I. Period Products
Pads: the most common and easiest to buy, with no health risks from insertion. But they can leak, smell, and feel hot and stuffy in summer. Be careful about the brand you choose so you don’t end up with unsafe pads. They may not be enough for long surveys or long stretches of work, so you might need to combine them with other products.
Tampons: generally clean and dry until they’re full. They may leak depending on the person, so a pantyliner is a useful backup. If you’re surveying or working for a long time with no access to a toilet, a high-capacity pad can help you last longer, but try not to leave a tampon in for more than six hours at a time. Beginners can start with plastic applicators. Personally, I find Tmaxx and Kotex fairly easy to access and use in China; cardboard applicators or no applicator are harder. For heavy-flow days, I’d suggest Super, Super Plus, or Ultra. Removing them once they’re fully saturated is less likely to hurt.
(Image source: Zhihu, https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/36632839)
The common type has a long applicator like the one in the picture: you just push it in. There’s also a short-applicator version, where you pull the applicator out to extend it before pushing. It’s smaller and a bit easier to carry.
Menstrual cups: high capacity and less likely to leak when used correctly, but they need better hygiene conditions when changing, so I wouldn’t recommend them for fieldwork.
Period underwear / overnight briefs: underwear with a waterproof layer, less likely to leak onto your trousers and fairly easy to wash. But they can feel hot and stuffy, and wearing them without ventilation for too long may cause heat rash. I’d suggest them only on the heaviest days, or when changing period products is difficult.
Bed protection pads: on heavy-flow days, you can put one on your bed to catch leaks and save yourself extra sheet-washing.
Taking time off: a bit of rest is an effective period product too. If you can, take a day to rest and recover.
II. Hygiene Supplies
Portable intimate wash bottle: useful in the field when showering is difficult. Staying clean can also ease the mental stress that comes with discomfort.
(Image source: a seller on Taobao.)
Moist toilet tissue / wet wipes: same idea, but some people may be allergic, so use them according to how your own body reacts.
Sealable bags / rubbish bags: waterproof, sealable bags are handy when there’s no toilet in the field or along a survey route. They also let you take your rubbish away without polluting the environment. Carrying rubbish around is inconvenient, but a good seal keeps the inconvenience down as much as possible. Vomit bags can do a similar job.
Bottled water or disinfecting wipes: for cleaning your hands and reducing health risks.
Portable bucket: you can put it beside the work site for everyone to use.
(Image source: a seller on Taobao.)
If the site has no toilet, I’d suggest setting up a shared handwashing area and a small lidded bin specifically for used period products. Empty it yourselves every day. That makes things easier for one another without creating extra work for anyone else.
III. Dealing with Period Pain
Here are some painkillers friends have used. Everyone’s body is different, so please read the medication instructions carefully and consult a doctor before using them.
Feminax Express Tablets, ibuprofen, acetaminophen, and pamabrom.
As far as I can tell, there doesn’t seem to be a particularly good way to deal with cramps and diarrhea caused by the large amounts of prostaglandins released during a period. Hot drinks may help ease cramps. If the pain is caused by prostaglandins, a small amount of caffeine can inhibit them and relieve the pain; it won’t work if the cramps have another cause. Also, if you decide to use caffeine, don’t combine it with ibuprofen, as they can affect each other’s pain-relieving effects.
Back pain or migraines during a period are often related to muscle tension and prostaglandin release too. If you can, try to keep up some regular exercise and stretching. Sitting or digging for long stretches is already hard on the body. Stretching relaxes muscles and fascia and can help ease period pain. Strong muscles help you dig more efficiently too, haha.
Pay attention to your diet during your period as well. Reasonable amounts of fat, meat, eggs, and dairy, and some nuts, can all help ease cramps. Very low body fat makes it harder to stay warm in winter and can affect hormone production too.
IV. Looking After Yourself Emotionally
Irritability, lower productivity, low moods, feeling more sensitive or crying more easily during your period—these are all normal physiological responses. They differ between people and can change over time for the same person. It’s all normal. Understanding how you feel during your period, adjusting a little, and finding things that make you happier or more comfortable matter too.
