on women's health was based in rigorous and accurate observations, making weird comments like the one from Pliny that you cited all the more strange in that context. I'm currently doing research to determine whether endometriosis is the actual cause for the legendary "wandering uterus syndrome," in which doctors of antiquity believed that women could experience dangerous health complications from the uterus coming loose from its surroundings and invading the rest of the body. People laugh at the concept, but it was based on observing uterine tissue in other parts of the body - like we actually find in severe cases of endometriosis. Maybe he wasn't as much of a sawbones as we like to think.
This is cool!! As someone with uterine fibroids, I’m extremely curious about the historical view and treatment of women’s health issues and specifically uterine diseases. I wish this information was easier to find!
@saraghhh Me too! I also had uterine fibroids, along with endometriosis, adenomyosis, and PCOS ("had" because I had a total hysterectomy in 2016), and finding anything beyond the most basic stuff about uterine health is ridiculously difficult. Adding to that the fact that only apparently-cis men were able to do much of the formal research until the last 50 years or so, and the access barriers are beyond unacceptable. I'm hoping to be able to take some of those down, if my research is successful, by creating an accurate narrative that can perhaps spark some larger interest and boost the PR for research in uterine health.
😂 I did that with an old bath towel once (I think I just used the waistband on my pyjamas to hold it in place, but I needed double up on top of the sanitary pad, it was a blood bath of a period) and it worked :) people clearly have the same thought time and time again. I think humanising the problematic bits of history is important too, we shouldn't repeat them and if we start thinking 'oh they were just evil people doing terrible things' it stops us looking critically at ourselves, people are people throughout history- normal people committed some of the atrocities that we would now condemn, society as a whole needs to ensure that we don't slide down the same dark paths that we've been before.
I completely agree. By humanising the past we realise humanity now can easily backslide into committing the same atrocities (and we see them happening presently all over the world).
I'm a dude. That being said, thank you for making this video. What I find most interesting about history is how normal people lived their lives. Unfortunately it seems that in many circles a lot more attention is paid to big picture subjects. Once again, thank you for conducting this experiment and sharing the information.
Dude I'm the same way! How day to day people lived has always seemed way more fascinating than whichever big war or political scandal got the nobles all flustered.
Listen to "The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World" by Robert Garland through The Great Courses. It's really interesting and if you want an idea of what the daily life of an average person might've looked like it's a good listen. He only mentions "the big picture" in regard to how it might've affected the common person.
Look up historian Ruth Goodman ... both books and videos (esp series done where she and 2 archeologists living/working for a year on farms replicating different period... ie 1500s, 1800). Their emphasis is day to day lives of the people; they used only things available in that time period. Fascinating.
“Periods through the ages” is one of my hyper fixations when I learn about anything related to history. As someone with heavy and painful periods, when I think about what my life would be like if I lived during a different time era I always consider what I would do during my period. My periods would be my worst days of the month if I didn’t have pads and strong medicine
Same. I have fibroids. I wonder if women in days past had fibroids? I dunno. When I get my period, my bleeding is so intense that my life must stand still for a few days. I wonder how women handled it in the 1700s and on?
Same. I’ve always had heavy painful periods and now I’m going through menopause and it’s gotten worse. I once read about the Chhaupadi people of Nepal, and they have it figured out: when the women start menstruating, they leave the village and go stay in these huts by the river for the duration of their periods. No men getting on your nerves, not having to worry about all the stuff you’re not getting done because you’re in bed bleeding to death…. I love it!
@@RileyRunsWithScissors You should look into the Nepalese situation (many other places as well) a little closer.Those huts are often tiny, rudimentary things that barely shelter from anything: not the weather, wild animals nor the biggest risk the outcast faces there: males who rape and murder. The government is trying to educate people that menstruation is normal and have them leave that tradition behind. As for painful periods in olden times: women usually had far fewer periods in their lives. Food insecurity often meant first menstruation was delayed. Once girls were married, usually early, they began having multiple pregnancies and nursed the babies who survived for years which can inhibit ovulation especially in times of dearth. And then they also often died young, before menopause kicked in. I'm guessing that eating their nutricious, tradtional foods also led to fewer feminine problems, at least when it was sufficient. So, choose your poison
I’m not sure if you’ve ever tried/considered it but I’ve noticed that personally my periods are lighter and less painful when I use period underwear instead of pads or tampons. I don’t really know if it’s the chemicals or what, but i generally have shorter periods when using period underwear too. If you have the means to get a couple you might be pleasantly surprised! Even now whenever Im in a situation where I have to use a pad or tampon it ALWAYS hurts more 😭.
I once had someone tell me that an outfit I’d made wasn’t “period” because they didn’t put strips of fabric on things. I told them I’d inherited the gown from my grandmother but she was small than me and the gown was not of a seemly length but I had not enough fabric to add to the hem and so did it this way. And then I leaned in and said And if I could think of that solution, so could they.
quite so! clothing was an investment for all classes. Most garments were handed down, altered and repaired until they fell apart, then used as rags and eventually ending up lighting fires I expect
I was also about to comment my thanks for this, but I'll just tack it on here :) With cysts and endo I do plenty of suffering, but knowing that some women don't suffer and are able to find a kind of empowerment in it makes me happy, too. Oh, but my kingdom for a hysterectomy!
I have PCOS too! It’s always so frustrating when other period-havers say I am exaggerating or being a big baby. 🫠 I’m happy for them for being able to function, but do they have to downplay what we go through just because they don’t?
There a several lists online of doctors who will perform sterilizing surgeries without fussing about kids or partners opinion etc. Obvs that doesn't help with insurance and all that but if you're looking for a doc the internet might be able to help point you to someone! 💕
@@mehtarelingolien I think people who are disgusted by periods are most likely little boys. I personally haven’t encountered disgust but I have encountered men who are way too interested in knowing about my business. Like, once I started my period and forgot to pack some pads. I turned to my aunt to talk to her about it. My uncle wondered why I was acting so privately with her and when I clearly didn’t want to discuss it with him, he didn’t let up and I ended up having to tell him. He got awkward. I didn’t like that. If I want to keep my period private that’s entirely up to me. Men need to learn to mind their own business when women are talking privately. Hell, everyone needs to mind their own business when people are talking privately.
@@elliekate.a It depends how those little boys are raised. Neither of my nephews think periods or postpartum bleeding is gross. They are both under 10 and understand it’s a normal bodily function. They will actually notice the tampon wrappers in the garbage and ask my sister if they could make her a cup of tea or if she would like a heating pad. The last time my sister told her boys she was pregnant, they said they already knew. When she asked them how they knew, they said it was because she hadn’t gotten her period. 😂 I was watching both boys when I got my period back, for the first time, after having a baby. I asked one of them to run upstairs to get me a tampon. One of them brought it to me in the bathroom. When I came out, one boy was making me tea and the other was singing to my baby. He said, “I want to keep the baby calm, incase your tummy hurts.” They are both so compassionate, even though they have completely different personalities.
@@findingbeautyinthepain8965 wow! They sound like very amazing kids! Very compassionate and smart in picking up on things like making tea or getting a heating pad. They did a great job raising them. That's adorable ❤ much love to you and your fam
Interesting topic and very original. I'm a Senior male. In high school, a female student actually asked our history teacher, what the ancient women or Neanderthal women wore, for their periods. Her response was, soft suede leather, as it was cheap and plentiful. They're VERY absorbent. Leather loincloths. Then, you can easily wash out the leather "pads" in nearby rivers or lakes. So, I've always remembered, soft suede leather, being used as pads. That's all I know. Good choice of subject. 🤔 Well done. 🤗 A+, for, originality!!
The shape of the subligaculum reminds me of old fashioned cloth diapers in a way. I wonder if throughout history women primarily used larger versions of the cloth shapes they used for their children. It may have even been what has been historically used for the elderly with incontinence. The negative connotations many associate today with "wearing a diaper" probably haven't always existed (and, quite frankly, these negative ideas are dumb anyway, as some of us with extremely heavy flow have to wear adult diapers at night to keep from ruining our beds and there's nothing wrong with that)
It doesn't matter how 'natural' it is to produce these things, we're still dealing with bodily waste that needs to be handled safely to avoid spreading disease. Why would there be positive connotations in this regard?
@@nichan008 I think the idea is to dismantle the shame that some people feel about these issues. But you are right that we shouldn't ignore the sanitary safety concerns that come along with these natural functions. Though when I think about it, human waste can actually be useful if handled properly... So just another reason to disassociate it from shame in my opinion.
Master's in creative writing? Now I understand how your videos are so well-scripted. And you write poetry? Awesome, me too! I got my first one published when I was 10, but I've never been brave enough to publish a chapbook! You rock! Very interesting experiment! You've already made me want to try making chitons, and this garment looks appealing, too. I might have to visit a fabric store soon...
I got my first published, and only one, at 13 I think. I found it again a few years ago, and cringed really hard, the exact teenage angst mentioned in the video, haha.
Thank you for addressing this issue in such an open manner. When I was young we were always made to feel embarrassed and ashamed. Also, I was never told or warned it was coming! Surprise at age 10!! I appreciate your historical research and I agree that the folks back then were quite innovative.
My mom wasn’t taught about getting a period either. When she got hers, she ran to my grandma, screaming for her to call 911. My poor mama actually thought she way dying. 💔
@@findingbeautyinthepain8965 I appreciate you sharing, many of us have similarities in our lives that we don't realize, and these create a bridge of understanding.
Concerning free bleeding, I read a fascinating article in college about the young women who worked in the New England cotton mills. They hired mostly all young girls and women because they were cheaper, and as a result there was a lot of blood on the floor someone had to mop up. All the girls and women were free bleeding. They took the mothers aside and tried to get them to have their daughters wear rags, but they were very reluctant. They believed that if the flow was stopped in any way, that was unhealthy. Also, ( this part is really weird) they wanted their daughters to get married and the appearance of blood on clothing or the ground was a sign that a girl was old enough to court. In the end, they all did finally agree to wear rags, at least at work.
That’s super gross, I would not want to mop up a building’s worth of teenage girls period blood. Clean rags changed daily are much healthier for everyone.
That's really interesting, so recent as well. There is a logic to it, both in terms of the idea of hygiene (different from our own, but logical - let the blood flow away, don't trap it) and as a fertility marker. Just extremely different from how we see it.
I cannot imagine. As someone who had a heavy flow period that lasted 7 days, just the thought of my legs covered in blood and sticky for an entire work day is unfathomable. It must have been uncomfortable for anyone with anything other than a light flow.
Latinist here - I'm always happy to see ancient cultures represented :) while I haven't done any research yet into ancient clothes (I prefer late Victorian sportswear) there is a book I want to mention that might be of interest for some of you: Roman Women's Dress by Jan Radicke. How do I know of the book if I haven't done the research yet? Well, the professor I study under wrote it. Sadly he hasn't done any lectures yet on the topic, I hope he will at some point
I imagine talking/writing about it in public was much more 'taboo' than simply understanding or talking in private about it. So, the historical record would end up not being representative of the reality of it.
I don't know about that, information about everyday life in general is often hard to come by, since writing was reserved for more important topics. Especially considering any records had to be rewritten every so often due to decomposition of the medium. The romans weren't that strict with the topic of bodies, nudity etc.
@@Fiiischinator I don't really think they felt like it was taboo, just that we see the rarity of records and assume it was taboo. Reality might be as simple as, women had "women's ways" that were passed down between women for generations. But meanwhile, men didn't really put much thought into it and subsequently didn't write about it.
I think you'd be surprised. Maybe for the upper classes but considering the lower classes and their living conditions concepts of privacy were much different.
Did you know that the island women used sea sponges. I, now in my 70’s, was allergic to some of the materials used in pads and tampons so I tried, and quickly fell in love with the sponges I purchased in the artist paint art. They worked! I rinsed them out on occasion, and at the end of the then period, i rinsed them in hydrogen peroxide.
@@MCS7000 Interesting. I never knew of anyone else who tried them. I was towards menopause and my periods were heavy and long. I had fibroids and they each had their own little cycle. I loved the sponges because they would absorb a lot an I could clean them often - also loved the hysterectomy, I was a DES baby and I was a 4 of 5 on the PAP smear test. It was time. Ever hear of the women who lived in an isolated area of China who used specially prepared dried leaves with holes punched in them to catch the blood. Very harsh life. Each girl got her own set of leaves when she reached the age. They were dried and holes were poked in them. There was nothing to hold them in except keeping the legs together when they walked. When the leaf filled, it was set on a rock to dry out and use again and again. If I recall right, each girl had her own designated rock. After a week, the ladies were chafed and sore so they walked tenderly and funny for another week. My heart went out to them.
Sea sponge user here! I got into them in the 80's. Boil 'em at the beginning and the end and let them air dry. They are good for everything but the heaviest of days. I have reused some for literally years. I still sell them! If you're inclined to it, it's so much easier to collect it for painting, ink, dying, plants, etc, if you use it for crafting or magical purposes.
@@droundyCubby My heaviest days included clots the size of my fist for about 48 hours. There is no sponge that can handle that. I'm extremely experienced as a women's health historical recreationist. Again, it's a place of privilege to tell me about how my experience should work.
