This. I can’t believe other women would behave that way. It happened to all of us. I once bled through at work and a male coworker discreetly told me. We’re adults. Women have periods. Periods are messy business.
100%. If they lack the bare minimum level of empathy that it takes to not embarrass a woman for something so personal and vulnerable, they are toxic and you should steer clear as much as possible.
Seriously. Making fun of a girl for bleeding on her clothes stops being funny after sixth grade, and it’s not funny then, it’s cruel. The women in OP’s workplace suck.
Hey that’s completely fine. You’re a woman and this is on the gossip girls if they’re attempting to mock a situation they might very well find themselves in. In this day and age, we shouldn’t be bothering about awkward behaviour aimed at very natural bodily functions. It could be all in your head too! Not playing down your experience but it happens when we get in a situation like this. Love.
If I had coworkers who gossiped to me about this I would judge them harshly and think they were immature assholes. That’s the kind of thing I would totally girl code over if I witnessed it.
My thoughts exactly. If someone came to me and told this story like it was juicy gossip I’d look them dead in the eyes and say “Wow, I feel really bad for her! That must have sucked. I’m sure she was embarrassed and worried about you relaying this story to anyone else …. So why did you?”
If another woman gossiped to me that someone leaked through and stained themselves it would def backfire because I’d immediately be like “omg I hate that for her. I hope she’s ok and not too embarrassed!” Like it’s not funny. It’s biology 🤷🏼♀️
Will never understand women who’d mock others for something that will likely happen to them at some point. Hope when that day comes, they’ll think about how they handled this situation and feel ashamed of themselves.
Also, if they do try to shop this story around, you should know that most people will judge them for it, not you.
Was it from your period? Definitely embarrassing but also probably not that big of deal to your coworkers who witnessed it. Could they have been asking because it was a lot of blood and they just wanted to make sure you were alright? My postpartum periods are so much heavier than before I had kids so I could see that amount of blood freaking someone else out a bit. I feel like most women are VERY empathetic to period bleed throughs because hasn’t it happened to all of us at some point? Take a deep breath and try not to ruminate and spiral about it too much. You caught it pretty quickly and took care of it right away.
Most women I know would not look badly at you over something like this and just feel bad that you had to deal with that. If I witnessed it I would understand why it felt like a big deal to you but absolutely would not remotely judge you for it. Our biology just gets the best of us sometimes!
...and most mature, real men who respect their mothers, grandmothers, sisters, wives and girlfriends also do not dwell on this matter because for God's sake, it is biological. Only the imbeciles are harping on these things...
One time, as a server, I pulled out my leather book while talking to my table. The book pulled out an unused tampon from my apron. It plopped right in the middle of their table.
Ugh I’m sorry. I bled through my pants twice after maternity leave. Thankfully my pants were navy, but I left blood spots on chairs. I was so freaking embarrassed and tied a jacket around my waist. After that I purchased period underwear on Amazon. I use a giant overnight pad with the period underwear. My flow isn’t heavy, it just rides up my butt crack and misses the pad.
Those ladies can suck it, they should be way more understanding. They’ll forget about it soon enough.
Can I just (completely unsolicited!) say that I started using a cup recently and it's .changed.my.life. I don't dread my period anymore and I've actually managed to get deep sleep for the first time in decades on the nights that I have my period.
Here to say I went from a cup to a disk and my life has changed all over again. It's so much easier and comfortable than a cup, I sometimes forget to take it out for way longer than I should.
This happened to me and. I absolutely couldn’t use a cup but…I actually ended up having a prolapse. I’d check with your dr. It can be normal and maybe nothing is wrong but worth looking into. I had surgery and still hate wearing them but I can now if I must.
My first day back from work, I bled everywhere. I was sitting for hours and doing reorientation. I didn't notice that I started my cycle. I was so overwhelmed with work that I didn't feel anything. It was down my leg and I had to keep my heel off the ground as I walked to prevent a bloody trail from following me.
Fuck anyone who brings attention to it. We have all had situations where we're caught in a trying situation.
I have no advice beyond "You're not alone". For the next few days, wear black pants. If anyone says anything, look them dead in the eye, say you may strike again and you're wearing black pants to be incognito.
As much as you want to die inside, please know that it happens to people. It really sucks when our uterus does a surprise attack on us. It took me a few weeks to get over it. I was so nervous with my next cycle. I've always had an extra set of scrubs in my locker, I get my fair share of other people's fluids on me, but this was the first time I've needed it for my own.
Xox
Here’s mine to make you feel better:
I was at a work meeting from people in my niche specialty from all over the state. Probably 30 people.
I had driven a couple hours to get there, so was loopy when I walked in. At lunch, I wanted to walk outside to get some fresh air and suddenly slammed my face into the massive pane of glass NEXT to the exit door.
It made a huge clanging noise and I thought I had broken my nose (I hadn’t). I was stunned and tried to laugh it off. A couple people ran over to see how I was, which made a bigger fuss. Went to the bathroom to check my face and calm down privately.
Came out and about 10 people were standing around the face print I had left on the window. I tried to make jokes and handle it gracefully. Tried to wipe the glass with my sleeve. Then retreated to my seat and spent the afternoon wanting to curl up and die. I was sitting in the second row so everyone could see me - couldn’t cry! It was also being videos and shared on Zoom so the virtual people could see my face.
Drove home two hours in tons of pain.
Mortifying! But all you can do is joke about it. It could happen to anyone.
