Menstrual Gift Baskets??

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I know this may sound extremely weird but I am so passionate about teaching girls the facts about their own bodies. Girls my age are so very mislead or oblivious to their own girly nature. In other words, they don't know what a cycle really is, they don't know why they have cramps, they don't know why they DON'T have cramps, they don't know about tampon safety & time limits...There are just many things that I have taught my friends because I am the one doing the research from legit sites.

My point is, I am trying to begin a project of making menstrual gift baskets with items to keep girls prepared as well as facts that will keep them INFORMED. I did a test run using U by Kotex items, chocolate, & Midol...I put it all in a very small school supplies organizer (very cute & discreet). I loved it. I gave some to my friends and they actually couldn't wait to use them;)

Since this is such a social blunder, I was thinking of selling on ebay where it would be discreet for buyers to buy.

Here is what I would include:

Cute Pantiliners

Cute Tampons/Pads

Midol

Thermacare Menstrual Heating Pad

Playtex Wipes

Hershey's Bar

Recipes for DIY Beauty Treatments

Instructions

Facts

Little Purse to keep supplies in when on the go:)

TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK!! 

 
Honestly, I think it is weird. Having Midol and chocolate seems to perpetuate stereotypes about women's menstrual cycles. I thought you were trying to inform.

 
Originally Posted by internetchick /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Honestly, I think it is weird. Having Midol and chocolate seems to perpetuate stereotypes about women's menstrual cycles. I thought you were trying to inform.

It isn't a stereotype that chocolate releases endorphines which put you in a better mood during PMS & cramping.

Midol is a prostaglandin inhibitor...prostaglandins being released in the body is what causes cramping, diarrhea, & nausea. Midol stops that.

Just because these two things work to help ladies feel much better during their period, doesn't make them a stereotype.

 
I think it sounds bad.  If on the first day I had my period my mom had came out with a period gift basket I would have been furious. Having a period makes a girl self concious enough, getting a gift basket seems embarrassing! I don't think it's a bad idea if you add other toiletries to it like body wash, shave gel, etc. Make it seem more like an "everyday item" basket, rather than a period basket! 

 
Originally Posted by MichelleMUA /img/forum/go_quote.gif





It isn't a stereotype that chocolate releases endorphines which put you in a better mood during PMS & cramping.

Midol is a prostaglandin inhibitor...prostaglandins being released in the body is what causes cramping, diarrhea, & nausea. Midol stops that.

Just because these two things work to help ladies feel much better during their period, doesn't make them a stereotype.

Not everyone needs medication and chocolate to get through a period. It is a stereotype that women crave chocolate when they get their period.

 
Yeah, I've considered that too. But it's really aimed at girls more my age & older. I wouldn't expect a kid to want one:) I am 18 by the way. Your example made me laugh:) I was thinking of things like nail polish and nice soap. I think the facts would be helpful for anyone, since information is so misconstrued.

Originally Posted by perlanga /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I think it sounds bad.  If on the first day I had my period my mom had came out with a period gift basket I would have been furious. Having a period makes a girl self conscious enough, getting a gift basket seems embarrassing! I don't think it's a bad idea if you add other toiletries to it like body wash, shave gel, etc. Make it seem more like an "everyday item" basket, rather than a period basket! 

 
Midol is an optional part of the packs that I have been making. Some women crave endorphines as their hormones fluctuate...& chocolate releases endorphines...I don't see how this is a negative thing at all.

 

Originally Posted by internetchick /img/forum/go_quote.gif



Not everyone needs medication and chocolate to get through a period. It is a stereotype that women crave chocolate when they get their period.

 
Originally Posted by MichelleMUA /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Yeah, I've considered that too. But it's really aimed at girls more my age & older. I wouldn't expect a kid to want one:) I am 18 by the way. Your example made me laugh:) I was thinking of things like nail polish and nice soap. I think the facts would be helpful for anyone, since information is so misconstrued.

I guess it's pretty neat if it's for women and not pre-teens who just had menarche, sorry for the misunderstanding. Yeah me and my older friends always joke around that we want candy or complain when we are crampy. Now that I'm older I wouldn't mind something like this, hopefully I just wouldn't get it in public!