Loved your little rant about how we underestimate our ancestors. We do owe all the creature comforts we're familiar with to their labour and ingenuity. I personally don't have the courage to do Roman menstrual sublis in the Arena, but we did have lots of fun reproducing the diverse draperies of "gladiator diapers", so yay for sublis 🤘
At a certain age all children think they are smarter than their parents... it's that much worse for our ancestors, yet they lived and survived much scarier times than we experience now.
As a menstrual cup user, I just can't imagine anyone free bleeding in ancient times on purpose. Forget stigma. When you have a runny nose, who refuses to wipe or blow it and just walks around with mucus running down their face? Why not? Stigma?? No, because that's disgusting and annoying.
As someone who has worked with children, wiping your face is a learned skill. And while many people have an issue with swamp bottom, there are plenty of people who have light enough flow, that that isn't an issue. Also, we know that various factors can affect flow, such as malnutrition, or strenuous exercise. It is possible the reason free bleeding was celebrated in hunter gather societies was because it meant that there was enough food in a region. It could also have been stigmatized in stationary societies, because a lack of medical knowledge could associate it with disease. We do carry diseases on our blood.
@@s.f.nightingale1735 I find it hard to believe that the women in the ancient hunter gatherer tribes really just bled freely anywhere, any time. I bet they probably at least tried to run over to a certain area where they also urinated and defecated, or put something under themselves when they knew a big gush was about to happen. I bet they got really good at being able to tell when a gush was going to happen and tried to be situated in the right spot when it did. I mean, obviously, you can't control it, but you kind of can tell to some extent, when it's about to happen, like after sitting for a long time and getting up suddenly.
@@Melissa0774 my understanding is that hunter gatherer women (and most women in history) would have spent most of their fertile years pregnant and/or underfed, so they probably wouldn't have spent much time at all on their period. That's just what I've heard, anyway 😅
@@AnnaReed42 that aside, blood of all kinds is very strong-smelling. I don't think nomadic hunter-gatherers would want to risk their prey, or worse, a larger predator, scenting them.
Really appreciate you mentioning the impact of conditions like endometriosis and PCOS. My life stops for a week every month, due to endometriosis pain. I wish I felt renewed, or at least in tune with nature, when on my cycle. I usually just feel pain, fear, and frustration. I can’t imagine how people could have coped with this level of pain, historically.
😢GET HELP YOU DONT HAVE TO ENDURE THAT ITS ABSOLUTELY NOT NORMAL ENDOMITRIOSIS KILLS I KNOW I ALMOST DIED BECAUSE OF IT GET HELP ASAP DONT LET DRX BRUSH YOU OFF PERIOD❤ NOT YELLING ALMOST COMPLETELY BLIND CAPS HELP
Cutting carbs, doing sports, and a healthy lifestyle helps a lot. This removes the initial cause of the issue as far as I know. Many doctors like to jump onto cutting the hurting organ part but they don’t dig deep to the root cause.
My Gran was born 1898 and I once asked her about this topic even though we really didnt talk much about bodily functions I was cheeky that day while visiting "Gran before tampons what did u use" ? and Gran said that she used rags and use to wash them I am thinking that 1905 sanitary towel invention was far too expensive for Gran rhe Family was very poor
Yes, fabric was very expensive. In my family, where people had only what they harvested, including the cotton to spin and weave, m great aunts, grandma and my mother all wore rags on their underwear. Especially on more rural and poor contexts we have a lack of those more fabric intensive everythings.
My grandmother mentioned using rags when she was young(born 1898) and washing and laying them on the grass to bleach. A roll of fabric inside that subligaculum, would allow you to make the whole thing thinner, and perhaps be more comfy. . .it would also allow those who were heavy gushers to deal with it better.
When I hit menopause, it turned into the non-stop massive kind. There is no way this would have been a solution for me without significant bulk. I made my own reusable pads out of old socks, tho. Cotton ones are shockingly absorbent, and the long socks are exactly the right shape. Three stacked socks can take the heaviest flow. They literally last for decades. I still have most of them, and I'm gonna be buried with them.
My Mama and her mom were menstruating,when Mama discovered disposable pads in a sore. She bought many and brought them home to share with Granny. Mama grew up with a period belt
Free bleeding sounds like hell to me. Not because of any stigma but because the last time I had my period, I was in hospital dealing with sepsis. Just a few hours of chafing from (unknowingly) bleeding left me with a moisture lesion - which was depressing because I'd managed to avoid any skin breakdown for eight years of being bedbound until that point. That said, I have used fabric menstrual pads before while I was still able to vaguely manage my flow with the pill (I have endometriosis and adenomyosis, and I have ALWAYS had horrifically heavy periods). While they worked okay for moderately heavy flow, I did have to change them every couple of hours, which gets expensive quickly. Despite the pain, I found a menstrual cup the better option because it catches and holds the blood rather than having to absorb it fast enough to keep it from flooding and leaking. There's absolutely NO way that any kind of pad (cloth or commercial), fabric or tampon is capable of controlling my unmedicated flow without leaking. Even the combination of a cup and a pad isn't always a safe bet, and I have to spend that week lying on a folded towel or chux pad. So I suspect that this wouldn't work for me, either. But it's great if it works for others and is the right option for them. If you find the wool fabric is irritating but you want the thicker fabric for extra absorbency, perhaps you could line the wool with linen or cotton, at least in the area that is on the most tender skin? That way you can have the best of both worlds, even though that is obviously more work than just cutting out the t-shape from one piece of wool cloth.
When tying the “surgical knot” is possible to pull the ends in the reverse direction at the last step, and it will lie flatter. So you have the end from the left hip we can call A, and the end fron the right, B. You began by wrapping A around B twice and pulling B to the left and A to the right. So you’ve eventually crossed each side to the opposite side of the body. Then you wrap one side around the other and this is the part that’s different: instead of crossing to the opposite side of the body, they will end on the same Side they are on now, so pull side A to the right and and B to the left. Your way is obviously fine and secure, but since it leaves you with the ends kind of pointing up and down rather than side to side, it’s a bit bulkier. You mentioned you “could tell” you were wearing the garment and didn’t have your usual silhouette. If someone wanted a leas noticeable bump in their silhouette, having the ends lie flat might help. This comes from extensive gift wrapping experience lol. Not sure if it translates directly to this application, but worth a try!
This video is absolutely wonderful. I love that these days the stigma about periods is fading and we can talk openly about it as a basic biological function for many people. I've always wondered how throughout the centuries people handled their bleeding. It always seemed like the potential to be unhygienic might be greater - but it needn't be necessarily so, it turns out! I don't get periods as I'm in my 40s and I use a birth control method that shuts things down (my OB-GYN is brilliant for the suggestion and it's given me a much better quality of life). I have PCOS and thyroid disease, and PMDD - menstruation for me has always been a hellishly wild ride. I really appreciate your inclusion of people like me in this discussion. I really like the notion of people finding new-old solutions to cope with periods, no matter what their situation!
My daughters thought I was weird for looking into the history of feminine products. Thank you so much for this video, you made me feel normal! I'm now subscribed!!
This is wonderful: I have long wondered how our female fore-bears managed their periods down through the ages. So thank you very much for being brave in discussing this topic. 😊😊
Thanks for being so matter of fact about periods. We need more of this. The stigma is stupid. That said I'm not interested in free bleeding because I don't like getting body fluids all over everything, when I have a cold I blow my nose instead of letting the snot flow down my face and onto my shirt... and snot doesn't stain things. I'm convinced the menstrual cup is the best invention ever (though I realize it's not for everyone) and I haven't bought a box of pads in almost two decades now. When you were talking about wearing wool against skin being not for some people, oh my goodness that is so me, I start itching just thinking about it. Hate tags in my clothing too, I can wear cashmere against my skin but that's about it. I need a chemise if I want to wear real wool... and I'm definitely going to keep that subligaculum pattern in mind for when I decide I've had enough of bunching modern underpants and try a different feel of bunching :P Angsty teenage poetry.... yeah I wrote some really dark stuff in English class to see if I could get sent to the giudance counsellor but I suspect the teachers saw right through it...
I totally misunderstood the title and thought it was underwear from a particular historical period! This is much spicier! I'm so glad you addressed this issue. Thank you!
@@VBirchwood I am ashamed how long it took me watching the video to figure out you meant period talking about menstruation, not about the period it was in. Glad I am not the only one!
saw a comment that i can't find that said "it's not a topic men care about so there isn't a lot of research" and unfortunately, that's true. that's why we need more women in archaeology and research!
3:59 As a woman, I definitely think periods should be way more normalized, it’s completely natural. However, free-bleeding just means you’re gonna have to clean blood off your clothes, and I’d *really* rather not lmao
I left a thorough comment about free bleeding on another thread so I’m copy and pasting it here :) “hi all on this thread! I appreciate all your thoughts on this topic. I’m also a frequent menstrual cup user by the way, and love them. Here are some of my thoughts on the free bleeding discussion: Firstly, what qualifies as free-bleeding differs a lot. Healthline gives the definition that I do in this video, and also mentions that things like sitting above a towel (or a cloth equivalent) is still free bleeding, as is just letting a garment that isn’t specifically designed for menstruation absorb the blood. They mention that free bleeding is generally safe, especially if practiced responsibly. 100% yes blood carries diseases. Like all bodily fluids. There’s no denying that. And people of the past were deeply intelligent. Hunter-gatherer societies are deeply intelligent and innovative. I believe for those who might free bleed, they likely have methods of making sure it is as clean and as safe as possible. There are accounts of some Indigenous societies where anyone menstruating would gather in community together as a time for connection, etc. In which case there could also have been designated areas for free bleeding, which could also potentially make it safer as those areas could be regularly cleaned. The Guardian article I link in my “further reading” section mentions one such example of gathering during menstruation. Additionally, as others have mentioned, so many factors may equate to fewer or lighter periods on average, for instance, breastfeeding, frequent pregnancy, malnourishment, and also intense amounts of exercise. So there’s a potential that periods become fewer and lighter for some. As I also mention in my video, free bleeding is a personal choice and is absolutely not for everyone. I personally don’t think, for instance, it would be for me, but I have friends who love it. There are also some individuals in the comments who free bleed and mentioned their positive experiences. I just wanted to express my thoughts on the matter in greater depth, as I don’t feel I elaborated enough in my video.”
Yes please tell us more. I have a very vague memory of being 12 going on an overnight with my grandmother and she found my pads that I had packed she was checking my packing because I'm very forgetful and had previously forgotten to pack shirts for a 3 day trip) she found my pads and was so excited by how small and discreet 'modern products' were that she called her sister over to marvel at them. I was mortified but now... what did my grandmother and great aunt have to deal with?
@@hippybeccaSanitary belts were used before pads had adhesive strips. In 1978 I had a thing that was a piece of elastic (I think, I barely remember) that went around the waist with two other pieces of elastic that dangled in front and back. Those pieces ended in a metal? plastic? piece. The pad had long tails and you hooked the end into the plastic pieces somehow (don’t quite remember how that worked either). Fortunately I only had to use that a year or two until Stayfree adhesive pads showed up in our store! (Google says they came out in 1969 but evidently took a while to reach us.)
@@rebeccaholcombe9043 Sanitary belts were used before pads had adhesive strips. In 1978 I had an thing that was a piece of elastic (I think, I barely remember) that went around the waist with two other pieces of elastic that dangled in front and back. Those pieces ended in a metal? plastic? piece. The pad had long tails and you hooked the end into the plastic pieces somehow (don’t quite remember how that worked either). Fortunately I only had to use that a year or two until Stayfree adhesive pads showed up in our store! (Google says they came out in 1969 but evidently took a while to reach us.)
@@sr28774 Mostly historical fantasy, but they're largely unpublished due to first the 2000s fantasy magazines going bankrupt during the Recession. I'm still on the journey of getting published in book form.
@@sr28774 I don't know if you got my earlier response but for whatever reason it got deleted. Long story short, I write mostly historical fantasy. But they're unpublished at the moment.
Yes! I'm glad she's a famed international assassin, but is she punching people because kicking would shift her tampon around? How do you hide from the monster when they can smell that you're bleeding? The Duke can't be groping under her petticoats in the carriage today because it's that time of the month. Soooo many questions.
Hypatia was violently tortured and killed because she showed her mentrual rags (she did not throw them) at the bishop who was making sexual advances towards her. It was a way to not be raped. She was tortured and killed for it, and for being a powerful, highly educated woman who taught math and science to many who traveled across the Mediterranean to sit at her feet. She was a pagan. The Church was jealous of her influence. The bishop had a mob of Christian MEN pull her off her chariot, flay her, rip her body to pieces which were dragged through Alexandria before being burned. That is an account which historians don't all agree with, regarding her death. The Church wrote the history, of course.
