Self Breast Examination: As the name implies is a kind of test done by oneself on one’s breast.

You don’t need any special instrument, machine or chemical to do this test/examination.

It’s quite simple and does not require plenty energy at all.
And to start a Breast Examination you start by VISUAL EXAMINING your breast.

This means before you go into the touchy touchy part of the test you start by just looking at both breast and note what you can see.

STEP 1
To do the visual examination of your breasts.

Sit or stand shirtless and braless in front of a mirror with your arms at your sides.

Begin by looking at your breasts in the mirror with your shoulders straight and your arms on your hips.

Face forward and look for
puckering, dimpling, or changes in size, shape or symmetry.

Check for redness, soreness, rash, or swellings.

Lift your breasts to see if ridges along the bottom are symmetrical: This means to check if both breasts are on the same line of the chest.

Breasts that are their usual size, shape, and color. Note down.

Breasts that are evenly shaped without visible distortion or swelling.

Dimpling, puckering, or bulging of the skin

A nipple that has changed position or an inverted nipple (pushed inward instead of sticking out).

If you see any of the following changes, firstly note them down.

STEP 2
Now, raise your arms and look for the same changes.

Any difference, please note down. 📝

STEP 3
While you’re at the mirror, look for any signs of fluid coming out of one or both nipples (this could be a watery, milky, or yellow fluid or blood).

A woman who didn’t just give birth or get pregnant of recent shouldn’t have any discharge from the nipples.

However, if there’s discharge, no cause for alarm.

STEP 4
Next, feel your breasts while lying down, using your right hand to feel your left breast and then your left hand to feel your right breast.

Use a firm, smooth touch with the first few finger pads of your hand, keeping the fingers flat and together. Use a circular motion, going in spiral order. (We know spiral shape 😉)

Cover the entire breast from top to bottom, side to side — from your collarbone to the top of your abdomen, and from your armpit to your cleavage.

Follow a pattern to be sure that you cover the whole breast. You can begin at the nipple, moving in larger and larger circles until you reach the outer edge of the breast. You can also move your fingers up and down vertically, in rows, as if you were mowing a lawn. This up-and-down approach seems to work best for most women.

STEP 5
Finally, feel your breasts while you are standing or sitting. Many women find that the easiest way to feel their breasts is when their skin is wet and slippery, so they like to do this step in the shower. Cover your entire breast, using the same hand movements described in STEP 4.

When is the best time to do BREAST EXAMINATION? 🤔🤔

The best time to examine your breasts is usually “`1 week after your menstrual period,“` when your breasts are least likely to be swollen or tender. Examining your breasts at other times in your menstrual cycle may make it hard to compare results of one exam with another.

How frequent should I examine my Breasts?
MONTHLY

NORMAL FINDINGS FROM BREAST EXAMINATION
Many women find lumps or changes in their breasts, since some of these are normal changes that occur at various points in the menstrual cycles.

Finding a change or lump in your breast is not a reason to panic. Breasts often feel different in different places.
For Example, A firm ridge along the bottom of each breast is normal.

Also note that the look and feel of your breasts will change as you age.

Not-Normal Findings from a Breast Examination

Please reach out to a PROFESSIONAL HEALTH CARE PERSONNEL (A doctor or Nurse. Not quack Nurses ❌) If you notice the following:

👉🏾A hard lump or knot near your underarm or any other area of your breast.

👉🏾Changes in the way your breasts look or feel, including thickening or prominent fullness that is different from the surrounding tissue or different from the usual you know.

👉🏾Dimples, puckers, bulges or ridges on the skin of your breast.

👉🏾A recent change in a nipple to become pushed in (inverted) instead of sticking out.

👉🏾Redness, warmth, swelling or excessive pain.

👉🏾Itching, scales, sores or rashes on any of your breast.

👉🏾Bloody nipple discharge.

One of the major benefits of this Breast Examination is that;

It helps to earlier detect Breast lumps/cancers.

And lumps/cancers when early detected can be easily treated and gotten rid of.

But once it’s advanced already, it is well😐

Lastly on Self Breast Examination….
MAKE IT ROUTINE!!!!

The more you examine your breasts, the more you will learn about them and the easier it will become for you to tell if something has changed.
Try to get in the habit of doing a breast self-examination ONCE EVERY MONTH to familiarize yourself with how your breasts normally look and feel. Examine yourself several days after your period ends, when your breasts are least likely to be swollen and tender. If you are no longer having periods, choose a day that’s easy to remember.

MENSTRUAL HYGIENE

Of course we’re not new to any of those words.

We all give nature it’s part of the blood in us monthly.
So let’s dive in real quick….

I’ll be dividing my talk on MENSTRUAL HYGIENE into 3 sub-topics.

1️⃣ PRODUCTS
2️⃣ CHANGING
3️⃣ DISPOSAL

1️⃣ PRODUCTS
I’m not gonna be advertising what sanitary pad product is good or bad. Just get the one you know you don’t react to. Also, go for good quality ones that would prevent stain on pants and make you feel comfortable.
Get Heavy flow ones if you know you bleed heavily, and vice versa. And if you can afford the ones that prevent cramps why not.

2️⃣ CHANGING
Never let it be heard that any BUD Sister uses one sanitary pad for 24 hours❌❌❌
O wrong nau😩. It gives room for bacteria to brood and enter the vagina.
Please at least change Twice.🙏🏾

And if possible always have a bath each time you want to change your pad. It goes a long way to help (like Mama Lizzy would say😉😉💯)

3️⃣ DISPOSAL
Please let no Sister here be caught disposing used sanitary pads anyhow👀
Asides the different harms people attach and believe might happen, it’s totally UNHEALTHY!… Haba! 😩

This is what I prescribe and do always👇🏾
Wrap with the nylon of the new pad you want to use. Then wrap and tie in a black nylon. Then put into other product nylon e.g indomie nylon, biscuits nylon, etc. Just so the whole world doesn’t know what we’re disposing.
And if you prefer to wash or burn, go ahead. Just do it appropriately.

Final tips on Menstrual Hygiene🤗🤗🤗

📌 Menstrual periods are not time to be gallivanting around. You’re losing blood (i.e ENERGY) so if not necessary don’t engage yourself too much. Conserve any energy conservable so you don’t feel dizzy or weak.

📌 Menstrual Periods are not time to feed on junks.
Sis, your body is losing blood and you’ll do yourself good to compensate the body to not go anemic🤷🏾‍♀️
All ye Soft drinks ambassadors, get born again on your periods at least. Eat plentyyyyy fruits And let your body thank you. 💯

📌 Menstrual Periods are time to drink PLENTYYYYY WATER. It aids hydration💯
Sister Gloria, that has become Mama Sodiq customer because of Bigi Chapman😢😏

May God help us to live and adopt Healthy Lifestyles henceforth in Jesus name🙏🏾
And may He grant us Divine Health to Enjoy in Jesus name🤲🏾

Every body experiencing pain or sickness, the healing hands of God rests upon you this moment, in Jesus name