 
You would have to call it something else.  As mentioned before that is an embarrassing time for both young teens and even some young adults.  Many people keep this kind of private and even though you would be selling it online, as suggested before, sell it as just a women's basket or something with other items.  Maybe you can put in your description that the basket has items to help pass the miserable time you have with your period.  Something to that extent.  Let that be a compliment of your basket and not so much the focus of it.

 
I don't know. I don't want to be Debbie Downer, but if you meant it for women I would not expect to be given facts about my period. You said you wanted to educate, which is why I would expect it for teens not grown women. I agree with llehsal, you might want to divert the focus a bit.

 
I was all ready to say, OMG What a great idea!...to give as gifts to your friends. The part about selling on ebay, not so much. Think of it this way, what if you have a daughter, would you want me teaching her the birds and the bees? No, because you have no idea what I know, or if I'm teaching ignorance, how I will teach, clumsy and confusing maybe? I had a stats teacher in college like that, sure he was knowledgeable, a genius even, but he could not convey the ideas to us students. He was a horrible teacher and almost all the students would have failed his class if he hadn't instituted a severe learning curve adding like 20 or 25 points to our final grades. People on ebay are strangers to you, they will not trust your information packet or instructions enough to send you money for it.

I still say it's a great idea to give to people who know you, know you are knowledgeable and have done your research, and trust you. I think they would appreciate the gift.

 
couple of questions...

Are people actually embarrassed about their periods?  I remember the feeling of it being awkward while actually going through puberty during the early teens, since not everybody had it yet, and it was different, but by the time I was in high school, there was nothing embarrassing about it.

Are there actually any 18+ year old (hormonally "normal") women who aren't already aware about what's going on with their bodies during their periods?

I kind of find both of those hard to believe?

I recall getting little things like this in Elementary school, when they were teaching the girls about puberty.  It came with an instructional  little guide book, and a free pad and tampon so you have one someplace for your first time, instead of being stuck at home with nothing to use.  With the age of puberty getting younger and younger, I honestly can't imagine what kind of 18 year old would still be confused about what their menstrual cycle was about.  According to wiki, "90% of all US girls are menstruating by 13.75 years of age, with a median age of 12.43 years" -- so if you're trying to sell this to 18 year olds, they've already been through it for over 4-5.5 years, and one or two pads probably won't be enough to get them through their next cycle.  I'm not too sure what you'd be teaching someone who has already had their period 50+ times already.  (I think every single box of tampons I've ever purchased always has the TSS warning on it, which tells you not to go over 6-8 hours if possible anyway, and suggests 4-6 hours for normal wear...if they're not going to read the box, not sure if they'll read a FAQ page)

After you spend a few years buying "toiletries" I guess I don't really feel the need to purchase it discreetly anymore.  I know for a few years, I'd make sure I was in line with a female at the checkout stand, but now I could care less.

it might work if it was like...a comfort basket, which would include midol, chocolates, beauty tips/acne tips, heating pads.

I don't really need my tampons/pads to be "cute" or gift wrapped either -- I don't really care if they're white, colored, scented, whatever, as long as they and do the job and get thrown away. I'm picky about what pads and tampons I use too, so if I got some sort of basket with an off-brand, I probably wouldn't use it anyhow.

I'd also never carry around a 2nd purse for just period items.  I just throw an extra pad and tampon in my normal purse.

Maybe I've just been past puberty so long ago that it's not so special to me as it is an annoying monthly visitor.  I know about when it's gonna show up, how long it'll be around for, how it's going to affect my mood and body and activities, and when it'll leave.  There really aren't too many questions about it in general, since it tends to be similar each time.

In summary: Good idea for pre-puberty children as their "first" kit (but this would be more of a free gift to teach girls before they're 11-12 years old so they can get used to the idea before they get their first period), good idea for an anti-PMS/cramps kit, bad idea for teaching adult women a subject that they're probably already well aware of.