@@glittery_cucumberyou can easily look up the source, the vicious murder of Pagan Hypatia by Christian incels is well known. To make matters worse, the church took her story and turned it into the story of the fake Christian Saint Catherine, and switched the roles of Pagan and Christian to make Pagans look like the bad guys
I really love this video for so many reasons. I love the way you talk about menstruation in a positive light, I love your scientific commitment to this experiment! And I just find you to be an extremely adorable human. I can't weigh in on this exact model, but I have not used tampons, pads or cups for many years. I wanted an eco friendly option that was also non toxic to a fault, and hygienic as well. I ended up sewing my own pads, but unlike what is available to buy there is no internal synthetic layer, just multiple layers of cotton. I achieve this by folding it, because if there are many layers sewn together it is more likely to retain odor or bacteria. This way it can be unfolded and washed as a double layer. I do have a heavy flow for first two days and then very light the other three. I have found the effectiveness is all about the type of weave of the fabric, it needs to be dense and substantial, and bit too bulky when folded to be comfortable. I go through a few per day the first two days. I have not experimented much with wool but this video has encouraged me to try it. Thank you for making this! ❤
My period used to be my favourite week too!! Even though I had extremely painful cramps (a broken arm was nothing by comparison) and heavy bleeding that required me to either change a tampon every 45min or change a menstrual cup every 3-4 hours. I was in a borderline cult and rarely took care of myself except when my period made me. I was so thankful for it and how severe it was because it was a relief from the demands I felt obligated to live up to, even though there was still a lot I had to do to appear normal. Now that I’ve left and take care of myself anyway and my periods have changed it’s inconvenient, they’re lighter and the pain is less but they last twice as long. Tbh I wish they’d change back! I’d still feel some positivity if they didn’t last longer than they should I have some modern period underwear and would definitely recommend them to anyone who usually prefers pads! Menstrual cups are more of an adjustment and need to be sanitised but they’re great if you can manage them
I used to have terribly heavy periods that would go on for two weeks. My doctor had me start taking Vitex, also known as Chaste Tree Berry Extract. It’s a supplement that you can find at the health food store or online. It made a huge difference for me. When I was looking at the results of my hormone panel, I stumbled on a site that focused on natural and holistic care for women’s hormone issues. The site talked about also taking Royal Jelly, the stuff bees make as food, and the herb Shatavari. I tried it and the results were miraculous. My cycle went from two weeks to just four days. Cramping gone. Just one day of heavy flow, but still nowhere near as bad as it used to be, where I was afraid to leave the house for more than an hour. I highly recommend that you look into these supplements and talk to your doctor about them. They are relatively inexpensive and easy to find. Hope you feel better soon.
With heavy periods any pads or period panties between your legs will be ineherently uncomfortable as there will all the time be yet-unabsorbed flow. It feels like a wet diaper, basically. And panties would need to be changed every couple of hours at least... Not something you want to do in a public toilet and I hope you are wearing a skirt! But they are nice with normal flow. Or as a backup with the cup.
@@MiljaHahto I’m very well aware... But when your tampon is going to be used up in 45min you have to double up. Most period underwear hold much more than a pad but even if they don’t last long enough they’re a great option for lighter days
@@MiljaHahto I have very heavy periods that usually last about 9-10 days (for years I would have to use S+ tampons AND pads together, and even with changing my tampon every hour I would STILL leak blood.) About a year ago I started using Thinx period underwear and it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I don't know where you get the idea that they would need to be changed every couple of hours? They are super absorbent, at least the brand I use is, and even on my heaviest flow days I've never felt like I was wearing a wet diaper. I work in a warehouse, and am getting up & down from my desk constantly, and not once have I had the need to change my underwear. It holds up perfectly fine from 6:30am when I leave home, to 4:30pm when I get home from work.
I got sick of spending so much on toxic tampons and pads. So I purchased about 12 organic microfiber cloths. They make great pads that are SUPER absorbent yet thin. I can wash, sanitize and use them indefinitely. Changed my life seriously! My cramps even improved!
Are they good for when you go out for the whole day, for example to university? I’ve been wanting to find more sustainable period options but I’m worried about having to change pads throughout the day and the smell of keeping the used one with you till you get home to wash it
@@bluemacaroons I'd imagine most of that will depend on your own body, but good quality plastic zipper bags would be a solution if you have to change during the day, just don't forget about them :)
Thanks so much for this lovely video, Vasi! It's so important to destigmatize periods, and as someone who deals with PMDD thanks for recognizing all of the difficulty some people have around periods. I'm thankful there are people who can enjoy that time of the month, and that you find it renewing
I have PMDD as well! I find my period such a relief but I can get cramps for 3 days or almost a week before, very often when trying to sleep. My mood is much better when I start to bleed and I take lexapro to reduce extremity, and I was surprised realizing how much anticipation of knowing I will feel bad affects me. I thought I must have endometriosis for some time but my doctor has said no evidence has been seen of such. I get ovulation cramps most months as well and occasionally swell up like a balloon. I have a friend who likely has it as well who has been told periods from hell are normal by doctors. I think I have a female doctor and she has a male. We have commiserated about our irrational premenstrual anger and the magical leveling power of the menses. We hate PMS and find the period a relief. I have an abusive ex as well who accused me of not having PMDD and presumably lying to excuse my mood changes. He was in the room when I was diagnosed.
I used to have severe PMDD and it is rough. Medical attitudes towards it in the past didn't help sufferers either, leading many of us to 'grin and bear it'. I found that the medicated IUD made a big difference - no more periods for me!
I have pmdd too. The suffering I went through was almost too much. I have found relief with Slynd a new type of BC. So many women silently suffer from it. I am very vocal about it now. No one should suffer the way I did. Luckily one gyn visit I shared with an NP. She wouldn’t let me leave till I agreed to treatment. I have been so happy since.
I can see where the cut of the fabric would work very well. Not only for women during menstruation, but if the fabric is thick enough, such as wool, it could possibly work as a diaper or nappy? I think it would, but don't know the history of it. I thought you looked lovely in your red outfit! I am glad you mentioned some of the issues, like endometriosis and other painful issues women ( and young girls) suffer from. My daughter and I both suffer from it endometriosis. When I was young, understanding or any medical intervention was non existent. My daughter at least was diagnosed and found a few months of relief, after major surgery. I think it's lovely that you can see the beauty and the ties with the cycle of the moon. In my statistics class, I did my research on if women really went into labor more often when it was a full moon. It is statistically true, despite there due date. I think it's amazing how the tides , births, how animals and humans behave, is often based on the phase of the moon. I realize many people think it's pseudoscience. 1000's of years of verbal and written history, as well as renewed interest in it says to me... give mother nature some credit. I hope you and all who are watching are doing very well! I wish everyone happiness. With love, Audri
Thank you for your comment Audri! I agree that Mother Nature needs to be given far more credit than we do give her ♥️ we are all still a part of nature, after all. I’m sorry to hear as well that both you and your daughter suffer from endo, but I’m happy to hear that she was able to access medical care that could bring her some relief. Sending love!
This is how I've seen babies diapered with cloth diapers .. a square of fabric, folded in half to make a triangle, baby on the triagle, one point comes up between the legs, one over each hip, then diaper pinned in the front, at some poing they started producting rectangular cloth diapers, that had extra layers of fabric in the center and thinner on sides, they went frontto pack and then just pinned at sides
Sorry, but obligatory "correlation does not equal causation". Magical thinking is more dangerous than you might consider... especially in the misinformation age we live in.
My mum was a midwife who worked in a large hospital. Yes,the full moon effect does happen. On a regular night,there would be 2 to 3 women in labor. One night my mum came home absolutely exhausted. Full moon,and TEN deliveries. "Full moon again,mum?" "Yep" She's been gone many years now. I miss those stories 🦋
Oh I was on edge!, even though I am too old to try this myself. This is a great experiment, thank you. Linen is very fast to absorb liquids, and I believe wool is slow to absorb. Therefore, I thought the linen next to the skin with woollen fabric over it would be ideal. Mostly just change the linen. Two women I knew, during the 60's, who were born at the start of the 1900's said to me that it was easy. All they did was use a piece of brushed cotton, in UK known as flannelette, and folded it a couple of times then placed it in their underwear. They both said it was fine to do that. If you are wondering about the time line. I was born in 1950 and they were 40 years older than me.
Ohh great title :D I did focus on Roman history when I studied history at uni. And I've always been curious how people in the past dealt with this. Thank you for making this video ♡
The word “menstruation” also comes from the Latin word for “monthly”, and “monthly” (or “monthlies”) itself is another word for menstruation. And the link between “moon” and “month” is evident in many languages (in my dialect of Norwegian they’re pronounced the same, for example).
This is something that I always found strange in German. In Latin languages the moon (and the sea) are feminine nouns and are always female when personified whereas the sun is masculine but in German the moon is masculine and the sun is feminine and personified as female. When I mention to German native speakers that I find this strange, I usually have to really spell out why... How is it in Norwegian?
Somehow when I watch your videos, I feel a lot less lonely; my mind forgets for a moment about being depressed. I cannot express this same sentiment about other channels/people. Thank you for doing the things you love and for sharing it so thoughtfully.
I would think that they might use a small amount of absorbant material in the panties too. Like moss or cat tail fluff these have been used as filling and fluff for things i can see women naturally using it to absorb their period blood. It can be easily replaced off and on during the day. In areas where cotton was grown i can also see this being used. Thank you for your experiences in this. I am more of a "curious about cooking and foods" in ancient times it all ties togeter in day to day life.
I could definitely see people of the past doing so! Maybe even unspun but washed wool. Thank you for watching! It’s amazing how many historical niches overlap.
Cotton and sphagnum moss are both extremely absorbent, and there’s evidence of both being used in menstrual pads at least in modern times (sphagnum moss only in bag-type pads and not as period aprons, for obvious reasons).
@@ragnkja a friend of mine does civil war reenactment and she said that the women often talk about what they would have used during this time. Also as baby diaper stuffing for at nights to help keep baby dryer at night so little ones sleep deeper(slept longer?)
This reminds me of the correct answer someone gave to the trans debate question "can you define a woman? What is a woman?" - Answer "A woman is whatever rich old white men decide it is" He who does the classification rules the system...!!
this is probably my favourite video of yours yet!! it made me think about menstruation (and MY menstruation) in ways i never have before! talking about periods is so so cool and we should all do it more💅
I also welcome my period because it brings a relief from the PMS symptoms. The happiness I feel is in stark contrast to the depressive feelings I had before starting menstruation.
This was so interesting to watch. Women back then had to take care of themselves just like women of today. It’s sad that nothing is really written. I imagine women learned from their mothers or other women in their community. I wonder if during their days of working they could chat together to discuss what was important to them. I’m sure menstrual issues were topics. I chose to use cloth diapers for my child and found wool coverings over the cotton worked best at night to prevent leakage. I think something similar would work for women. Using fabric that you had available for absorbency and wool over it. I don’t know how comfortable it would be for practical use though. I like both thoughts, linen as well. That may be much more comfortable to actually wear. Wool is antibacterial though. It’s definitely a toss up and would completely depend on each individual. I’m sure there were many options at that time but we just don’t hear about them. Thank you for posting this wonderful and helpful video by doing experimental archeology yourself.
I didn’t know the fact about linen. Thanks for the info. That helps to make your decisions easier. Maybe in winter go with the wool, summer try out linen. I’m sure wearing the underwear on a more regular basis, you could get them as comfortable as possible by shifting the fabric in different ways until your happy with it. I know cold water is best for rinsing to prevent staining. So having more than one pair would be necessary.
I love this vid 💖 For whatever reason, unknown to me, I just don’t get a period, so it makes me happy to see those who do allowing themselves to enjoy their period and be unabashed about it. Any effort to make the period more normal and casual of a topic, is something I support.
Lovely! Regarding no period for unknown reason: I highly recommend anyone in that situation to check in with a medical professional. Just to make sure you can catch any relevant underlying conditions that might require treatment or monitoring (hormonal, nutrition, etc). Wishing everyone health!
Thank you for making such interesting videos. You always make the coolest videos, and this one was incredible. I appreciate that you addressed PCOS and endometriosis. As a woman with stage 4 endometriosis, my entire month involves severe pain. I’ve always wondered about women’s methods of dealing with menstruation in the distant past, and you answered so many questions. I love your chitons, and they seem to be your garment of choice during summer. I would love to try making one to try during hot weather. Thank you for the great video.
Thank you for watching and for your comment! I’m so sorry you have to go through the impacts of having endometriosis. I hope that you are able to have a supportive and compassionate medical team to help you with managing the symptoms.
Currently watching this on my second day of my period 😂 I tried for the first time the disc and I had a hard time removing it that I panicked!! Luckily all is well. Thank you for sharing your experience-pretty interesting how it must’ve been during that time. We are lucky they paved the way for us women today 🙌
Totally off topic but it’s so weird seeing Pliny the Elder get referenced. I studied ancient history at A level. We read about Pliny the younger (they are related), a notorious gossip and plastic Stoic / Stoic Lite. He was a particular favorite of mine. ❤
Hey! First time viewer. I wanted to thank you for your thoughts on menstration, and sharing that it is a positive experience for yourself. As someone with brutal periods, I had never considered that some people are unbothered, or enjoy their periods. Your new perspective really resonated with me, and I think it has a beauty that would wilt unshared.
I watch RUclips while drawing in the evening and I'm always searching for channels that are calm and comforting. You're such a beautiful human being, I really like your whole vibe and view on things! 💕
I just found your channel today and I am elated! Just loved watching you talk. I'm Eastern European, 100% Lithuanian now living in NJ. Would love to listen to you talk about Tatars!
In my language - Polish - we have "miesiąc" for month, "miesiączka" for menstruation and we have an archaic term for moon that is "miesiączek" (now barely anyone uses it ever, but fun fact is that the archaic moon and menstruation create something like a pair of feminine and masculine (grammar-wise) equivalents)
Awesome video! I've been reallt curious about this as an option for days when i want to lounge and not stress about emptying my period cup so i appreciate you doing the experiment for all of us!