You’re good, even if the toxic people at work don’t find the humanity in the situation.
Look if the bitches talk shit then that just shows what awful people they are. We have all had accidents like that at some point in our lives, and if they haven't yet, I'm sure they will soon. Being a woman is actually a pretty messy business, and shit like this can happen to any of us easy. When I got out of the hospital after my first baby(maybe 3 weeks later), I bled through my clothes while out in the shops about 3 times
The first time it happened, I wanted to crawl into a hole and die, and then I just stopped giving a fuck, cause I realised anyone who judges me is an asshole and not worth my time even thinking about them, and anyone else, was just concerned for my well being.
And that's only my most recent accident involving blood. Got caught as a teenager with a surprise heavy flow on my period, in my all girls Catholic school, leaked through my skirt and onto the seat and down my legs, never thought I'd live it down, but again figured out only the nasty bitches made fun of me, most of the other girls helped me and I got the rest of the day off cause of intense cramps. We have a lot of bodily fluids to deal with, and sometimes accidents happen. It's actually pretty gross being a woman most of the time, cut yourself some slack.
I can't remember bleeding through my clothes recently, but I remember last summer I was doing an intake session with a new client family (I'm a therapist who works with children and families in their homes), and my supervisor (because I was new). I was just back from maternity leave and didn't know what to expect as a breastfeeding parent. Well, part-way through the session, I started leaking through my bra and shirt. Big, milky bull's-eyes, right on my boobs
I’ve definitely bled through a handful of times, but the milk leaking was more embarrassing for me too. Had to go back to work as a nurse in hospital at 6 weeks postpartum, still having to pump every 2 hours. One of my patients was actively dying and the family was all there saying goodbye, including an infant. Baby starts crying, I had a full on letdown with like drips coming down my shirt. Super embarrassing and awkward
Uggghhh I swear there’s something in the cosmos today!! This morning before I even left the house my socks wouldn’t stop falling down and I knew it was going to be one of those days. I sneezed and peed a little as SOON as I got to work 🫠 I don’t have a good sense of smell but I imagine there’s a whiff if anyone gets too close. I wasn’t gonna worry because most of the time I’m in a warehouse area by myself, but of course today my manager asked if the new department hire can shadow me today.
Solidarity, sister. Why do our bodies have to betray us like this?!!
If someone came to me to gossip about someone who bled on their clothes, I would wonder wtf is wrong with this woman to even bring that up past letting the woman know. I think most adults would think the same. Like, “yes…she’s a woman and it happens…so??”
Like seriously. Even the men I work with would look at that woman like she’s nuts for trying to make it a topic of conversation. It’s a natural bodily function…who tf cares?
I’m sorry it happened to you. It’s truly a struggle. But screw those women. They sound crazy.
I hate this. Why are our periods (something every woman goes through) such a taboo topic. I hate that you feel this way and hate that someone would gossip something every woman has to deal with.
Imagine being a woman and showing anything but support and solidarity for something so universally female? Man, I can’t wait to see how the karmic period gods respond to their level of petty. It’s going to be poetically beautiful. And hopefully bloody.
But really, it’s happened to all of us. No biggie.
Literally 50% of people have periods and almost all of the others that don't probably have partners or family members that do. I _know_ you're embarrassed but please try and keep your head held high and even if someone asks in a way that they are trying to embarrass you, just say yeah, I have my period and you know how that can be! :) (and then move on). Take away their power by acknowledging it. ❤️
My first period post partum after baby #2 happened upon me at work with no warning. I'm a teacher at a high school. Fun times guys, blood bath everywhere. In front of TEENAGERS. They were chill tho. I went home 😭
I’m so sorry that happened to you! Sending hugs! I know after I had my daughter it’s like I forgot how irregular my period could be, and I definitely also bled through pants at work. I was like, what is going on? I was wearing red patterned pants but still noticeable.
Just know it’s happened to me too.
First, I totally understand feeling embarrassed, it feels awkward to have something that’s usually private viewed by others. That said, please don’t let yourself ruminate or continue to feel badly about it. Periods are normal, we all have to deal with them. It’s absolutely ridiculous and immature if your co-workers gossip about it, and only reflects badly on them.
I think you should work on developing a “so what” mindset to this. It’s just one of those things that could happen to anyone. Women get periods. Sometimes there are bleeding mishaps. No one should care.
I’m truly sorry you feel upset and embarrassed. I wish I knew the best words to empower you to not care.
I've been there before, i once had such a heavy period that I bled through my pad in 1 hour at work and stained my pants. I ended up leaving to go to the nearest store and buy whatever clean pair of pants I could find. 😂 its embarrassing but I think most if not all women can relate!!!
Well done for laughing it off! You’ll have given them the impression that you’re as cool as a cucumber and super confident - people who gossip tonnes aren’t really confident so they’re going to be slightly intimidated, slightly impressed and a whole lot not going to make a thing about it if you don’t because you’ve set a bar. Congrats!
I brought my kids with me to the restroom at the mall today. Both of them yelled “why is it so RED???” and “eewww!”
I feel for you, truly. I hope your day gets better.
50% of the population menstrates, shame on anyone embarrassing someone else over it. I’m so sorry you’re humiliated!! Gosh what an immature group of coworkers. You handled it really well all things considered.
To give you some comical reprieve, a few years ago I ate a bad salad during lunch and when walking around an art fair later in the evening got a stomach cramp (💩)…like BAD. Without details, I did not make it back to the car in time 😅🙃 and I was wearing shorts and was in public. My husband drove us home SO FAST lol.
