When I first started tracking my girlfriend’s cycle, I didn’t tell her. Not because I thought it was wrong — I was doing it to be more aware, to stop being blindsided by difficult weeks, to be a better partner. But I also hadn’t really thought about whether to mention it, so I just didn’t….
Ovulation is one of those words that most men associate exclusively with pregnancy planning. Either you’re trying to have a baby and ovulation becomes very important very quickly, or you’re not, and it seems irrelevant. It’s not irrelevant. Ovulation is the hormonal peak of the entire menstrual cycle — a 24-hour event that produces effects…
Most men can tell you roughly what a period is. Almost none can explain what happens in the three weeks surrounding it. And that gap — between “she’s on her period” and everything else — is where most of the confusion, the misread signals, and the missed opportunities to actually help are hiding. The menstrual…
There’s a particular kind of helplessness that comes from being in a room with someone you love who is clearly struggling, and having no idea if you caused it, if you’re making it worse, or what — if anything — you’re supposed to do. For a lot of men, that’s what the week before a…
A few years ago I tried to bring up my girlfriend’s period and completely botched it. I don’t even remember exactly what I said — something about noticing she seemed tense and wondering if it was “that time of the month.” She went quiet in a way that told me I’d gotten it wrong, and…
I didn’t know what “luteal phase” meant until I was 35. Not a clue. I’d been in a long relationship, I’d watched people I cared about go through difficult weeks every month, and I’d just assumed it was… mood. Hormones. Something I wasn’t supposed to ask about. The first time I actually looked it up,…
Feeling helpless when your girlfriend has her period? This honest guide tells you exactly what to do, what to say, and what to avoid — from a man who learned the hard way.
I didn’t know what “luteal phase” meant until I was 35. I’d been in relationships. I’d been married. I’d become a father. And I still couldn’t tell you the difference between ovulation and menstruation. Not because I didn’t care — because no one ever told me I should know. Then I started dating someone whose…