I have no idea why this showed up on my feed between Psych2Go and Markiplier, but I liked it. I'm going to send it to my sister and see what she thinks.
That was an interesting piece of 'experimental archaeology'. I admittedly did not think that bunched up fabric would really do the trick, but apparently I was wrong! Very interesting. And one could always place a folded up piece of additional material in the crotch area.
19:19 thank you for mentioning having a ‘normal’ menstrual cycle is a privilege, because unfortunately I am one of those who don’t have a regular cycle. Because of my PCOS, my partner and I are having difficulties getting pregnant. It is quite painful and frustrating to see people around us getting pregnant by ‘accident’ or at the first try. I don’t begrudge them of course, but I just wish that we wouldn’t have to fight so hard for something that should come naturally. And of course it is still ‘expected’ for a woman to be able to get pregnant. Even now, when people become new parents, they still easily and without thinking too much about it, ask “When are you going to start expanding your family?” Or “With your age, I just thought you would want to have children too” or “Don’t worry, you’ll be next”.
This is a very superior video! So transparent and informative. The undergarment seems really practical, so I assume it was actually used for menstruation, somewhere. I agree that some women may have used sponges or vegetable fibers for added absorption - maybe after childbirth? But yeah, without trying things out, we can't really know. So your experiment is highly, highly valuable!
I'm with Nick generally on this. I suspect a pad of cheaper more absorbent material was being used that required less washing or could simply be thrown away, inside of a subligaculum of lighter material. I'd always presumed the basic design of a subligaculum was used across many parts of the world in pre-industrial societies, perhaps just a long rectangle of cloth with tie strings at one end.
Such an interesting topic! Also liked the bit about the Tatar language. It’s the same in my native language, Finnish. “Kuu” is moon and “-kuu” is the ending of the names of the months. Period is “kuukautiset” so “monthlies”.
Hi v, I love the videos, they're so well produced. I just wish the videos were a little bit shorter. But they're great, most historical fashion RUclipsrs only show fashion from the XIX century to the 50s and you go much further and in rich details. keep up the job!!
Yes, loved the double meaning use of "period" in this case. And leads us to wonder if this is how Roman women handled the issue (although seems like the answer is yes) And can't but see the irony that the Tatar word for the naturally occurring event sounds like the English words "I Leak" (I realize it's purely coincidence, but still) Also, I had a friend who really loved the moon, so I do kind of collect words for it from different languages. Now I know "Ai"
I'm a trans man and funnily, you posted this a week after I had my total hysterectomy lol. I haven't had a period in 10 years, but I think menstruation has been a super important part of day to day life for AFAB people since time immemorable and we should appreciate the history of how our ancestors dealt with it. Even in modern history we don't discuss it enough. Like, how many times have you seen a movie or tv show or book that's set on a deserted island or a post apocalyptic world and the writers never bother to mention what the female characters do during their period. It bothers me now even as a non uterus having man and has bothered me since I was a kid. If 14 year old me can see the plot holes, the well paid writers should be able to see them...
This is my first time watching one of your videos, it is excellent, and I have already subscribed. I research and make historical clothing, and find that the topic of menstruation has traditionaly been ignored. So refreshing to see a well researched frank piece of work on the subject. Thank you!
@@VBirchwood you are welcome! All things considered, I am doing quite well, thank you. I just finished a feast sized meal of organic & local farm fresh fruit, vegetables, walnuts & cheese. So grateful and satisfied to be able to have such wholesome luxuries.
@@VBirchwood it was fantastic! It reminded me of the food you film, but, simpler, because, no cooking or combining. Now I get "leftovers" (freshly assembled, same/similar items) for my upcoming meal!👍
The food you make for yourself always looks so delicious! I’d love to see a what I eat in a day video if your meals are at all inspired from historical recipes or which ones you continue to make from you other historical food videos
@@nataliefrohmann5715 thank you!! In my every day life, I hardly ever use recipes (only for baking typically). I just sort of see what I have in my fridge and do what I call intuitive cooking. I just get a sense that some ingredients might work nicely together and so I try it. I first started cooking when I was 3, so over the years I’ve really gotten to know what I do and don’t like flavours-wise, and of course this can change a lot too over the years ☺️ unfortunately I’m not sure that a what I eat in a day video would perform very well on my channel especially since they aren’t intentionally historically inspired, though they probably aren’t so different than what people actually ate historically as I cook with whole, organic ingredients and try to build relationships with the local farmers that grow/raise them as much as possible.
I wonder to what extent period practices change depending on how expensive and elaborate clothing is. If you're wearing expensive fabrics, you're going to do whatever you can to prevent leaking !
I would think that physical mobility is a factor as well. If you are only in your own home/ yard, it may be different if you are expected to visit, market, etc.
AD This video was sponsored by June’s Journey. Download June’s Journey for free now: cherrypick.gg/VBirchwood
Thank you so much for watching! ✨
I didn't expect to see a videogame ad in your channel
The video game almost looks like it was directly inspired by Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries.
I was a little suprprised that the linen wasn't on top of the wool as a barrier, which is what I would do and I expected to see done upon hearing the two materials used. Otherwise, love this content. Great energy & focus. I subscribed.
A RUclips sponsor that isn't a meal kit delivery, VPN, or website builder -- is that allowed?
My comment educating on history got deleted. Oh well.
girl code is that not matter who asks, even your worst enemy, you ALWAYS lend an extra subligaculum to one in need
Brings back memories of old locker room days!
Had one girl who didn't like me much ask and then she started yelling no vj left behind! Thanks for taking one for the team!! LMBO she was no longer my enemy!
After that I brought extra and kept in my altherics locker and my hall locker.
@@aprilvasquez6400 No vj left behind! hahaha love that.
Back in High School, there were many times I've handed tp and tampons under the stall to my worst "enemies", and at least for that day we were cool, and some would become friends.
Thinking back, a lot of my best friends through childhood started out as enemies lol.
Giggling about this
💅❤️✨️
Yep
I’m well past menopause. And now to sound like an old lady I’ll say “back in my day” no one told you about periods so when I started I told my mom, and her exact response was “didn’t they teach you about this in school?” She gave me a “sanitary belt” and a “sanitary napkin” and explained how to attach them together. No one spoke of menstruation as it was shameful and embarrassing. I am so happy women can speak of it openly now and thank you for this video.
It's so sad how many parts of life are treated as shameful when they are perfectly natural.
I agree. My Mum grew up in an outback town in Australia in the forties and fifties. She told me that everyone knew when someone was menstruating because they had to wash their own 'rags' and hang them outside on the line.
Mum never told me I'd get my period. I knew she had hers, but I thought it was something that only happened to mothers. When I got mine at 11 I thought I was dying!
I told my three children (my sons and my daughter) about menstruation as soon as they could talk, and never wrapped shame around the topic. I also told them about sticky wet dreams so that they all realised that all our bodies change during puberty, and not only half of us have regular 'leakage'! Lol. :)
My grandma talks about belts and pads back when she was just starting to menstruate- I felt so fortunate to have modern luxuries for the couple of years I did get periods (pre my start transitioning to male at 15)
I was very fortunate to be in in the era of maxipads and didn't have to wear a sanitary belt. I managed to purchase pads accidentally for that. They had no plastic backs. I never made that mistake again. But now I understand where the phrase "wear an extra pad" came from. Using the old pads you could actually wear a double pad. (Though wearing a single one of those pads made no sense either since there was nothing to protect your clothing.) Today, it makes no sense since there's the plastic backing. Where would the extra pad go?
I’m now 29. When I was getting close to ‘period age’ my mom set up a box for me and my best friend (she had a single dad) with all kinds of period products and made sure we knew what everything was and that we could get it when we need it and ask her anything. I know it was really comforting especially for my friend. My mom started her period at 9 and was on her own, her dad would buy her what she needed but her stepmom was no help. I started at 12 and though I hate it I’ve always been comfortable talking about it probably due to it being so normalized. A few years ago I even ventured into the world of reusable discs and am never going back.
When the word "period" has a double meaning when discussing period clothing..
She makes that joke at 24:44.
Period period clothing
Question is it period period clothing or period period clothing?
😂
@@AWriterWanderingwhat
Yooooo throwing used period cloths at creepy men to scare them away is such a savage move 😂 love it
Just to remind you, creepy man in Japan, pay for that...
@@RonPaulBot1234 wait what?
especially considering how big they are if this kind is the same she threw! imagine getting hit with a stinky bloodstained shawl basically lol
I’m saving up pads now
It feels like an appropriate response to several gender-based types of shitty behaviour.
Back when I was having a period (I went through menopause a couple of years ago), I wanted to give my body an opportunity to "do its thing" overnight without using tampons, so I had my period towels that I would sleep on fashioned in much the same way. Had no idea I was being historical! 😂
Surprise experimental archaeology is the best! 😂
I did something similar when my water broke and then kept leaking so I could get to hospital. Awesome how instinct can just give us these ideas to help ourselves 😊What's that saying? Need is the mother of invention? Something like that.
@VBirchwood it's like using an adult t-shirt to diaper a baby in a pinch.
Sameee
Wait until closer to menopause and "flooding "can happen. You might struggle to cope 😮
That it is a single piece of flat fabric would be a huge plus for washing... especially by hand.
Very true!
Plus it being only one layer will dry even more fastly than the reuseable pads sell today. A good way to avoid funny smell.
I don’t have a lot of experience with wool as I’m allergic to it, but it’s my understanding that in general it’s a very difficult fabric to launder. The wool might have better absorbency but wouldn’t the linen be easier to wash?
@@RR4711 Most of the difficulty lies in avoiding felting your woollen item. As this is already pre-felted, it wouldn't be a problem.
@@tchotchonyt2442 Also, blood comes out better in cold water. Hot water is what is bad for wool.
As a man, this was definitely not a topic I have put a whole lot of thought into. But I know the Romans made a lot of use of sea sponges, they put them on sticks, and used them for wiping. A woman with a heavier flow might well be able to cut apart a sea sponge, wrap them in some of the folds of the fabric so they do not rub against the skin or other sensitive parts. I am thinking of the thicker cotton on the edges of pads to help stop leaks, and it is definitely a resource that would be widely available in Italy, and I believe in Greece too, though I cannot say for sure.
I love how open you are. Talking about mental health in some videos, and a topic so many people have shame and hangups over, and talk of your ethnic heritage, it is really great.
Lastly, I would love to listen to you talk about the history of the Tatars, I don't know much about Eastern European history, or Turkic history before the Tatars moved west. Have you considered doing videos on the cultural history of your people, and the people you are interested in historically?
Ok I lied, not lastly. Lastly lastly, the Roman subarmalis was made from a layer of wool, and a very thin layer of linen. I know nothing about fabrics and clothing and stuff, but what about the two together, thinnest of each you could find, for an undergarment? Is that viable? Again, as a guy, I am...completely out of my wheelhouse here, haha.
Sounds likely. I mean, they would have made use of what the had on hand and if sponges were easily available, they would have been an obvious solution. Easy to exchange and wash out when placed inside the 'underwear'.
sea sponges have actually been used for hundreds of years not as a pad but as tampons! They were trimmed to size and inserted. Seems quite practical considering that tight fitting undergarments that a pad type device could be placed in were def not the norm throughout most of history in many places
I was thinking of lining the wool with linen as well for comfort.
Funnily enough, I was doing some research, and new studies suggest that the Romans didn't actually use the sea sponge on a stick for wiping; it was more likely that it was used for cleaning in and around the toilet! Of course, they did still wipe themselves; there were discarded tufts of grass with fecal matter on it, as well as smooth stones, bits of cloth, glass marbles, etc. These items were found in pretty close proximity to Roman toilets.
Can I just say that as a woman, I LOVE this comment of yours? In my exp, not many men engage in the discourse on menstruation in such a normal way, if at all. I really wish it isn't generally treated as a taboo subject. Your comment was very interesting, informative and charming! I especially appreciated the very first sentence and the last ❤
I’ve been wearing an indigenous Māori owned brand of period underwear called Awwa for almost 4 years now, so this was really cool to see. It’s so interesting to know about women in the past used to manage their cycles.
Please tell me more about Awwa.
🤔
I love my Awwa underwear!
OMG I had to look up the Awwa period undies! Dang, for the first time since I hit menopause I want my flow back! Between the period panties and menstrual discs and cups, I’m so jealous of those of you who still bleed!
I’m a mid-century modern gal, so when I started my period, back in the early 60s, we used these nasty elastic belts that attached to huge, bulky pads-it was all horribly uncomfortable and gross and leaks were inevitable. Finally we were rescued by pads that attached to your undies. Thank goodness for technology!
me too bro love from nz
Sentences that probably nobody in history has uttered before: 'I wanted my outfit to match my menstruation.'
Never say never :)
@@VBirchwood Well, this is why you're here! It has now been said :} Made me smile.
might be more common then you think, I know I've done it before 😅 and red has often times been worn for protection against harm so might be one of the most common colours to wear while mensurating after white. /info
And the idea was pretty cool
I do every time 😅
Black is better than red
I can't imagine free bleeding being comfortable for anyone... blood drying on your skin is very itchy, additional moisture in the thigh area greatly increases chafing, getting blood on chafe stings... unless you think someone would be hanging out in the bath for almost a week.