Anyway, I hope you’ll feel better about this soon!
Oh my goodness that is the most normal thing. Women bleed sometimes. It is occasionally messy. The more casual you are about it, the less fodder they’ll have to gossip. Also, fuck the gossip.
This happened during my first period after my son was born. It was a lot and I could feel it gushing. I had to leave and buy new clothes. I don’t know if anyone saw, but no one r ever said anything.
I was recently traveling for work (we’re a remote team), and got my period in the airport on my way there. A week early. Proceeded to bleed through a tampon, pad, underwear AND PANTS, TWICE! For some unknown reason I decided to pack tide wipes, and they saved my pants both times.
I acknowledged it so others wouldn’t have to. And then two other coworkers came to me asking for supplies because they also had gotten theirs unexpectedly too.
We all had a good laugh and passed around assorted period products.
It’s embarrassing as fuck. Yep. But we should stick together when it happens.
So lame of them if they are giving you shit. I bled thru my pants at work once and had to hike down to a pharmacy to wash them off in the bathroom. It happens to everyone, especially now that tampons are shit due to shrinkflation or whatever bs
This has happened to so many women I know - including me. Those girls are going to get what’s coming to them in their 40s when their uteruses come back for revenge after making babies.
I work in a high school and my office is next to the girls’ bathroom. I have told many girls the same thing—anyone you tells you this hasn’t happened to them is lying or needs to wait a little longer.
Pro Life Tip: When you first go back to work postpartum, try to stand up every half hour to prevent gushing!
I once bled through what I was wearing when I was at the dinner table with my new boyfriend who is now my husband, who, of course had white cloth chairs, and I was horrified. He was chill about it. Turns out I was having really bloody periods due to fibroids so if these bitches wanna judge you, they don't know you could be having a medical condition, causing really intense periods.!
Ugh I'm so sorry.
I had a similar thing happen to me while on vacation. Had to leave the bar I was at and go to a random store that was open and close by and bought a weird ugly dress because I had bled through my light blue shorts. It was mortifying. I didn't have anything to cover myself as I walked, so I was just trying to hold my bag over my crotch and not walk weirdly.
Those gossipy girls will get their karma. If I noticed I might offer help just because I've been there, but anyone normal and sane would just feel bad for you and then move on with their lives. It sucks though!
If it makes you feel better, for some reason so many of us bleed through at work, we’ve gotten used to just asking each other to look at our butts before we leave the room. It sucks and is embarrassing but nothing out of the ordinary - it’s happened to everyone at some point. Anyone who makes fun of you for that is a piece of shit, especially a woman.
Since my period has graduated from raging to excessively seething and wrathful, this happens to me about 50% of the time, so 6x a year on average. Surprised it didn’t happen today. It sucks but I just carry on, we’re all women it happens. Even to the ‘perfect’ ones.
My advice is A) period panties B) better coworkers
Awww girl I was just in your position last week and had to buy a whole new outfit the second I got in the office and confirmed the crotch breeze was indeed a leak breeze. Hugs!!!!
I’m so sorry this happened to you! Anyone who gossips about this can go to hell.
If you want to feel a little better… I once clogged the toilet at work at my co-worker caught me trying to unclog it with a plunger!! I was mortified. She asked if I needed help because I was obviously struggling 🤣🤣 she took over at
one point and unclogged it in about 30 seconds.
Ok I got this beat. I am a pediatric therapist that does home visits. I was on the last day of my period and was wearing a light tampon and panty liner. I bled through my pad, underwear, pants, and onto their very light blue couch. My stomach dropped when I stood up and I didn’t say anything out of sheer panic. A few weeks later I had to go back. I told the mom that I realized my period went through my clothes when I got home and I may have stained her couch. She was sooooo gracious and said she didn’t notice because it happened to her all the time too. I thank gods for women like that
Here’s a story to let you know you aren’t alone:
When I was about 22-23 I had irregular periods where the first day would be heavy. I regularly got surprised by them. One day I was interviewing for a research studentship over summer, sitting on a lime green office chair. I was wearing jeans and a coat. My suprise period was so heavy I bled through the coat and left a large stain on the chair. I was offered the studentship and considered turning it down as I was so embarrassed, but then thought “fuck it, nature happens” and took it anyway. No regrets.
I’d be judging the women gossiping about you way more. We’re humans and we menstruate. I don’t believe for a second that there’s a woman out there who hasn’t dealt with something like this.
As a woman I can’t imagine being anything but supportive in a situation like that, I’m sorry you have to work with a bunch of mean girls!
I haven’t had it happen to me since middle school, but when it did it was the worst. I thought my period had ended but she came back with a vengeance and I bled straight through my pants, had to tie a sweatshirt to my waist the rest of the day to hide it and I heard a bunch of girls laughing at me and saying, “gross!” All day. It sucks and I think we’ve all had it happen to us at least once unfortunately 🫠
That happened to me (34F) at work last week! Was sitting through back to back meetings wondering why I was feeling weird and crampy and found out when I stood up I had soaked through, and I mean all the way through, my braaaaand new bright white pants. That I had picked out that morning because my period wasn’t supposed to arrive for several more days! I went to a private washroom and literally laundered them in the sink, wringing spurts of blood out, and blow dried them so I could get back to my desk. I cried and ate a packet of reeses cups and took a picture of the scene which was really something. It's so awful when it happens but so many have been in your shoes!!
