The Chat Womb welcomes Klara.

This episode is a little different as it is the first that interviews someone who doesn't work in menstruality. 

Hello Klara and a very warm womb felt welcome to you. I am so pleased to have you here.

Thank you for having me!

This is a virtual space where we can chat about all the Womb things and share where we are in our womb story. I would love to start by asking where you are in the many cycles we are constantly moving within? (E.g menstrual, life, moon, 24 hour!).

I’m on my fifth cycle since the birth of my first child and it’s taking a while to get back to being regular; I’m currently 9 days late for what used to be a normal cycle for me (but definitely not pregnant!) I have pcos and have always had longer cycles than average. I’m pretty sure I had COVID recently too which caused havoc with my cycle a few years ago. It’s frustrating how little research there is on the effects of COVID on menstrual cycles.

I know language is powerful and that the words we use to describe female anatomy can

be loaded. I would love to ask you how you feel about the word womb?

I have mixed feelings running through my head! On the one hand, it’s warm, safe and nurturing. On the other it feels like my evil nemesis!

Can I invite you to describe your current relationship with your womb?

I’m really grateful to my womb for keeping my son safe for 40 weeks, so in that sense the relationship has started to heal. Years of PMT, severe menstrual pain, heavy periods, struggles to conceive and miscarriages left me feeling like I was doing something wrong and that my womb didn’t work as it should. I don’t feel that way as strongly now that it has done the one thing I always worried it couldn’t .

I am really interested to know if your relationship with your womb has changed? And if so how?

I felt shame and embarrassment at school about my periods, and having to have a special pass to use the teachers bathroom when they were very heavy. I also spent my twenties struggling with the affects the monthly highs and lows of my hormones had on my mental health. But now I am slowly learning to see my cycle as a helpful tool that gives me insight into what’s coming up for me! I will NEVER book a night out during my last few luteal days as I know I will just want to be at home in my own space, not trying to put on jeans and be sociable.

Is there anything else you feel called to share about your womb story?

Huge weights started lifting off my shoulders when I started to talk about my womb and cycle with other women. We are such a powerful force when we get together!

As a new Mum of a baby boy have you thought about how and when you will share with him about wonderful wombs and what magic they create?

I’m hoping to raise him to be knowledgeable, unafraid and shame-free about all things body related. I think we would all benefit from boys knowing as much about our cycles as we do, from an early age. I’m reading some books about how to talk to children about hard subjects but I’ll probably make mistakes!

It would be wonderful if you could share a few things you wish you had known about your womb when you were younger?

Knowledge is power. Tracking apps totally changed my relationship with my cycle and body in general, and I wish 14 year-old me had access to what I have now. The earlier you start working out what’s normal for you and paying attention to how you feel, the easier all aspects of life become, from contraception, fertility, health scares. I also wish someone had told me that my womb wasn’t doing anything spiteful, it was trying to give me signs!

Thank you so much for being here in the chat womb with me. ♥️ 

I really appreciate

your time and energy.

Warmly

Hannah

CEO @ Womb Wisdom