I Was Featured on the Howard Stern Show
All publicity is good publicity - so they say…
When I received an email from the Howard Stern Show, my first reaction was:
“Who’s Howard Stern?”
My American friends burst out laughing. I then learned that he’s a broadcasting icon in the US — famous (or infamous) for controversial, no-holds-barred interviews. When his team asked to talk to me about free bleeding, I felt… conflicted.
Sure, publicity is great.
But did I want to be known for something this taboo?
I Tried to Shift the Topic
I had just published a book on The O Method — my signature framework for self-love, feminine energy, and orgasmic manifestation. It’s juicy, it’s empowering, and far less likely to make people squeamish.
It wasn’t possible. Free bleeding was the specific topic their producer wanted to discuss
So I agreed — albeit nervously.
What Is Free Bleeding?
If you’ve never heard the term before, let me enlighten you:
Free bleeding is the choice to not use any menstrual products — no tampons, pads, or cups — and allow your period to flow naturally.
And if your instinctive reaction is:
“Why on earth would someone do that?”
…well, I probably would have said the same thing — until a near-death experience changed my life.
The Story That Changed Everything
It was a summer in Barcelona, many moons ago. I was living with my boyfriend, and we were deep in that intoxicating, can’t-keep-our-hands-off-each-other phase. The sex was wild, spontaneous, magnetic. He’d even meet me near my workplace during lunch breaks, and we’d sneak into the shopping centre toilets just to have each other. Even though we shared a home, waiting until the end of the day felt impossible — that’s how intensely we craved one another.
Then one Sunday afternoon, right in the middle of a heated romp at home, we suddenly had to stop.
The room was overcome by a horrific smell — sharp, unfamiliar, impossible to ignore.
And it was coming from me.
Needless to say, we had to stop and I accused my then-boyfriend of cheating and giving me an STI. He insisted that I was wrong and that he was willing to get tested to reassure me.
I also booked an emergency gynaecology appointment. But it was August — and if you know Spain, you know everything shuts down in August. So instead of a doctor, I was examined by a nurse who took swabs to check for an STI. I was given a dat in September to come back and collect the results.
“You’re Fine.”
Weeks passed. The smell persisted as well as the tension and mistrust towards my boyfriend. My vagina felt painfully dry. I was showering constantly, scrubbing myself raw — but nothing helped. I was so paranoid and always kept my distance from people in case they could smell it.
On 2nd September, a date I’ll never forget, I finally saw a doctor. She was brisk and unfriendly — the sort who makes you feel like you’re wasting her time.
It turned out that all my results were clear. She said there was nothing wrong with me.
‘That can’t be true. There is definitely something wrong with me…’ I said.
She tutted and rolled her eyes and said: ‘OK, get on the bed and I’ll examine you’.
After placing the speculum inside me, she tutted again and shook her head.
“No wonder you smell — there’s a tampon inside you.”
I was stunned. Mortified. How was that even possible?
Turns out I’d accidentally left one in, then inserted another on top. The nurse hadn’t spotted it. It had been rotting inside me for over a month.
The stench was so bad, the doctor snapped at her assistant:
“Change the bin liner. It reeks.”
I felt so humiliated as I lay there, legs open in a vulnerable state in front of a doctor who had zero empathy. Despite this, I was relieved. She prescribed me some vaginal antibiotics, that were like yellow tablets to be placed inside the vagina as they disolved into a mustard-like substance. It looked horrendous, but it provided some relief as my vagina got back to normal.
As soon as I left the doctor’s, I called my boyfriend to let him know what had happened. He was relieved too, and he said: ‘I think you owe me an apology.’
He was right, I did.
We couldn’t have sex for an entire month, and although the doctor told me to wait until I had finished the course of antibiotics, we couldn’t wait, even though there was this nasty mustard-like discharge between my legs.
Many people will say: ‘How could you forget a tampon?’ But it is actually more common than you think. When correctly positioned, you cannot feel them and changing/replacing them becomes automatic.
My Period Started That Evening
If I hadn’t trusted my gut…
If I hadn’t gone back that day…
If I’d waited just a few more hours…
I honestly don’t know if I’d still be alive.
That’s how serious it was. Toxic Shock Syndrome is real — and terrifying.
After that, I vowed: never again.
No more tampons.
From Pads to Free Bleeding
I switched to pads, but they irritated me. The synthetic fragrances, the plastic feel, the rashes — they all made my body scream no. I started experimenting with alternatives.
Eventually, I stopped using anything at all. I was working from home, so I could manage it. I wore dark underwear, sat on towels — and later, discovered the beautiful, empowering OG Moon Blood Splash Blanket by Rosie Rees (yes, really!) — a sacred and soft way to free bleed with intention.
To my surprise, my flow was lighter than I’d expected. My periods were painless. Regular. Peaceful.
Later, I learned there was a name for what I was doing:
Free bleeding.
So I started talking about it.
Not All Alternatives Are Safe
Some people ask: “What about moon cups?”
Here’s the thing — I don’t consider them a safe or natural option.
Yes, they’re reusable and eco-friendly, but:
They hold blood inside the body for hours, instead of allowing it to release (which goes against what menstruation is meant to do)
They still carry a risk of Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS), especially if not cleaned or emptied frequently enough
They can also cause discomfort or imbalance in some women’s vaginal flora
So no, moon cups aren't the solution for me. I believe in letting the blood leave your body, not storing it.
Cue: The Internet Rage
I made a video on YouTube explaining my journey.
It went semi-viral — and attracted a flood of hate.
Some comments were vile. Some people accused me of being a “stupid feminist” following a hoax trend started on 4chan (yes, really). Others were just aggressively confused.
But I didn’t delete the video. I never delete comments — even the nasty ones.
Because sometimes, in between the vitriol, someone writes:
“Thank you. I thought I was the only one.”
And that makes it worth it.
Then Came the Howard Stern Show
When the Howard Stern team reached out, I hesitated.
Did I really want to expose myself to ridicule on that scale? Did I want to be the “weird free bleeding woman” on mainstream American radio?
But then I thought back to that hospital. That smell. That moment of horror.
And I remembered: This story might save someone’s life.
So I said yes.
What the Interview Was Like
I recorded some answers to questions, which were then played back for Howard and his team to react to on air.
Yes, some people didn’t get it, as I’d expected. But, to my surprise, it wasn’t as bad as I’d feared.
More importantly, the message was heard.
Why I Still Talk About It
Free bleeding isn’t about being shocking or provocative. It’s about listening to your body. It’s about reclaiming menstrual health from shame, secrecy, and commercialisation.
It’s about saying:
“This is natural. Commercial menstrual products are not 100% safe.”
And I’m not alone. So many women are exploring alternatives — from period underwear to splash blankets and ceremonial practices. And for some of us, that includes the simple, radical act of bleeding freely.
Final Thoughts
Do I want to be known as “that woman who free bleeds”?
Not particularly.
But if going on the Howard Stern Show means one person checks their body more carefully…
If one woman stops feeling dirty or ashamed because of her period…
If one life is saved by a story like mine…
Then I’ll take the weirdness.
The negativity. The raised eyebrows.
Because this message matters more than being liked.