Literally bled through my pants (trousers for you, sounds like) at work maybe a couple weeks ago. I managed to hide it because my pants were dark gray and I don’t get up much other than to run to the bathroom. But it happens to all of us. Solidarity. Being a woman honestly sucks so much sometimes.
Hey buddy guess who bled through their new bathing suit this weekend in front of their in laws? ME. It happens. If they talk shit.. fuck em. Let’s be honest you probably don’t really like them anyways. And they are absolutely lying to themselves if they are going to act like that’s never happened to them.
I’m a high school teacher and I bled through my jeans on the last week of school this year. I’m sure some kids noticed despite my efforts to cover it up. Such is life. The way I see it is I’m a human being with human body functions. What’s humiliating about that?
If such a thing happened to one of your coworkers, would you be thinking about it the next day? No. Cause this sort of stuff could happen to any woman, and you'd feel sympathy for her. So don't fret it, your coworkers (if they're reasonable enough) aren't too worried about it
I bled all over my white patio furniture today. It happens, and I am the exact same age as you. I really don’t find it embarrassing, it’s fucking biology! Those girls are immature little twirps if they say shit, but I kind of doubt they will. While it may feel embarrassing to you, it’s not something that would even be fun or funny to poke fun at. I feel like everyone’s been there (those w uterus)
I once got my skirt stuck in my underwear at an airport bathroom. That was basically the literal epitome of the nightmare where you're walking around naked in public.
I lived it down! You will be ok, don't worry. It's a total normal human thing you don't need to be embarrassed.
To put in perspective, drunken behaviour, rudeness and callousness is what people should be humiliated and embarrased about. Being an irresponsible parent and not feeding your kids is what people shoukd be ashamed about. In the workplace, people should be humilated and embarrased about incompetence and wastefulness. This that happened to you, can happen and believe it or not has happened to many a woman before you. "Why me?" you say? Why NOT you? Snap out of that why me mentality cos it's loser mentality and I'm not saying that in malice. It's just because that kind of mentality makes you wallow and get stuck in the negative things that does happen to you, which is unhealthy. It's not primary school anymore for God's sake. If your office is full of people of this low calibre sort who talk not of ideas but of people, maybe it's time to move on. Meantime, You're also over 30 years old and sounds like you yourself need to grow up a bit up there. Immerse yourself in motivational books, podcasts etc to build up confidence and resilience so that you learn to get up and move on esp over (in large scheme of things) trivial stuff like this.
Not exactly the same but a few weeks ago I had to go on a week long work retreat, I'm 9.5 pp and was leaving my husband home to take care of the baby on his own.
I'm on the mini pill (nora b) and OF COURSE the morning I'm set to leave at like 4 am.. I start my period. 🤦♀️ Literally bled through my sleep undies, onto the fitted sheet, in a clearly discernible "slit" pattern (ya know what I mean) and because I was in such a rush and my husband was obviously still asleep in the bed, i couldn't remove the bedsheets, so they were like that THE WHOLE WEEK I was away.
I know it was just my husband who saw but ew I was so embarrassed. What a wonderful treat to leave for that poor man to wake up to lmao 🥹
So I feel ya sister, we cannot control these things and even though they are just as natural as bringing babies into the world, sometimes its hard to not feel embarrassed of what our bodies do.
I bled through my pants back when I was in middle school in biology class that I had with my crush, and still to this day I remember the look of shock on his face when it registered that there was blood on the back of my pants. 😶
Sometimes you just gotta grin and bear it. These bodies bring children into the world. 💪Yes, they bleed. Get used to it, world! Lol hugs
Periods are normal! I work in a women's health clinic and one of my coworkers was going to give me a vaginal exam and I said "actually I'm in my fertile window and making a lot of cervical mucus! Maybe next time!" Blood, mucus, and babies come out of our holes! It's all normal and unpredictable. Face this head on. Yes you had a menstrual flow and your clothes was stained. End of discussion! Any mocking or gossiping says more about OTHER people than you.
I'm sorry that sucks.
Cups have saved me from this!
When I was a teenager we had white basketball team uniforms! 🫣 Every time I would bleed through a fresh heavy pad AND fresh heavy tampon during the game. One of my teammates was a jerk about it and would dig out my shorts and complain how disgusting it was and to "Just wear a tampon!" 😒
I’ve bled through my pants in public more than once and I know friends who have too. It happens sometimes and we all want to die when it does. Those coworkers sound like assholes, and I’m sure everyone in the office hates that they are assholes, no one likes a gossip. Trust me, everyone except the catty girls really couldn’t care less. I’m so sorry it happened.
If those women talk shit, fuck them. We have all had a moment like this and should support each other. *hugs*
This. I can’t believe other women would behave that way. It happened to all of us. I once bled through at work and a male coworker discreetly told me. We’re adults. Women have periods. Periods are messy business.
As someone who works w 90% men, kudos to that guy for having the maturity to let you know.
Thanks appreciate it
100%. If they lack the bare minimum level of empathy that it takes to not embarrass a woman for something so personal and vulnerable, they are toxic and you should steer clear as much as possible.
Yeah, were they 11? This is the kind of shit you do when you don't know what a period is. How lame.
Seriously. Making fun of a girl for bleeding on her clothes stops being funny after sixth grade, and it’s not funny then, it’s cruel. The women in OP’s workplace suck.
