How Long Does Your First Period Last
If you are seeing your period for the first time, you may be worried about its length. Here are some tips to guide about your period
- Your first period may be light or heavy
- It takes time about 6 years for your body hormones and period to normalize. You may have a short period or very light period initially but this normalizes with time
- Period length may be irreabnormal
- If you continuously have frequent period or heavy period requiring you change you period every hour, then you may have a problem
- Do you feel severe pain that prevents your daily activity? It is dysmenorrhea or painful period. You should inform your doctor for available pain relief methods during menstruation.
- You may be asking yourself why is my period late? However, because your period is not steady, it may be irregular initially.
Phases Of Your Menstrual Cycle
Though menstruation only happens once a month, there is a lot that happens within a woman’s body leading up to that point. The menstrual cyclethe duration between the first day of one cycle and the first day of the nextis divided into several phases.
On average, the menstrual cycle lasts 21 to 35 days, while bleeding will typically last between 2 and 7 days. However, the length of your cycle can vary, as can the length of vaginal bleeding.
When Will I Get My Period
Most girls start getting signs of their first period and start menstruating between 11 and 14 years old, but it could happen any time between age eight and 16. Remember that everyone is different, so a normal age for your friends might not be the same for you. Youll have periods until youre around 50 years old when you start something called the menopause. Thats when your body stops menstruating and cant have children any more.
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How Do I Calculate My Menstrual Cycle
The first day of your menstruation is your LMP . It is important you monitor and chart your cycle every month. Between 2 of your LMP is the menstrual cycle or period cycle.
For example, the first day you saw your period last was 28th July, 2015. This implies that your LMP is 28th July. If your next period is 27th August, then your menstrual cycle is 30 days.
Will I Feel Different
Not only do hormones cause physical changes in your body, they can also affect how you feel. Emotions during puberty may feel a bit like a roller coaster. You may:
- Be afraid of the changes in your body one minute and excited about them the next.
- Feel awkward or confused.
- Laugh one moment and cry the next.
- Get along and fight with good friends all in the same day.
- Feel angry at times.
- Feel grown up one day and like a child the next.
Sometimes, these changes can be overwhelming. Youre not alone. Like other teens, youre going through a period of transition in your life. It can be both scary and exciting at the same time.
Read Also: Signs To Know Your Period Is Coming
What Are The Signs Of Your First Period
You know those changes we were talking about? If youve felt your breasts growing larger, if youve started growing pubic hair and if youve noticed a white discharge in your underwear, then it wont be long before your body experiences its first period. When it starts, you might also experience premenstrual syndrome . This causes symptoms like period pain , moodiness, bloating, backache, weight gain and skin break outs.
What Causes Menstruation
Menstruation is a result of puberty. This is when your body becomes capable of reproduction.
When your menstrual cycle begins, your estrogen levels increase. That causes the lining of your uterus to thicken.
The uterine lining thickens so it can support a fertilized egg and develop into a pregnancy.
If there isnt a fertilized egg, your body will break the lining down and push it out of your uterus. This results in bleeding your menstrual period.
It doesnt matter if youve had a period for years or youre waiting for your first one periods can be difficult to navigate.
This article will go over everything you need to know, from how to find the right menstrual products and dealing with cramps to saving stained clothes.
Most people start their periods between the ages of 12 and 13. Your first period . .acog.org/Patients/FAQs/Your-First-Period-Especially-for-Teens However, its normal to start your period a little earlier or later, too.
As a general rule of thumb, menstruation will start about two years after your breasts begin to develop.
Some people start their periods without any warning. Others may experience premenstrual syndrome in the days leading up to their period.
Symptoms of PMS include:
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Pads And Panty Liners
Sanitary pads are rectangular pieces of absorbent material that you stick inside your underwear.
All pads have a sticky strip on the bottom. Thats what attaches the pad to your underwear.
Some have extra material on the sides, known as wings, that you fold over the edges of your underwear. This helps keep the pad in place.
Pads typically need to be changed every four to eight hours, but there isnt a set rule. Simply change it if the material feels sticky or wet.
They come in different sizes. Each size is made to accommodate a different level of bleeding.
Generally speaking, the smaller the pad, the less blood it can hold.
Youll probably use a more absorbent pad at the beginning of your period then switch to something lighter once the bleeding slows down.
You may also find it helpful to wear a heavier pad overnight so you dont have to worry about leakage.
Even the largest pads are still quite thin, so you shouldnt be able to see it through your clothes. If youre worried that people might be able to tell, stick to looser-fit bottoms.
Panty liners are smaller, thinner versions of a sanitary pad.
You may find it helpful to use them a couple of days before your period is supposed to start to prevent accidentally bleeding on your underwear.
You may also want to use panty liners toward the end of your period, as the bleeding may be spotty and unpredictable.
What If My Period Doesnt Come Or If It Starts When I Am Very Young
If you have not had a first period by the age of 15, or its been more than two to three years since your breasts started developing and you have not had a period, its best to talk to your doctor. If you get your period very young, at nine or ten it is usually just simply that you developed early. However, its a good idea to see your doctor to rule out other underlying medical conditions.
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How Long Should A Normal Period Be
When it comes to the frequency, length and flow of your monthly visitor, a general rule of thumb is that normal periods are defined as whats normal for you. But being knowledgeable about your menstrual cycle can help you identify when things go awry.
You get your period when your uterus sheds its lining also known as its endometrium. Part of your menstrual flow is blood and part of it is endometrium. Most women get their period about 12 to 16 days after ovulation.