 
I agree with the others where you may need to get a few baskets going like the 'Menopause' basket, the 'Hormonal Teen' basket and the 'PMS' basket and sell them as novelty gift baskets rather than something more serious and thoughtful.  You'd also have to create a site because noone is really going to be looking for that on eBay.  You are also off-base on your target market of 18 year olds+ girls.  I don't think they are looking for more nor require more education about their periods as they would have already had their menses for 3-6 years+(by age 18).  That sort of education started in grade 6 for me (11yrs old) where they split off the boys from the girls and you watch that uncomfortable movie. Grade 7, we got to watch the 'boy's movie'.  

If you want a different approach,   I'd go with healthy alternatives like menstral cups that do not cause toxic shock and herbal remedies for bloating and cramping and funny book or something in an environmental angle or a PMS one that friends can give to other friends because they are such a b-itch when Aunt Flo comes to visit - this is where you can put Midol and a GIANT bar of chocolate. 

 
I remember when I got my period it was extremely embarrassing I didn't wanted to tell my mom or anyone and less to make it a public event with gift baskets and stuff. Although I do like the idea of a "feel better" or something basket to take my mind of the whole thing. Maybe with some nail polish and lip glosses and girly stuff in it. Not necessarily things you might or might not need like midol or cramp medicine, because I never had cramps or pain when I first got my period.

Just fun stuff to make you feel better.

 
I like the idea because I had a mother that just threw a pad at me and never told me (excuse my french) shit about PMS or my cycle or anything I had to find out everything on my own. 

So, I support this idea. if it came with some book with info about PMS and important info. 

 
I think this would be a good idea for pre-teens and teens. Throughout my teenage years any kind of period talk was embarrassing to me - we were taught about periods in biology class (not seperated from the boys, so of course nobody asked questions) and by our mothers. I guess we're still behind on that kind of education in schools.

When I first read the title of this thread I thought "wow this is weird", but when I read about what you would put in those baskets I liked the idea.

 
At my age, I would be pretty weirded out if a friend of mine, or ANYONE, tried to hand me one of those gift baskets. Like others have said, I don't really care if my hygeine products are cute or not. I'm still pretty discreet about it all because I don't want everyone knowing my business, but I'm like that in all elements of my life.

Even when I was a preteen, though, I would have been extremely embarrassed if I'd gotten one of these baskets. I had a friend in middle school who gave all the 7th-grade girls in my class a pad as a graduation present because she'd just gotten her period and was so excited about it. I hadn't gotten mine at that point, and I did not welcome the gift...nor would I have welcomed it from an adult who wasn't my mom. But maybe that's just me.

Regarding the Midol/chocolate bar thing, though...I'm not too thrilled about the chocolate bar just because I hate Hershey's lol, but in regards to Midol, that stuff is soo necessary for those of us who can barely move the first couple days of our periods.

 
Sorry but I think it is a terrible idea. I totally agree with what Internetchick is saying, too.

If you are really concerned, why not give a 20 dollar gift card to a local pharmacy, and a booklet about menstruation and what is really happening to a woman's body, when it occurs.

Every woman needs to chose which products she uses - let her make decisions about what products to purchase.

As well, I thought the idea of "cute" products was weird, to say the least. IMO, there's nothing cute about pads, tampons, etc.

 
Then I doubt that your mother would have gone to the trouble of looking up info for a menstrual gift basket to order you on ebay. Since she is selling it that way I would think it would be geared towards someone wanting to buy this for their daughter, neice, etc.

Originally Posted by smashinbeauty /img/forum/go_quote.gif

I like the idea because I had a month that just threw a pad at me and never told me (excuse my french) shit about PMS or my cycle or anything I had to find out everything on my own. 

So, I support this idea. if it came with some book with info about PMS and important info. 

 
I disagree..... My friend or me myself might want to buy this to get information on PMS and everything related to it. 

If you were raised up with "conservative" mothers. 

If something existed like this in my time I would have bought it if it came with a booklet about menstruation
It seems that most people dislike this idea, I don't know why... PMS is a normal thing that should be discussed openly, especially with new "members".

But most people have mother's that do talk about this with their daughter... 

I personally do not believe that this product would be popular since most mothers would offer products that they use and the story would end right about there. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bexy /img/forum/go_quote.gif



Then I doubt that your mother would have gone to the trouble of looking up info for a menstrual gift basket to order you on ebay. Since she is selling it that way I would think it would be geared towards someone wanting to buy this for their daughter, neice, etc.

 

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