Yeah, that’s the main issue I see with freebleeding too, and why I don’t see myself ever doing it deliberately.
Additionally, if you're someone who has skin that rubs other skin in that area of the body, free bleeding can really aggravate things. The chafing is already not ideal, but then your skin that's already prone to chafing gets involved with the flow... yeesh. It sounds very uncomfortable. Excessive dampness is not your friend in that area and will irritate everything. But then I have really sensitive skin to begin with and take a lot of care to prevent harming my skin barrier. I can't imagine freebleeding as a regular practice for myself.
This is why it's interesting to wonder what our pre-historic ancestors did, even from before we had the capacity to invent tools. The physics don't really change, but our methods of making ourselves more comfortable certainly do.
@@nichan008 In some cultures, women were basically made to sit in one spot for the duration.
I'm also not a fan of purposely letting my clothing stain. And I'm stumped at how diapers or pads don't count as free bleeding when washable period underwear or rags are still collecting material and protecting your clothing. It does seem that there are differing definitions, that to some people "free bleeding" is just letting it leak on everything and to others it's more like "not using disposable products," because that second crowd still counts period absorbing underwear as free bleeding.
There's a happy middle ground where the sanitation aspect can be cared for without the methods used being stigmatized.
As a classicist and uterine care access activist, I love this video SO MUCH.
Can confirm, the Romans stigmatized menstruation, but they were also invested in identifying the causes of menstrual health problems. This was because childbirth was the top cause of female mortality, and there were times when civil war and other ravages made any population loss a major crisis, to the city and the larger Empire both. And it's worth noting that their work on women's health was based in rigorous and accurate observations, making weird comments like the one from Pliny that you cited all the more strange in that context.
I'm currently doing research to determine whether endometriosis is the actual cause for the legendary "wandering uterus syndrome," in which doctors of antiquity believed that women could experience dangerous health complications from the uterus coming loose from its surroundings and invading the rest of the body. People laugh at the concept, but it was based on observing uterine tissue in other parts of the body - like we actually find in severe cases of endometriosis. Maybe he wasn't as much of a sawbones as we like to think.
This is cool!! As someone with uterine fibroids, I’m extremely curious about the historical view and treatment of women’s health issues and specifically uterine diseases. I wish this information was easier to find!
@saraghhh Me too! I also had uterine fibroids, along with endometriosis, adenomyosis, and PCOS ("had" because I had a total hysterectomy in 2016), and finding anything beyond the most basic stuff about uterine health is ridiculously difficult. Adding to that the fact that only apparently-cis men were able to do much of the formal research until the last 50 years or so, and the access barriers are beyond unacceptable. I'm hoping to be able to take some of those down, if my research is successful, by creating an accurate narrative that can perhaps spark some larger interest and boost the PR for research in uterine health.
This makes me full body cringe 😫 Those poor women with debilitating endo 💔
This comment was super thought provoking, damn! Also thanks for the work that you do
😂 I did that with an old bath towel once (I think I just used the waistband on my pyjamas to hold it in place, but I needed double up on top of the sanitary pad, it was a blood bath of a period) and it worked :) people clearly have the same thought time and time again.
I think humanising the problematic bits of history is important too, we shouldn't repeat them and if we start thinking 'oh they were just evil people doing terrible things' it stops us looking critically at ourselves, people are people throughout history- normal people committed some of the atrocities that we would now condemn, society as a whole needs to ensure that we don't slide down the same dark paths that we've been before.
I completely agree. By humanising the past we realise humanity now can easily backslide into committing the same atrocities (and we see them happening presently all over the world).
Especially since most of the things we find "problematic" come from social taboo and not our own personal moral qualms.
I'm a dude. That being said, thank you for making this video. What I find most interesting about history is how normal people lived their lives. Unfortunately it seems that in many circles a lot more attention is paid to big picture subjects.
Once again, thank you for conducting this experiment and sharing the information.
Dude I'm the same way! How day to day people lived has always seemed way more fascinating than whichever big war or political scandal got the nobles all flustered.
Listen to "The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World" by Robert Garland through The Great Courses. It's really interesting and if you want an idea of what the daily life of an average person might've looked like it's a good listen. He only mentions "the big picture" in regard to how it might've affected the common person.
It makes me happy seeing guys like you not only not shying away from this topic but actually being interested in it
Look up historian Ruth Goodman ... both books and videos (esp series done where she and 2 archeologists living/working for a year on farms replicating different period... ie 1500s, 1800). Their emphasis is day to day lives of the people; they used only things available in that time period. Fascinating.
“Periods through the ages” is one of my hyper fixations when I learn about anything related to history. As someone with heavy and painful periods, when I think about what my life would be like if I lived during a different time era I always consider what I would do during my period. My periods would be my worst days of the month if I didn’t have pads and strong medicine
Same. I have fibroids. I wonder if women in days past had fibroids? I dunno. When I get my period, my bleeding is so intense that my life must stand still for a few days. I wonder how women handled it in the 1700s and on?
Same. I’ve always had heavy painful periods and now I’m going through menopause and it’s gotten worse. I once read about the Chhaupadi people of Nepal, and they have it figured out: when the women start menstruating, they leave the village and go stay in these huts by the river for the duration of their periods. No men getting on your nerves, not having to worry about all the stuff you’re not getting done because you’re in bed bleeding to death…. I love it!
@@RileyRunsWithScissors Right!? 🤣🤣🤣😂
@@RileyRunsWithScissors You should look into the Nepalese situation (many other places as well) a little closer.Those huts are often tiny, rudimentary things that barely shelter from anything: not the weather, wild animals nor the biggest risk the outcast faces there: males who rape and murder. The government is trying to educate people that menstruation is normal and have them leave that tradition behind. As for painful periods in olden times: women usually had far fewer periods in their lives. Food insecurity often meant first menstruation was delayed. Once girls were married, usually early, they began having multiple pregnancies and nursed the babies who survived for years which can inhibit ovulation especially in times of dearth. And then they also often died young, before menopause kicked in. I'm guessing that eating their nutricious, tradtional foods also led to fewer feminine problems, at least when it was sufficient. So, choose your poison
I’m not sure if you’ve ever tried/considered it but I’ve noticed that personally my periods are lighter and less painful when I use period underwear instead of pads or tampons. I don’t really know if it’s the chemicals or what, but i generally have shorter periods when using period underwear too. If you have the means to get a couple you might be pleasantly surprised! Even now whenever Im in a situation where I have to use a pad or tampon it ALWAYS hurts more 😭.
I once had someone tell me that an outfit I’d made wasn’t “period” because they didn’t put strips of fabric on things. I told them I’d inherited the gown from my grandmother but she was small than me and the gown was not of a seemly length but I had not enough fabric to add to the hem and so did it this way.
And then I leaned in and said
And if I could think of that solution, so could they.
Piecing is as period as it gets
That one thing you did to make it fit you honestly make the garment even MORE historically accurate bc that’s what they did back then
You made it MORE period be altering it
One hundred percent. Brava!
quite so! clothing was an investment for all classes. Most garments were handed down, altered and repaired until they fell apart, then used as rags and eventually ending up lighting fires I expect
As a pcos girlie, thank you for mentioning the nuance and also for admitting to your own ease. It makes me happy others don't suffer as much
I was also about to comment my thanks for this, but I'll just tack it on here :) With cysts and endo I do plenty of suffering, but knowing that some women don't suffer and are able to find a kind of empowerment in it makes me happy, too. Oh, but my kingdom for a hysterectomy!
I have PCOS too! It’s always so frustrating when other period-havers say I am exaggerating or being a big baby. 🫠 I’m happy for them for being able to function, but do they have to downplay what we go through just because they don’t?
There a several lists online of doctors who will perform sterilizing surgeries without fussing about kids or partners opinion etc. Obvs that doesn't help with insurance and all that but if you're looking for a doc the internet might be able to help point you to someone! 💕
a friend of mine got rid of pcos by drastically reducing carbs, with a paleo diet. ❤
@Natalie-hg3gh getting sterilized doesn't stop your period. The Mirena iud does btw.
I love the way you talk about a subject most people avoid. And you nailed it! My wife says "YES!" as well.
We as a society really need to get over our mensephobia. It's so tied up with misogyny, and abating the taboo will definitely help.
@@mehtarelingolien I think people who are disgusted by periods are most likely little boys. I personally haven’t encountered disgust but I have encountered men who are way too interested in knowing about my business.
Like, once I started my period and forgot to pack some pads. I turned to my aunt to talk to her about it. My uncle wondered why I was acting so privately with her and when I clearly didn’t want to discuss it with him, he didn’t let up and I ended up having to tell him. He got awkward.
I didn’t like that. If I want to keep my period private that’s entirely up to me. Men need to learn to mind their own business when women are talking privately. Hell, everyone needs to mind their own business when people are talking privately.
@@elliekate.a It depends how those little boys are raised. Neither of my nephews think periods or postpartum bleeding is gross. They are both under 10 and understand it’s a normal bodily function. They will actually notice the tampon wrappers in the garbage and ask my sister if they could make her a cup of tea or if she would like a heating pad. The last time my sister told her boys she was pregnant, they said they already knew. When she asked them how they knew, they said it was because she hadn’t gotten her period. 😂 I was watching both boys when I got my period back, for the first time, after having a baby. I asked one of them to run upstairs to get me a tampon. One of them brought it to me in the bathroom. When I came out, one boy was making me tea and the other was singing to my baby. He said, “I want to keep the baby calm, incase your tummy hurts.” They are both so compassionate, even though they have completely different personalities.
@@findingbeautyinthepain8965what great husbands they are going to make!! Kudos to you and your sister for training your children so well!
@@findingbeautyinthepain8965 wow! They sound like very amazing kids! Very compassionate and smart in picking up on things like making tea or getting a heating pad. They did a great job raising them. That's adorable ❤ much love to you and your fam
Interesting topic and very original.
I'm a Senior male.
In high school, a female student actually asked our history teacher, what the ancient women or Neanderthal women wore, for their periods.
Her response was, soft suede leather, as it was cheap and plentiful.
They're VERY absorbent.
Leather loincloths.
Then, you can easily wash out the leather "pads" in nearby rivers or lakes.
So, I've always remembered, soft suede leather, being used as pads.
That's all I know.
Good choice of subject. 🤔
Well done. 🤗
A+, for, originality!!
The shape of the subligaculum reminds me of old fashioned cloth diapers in a way. I wonder if throughout history women primarily used larger versions of the cloth shapes they used for their children. It may have even been what has been historically used for the elderly with incontinence. The negative connotations many associate today with "wearing a diaper" probably haven't always existed (and, quite frankly, these negative ideas are dumb anyway, as some of us with extremely heavy flow have to wear adult diapers at night to keep from ruining our beds and there's nothing wrong with that)
Yes!! And there’s nothing wrong with incontinence either!
It doesn't matter how 'natural' it is to produce these things, we're still dealing with bodily waste that needs to be handled safely to avoid spreading disease. Why would there be positive connotations in this regard?
@@nichan008 I think the idea is to dismantle the shame that some people feel about these issues. But you are right that we shouldn't ignore the sanitary safety concerns that come along with these natural functions. Though when I think about it, human waste can actually be useful if handled properly...
So just another reason to disassociate it from shame in my opinion.
Wish I had thought about the adult diaper especially after having my kids.
Master's in creative writing? Now I understand how your videos are so well-scripted. And you write poetry? Awesome, me too! I got my first one published when I was 10, but I've never been brave enough to publish a chapbook! You rock!
Very interesting experiment! You've already made me want to try making chitons, and this garment looks appealing, too. I might have to visit a fabric store soon...
I got my first published, and only one, at 13 I think. I found it again a few years ago, and cringed really hard, the exact teenage angst mentioned in the video, haha.
Thank you!! That’s so lovely you had a poem published when you were 10 ☺️
Thank you for addressing this issue in such an open manner. When I was young we were always made to feel embarrassed and ashamed.
Also, I was never told or warned it was coming! Surprise at age 10!!
I appreciate your historical research and I agree that the folks back then were quite innovative.
Thank you for acknowledging this! Being open about menstruation encourages others to be open about menstruation too 😊
I discovered that this knowledge wasn't passed on by all parents when I saw Carrie.
My mom wasn’t taught about getting a period either. When she got hers, she ran to my grandma, screaming for her to call 911. My poor mama actually thought she way dying. 💔
@@findingbeautyinthepain8965 I appreciate you sharing, many of us have similarities in our lives that we don't realize, and these create a bridge of understanding.
Idk why wrapping a cloth around your body would be considered innovative... I mean maybe like 20000 years ago?
Concerning free bleeding, I read a fascinating article in college about the young women who worked in the New England cotton mills. They hired mostly all young girls and women because they were cheaper, and as a result there was a lot of blood on the floor someone had to mop up. All the girls and women were free bleeding. They took the mothers aside and tried to get them to have their daughters wear rags, but they were very reluctant. They believed that if the flow was stopped in any way, that was unhealthy. Also, ( this part is really weird) they wanted their daughters to get married and the appearance of blood on clothing or the ground was a sign that a girl was old enough to court. In the end, they all did finally agree to wear rags, at least at work.
That’s super gross, I would not want to mop up a building’s worth of teenage girls period blood. Clean rags changed daily are much healthier for everyone.