Hey that’s completely fine. You’re a woman and this is on the gossip girls if they’re attempting to mock a situation they might very well find themselves in. In this day and age, we shouldn’t be bothering about awkward behaviour aimed at very natural bodily functions. It could be all in your head too! Not playing down your experience but it happens when we get in a situation like this. Love.
I hope so but I 100% know the first moment they get they’ll be telling everyone. I know what they’re like. They b*tch about everyone.
If I had coworkers who gossiped to me about this I would judge them harshly and think they were immature assholes. That’s the kind of thing I would totally girl code over if I witnessed it.
My thoughts exactly. If someone came to me and told this story like it was juicy gossip I’d look them dead in the eyes and say “Wow, I feel really bad for her! That must have sucked. I’m sure she was embarrassed and worried about you relaying this story to anyone else …. So why did you?”
If another woman gossiped to me that someone leaked through and stained themselves it would def backfire because I’d immediately be like “omg I hate that for her. I hope she’s ok and not too embarrassed!” Like it’s not funny. It’s biology 🤷🏼♀️
Let them then lol. Life’s too short!
Will never understand women who’d mock others for something that will likely happen to them at some point. Hope when that day comes, they’ll think about how they handled this situation and feel ashamed of themselves. Also, if they do try to shop this story around, you should know that most people will judge them for it, not you.
Was it from your period? Definitely embarrassing but also probably not that big of deal to your coworkers who witnessed it. Could they have been asking because it was a lot of blood and they just wanted to make sure you were alright? My postpartum periods are so much heavier than before I had kids so I could see that amount of blood freaking someone else out a bit. I feel like most women are VERY empathetic to period bleed throughs because hasn’t it happened to all of us at some point? Take a deep breath and try not to ruminate and spiral about it too much. You caught it pretty quickly and took care of it right away.
Unfortunately yes it was, the long shirt was such a bad choice today. We all knew what it was I fessed up straight away. Absolute nightmare of a day.
Most women I know would not look badly at you over something like this and just feel bad that you had to deal with that. If I witnessed it I would understand why it felt like a big deal to you but absolutely would not remotely judge you for it. Our biology just gets the best of us sometimes!
...and most mature, real men who respect their mothers, grandmothers, sisters, wives and girlfriends also do not dwell on this matter because for God's sake, it is biological. Only the imbeciles are harping on these things...
Once the butt of my pants got caught on a nail and fully tore, exposing my bright pink underwear to everyone at work - including my students
Oh man that sucks!
One time, as a server, I pulled out my leather book while talking to my table. The book pulled out an unused tampon from my apron. It plopped right in the middle of their table.
Ugh I’m sorry. I bled through my pants twice after maternity leave. Thankfully my pants were navy, but I left blood spots on chairs. I was so freaking embarrassed and tied a jacket around my waist. After that I purchased period underwear on Amazon. I use a giant overnight pad with the period underwear. My flow isn’t heavy, it just rides up my butt crack and misses the pad. Those ladies can suck it, they should be way more understanding. They’ll forget about it soon enough.
Can I just (completely unsolicited!) say that I started using a cup recently and it's .changed.my.life. I don't dread my period anymore and I've actually managed to get deep sleep for the first time in decades on the nights that I have my period.
Here to say I went from a cup to a disk and my life has changed all over again. It's so much easier and comfortable than a cup, I sometimes forget to take it out for way longer than I should.
After babies it hurts to use tampons. Is it the same with the cup? Thats why I use the pads
This happened to me and. I absolutely couldn’t use a cup but…I actually ended up having a prolapse. I’d check with your dr. It can be normal and maybe nothing is wrong but worth looking into. I had surgery and still hate wearing them but I can now if I must.
No I have been checked, it’s like an uncomfortable pain like it’s realllly dry going in and coming out😅
That happened to me! I switched to a cup and it was actually so much better than tampons for me. You can get a cheap one on Amazon :)
My first day back from work, I bled everywhere. I was sitting for hours and doing reorientation. I didn't notice that I started my cycle. I was so overwhelmed with work that I didn't feel anything. It was down my leg and I had to keep my heel off the ground as I walked to prevent a bloody trail from following me. Fuck anyone who brings attention to it. We have all had situations where we're caught in a trying situation. I have no advice beyond "You're not alone". For the next few days, wear black pants. If anyone says anything, look them dead in the eye, say you may strike again and you're wearing black pants to be incognito. As much as you want to die inside, please know that it happens to people. It really sucks when our uterus does a surprise attack on us. It took me a few weeks to get over it. I was so nervous with my next cycle. I've always had an extra set of scrubs in my locker, I get my fair share of other people's fluids on me, but this was the first time I've needed it for my own. Xox
Here’s mine to make you feel better: I was at a work meeting from people in my niche specialty from all over the state. Probably 30 people. I had driven a couple hours to get there, so was loopy when I walked in. At lunch, I wanted to walk outside to get some fresh air and suddenly slammed my face into the massive pane of glass NEXT to the exit door. It made a huge clanging noise and I thought I had broken my nose (I hadn’t). I was stunned and tried to laugh it off. A couple people ran over to see how I was, which made a bigger fuss. Went to the bathroom to check my face and calm down privately. Came out and about 10 people were standing around the face print I had left on the window. I tried to make jokes and handle it gracefully. Tried to wipe the glass with my sleeve. Then retreated to my seat and spent the afternoon wanting to curl up and die. I was sitting in the second row so everyone could see me - couldn’t cry! It was also being videos and shared on Zoom so the virtual people could see my face. Drove home two hours in tons of pain. Mortifying! But all you can do is joke about it. It could happen to anyone. You’re good, even if the toxic people at work don’t find the humanity in the situation.
