There’s no doubt that periods can be uncomfortable and cause pain, particularly abdominal cramping. It would be wrong to play this down or dismiss pain.

Periods should not however, be so painful that they stop you from doing normal activities like going to school, going to work, doing sports or taking part in hobbies. If this is the case for you, you may have a condition that would benefit from treatment, so definitely think about getting help from your healthcare provider.

There are plenty of options to treat painful periods and there is no reason you should just have to ‘put up with them’ and avoid living life to the fullest.

Unfortunately, this is a very common myth and it can lead to a lot of guilt for new mothers. It’s true that during pregnancy, labor and breastfeeding, certain hormones like oxytocin increase and play an important role in bonding between mother and baby.

There are differences in the levels of oxytocin (and the other key hormone for bonding, dopamine) and the way our brains respond to these chemicals vary from person to person.

One mama may feel a rush of intense love towards her newborn and another mom may not at all. Studies have estimated that around a third of mom’s don’t fall in love with their newborn child straight away, and it can take weeks or even months for those feelings to take hold.

Your emotions towards your new child will depends not only on your hormones but on other factors too, such as how easy it was for you to get pregnant, how you found being pregnant, what the birth of your baby was like, whether your child has any additional needs, past or current mental health difficulties, and how supportive your network or partner may be. There’s a lot more to bonding than just hormones.

Remember, a lack of ‘instant love’ doesn’t mean you’re a bad mom or that your hormones aren’t doing what they’re supposed to —it just means you’re a human being coping with and adjusting to a major life change.

You’d definitely be forgiven for thinking this one, as post-partum depression (PDD) is all about women’s hormonal state, isn’t it? Well not entirely. Up to 10% of new dads can also experience PPD (compared to the 20% of new moms that will have PPD). Studies have even shown that dads’ hormone levels change during their partner’s pregnancy and in the first year after birth too.

PPD in men often happens in the 3-6 month period after birth. Some common symptoms in men can include an increase in feeling irritable, struggling to make decisions, or holding back emotions. Treatment for PPD in men is similar to treatment for women. Antidepressants and talking therapies are usually recommended.

If you know a dad or non birthing partner that seems to be struggling after the birth of their baby, sharing information like this can be helpful. You could try telling them about an article you read on postpartum in partners. This can help to normalize what they are going through and also gives you the opportunity to share support and information with them.

Similarly to new dads, postpartum depression can occur in the partner of a birthing parent. Research into partner PPD is limited and even more so for female partners. Many aspects surrounding the risk factors for PPD in heterosexual couples are relevant to lesbian and queer couples too. Although most pregnancies in queer relationships will be planned, there are factors that can leave a partner more likely to develop PPD. How you adjust to your partner getting pregnant, possible changes in your partner’s moods, relationship and personal problems and mental health issues (both past and present) are all known to contribute to developing PPD.

Firstly, you don’t have to worry about menopause at any age, it’s not scary if you understand what’s going on and know how to get help. It can be difficult for some women but there are effective and safe treatments available for perimenopause and menopause.

This myth does cause lots of problems though, for women who enter perimenopause not knowing what’s happening to them, for their confused partners experiencing menopause by-proxy, and for healthcare providers who don’t know how common it is for women to start getting symptoms in their late 30s or early 40s.

To be really clear – you can enter menopause at any age! You may have a condition called primary ovarian insufficiency (POI). POI is where your ovaries stop producing enough of the hormones needed to support ovulation, meaning you will enter menopause earlier than expected. If you have POI you will get the same symptoms as women entering menopause later in life.

One in 1,000 women experience POI.

And one in 100 women will have their menopause before they are 40.

It is not unusual for women to start noticing signs of perimenopause in their early 40s but these symptoms are often put down to other things like stress or depression. If you’re struggling with any of the symptoms on this checker list, you should make an appointment to talk to your doctor. Hormone Therapy (HT) is safe and effective and works best if you start taking it when symptoms start. You can find more information of HT here.