That's really interesting, so recent as well. There is a logic to it, both in terms of the idea of hygiene (different from our own, but logical - let the blood flow away, don't trap it) and as a fertility marker. Just extremely different from how we see it.
@PartanBree True. No chance of toxic shock syndrome with free bleeding.😊
I cannot imagine. As someone who had a heavy flow period that lasted 7 days, just the thought of my legs covered in blood and sticky for an entire work day is unfathomable. It must have been uncomfortable for anyone with anything other than a light flow.
Very interesting. But also... pretty unsanitary
Latinist here - I'm always happy to see ancient cultures represented :) while I haven't done any research yet into ancient clothes (I prefer late Victorian sportswear) there is a book I want to mention that might be of interest for some of you: Roman Women's Dress by Jan Radicke. How do I know of the book if I haven't done the research yet? Well, the professor I study under wrote it. Sadly he hasn't done any lectures yet on the topic, I hope he will at some point
Your red outfit looks SO comfortable! Woohoo for experimental archeology.
I imagine talking/writing about it in public was much more 'taboo' than simply understanding or talking in private about it. So, the historical record would end up not being representative of the reality of it.
I don't know about that, information about everyday life in general is often hard to come by, since writing was reserved for more important topics. Especially considering any records had to be rewritten every so often due to decomposition of the medium. The romans weren't that strict with the topic of bodies, nudity etc.
This unrepresentativeness (by taboo or ordinariness or disinterest or combinations) is especially true for women’s history.
Childlore also.
@@Fiiischinator I don't really think they felt like it was taboo, just that we see the rarity of records and assume it was taboo. Reality might be as simple as, women had "women's ways" that were passed down between women for generations. But meanwhile, men didn't really put much thought into it and subsequently didn't write about it.
@@DaveAtlas I mean, it's a pretty reasonable assumption given what we know of roman society.
I think you'd be surprised. Maybe for the upper classes but considering the lower classes and their living conditions concepts of privacy were much different.
Did you know that the island women used sea sponges. I, now in my 70’s, was allergic to some of the materials used in pads and tampons so I tried, and quickly fell in love with the sponges I purchased in the artist paint art. They worked! I rinsed them out on occasion, and at the end of the then period, i rinsed them in hydrogen peroxide.
I previously posted here that I used sea sponges during the seventies as tampons. The worked beautifully. I did have lighter periods then.
@@MCS7000 Interesting. I never knew of anyone else who tried them. I was towards menopause and my periods were heavy and long. I had fibroids and they each had their own little cycle. I loved the sponges because they would absorb a lot an I could clean them often - also loved the hysterectomy, I was a DES baby and I was a 4 of 5 on the PAP smear test. It was time.
Ever hear of the women who lived in an isolated area of China who used specially prepared dried leaves with holes punched in them to catch the blood. Very harsh life. Each girl got her own set of leaves when she reached the age. They were dried and holes were poked in them. There was nothing to hold them in except keeping the legs together when they walked. When the leaf filled, it was set on a rock to dry out and use again and again. If I recall right, each girl had her own designated rock. After a week, the ladies were chafed and sore so they walked tenderly and funny for another week. My heart went out to them.
Sea sponge user here! I got into them in the 80's. Boil 'em at the beginning and the end and let them air dry. They are good for everything but the heaviest of days. I have reused some for literally years. I still sell them! If you're inclined to it, it's so much easier to collect it for painting, ink, dying, plants, etc, if you use it for crafting or magical purposes.
@@TreyCapnerhurst heaviest day? I would clean them more often.
@@droundyCubby My heaviest days included clots the size of my fist for about 48 hours. There is no sponge that can handle that. I'm extremely experienced as a women's health historical recreationist. Again, it's a place of privilege to tell me about how my experience should work.
Loved your little rant about how we underestimate our ancestors. We do owe all the creature comforts we're familiar with to their labour and ingenuity.
I personally don't have the courage to do Roman menstrual sublis in the Arena, but we did have lots of fun reproducing the diverse draperies of "gladiator diapers", so yay for sublis 🤘
At a certain age all children think they are smarter than their parents... it's that much worse for our ancestors, yet they lived and survived much scarier times than we experience now.
As a menstrual cup user, I just can't imagine anyone free bleeding in ancient times on purpose. Forget stigma. When you have a runny nose, who refuses to wipe or blow it and just walks around with mucus running down their face? Why not? Stigma?? No, because that's disgusting and annoying.
Think of the flies and other insects. Think of the smell after a while. Think of every dog encountered doing what they typically do anyway.
As someone who has worked with children, wiping your face is a learned skill. And while many people have an issue with swamp bottom, there are plenty of people who have light enough flow, that that isn't an issue. Also, we know that various factors can affect flow, such as malnutrition, or strenuous exercise.
It is possible the reason free bleeding was celebrated in hunter gather societies was because it meant that there was enough food in a region. It could also have been stigmatized in stationary societies, because a lack of medical knowledge could associate it with disease. We do carry diseases on our blood.
@@s.f.nightingale1735 I find it hard to believe that the women in the ancient hunter gatherer tribes really just bled freely anywhere, any time. I bet they probably at least tried to run over to a certain area where they also urinated and defecated, or put something under themselves when they knew a big gush was about to happen. I bet they got really good at being able to tell when a gush was going to happen and tried to be situated in the right spot when it did. I mean, obviously, you can't control it, but you kind of can tell to some extent, when it's about to happen, like after sitting for a long time and getting up suddenly.
@@Melissa0774 my understanding is that hunter gatherer women (and most women in history) would have spent most of their fertile years pregnant and/or underfed, so they probably wouldn't have spent much time at all on their period. That's just what I've heard, anyway 😅
@@AnnaReed42 that aside, blood of all kinds is very strong-smelling. I don't think nomadic hunter-gatherers would want to risk their prey, or worse, a larger predator, scenting them.
Really appreciate you mentioning the impact of conditions like endometriosis and PCOS. My life stops for a week every month, due to endometriosis pain. I wish I felt renewed, or at least in tune with nature, when on my cycle. I usually just feel pain, fear, and frustration. I can’t imagine how people could have coped with this level of pain, historically.
I know women who are in terrible pain during menses. Heavy flows with large clots. It’s awful😢
I was just the same. It only improved after a hysterectomy at 39.
😢GET HELP YOU DONT HAVE TO ENDURE THAT ITS ABSOLUTELY NOT NORMAL ENDOMITRIOSIS KILLS I KNOW I ALMOST DIED BECAUSE OF IT GET HELP ASAP DONT LET DRX BRUSH YOU OFF PERIOD❤ NOT YELLING ALMOST COMPLETELY BLIND CAPS HELP
Cutting carbs, doing sports, and a healthy lifestyle helps a lot. This removes the initial cause of the issue as far as I know. Many doctors like to jump onto cutting the hurting organ part but they don’t dig deep to the root cause.
Same, I have PCOS and it’s hellish
My Gran was born 1898 and I once asked her about this topic even though we really didnt talk much about bodily functions I was cheeky that day while visiting "Gran before tampons what did u use" ? and Gran said that she used rags and use to wash them I am thinking that 1905 sanitary towel invention was far too expensive for Gran rhe Family was very poor
1898? She's older than great grandmother how old are you of course my great grandparents have died but still
Yes, fabric was very expensive. In my family, where people had only what they harvested, including the cotton to spin and weave, m great aunts, grandma and my mother all wore rags on their underwear. Especially on more rural and poor contexts we have a lack of those more fabric intensive everythings.
Welp. Whenever someone says "watch this period piece," I'm going to think about historical menstruation garments.
never knew, that as a man, i become so invested in historical menstruation garments :D great video
I don't think there's anything more interesting in history than how ordinary people solved everyday problems.
My grandmother mentioned using rags when she was young(born 1898) and washing and laying them on the grass to bleach. A roll of fabric inside that subligaculum, would allow you to make the whole thing thinner, and perhaps be more comfy. . .it would also allow those who were heavy gushers to deal with it better.
Not just 1898 but 1967
When I hit menopause, it turned into the non-stop massive kind. There is no way this would have been a solution for me without significant bulk. I made my own reusable pads out of old socks, tho. Cotton ones are shockingly absorbent, and the long socks are exactly the right shape. Three stacked socks can take the heaviest flow. They literally last for decades.
I still have most of them, and I'm gonna be buried with them.
I got a Tampax ad at the beginning of the video. Lol!
My Mama and her mom were menstruating,when Mama discovered disposable pads in a sore. She bought many and brought them home to share with Granny. Mama grew up with a period belt
My grandmother and her sisters (starting around the year 1910...) used rags that they had to wash. They were the children of poor Irish immigrants.
We always had desposable pads I had a period every month since 1992 and still have them
I adore your experimental archeology videos. ❤ freaking cool!
Thank you ♥️✨
Free bleeding sounds like hell to me. Not because of any stigma but because the last time I had my period, I was in hospital dealing with sepsis. Just a few hours of chafing from (unknowingly) bleeding left me with a moisture lesion - which was depressing because I'd managed to avoid any skin breakdown for eight years of being bedbound until that point.
That said, I have used fabric menstrual pads before while I was still able to vaguely manage my flow with the pill (I have endometriosis and adenomyosis, and I have ALWAYS had horrifically heavy periods). While they worked okay for moderately heavy flow, I did have to change them every couple of hours, which gets expensive quickly. Despite the pain, I found a menstrual cup the better option because it catches and holds the blood rather than having to absorb it fast enough to keep it from flooding and leaking. There's absolutely NO way that any kind of pad (cloth or commercial), fabric or tampon is capable of controlling my unmedicated flow without leaking. Even the combination of a cup and a pad isn't always a safe bet, and I have to spend that week lying on a folded towel or chux pad. So I suspect that this wouldn't work for me, either. But it's great if it works for others and is the right option for them.
If you find the wool fabric is irritating but you want the thicker fabric for extra absorbency, perhaps you could line the wool with linen or cotton, at least in the area that is on the most tender skin? That way you can have the best of both worlds, even though that is obviously more work than just cutting out the t-shape from one piece of wool cloth.
When tying the “surgical knot” is possible to pull the ends in the reverse direction at the last step, and it will lie flatter. So you have the end from the left hip we can call A, and the end fron the right, B. You began by wrapping A around B twice and pulling B to the left and A to the right. So you’ve eventually crossed each side to the opposite side of the body.
Then you wrap one side around the other and this is the part that’s different: instead of crossing to the opposite side of the body, they will end on the same Side they are on now, so pull side A to the right and and B to the left.
Your way is obviously fine and secure, but since it leaves you with the ends kind of pointing up and down rather than side to side, it’s a bit bulkier. You mentioned you “could tell” you were wearing the garment and didn’t have your usual silhouette. If someone wanted a leas noticeable bump in their silhouette, having the ends lie flat might help.
This comes from extensive gift wrapping experience lol. Not sure if it translates directly to this application, but worth a try!
This video is absolutely wonderful. I love that these days the stigma about periods is fading and we can talk openly about it as a basic biological function for many people. I've always wondered how throughout the centuries people handled their bleeding. It always seemed like the potential to be unhygienic might be greater - but it needn't be necessarily so, it turns out! I don't get periods as I'm in my 40s and I use a birth control method that shuts things down (my OB-GYN is brilliant for the suggestion and it's given me a much better quality of life). I have PCOS and thyroid disease, and PMDD - menstruation for me has always been a hellishly wild ride. I really appreciate your inclusion of people like me in this discussion. I really like the notion of people finding new-old solutions to cope with periods, no matter what their situation!
My daughters thought I was weird for looking into the history of feminine products. Thank you so much for this video, you made me feel normal! I'm now subscribed!!
This is wonderful: I have long wondered how our female fore-bears managed their periods down through the ages. So thank you very much for being brave in discussing this topic. 😊😊
Thanks for being so matter of fact about periods. We need more of this. The stigma is stupid. That said I'm not interested in free bleeding because I don't like getting body fluids all over everything, when I have a cold I blow my nose instead of letting the snot flow down my face and onto my shirt... and snot doesn't stain things. I'm convinced the menstrual cup is the best invention ever (though I realize it's not for everyone) and I haven't bought a box of pads in almost two decades now.
When you were talking about wearing wool against skin being not for some people, oh my goodness that is so me, I start itching just thinking about it. Hate tags in my clothing too, I can wear cashmere against my skin but that's about it. I need a chemise if I want to wear real wool... and I'm definitely going to keep that subligaculum pattern in mind for when I decide I've had enough of bunching modern underpants and try a different feel of bunching :P
Angsty teenage poetry.... yeah I wrote some really dark stuff in English class to see if I could get sent to the giudance counsellor but I suspect the teachers saw right through it...
I totally misunderstood the title and thought it was underwear from a particular historical period! This is much spicier! I'm so glad you addressed this issue. Thank you!
Thank you for pointing this out! I changed the title now to “menstruation underwear” ☺️
@@VBirchwood I am ashamed how long it took me watching the video to figure out you meant period talking about menstruation, not about the period it was in. Glad I am not the only one!
This video came at the PERFECT time! I’ve been trying to figure out an alternative to tampons/cups to use on my lighter days
Hi Minsooky!!
Yay that’s awesome! If you feel comfortable sharing, I’d love to hear how this option is for you.