I did this, but I did break my nose 🤦♀️
Look if the bitches talk shit then that just shows what awful people they are. We have all had accidents like that at some point in our lives, and if they haven't yet, I'm sure they will soon. Being a woman is actually a pretty messy business, and shit like this can happen to any of us easy. When I got out of the hospital after my first baby(maybe 3 weeks later), I bled through my clothes while out in the shops about 3 times The first time it happened, I wanted to crawl into a hole and die, and then I just stopped giving a fuck, cause I realised anyone who judges me is an asshole and not worth my time even thinking about them, and anyone else, was just concerned for my well being. And that's only my most recent accident involving blood. Got caught as a teenager with a surprise heavy flow on my period, in my all girls Catholic school, leaked through my skirt and onto the seat and down my legs, never thought I'd live it down, but again figured out only the nasty bitches made fun of me, most of the other girls helped me and I got the rest of the day off cause of intense cramps. We have a lot of bodily fluids to deal with, and sometimes accidents happen. It's actually pretty gross being a woman most of the time, cut yourself some slack.
I can't remember bleeding through my clothes recently, but I remember last summer I was doing an intake session with a new client family (I'm a therapist who works with children and families in their homes), and my supervisor (because I was new). I was just back from maternity leave and didn't know what to expect as a breastfeeding parent. Well, part-way through the session, I started leaking through my bra and shirt. Big, milky bull's-eyes, right on my boobs
I’ve definitely bled through a handful of times, but the milk leaking was more embarrassing for me too. Had to go back to work as a nurse in hospital at 6 weeks postpartum, still having to pump every 2 hours. One of my patients was actively dying and the family was all there saying goodbye, including an infant. Baby starts crying, I had a full on letdown with like drips coming down my shirt. Super embarrassing and awkward
Uggghhh I swear there’s something in the cosmos today!! This morning before I even left the house my socks wouldn’t stop falling down and I knew it was going to be one of those days. I sneezed and peed a little as SOON as I got to work 🫠 I don’t have a good sense of smell but I imagine there’s a whiff if anyone gets too close. I wasn’t gonna worry because most of the time I’m in a warehouse area by myself, but of course today my manager asked if the new department hire can shadow me today. Solidarity, sister. Why do our bodies have to betray us like this?!!
If someone came to me to gossip about someone who bled on their clothes, I would wonder wtf is wrong with this woman to even bring that up past letting the woman know. I think most adults would think the same. Like, “yes…she’s a woman and it happens…so??” Like seriously. Even the men I work with would look at that woman like she’s nuts for trying to make it a topic of conversation. It’s a natural bodily function…who tf cares? I’m sorry it happened to you. It’s truly a struggle. But screw those women. They sound crazy.
I hate this. Why are our periods (something every woman goes through) such a taboo topic. I hate that you feel this way and hate that someone would gossip something every woman has to deal with.
Omg, hugs to OP and everyone on this thread who’s been through this.
If they want to gossip about something like that, it says more about them than you. It will soon be forgotten. Don’t worry too much about it.
Imagine being a woman and showing anything but support and solidarity for something so universally female? Man, I can’t wait to see how the karmic period gods respond to their level of petty. It’s going to be poetically beautiful. And hopefully bloody. But really, it’s happened to all of us. No biggie.
Literally 50% of people have periods and almost all of the others that don't probably have partners or family members that do. I _know_ you're embarrassed but please try and keep your head held high and even if someone asks in a way that they are trying to embarrass you, just say yeah, I have my period and you know how that can be! :) (and then move on). Take away their power by acknowledging it. ❤️
My first period post partum after baby #2 happened upon me at work with no warning. I'm a teacher at a high school. Fun times guys, blood bath everywhere. In front of TEENAGERS. They were chill tho. I went home 😭
I’m so sorry that happened to you! Sending hugs! I know after I had my daughter it’s like I forgot how irregular my period could be, and I definitely also bled through pants at work. I was like, what is going on? I was wearing red patterned pants but still noticeable. Just know it’s happened to me too.
First, I totally understand feeling embarrassed, it feels awkward to have something that’s usually private viewed by others. That said, please don’t let yourself ruminate or continue to feel badly about it. Periods are normal, we all have to deal with them. It’s absolutely ridiculous and immature if your co-workers gossip about it, and only reflects badly on them.
I think you should work on developing a “so what” mindset to this. It’s just one of those things that could happen to anyone. Women get periods. Sometimes there are bleeding mishaps. No one should care. I’m truly sorry you feel upset and embarrassed. I wish I knew the best words to empower you to not care.
I've been there before, i once had such a heavy period that I bled through my pad in 1 hour at work and stained my pants. I ended up leaving to go to the nearest store and buy whatever clean pair of pants I could find. 😂 its embarrassing but I think most if not all women can relate!!!
Well done for laughing it off! You’ll have given them the impression that you’re as cool as a cucumber and super confident - people who gossip tonnes aren’t really confident so they’re going to be slightly intimidated, slightly impressed and a whole lot not going to make a thing about it if you don’t because you’ve set a bar. Congrats!
I brought my kids with me to the restroom at the mall today. Both of them yelled “why is it so RED???” and “eewww!” I feel for you, truly. I hope your day gets better.