Many people are already dealing with discomfort and exhaustion during their period, but also worry about falling behind or having colleagues question their ability or commitment. So they keep quiet and push through. We hope we can build a period-friendly atmosphere in the field together: normalize menstruation, normalize the need for period products and facilities, and make them a necessary part of planning fieldwork.
Some people may respond with “women are too much trouble and aren’t suited to fieldwork.” But adding a bin or rubbish bag to a site, and providing a portable bucket or bottle of water for handwashing, really isn’t much trouble. Women are already dealing with the hardest parts themselves: bleeding, pain, and cleaning up. I also hope we can support one another by sharing products, swapping experiences, and offering emotional support. All of that helps make a better working environment, so a period stops being awkward and becomes an ordinary part of ordinary days.
(Image source: “Breaking the silence: Menstruation and fieldwork” )
Finally, a few articles about periods during fieldwork. Two appeared in Nature columns last year:
“Breaking menstrual taboos to make fieldwork more inclusive”
“It’s time to talk about periods and fieldwork”
There’s also a blog post with more detailed suggestions for managing periods in the field:
And an interesting WeChat article from “She and Archaeology”: 🩸 International Menstrual Day: Looking for the First Drop of Blood in Archaeology
Afterword:
This post began with all the running around I did this summer. When my period arrived, I almost always had to buy tampons locally at the last minute. I bought some Tampax that were so bad they felt like fakes, and immediately understood why some people say their first attempt at tampons was awful and left them scared to try again. That prompted me to try some new pad and tampon brands. Then I thought: plenty of friends must have had periods in less-than-convenient field conditions too. I listened to lots of their experiences, and eventually put together this post. Very little of the content is my own contribution. I’m sincerely grateful to every friend who generously shared her period experiences and recommended useful things. They’re the ones who made this post happen.
I hope this helps friends who haven’t done fieldwork yet, or who are dealing with difficulties now. I also hope that current and future fieldwork leaders and participants will include menstruation as an ordinary part of their planning.