I love using period underwear! It's super convenient to use at night, and it stays on well :)
Period panties are amazing!
For my lighter days I use panties with a leakproof part sewn in in the crotch area. I make them myself.
saw a comment that i can't find that said "it's not a topic men care about so there isn't a lot of research" and unfortunately, that's true. that's why we need more women in archaeology and research!
3:59 As a woman, I definitely think periods should be way more normalized, it’s completely natural. However, free-bleeding just means you’re gonna have to clean blood off your clothes, and I’d *really* rather not lmao
I left a thorough comment about free bleeding on another thread so I’m copy and pasting it here :)
“hi all on this thread! I appreciate all your thoughts on this topic.
I’m also a frequent menstrual cup user by the way, and love them.
Here are some of my thoughts on the free bleeding discussion:
Firstly, what qualifies as free-bleeding differs a lot. Healthline gives the definition that I do in this video, and also mentions that things like sitting above a towel (or a cloth equivalent) is still free bleeding, as is just letting a garment that isn’t specifically designed for menstruation absorb the blood. They mention that free bleeding is generally safe, especially if practiced responsibly. 100% yes blood carries diseases. Like all bodily fluids. There’s no denying that. And people of the past were deeply intelligent. Hunter-gatherer societies are deeply intelligent and innovative. I believe for those who might free bleed, they likely have methods of making sure it is as clean and as safe as possible. There are accounts of some Indigenous societies where anyone menstruating would gather in community together as a time for connection, etc. In which case there could also have been designated areas for free bleeding, which could also potentially make it safer as those areas could be regularly cleaned. The Guardian article I link in my “further reading” section mentions one such example of gathering during menstruation.
Additionally, as others have mentioned, so many factors may equate to fewer or lighter periods on average, for instance, breastfeeding, frequent pregnancy, malnourishment, and also intense amounts of exercise. So there’s a potential that periods become fewer and lighter for some. As I also mention in my video, free bleeding is a personal choice and is absolutely not for everyone. I personally don’t think, for instance, it would be for me, but I have friends who love it. There are also some individuals in the comments who free bleed and mentioned their positive experiences.
I just wanted to express my thoughts on the matter in greater depth, as I don’t feel I elaborated enough in my video.”
1:15 flashback to using sanitary belts as a teen! 😱
Please tell more
Yes please tell us more. I have a very vague memory of being 12 going on an overnight with my grandmother and she found my pads that I had packed she was checking my packing because I'm very forgetful and had previously forgotten to pack shirts for a 3 day trip) she found my pads and was so excited by how small and discreet 'modern products' were that she called her sister over to marvel at them. I was mortified but now... what did my grandmother and great aunt have to deal with?
@@hippybeccaSanitary belts were used before pads had adhesive strips. In 1978 I had a thing that was a piece of elastic (I think, I barely remember) that went around the waist with two other pieces of elastic that dangled in front and back. Those pieces ended in a metal? plastic? piece. The pad had long tails and you hooked the end into the plastic pieces somehow (don’t quite remember how that worked either). Fortunately I only had to use that a year or two until Stayfree adhesive pads showed up in our store! (Google says they came out in 1969 but evidently took a while to reach us.)
@@rebeccaholcombe9043 Sanitary belts were used before pads had adhesive strips. In 1978 I had an thing that was a piece of elastic (I think, I barely remember) that went around the waist with two other pieces of elastic that dangled in front and back. Those pieces ended in a metal? plastic? piece. The pad had long tails and you hooked the end into the plastic pieces somehow (don’t quite remember how that worked either). Fortunately I only had to use that a year or two until Stayfree adhesive pads showed up in our store! (Google says they came out in 1969 but evidently took a while to reach us.)
Pads used to be very bulky, like 1” thick x 3” wide x 7-8” long, and not very absorbent. New pads are *amazing.*@@rebeccaholcombe9043
I've always wondered. I've written a lot of female protagonists and this has often been in the back of my mind.
Oh, what do you writ? Im curious.
@@sr28774 Mostly historical fantasy, but they're largely unpublished due to first the 2000s fantasy magazines going bankrupt during the Recession. I'm still on the journey of getting published in book form.
@@sr28774 I don't know if you got my earlier response but for whatever reason it got deleted. Long story short, I write mostly historical fantasy. But they're unpublished at the moment.
Yes! I'm glad she's a famed international assassin, but is she punching people because kicking would shift her tampon around? How do you hide from the monster when they can smell that you're bleeding? The Duke can't be groping under her petticoats in the carriage today because it's that time of the month. Soooo many questions.
congrats to your poetry book! excited about that!
Thank you!! I’m so excited 😁
Hypatia was violently tortured and killed because she showed her mentrual rags (she did not throw them) at the bishop who was making sexual advances towards her. It was a way to not be raped. She was tortured and killed for it, and for being a powerful, highly educated woman who taught math and science to many who traveled across the Mediterranean to sit at her feet. She was a pagan. The Church was jealous of her influence. The bishop had a mob of Christian MEN pull her off her chariot, flay her, rip her body to pieces which were dragged through Alexandria before being burned. That is an account which historians don't all agree with, regarding her death. The Church wrote the history, of course.
Violence toward pagans during late antiquity was by no means rare, that is how Christianity established itself
Not meant in a snarky way, but do you have a source? I'm fascinated by this story.
@@glittery_cucumberyou can easily look up the source, the vicious murder of Pagan Hypatia by Christian incels is well known.
To make matters worse, the church took her story and turned it into the story of the fake Christian Saint Catherine, and switched the roles of Pagan and Christian to make Pagans look like the bad guys
Even the modern Christian church treats pagans like they worship the devil.
I guess not much has changed.😿
I really love this video for so many reasons. I love the way you talk about menstruation in a positive light, I love your scientific commitment to this experiment! And I just find you to be an extremely adorable human. I can't weigh in on this exact model, but I have not used tampons, pads or cups for many years. I wanted an eco friendly option that was also non toxic to a fault, and hygienic as well. I ended up sewing my own pads, but unlike what is available to buy there is no internal synthetic layer, just multiple layers of cotton. I achieve this by folding it, because if there are many layers sewn together it is more likely to retain odor or bacteria. This way it can be unfolded and washed as a double layer. I do have a heavy flow for first two days and then very light the other three. I have found the effectiveness is all about the type of weave of the fabric, it needs to be dense and substantial, and bit too bulky when folded to be comfortable. I go through a few per day the first two days. I have not experimented much with wool but this video has encouraged me to try it. Thank you for making this! ❤
Thank you!! ♥️
My period used to be my favourite week too!! Even though I had extremely painful cramps (a broken arm was nothing by comparison) and heavy bleeding that required me to either change a tampon every 45min or change a menstrual cup every 3-4 hours. I was in a borderline cult and rarely took care of myself except when my period made me. I was so thankful for it and how severe it was because it was a relief from the demands I felt obligated to live up to, even though there was still a lot I had to do to appear normal. Now that I’ve left and take care of myself anyway and my periods have changed it’s inconvenient, they’re lighter and the pain is less but they last twice as long. Tbh I wish they’d change back! I’d still feel some positivity if they didn’t last longer than they should
I have some modern period underwear and would definitely recommend them to anyone who usually prefers pads! Menstrual cups are more of an adjustment and need to be sanitised but they’re great if you can manage them
I used to have terribly heavy periods that would go on for two weeks. My doctor had me start taking Vitex, also known as Chaste Tree Berry Extract. It’s a supplement that you can find at the health food store or online. It made a huge difference for me. When I was looking at the results of my hormone panel, I stumbled on a site that focused on natural and holistic care for women’s hormone issues. The site talked about also taking Royal Jelly, the stuff bees make as food, and the herb Shatavari. I tried it and the results were miraculous. My cycle went from two weeks to just four days. Cramping gone. Just one day of heavy flow, but still nowhere near as bad as it used to be, where I was afraid to leave the house for more than an hour. I highly recommend that you look into these supplements and talk to your doctor about them. They are relatively inexpensive and easy to find. Hope you feel better soon.
With heavy periods any pads or period panties between your legs will be ineherently uncomfortable as there will all the time be yet-unabsorbed flow. It feels like a wet diaper, basically. And panties would need to be changed every couple of hours at least... Not something you want to do in a public toilet and I hope you are wearing a skirt!
But they are nice with normal flow. Or as a backup with the cup.
@@MiljaHahto I’m very well aware... But when your tampon is going to be used up in 45min you have to double up. Most period underwear hold much more than a pad but even if they don’t last long enough they’re a great option for lighter days
@@WaterNai I’m so glad you found something that helped!!! That must’ve been awful. I’ll definitely look into it, thank you
@@MiljaHahto I have very heavy periods that usually last about 9-10 days (for years I would have to use S+ tampons AND pads together, and even with changing my tampon every hour I would STILL leak blood.) About a year ago I started using Thinx period underwear and it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I don't know where you get the idea that they would need to be changed every couple of hours? They are super absorbent, at least the brand I use is, and even on my heaviest flow days I've never felt like I was wearing a wet diaper. I work in a warehouse, and am getting up & down from my desk constantly, and not once have I had the need to change my underwear. It holds up perfectly fine from 6:30am when I leave home, to 4:30pm when I get home from work.
I got sick of spending so much on toxic tampons and pads. So I purchased about 12 organic microfiber cloths. They make great pads that are SUPER absorbent yet thin. I can wash, sanitize and use them indefinitely. Changed my life seriously! My cramps even improved!
how do you stop them shifting around?
@@Delilah513 I wear a snug pair of granny panties LOL they stay in place!
@@AuntBethanys I made cotton pads out of an old towel I cut up, though since I discovered menstrual cups I haven't needed them!
Are they good for when you go out for the whole day, for example to university? I’ve been wanting to find more sustainable period options but I’m worried about having to change pads throughout the day and the smell of keeping the used one with you till you get home to wash it
@@bluemacaroons I'd imagine most of that will depend on your own body, but good quality plastic zipper bags would be a solution if you have to change during the day, just don't forget about them :)
Thanks so much for this lovely video, Vasi! It's so important to destigmatize periods, and as someone who deals with PMDD thanks for recognizing all of the difficulty some people have around periods. I'm thankful there are people who can enjoy that time of the month, and that you find it renewing
Thank you so much Emma! ❤️
I have PMDD as well! I find my period such a relief but I can get cramps for 3 days or almost a week before, very often when trying to sleep. My mood is much better when I start to bleed and I take lexapro to reduce extremity, and I was surprised realizing how much anticipation of knowing I will feel bad affects me.
I thought I must have endometriosis for some time but my doctor has said no evidence has been seen of such. I get ovulation cramps most months as well and occasionally swell up like a balloon.
I have a friend who likely has it as well who has been told periods from hell are normal by doctors. I think I have a female doctor and she has a male. We have commiserated about our irrational premenstrual anger and the magical leveling power of the menses. We hate PMS and find the period a relief.
I have an abusive ex as well who accused me of not having PMDD and presumably lying to excuse my mood changes. He was in the room when I was diagnosed.
I used to have severe PMDD and it is rough. Medical attitudes towards it in the past didn't help sufferers either, leading many of us to 'grin and bear it'. I found that the medicated IUD made a big difference - no more periods for me!
I have pmdd too. The suffering I went through was almost too much. I have found relief with Slynd a new type of BC. So many women silently suffer from it. I am very vocal about it now. No one should suffer the way I did. Luckily one gyn visit I shared with an NP. She wouldn’t let me leave till I agreed to treatment. I have been so happy since.
I can see where the cut of the fabric would work very well. Not only for women during menstruation, but if the fabric is thick enough, such as wool, it could possibly work as a diaper or nappy? I think it would, but don't know the history of it.
I thought you looked lovely in your red outfit!
I am glad you mentioned some of the issues, like endometriosis and other painful issues women ( and young girls) suffer from.
My daughter and I both suffer from it endometriosis. When I was young, understanding or any medical intervention was non existent. My daughter at least was diagnosed and found a few months of relief, after major surgery.
I think it's lovely that you can see the beauty and the ties with the cycle of the moon.
In my statistics class, I did my research on if women really went into labor more often when it was a full moon. It is statistically true, despite there due date.
I think it's amazing how the tides , births, how animals and humans behave, is often based on the phase of the moon.
I realize many people think it's pseudoscience. 1000's of years of verbal and written history, as well as renewed interest in it says to me... give mother nature some credit.
I hope you and all who are watching are doing very well! I wish everyone happiness.
With love,
Audri
Thank you for your comment Audri! I agree that Mother Nature needs to be given far more credit than we do give her ♥️ we are all still a part of nature, after all. I’m sorry to hear as well that both you and your daughter suffer from endo, but I’m happy to hear that she was able to access medical care that could bring her some relief. Sending love!
This is how I've seen babies diapered with cloth diapers .. a square of fabric, folded in half to make a triangle, baby on the triagle, one point comes up between the legs, one over each hip, then diaper pinned in the front, at some poing they started producting rectangular cloth diapers, that had extra layers of fabric in the center and thinner on sides, they went frontto pack and then just pinned at sides
Sorry, but obligatory "correlation does not equal causation". Magical thinking is more dangerous than you might consider... especially in the misinformation age we live in.
My mum was a midwife who worked in a large hospital. Yes,the full moon effect does happen. On a regular night,there would be 2 to 3 women in labor. One night my mum came home absolutely exhausted. Full moon,and TEN deliveries. "Full moon again,mum?"