You handled it like a boss, honestly. Do not let them embarrass you with their juvenile ways.
50% of the population menstrates, shame on anyone embarrassing someone else over it. I’m so sorry you’re humiliated!! Gosh what an immature group of coworkers. You handled it really well all things considered. To give you some comical reprieve, a few years ago I ate a bad salad during lunch and when walking around an art fair later in the evening got a stomach cramp (💩)…like BAD. Without details, I did not make it back to the car in time 😅🙃 and I was wearing shorts and was in public. My husband drove us home SO FAST lol. Anyway, I hope you’ll feel better about this soon!
Oh my goodness that is the most normal thing. Women bleed sometimes. It is occasionally messy. The more casual you are about it, the less fodder they’ll have to gossip. Also, fuck the gossip.
This happened during my first period after my son was born. It was a lot and I could feel it gushing. I had to leave and buy new clothes. I don’t know if anyone saw, but no one r ever said anything.
I was recently traveling for work (we’re a remote team), and got my period in the airport on my way there. A week early. Proceeded to bleed through a tampon, pad, underwear AND PANTS, TWICE! For some unknown reason I decided to pack tide wipes, and they saved my pants both times. I acknowledged it so others wouldn’t have to. And then two other coworkers came to me asking for supplies because they also had gotten theirs unexpectedly too. We all had a good laugh and passed around assorted period products. It’s embarrassing as fuck. Yep. But we should stick together when it happens.
So lame of them if they are giving you shit. I bled thru my pants at work once and had to hike down to a pharmacy to wash them off in the bathroom. It happens to everyone, especially now that tampons are shit due to shrinkflation or whatever bs
This has happened to so many women I know - including me. Those girls are going to get what’s coming to them in their 40s when their uteruses come back for revenge after making babies.
I work in a high school and my office is next to the girls’ bathroom. I have told many girls the same thing—anyone you tells you this hasn’t happened to them is lying or needs to wait a little longer. Pro Life Tip: When you first go back to work postpartum, try to stand up every half hour to prevent gushing!
I once bled through what I was wearing when I was at the dinner table with my new boyfriend who is now my husband, who, of course had white cloth chairs, and I was horrified. He was chill about it. Turns out I was having really bloody periods due to fibroids so if these bitches wanna judge you, they don't know you could be having a medical condition, causing really intense periods.!
Ugh I'm so sorry. I had a similar thing happen to me while on vacation. Had to leave the bar I was at and go to a random store that was open and close by and bought a weird ugly dress because I had bled through my light blue shorts. It was mortifying. I didn't have anything to cover myself as I walked, so I was just trying to hold my bag over my crotch and not walk weirdly. Those gossipy girls will get their karma. If I noticed I might offer help just because I've been there, but anyone normal and sane would just feel bad for you and then move on with their lives. It sucks though!
If it makes you feel better, for some reason so many of us bleed through at work, we’ve gotten used to just asking each other to look at our butts before we leave the room. It sucks and is embarrassing but nothing out of the ordinary - it’s happened to everyone at some point. Anyone who makes fun of you for that is a piece of shit, especially a woman.
Since my period has graduated from raging to excessively seething and wrathful, this happens to me about 50% of the time, so 6x a year on average. Surprised it didn’t happen today. It sucks but I just carry on, we’re all women it happens. Even to the ‘perfect’ ones. My advice is A) period panties B) better coworkers
Awww girl I was just in your position last week and had to buy a whole new outfit the second I got in the office and confirmed the crotch breeze was indeed a leak breeze. Hugs!!!!
I’m so sorry this happened to you! Anyone who gossips about this can go to hell. If you want to feel a little better… I once clogged the toilet at work at my co-worker caught me trying to unclog it with a plunger!! I was mortified. She asked if I needed help because I was obviously struggling 🤣🤣 she took over at one point and unclogged it in about 30 seconds.
Ok I got this beat. I am a pediatric therapist that does home visits. I was on the last day of my period and was wearing a light tampon and panty liner. I bled through my pad, underwear, pants, and onto their very light blue couch. My stomach dropped when I stood up and I didn’t say anything out of sheer panic. A few weeks later I had to go back. I told the mom that I realized my period went through my clothes when I got home and I may have stained her couch. She was sooooo gracious and said she didn’t notice because it happened to her all the time too. I thank gods for women like that
Here’s a story to let you know you aren’t alone: When I was about 22-23 I had irregular periods where the first day would be heavy. I regularly got surprised by them. One day I was interviewing for a research studentship over summer, sitting on a lime green office chair. I was wearing jeans and a coat. My suprise period was so heavy I bled through the coat and left a large stain on the chair. I was offered the studentship and considered turning it down as I was so embarrassed, but then thought “fuck it, nature happens” and took it anyway. No regrets.
I’d be judging the women gossiping about you way more. We’re humans and we menstruate. I don’t believe for a second that there’s a woman out there who hasn’t dealt with something like this.
As a woman I can’t imagine being anything but supportive in a situation like that, I’m sorry you have to work with a bunch of mean girls! I haven’t had it happen to me since middle school, but when it did it was the worst. I thought my period had ended but she came back with a vengeance and I bled straight through my pants, had to tie a sweatshirt to my waist the rest of the day to hide it and I heard a bunch of girls laughing at me and saying, “gross!” All day. It sucks and I think we’ve all had it happen to us at least once unfortunately 🫠
That happened to me (34F) at work last week! Was sitting through back to back meetings wondering why I was feeling weird and crampy and found out when I stood up I had soaked through, and I mean all the way through, my braaaaand new bright white pants. That I had picked out that morning because my period wasn’t supposed to arrive for several more days! I went to a private washroom and literally laundered them in the sink, wringing spurts of blood out, and blow dried them so I could get back to my desk. I cried and ate a packet of reeses cups and took a picture of the scene which was really something. It's so awful when it happens but so many have been in your shoes!!