生产力工具 | 田野中经期用品及经验指南
很多把铲 · Sep 7, 2025, 6:01 PM
中文原文
一、生理用品
卫生巾：最常见最容易买到且没有入体的健康风险，但是有漏出来的风险，而且可能有味道，夏天闷热；注意选择品牌以免碰到有毒卫生巾。长时间跑调查或者上工的话可能会不够用，要结合别的用品。
棉条：吸满之前都比较干净清爽，视个人体质可能会漏出，建议搭配护垫保底；如果长时间跑调查或者上工，没有去厕所的条件，建议配一个大容量卫生巾，增加延续时长，但是每次棉条尽量不要超过六小时。新手可以从塑料导管式开始尝试，个人感觉Tmaxx或者高洁丝都还算好用，纸管或者无管的比较难操作。量大的时间建议用super或者super plus或者ultra，只要吸满后再取出就不容易疼。
（图源知乎https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/36632839）
一般常见的棉条是图里这种长导管的，使用的时候直接推进就行。还有一种短导管的，需要把导管先外拉一下增长再推进，这种体积比较小，携带会更方便一点。
月经杯：容量大且正确使用时不容易漏，但是对更换时的卫生条件要求较高，不建议田野时使用。
月经裤\安睡裤：有防水层的内裤，不容易渗出弄脏裤子，而且比较容易清洗。但是会闷热，长时间不透气可能捂出痱子，建议只在量最大的时候用，或者生理用品更换不便的时候。
护理垫：量大的时候可以考虑在床上铺护理垫以防侧漏，减少洗床单的多余劳动。
请假：适当的休息也是有效的生理用品，有机会的话还是好好休息一天缓一下吧。
二、清洁用品
便携私处冲洗器：适合不便洗澡的田野，保持干净卫生，减少难受带来的心理压力。
（图源淘宝某店家）
湿厕纸\湿巾：同上，但是有的人可能会过敏，注意根据自己身体情况使用。
密封袋\垃圾袋：防水密封的袋子，方便在没有厕所的田野或者调查路上使用，还可以把垃圾带走避免污染环境。随身带着垃圾确实不方便，但是如果密封性好还是能最大程度减少不便。呕吐袋也可以起到类似的效果。
瓶装水或者消毒湿巾：用来清洁手部减少健康风险。
便携水桶：可以放在工地旁边，大家都能用。
（图源淘宝某店家）
如果是没有厕所的工地，建议大家可以共同设一个洗手区，以及一个小带盖垃圾桶专门用来装用过的生理用品，每天自己收拾，这样既互相方便，也不会麻烦其他人。
三、应对痛经
这里列一些朋友们使用过的止痛药种类，个人体质不同，建议大家仔细查看药品说明并咨询医生后再使用。
Feminax Express Tablets, 布洛芬，乙酰氨基酚和帕马溴。
目前来看月经期间大量分泌前列腺素引起的痛经和腹泻好像还没有什么好的应对方式，喝热饮料可能会帮助减轻痛经。如果是前列腺素导致的痛经，摄入少量咖啡因可以抑制前列腺素，缓解疼痛；如果是其他原因的痛经就不行。此外，如果考虑用了咖啡因，不能叠用布洛芬，会互相影响止痛效果。
如果经期有腰痛或偏头痛的情况，多半也和肌肉紧张以及前列腺素分泌有关，有条件的话建议大家平常维持一定的健身和拉伸习惯，久坐或者久挖已经伤身，拉伸能放松肌肉和筋膜，帮助减轻痛经程度。强健的肌肉也有助于提升挖土效率哈哈。
月经期间也注意饮食，合理摄入脂肪肉蛋奶，吃点坚果，都有助于缓解痛经。体脂率过低在冬天不保暖，也会影响激素分泌。
四、心理调节
经期暴躁，效率低，心情容易低，更加敏感容易哭等等，都是正常的生理反应，不同人的反应会不一样，同一个人不同时期也会不同，都很正常。了解自己的生理期状态，适当调节，找点能让自己觉得开心一点或者舒服点的事情去做，也是很重要的一件事。
有很多人月经期间本来已经在忍受身体的不适和疲惫，还要担心工作进度落后，被同事质疑能力不够或者不够敬业，因此倾向于忍着不说或者强打精神。我们希望能共同营造一个月经友好的田野氛围，把月经正常化，把月经期间的生理用品需求和配套设施正常化，让月经用品成为田野中必须被考虑的一个部分。
有的人可能又要因此开始说“女性太麻烦，不适合田野工作”之类的话，但是在工地增加一个垃圾桶或者垃圾袋，提供一个便携水桶或者水瓶洗手，远不算是麻烦的事情。最麻烦的部分：出血、疼痛、清理，其实女性都已经自己处理好了。也希望大家能互相支持，分享生理用品，交流经验，提供心理支持，都有助于营造和谐的工作环境，让经期不再尴尬，变成众多日子中普通的一个节点。
（图源：Breaking the silence: Menstruation and fieldwork”， https://www.currentconservation.org/breaking-the-silence-menstruation-and-fieldwork-2/）
最后推荐几篇关于田野工作中月经的文章，两篇是去年发在Nature专栏上的：
“打破月经禁忌，让田野调查更具包容性” “Breaking menstrual taboos to make fieldwork more inclusive”
“是时候讨论月经和田野工作了”：“It’s time to talk about periods and fieldwork”
还有一篇博客是关于更详细的田野中月经可采用的应对方式的：
还有一篇很有意思的公众号文章，来自“她与考古”：🩸国际月经日：寻找考古学中的第一滴血
后记：
这篇推送起源于我这个暑假东奔西跑，遇到生理期几乎都是临时在当地买棉条，买到过质量很差感觉像假货的丹碧丝，顿时就理解了为什么会有人会说初次尝试棉条结果非常难用留下了心理阴影。借此机会我开始尝试一些新的卫生巾和棉条品牌，又想到一定还有很多朋友也在不太方便的田野中经历过月经，所以听了很多朋友分享的经验，最后攒成了这篇推送。推送内容中我的贡献很少，我真诚感谢每一个热心分享自己的月经经历，推荐各种好用东西的朋友，是她们让这篇推送成型。
希望这篇推送能给还没有经历过田野，或者正在遇到一些困扰的朋友们一些帮助，也希望现在及未来的田野带队者和参与者，都能把月经作为一个正常因素纳入田野工作的考虑中。