"Yep"
She's been gone many years now. I miss those stories 🦋
@@lelleithmurray235 That's gonna be confirmation bias more than anything else...
Oh I was on edge!, even though I am too old to try this myself. This is a great experiment, thank you.
Linen is very fast to absorb liquids, and I believe wool is slow to absorb. Therefore, I thought the linen next to the skin with woollen fabric over it would be ideal. Mostly just change the linen.
Two women I knew, during the 60's, who were born at the start of the 1900's said to me that it was easy.
All they did was use a piece of brushed cotton, in UK known as flannelette, and folded it a couple of times then placed it in their underwear. They both said it was fine to do that.
If you are wondering about the time line. I was born in 1950 and they were 40 years older than me.
Ohh great title :D I did focus on Roman history when I studied history at uni. And I've always been curious how people in the past dealt with this.
Thank you for making this video ♡
The word “menstruation” also comes from the Latin word for “monthly”, and “monthly” (or “monthlies”) itself is another word for menstruation. And the link between “moon” and “month” is evident in many languages (in my dialect of Norwegian they’re pronounced the same, for example).
This is something that I always found strange in German. In Latin languages the moon (and the sea) are feminine nouns and are always female when personified whereas the sun is masculine but in German the moon is masculine and the sun is feminine and personified as female. When I mention to German native speakers that I find this strange, I usually have to really spell out why... How is it in Norwegian?
@@milanprolix2511
Norwegian is like the other Germanic languages: feminine Sun and masculine Moon.
Huh. I'm glad this was randomly recommended to me. That was super interesting
Somehow when I watch your videos, I feel a lot less lonely; my mind forgets for a moment about being depressed. I cannot express this same sentiment about other channels/people. Thank you for doing the things you love and for sharing it so thoughtfully.
💕💕
I would think that they might use a small amount of absorbant material in the panties too. Like moss or cat tail fluff these have been used as filling and fluff for things i can see women naturally using it to absorb their period blood. It can be easily replaced off and on during the day.
In areas where cotton was grown i can also see this being used.
Thank you for your experiences in this. I am more of a "curious about cooking and foods" in ancient times it all ties togeter in day to day life.
I could definitely see people of the past doing so! Maybe even unspun but washed wool.
Thank you for watching! It’s amazing how many historical niches overlap.
Cotton and sphagnum moss are both extremely absorbent, and there’s evidence of both being used in menstrual pads at least in modern times (sphagnum moss only in bag-type pads and not as period aprons, for obvious reasons).
@@ragnkja a friend of mine does civil war reenactment and she said that the women often talk about what they would have used during this time. Also as baby diaper stuffing for at nights to help keep baby dryer at night so little ones sleep deeper(slept longer?)
@@VBirchwoodthey also used brain tanned suede which tends to be absorbent, like chamois.
It’s a topic men don’t care about so there’s not a lot of information about it.
This reminds me of the correct answer someone gave to the trans debate question "can you define a woman? What is a woman?" - Answer "A woman is whatever rich old white men decide it is"
He who does the classification rules the system...!!
@@piccalillipit9211 China, India, Africa, The Middle East and Japan have entered the chat...
@@Morphis I dont understand your point...???
@@piccalillipit9211 Stop being a racist.
@@piccalillipit9211 No no, the correct answer is;
"Would you like the biological or the sociological definition? If the latter, for what society?"
this is probably my favourite video of yours yet!! it made me think about menstruation (and MY menstruation) in ways i never have before! talking about periods is so so cool and we should all do it more💅
Thank you Jae!! 🥰
I also welcome my period because it brings a relief from the PMS symptoms. The happiness I feel is in stark contrast to the depressive feelings I had before starting menstruation.
This was so interesting to watch. Women back then had to take care of themselves just like women of today. It’s sad that nothing is really written. I imagine women learned from their mothers or other women in their community. I wonder if during their days of working they could chat together to discuss what was important to them. I’m sure menstrual issues were topics.
I chose to use cloth diapers for my child and found wool coverings over the cotton worked best at night to prevent leakage. I think something similar would work for women. Using fabric that you had available for absorbency and wool over it. I don’t know how comfortable it would be for practical use though. I like both thoughts, linen as well. That may be much more comfortable to actually wear. Wool is antibacterial though. It’s definitely a toss up and would completely depend on each individual. I’m sure there were many options at that time but we just don’t hear about them. Thank you for posting this wonderful and helpful video by doing experimental archeology yourself.
Linen is antibacterial as well, moreso than cotton.
I didn’t know the fact about linen. Thanks for the info. That helps to make your decisions easier. Maybe in winter go with the wool, summer try out linen. I’m sure wearing the underwear on a more regular basis, you could get them as comfortable as possible by shifting the fabric in different ways until your happy with it. I know cold water is best for rinsing to prevent staining. So having more than one pair would be necessary.
Linen for the inner layer, wool for the waterproof outer layer.
I love this vid 💖
For whatever reason, unknown to me, I just don’t get a period, so it makes me happy to see those who do allowing themselves to enjoy their period and be unabashed about it. Any effort to make the period more normal and casual of a topic, is something I support.
Lovely!
Regarding no period for unknown reason:
I highly recommend anyone in that situation to check in with a medical professional. Just to make sure you can catch any relevant underlying conditions that might require treatment or monitoring (hormonal, nutrition, etc).
Wishing everyone health!
Me, who found this video while scrolling on my period and sitting on my bed avoiding homework: 👀
Ah, not to forget that in mixed bathhouses there was the rule that women bathed LAST, because after them the basins would be cleaned out.
Thank you for making such interesting videos. You always make the coolest videos, and this one was incredible. I appreciate that you addressed PCOS and endometriosis. As a woman with stage 4 endometriosis, my entire month involves severe pain. I’ve always wondered about women’s methods of dealing with menstruation in the distant past, and you answered so many questions. I love your chitons, and they seem to be your garment of choice during summer. I would love to try making one to try during hot weather. Thank you for the great video.
Thank you for watching and for your comment! I’m so sorry you have to go through the impacts of having endometriosis. I hope that you are able to have a supportive and compassionate medical team to help you with managing the symptoms.
Currently watching this on my second day of my period 😂 I tried for the first time the disc and I had a hard time removing it that I panicked!! Luckily all is well. Thank you for sharing your experience-pretty interesting how it must’ve been during that time. We are lucky they paved the way for us women today 🙌
If the wool should be more effective but too rough I could imagine perhaps a linen lined woolen subligaculum which is only basted for ease of washing?
You warmed my soul by mentioning endo, thank you for your empathy and kindness.
Totally off topic but it’s so weird seeing Pliny the Elder get referenced. I studied ancient history at A level. We read about Pliny the younger (they are related), a notorious gossip and plastic Stoic / Stoic Lite. He was a particular favorite of mine. ❤
So brave and healthy of you to do this experiment while sharing with your audience! Thank you.
Hey! First time viewer. I wanted to thank you for your thoughts on menstration, and sharing that it is a positive experience for yourself. As someone with brutal periods, I had never considered that some people are unbothered, or enjoy their periods. Your new perspective really resonated with me, and I think it has a beauty that would wilt unshared.
I watch RUclips while drawing in the evening and I'm always searching for channels that are calm and comforting. You're such a beautiful human being, I really like your whole vibe and view on things! 💕
@@ChocolateShaddixX thank you so much!!
I just found your channel today and I am elated! Just loved watching you talk. I'm Eastern European, 100% Lithuanian now living in NJ. Would love to listen to you talk about Tatars!
In my language - Polish - we have "miesiąc" for month, "miesiączka" for menstruation and we have an archaic term for moon that is "miesiączek" (now barely anyone uses it ever, but fun fact is that the archaic moon and menstruation create something like a pair of feminine and masculine (grammar-wise) equivalents)
Awesome video! I've been reallt curious about this as an option for days when i want to lounge and not stress about emptying my period cup so i appreciate you doing the experiment for all of us!
As someone who isn't a uterus owner, this is a fascinating view into a side of history that doesn't get talked about widely enough
I have no idea why this showed up on my feed between Psych2Go and Markiplier, but I liked it. I'm going to send it to my sister and see what she thinks.
That was an interesting piece of 'experimental archaeology'. I admittedly did not think that bunched up fabric would really do the trick, but apparently I was wrong!
Very interesting. And one could always place a folded up piece of additional material in the crotch area.
i think the wamth of the wool might help a little in dealing with cramps
19:19 thank you for mentioning having a ‘normal’ menstrual cycle is a privilege, because unfortunately I am one of those who don’t have a regular cycle.
Because of my PCOS, my partner and I are having difficulties getting pregnant. It is quite painful and frustrating to see people around us getting pregnant by ‘accident’ or at the first try. I don’t begrudge them of course, but I just wish that we wouldn’t have to fight so hard for something that should come naturally. And of course it is still ‘expected’ for a woman to be able to get pregnant. Even now, when people become new parents, they still easily and without thinking too much about it, ask “When are you going to start expanding your family?” Or “With your age, I just thought you would want to have children too” or “Don’t worry, you’ll be next”.
This is a very superior video! So transparent and informative. The undergarment seems really practical, so I assume it was actually used for menstruation, somewhere. I agree that some women may have used sponges or vegetable fibers for added absorption - maybe after childbirth? But yeah, without trying things out, we can't really know. So your experiment is highly, highly valuable!
Thanks for watching!
it was refreshing to hear history on periods, thank you for being open about it
I'm with Nick generally on this. I suspect a pad of cheaper more absorbent material was being used that required less washing or could simply be thrown away, inside of a subligaculum of lighter material. I'd always presumed the basic design of a subligaculum was used across many parts of the world in pre-industrial societies, perhaps just a long rectangle of cloth with tie strings at one end.
I agree, that Nick fella sure is a smarty pants.
Fabric wasn't cheap and washing is easy
Such an interesting topic! Also liked the bit about the Tatar language. It’s the same in my native language, Finnish. “Kuu” is moon and “-kuu” is the ending of the names of the months. Period is “kuukautiset” so “monthlies”.
The irony that I got my period *while* watching this video.
Wow good timing 😂
Hi v, I love the videos, they're so well produced. I just wish the videos were a little bit shorter. But they're great, most historical fashion RUclipsrs only show fashion from the XIX century to the 50s and you go much further and in rich details. keep up the job!!
Yes, loved the double meaning use of "period" in this case. And leads us to wonder if this is how Roman women handled the issue (although seems like the answer is yes)
And can't but see the irony that the Tatar word for the naturally occurring event sounds like the English words "I Leak" (I realize it's purely coincidence, but still) Also, I had a friend who really loved the moon, so I do kind of collect words for it from different languages. Now I know "Ai"
I'm a trans man and funnily, you posted this a week after I had my total hysterectomy lol. I haven't had a period in 10 years, but I think menstruation has been a super important part of day to day life for AFAB people since time immemorable and we should appreciate the history of how our ancestors dealt with it. Even in modern history we don't discuss it enough. Like, how many times have you seen a movie or tv show or book that's set on a deserted island or a post apocalyptic world and the writers never bother to mention what the female characters do during their period. It bothers me now even as a non uterus having man and has bothered me since I was a kid. If 14 year old me can see the plot holes, the well paid writers should be able to see them...
Thank you for this interesting piece of experimental archeology 🙂
This is my first time watching one of your videos, it is excellent, and I have already subscribed. I research and make historical clothing, and find that the topic of menstruation has traditionaly been ignored. So refreshing to see a well researched frank piece of work on the subject. Thank you!
Hooray for your wonderfully researched & open minded style of presentation 🎉🧡
Thank you! I hope you’re doing well 😊
@@VBirchwood you are welcome!
All things considered, I am doing quite well, thank you. I just finished a feast sized meal of organic & local farm fresh fruit, vegetables, walnuts & cheese. So grateful and satisfied to be able to have such wholesome luxuries.
Sounds so delicious! ☺️
@@VBirchwood it was fantastic! It reminded me of the food you film, but, simpler, because, no cooking or combining. Now I get "leftovers" (freshly assembled, same/similar items) for my upcoming meal!👍
Oooh, the orange dress is pretty! Goes great with your coloring!
The food you make for yourself always looks so delicious! I’d love to see a what I eat in a day video if your meals are at all inspired from historical recipes or which ones you continue to make from you other historical food videos
@@nataliefrohmann5715 thank you!! In my every day life, I hardly ever use recipes (only for baking typically). I just sort of see what I have in my fridge and do what I call intuitive cooking. I just get a sense that some ingredients might work nicely together and so I try it. I first started cooking when I was 3, so over the years I’ve really gotten to know what I do and don’t like flavours-wise, and of course this can change a lot too over the years ☺️ unfortunately I’m not sure that a what I eat in a day video would perform very well on my channel especially since they aren’t intentionally historically inspired, though they probably aren’t so different than what people actually ate historically as I cook with whole, organic ingredients and try to build relationships with the local farmers that grow/raise them as much as possible.
It's so interesting to learn about how women dealt with periods during ancient times...
I wonder to what extent period practices change depending on how expensive and elaborate clothing is. If you're wearing expensive fabrics, you're going to do whatever you can to prevent leaking !
I would think that physical mobility is a factor as well. If you are only in your own home/ yard, it may be different if you are expected to visit, market, etc.