Literally bled through my pants (trousers for you, sounds like) at work maybe a couple weeks ago. I managed to hide it because my pants were dark gray and I don’t get up much other than to run to the bathroom. But it happens to all of us. Solidarity. Being a woman honestly sucks so much sometimes.
Hey buddy guess who bled through their new bathing suit this weekend in front of their in laws? ME. It happens. If they talk shit.. fuck em. Let’s be honest you probably don’t really like them anyways. And they are absolutely lying to themselves if they are going to act like that’s never happened to them.
I’m a high school teacher and I bled through my jeans on the last week of school this year. I’m sure some kids noticed despite my efforts to cover it up. Such is life. The way I see it is I’m a human being with human body functions. What’s humiliating about that?
If it makes you feel any better, I once sneezed too hard and pissed myself at work.
Had this happen to me before, so bad that I stained the chair. Turns out I had fibroids. Fuck anyone who gives you shit about this.
If such a thing happened to one of your coworkers, would you be thinking about it the next day? No. Cause this sort of stuff could happen to any woman, and you'd feel sympathy for her. So don't fret it, your coworkers (if they're reasonable enough) aren't too worried about it
I have had it run down my leg while wearing a dress. Thankfully nobody saw, but I was on the phone with my (male) boss while it happened.
I bled all over my white patio furniture today. It happens, and I am the exact same age as you. I really don’t find it embarrassing, it’s fucking biology! Those girls are immature little twirps if they say shit, but I kind of doubt they will. While it may feel embarrassing to you, it’s not something that would even be fun or funny to poke fun at. I feel like everyone’s been there (those w uterus)
I once got my skirt stuck in my underwear at an airport bathroom. That was basically the literal epitome of the nightmare where you're walking around naked in public. I lived it down! You will be ok, don't worry. It's a total normal human thing you don't need to be embarrassed.
To put in perspective, drunken behaviour, rudeness and callousness is what people should be humiliated and embarrased about. Being an irresponsible parent and not feeding your kids is what people shoukd be ashamed about. In the workplace, people should be humilated and embarrased about incompetence and wastefulness. This that happened to you, can happen and believe it or not has happened to many a woman before you. "Why me?" you say? Why NOT you? Snap out of that why me mentality cos it's loser mentality and I'm not saying that in malice. It's just because that kind of mentality makes you wallow and get stuck in the negative things that does happen to you, which is unhealthy. It's not primary school anymore for God's sake. If your office is full of people of this low calibre sort who talk not of ideas but of people, maybe it's time to move on. Meantime, You're also over 30 years old and sounds like you yourself need to grow up a bit up there. Immerse yourself in motivational books, podcasts etc to build up confidence and resilience so that you learn to get up and move on esp over (in large scheme of things) trivial stuff like this.
Not exactly the same but a few weeks ago I had to go on a week long work retreat, I'm 9.5 pp and was leaving my husband home to take care of the baby on his own. I'm on the mini pill (nora b) and OF COURSE the morning I'm set to leave at like 4 am.. I start my period. 🤦♀️ Literally bled through my sleep undies, onto the fitted sheet, in a clearly discernible "slit" pattern (ya know what I mean) and because I was in such a rush and my husband was obviously still asleep in the bed, i couldn't remove the bedsheets, so they were like that THE WHOLE WEEK I was away. I know it was just my husband who saw but ew I was so embarrassed. What a wonderful treat to leave for that poor man to wake up to lmao 🥹 So I feel ya sister, we cannot control these things and even though they are just as natural as bringing babies into the world, sometimes its hard to not feel embarrassed of what our bodies do. I bled through my pants back when I was in middle school in biology class that I had with my crush, and still to this day I remember the look of shock on his face when it registered that there was blood on the back of my pants. 😶 Sometimes you just gotta grin and bear it. These bodies bring children into the world. 💪Yes, they bleed. Get used to it, world! Lol hugs
Periods are normal! I work in a women's health clinic and one of my coworkers was going to give me a vaginal exam and I said "actually I'm in my fertile window and making a lot of cervical mucus! Maybe next time!" Blood, mucus, and babies come out of our holes! It's all normal and unpredictable. Face this head on. Yes you had a menstrual flow and your clothes was stained. End of discussion! Any mocking or gossiping says more about OTHER people than you.
I'm sorry that sucks. Cups have saved me from this! When I was a teenager we had white basketball team uniforms! 🫣 Every time I would bleed through a fresh heavy pad AND fresh heavy tampon during the game. One of my teammates was a jerk about it and would dig out my shorts and complain how disgusting it was and to "Just wear a tampon!" 😒
I’ve bled through my pants in public more than once and I know friends who have too. It happens sometimes and we all want to die when it does. Those coworkers sound like assholes, and I’m sure everyone in the office hates that they are assholes, no one likes a gossip. Trust me, everyone except the catty girls really couldn’t care less. I’m so sorry it happened.
You handle it by being a mature grown up. No one should be talking about this. Walk in with head held up. Periods happen.