The average menstrual cycle is 28 days. A normal period can last anywhere from two to seven days but is usually only three to five days.
Menstruation: How Long Does Period Last In Girls
Are you having your menstruation for the first time and want to know how long does period last? Have you noticed your period for a while but its too short or long?
This guide from Medplux explains what a normal menstrual cycle length should be and several menstruation questions you wanted to ask.
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The First Period How Long Does It Last And Other Characteristics
During those early days, the body is still fine-tuning itself things are unpredictable and irregular. It takes time for a period to become regular and predictable.
In most cases, the first period will be quite patchy. It may last anywhere from 2 to 7 days. It is even normal to have two light periods in the first month. The early few periods are rarely heavy, as there are still not enough hormones in the body.
It may take a few months to even a couple of years for periods to become regular in most cases.
It is vital to prepare for the first period. Especially keeping in mind that periods would be quite unpredictable during the initial few months. Thus, it is a good idea to have pads or tampons ready at home.
It would be better to carry them with oneself, as the first period may even start when at school.
What Should I Expect From My First Period Postpartum
Whether you delivered your baby vaginally or by cesarean delivery, you can expect some bleeding and vaginal discharge after giving birth. Your body continues to shed the blood and tissue that lined your uterus while you were pregnant.
In the first few weeks, blood might be heavier and appear in clots. As the weeks go by, this blood gives way to vaginal discharge known as lochia. Lochia is bodily fluid that can appear clear to creamy white to red in color.
This discharge can continue for about six weeks, which is about the time your period may return if you arent breastfeeding. If your discharge had the appearance of lochia, stopped for some time, and then you experienced a return of bleeding, this is likely your period. If you arent sure if the bleeding youre experiencing is pregnancy-related or your period, there are a few ways to tell:
- Lochia isnt usually bright red in color beyond the first week postpartum. Its usually lighter and can be watery or white in appearance. Bright red bleeding that occurs six or more weeks after delivery is more likely to be your period.
- Pregnancy-related bleeding can increase with increased exertion or activity. If your discharge increases with exertion and decreases when you rest, its more likely to be lochia.
- Lochia also tends to have a distinct odor. Lochia may have a sweet smell to it, since its mixed with leftover tissue from the pregnancy. Report any foul order to your doctor.
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Are There Other Period Symptoms
Besides tracking the timing of your cycle, some people also know a period is near when they develop certain symptoms that are caused by the menstrual cycle hormones. The most common symptoms reported before a period include bloating, moodiness, food cravings, breast tenderness, headache or menstrual cramps. Within a day or two after the period begins, the symptoms disappear naturally. If you experience some or all of these symptoms before most of your periods, itâs called Premenstrual Syndrome or PMS.
Lengthy Or Heavy Periods
Heavy bleeding is an indication to see your healthcare provider.
Signs of heavy bleeding include:
- Soaking through one or more tampons or pads every hour for several hours in a row
- Wearing more than one pad at a time to absorb bleeding
- Changing pads or tampons at night
- Periods with blood clots that are the size of a quarter or larger
It’s important to see your healthcare provider if your menstrual bleeding is lasting more than seven days.
Recommended Reading: If You Have Irregular Periods Can You Get Pregnant
What Postpartum Symptoms Should I Watch Out For
Its important that you call a doctor if you experience any of the following symptoms:
- soaking through more than one pad every hour
- bleeding thats accompanied by sudden and severe pain
Contact your doctor if you experience these symptoms or anything else that concerns you related to your period. Some of these symptoms may indicate an infection.
How Do I Choose A Pad Or Tampon That Is Right For Me
There are smaller, slender pads and tampons available that young women often prefer, particularly when they first start menstruating. You may find it helpful to use different products over the course of your period, with more absorbent tampons or pads being used on heavier flow days, and smaller tampons or pantiliners on low flow days. Each woman has her own preferences and whatever works best for your body is just fine!
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Menstruation: What’s Normal For Girls
New Guidelines Call for Routine Checks, List 12 Menstrual Warning Signs in Young Girls
The guidelines come from the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Adolescence along with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ Committee on Adolescent Health.
The committees recommend that doctors view girls’ menstruation as a “vital sign” at medical checkups, just like temperature and heart rate.
And as they enter puberty, girls should get preventive checkups to learn about their reproductive health in a confidential setting, the doctors add.
Girls are 12-13 years old, on average, when they get their first menstrual period , the committees note.
That average age hasn’t changed much in 30 years, though black girls go through menarche five months earlier than they did 30 years ago, according to the committees.
Their report appears in the November edition of Pediatrics.
How To Get Your First Period Faster
If you want to get your period faster, then these are some tips that could help
- Try having regular exercise
- Ask friends and people around you about any help you could get
- Use vitamin C. Vitamin C reduces progesterone level resulting in bleeding
- Have regular intercourse
- Take some exercise and reduce your stress level
Read Also: Using Birth Control To Regulate Period To Get Pregnant
How Long Does The First Period Last + How Much Time Does It Take For The First Period To Get Stabilised
When a girl receives her first period , the flow is usually heavy for the first few days and lighter towards the end. The first period can last for two days or for maximum of seven days, and in certain cases, there is no bleeding but only blood spots. The first few periods can be red, brown or pink in colour and can even be clumpy at times. The first period is usually different from the rest of the menstrual cycle and the flow keeps getting denser with time.
It takes about two years for the period cycle to get stabilised after girls get their first period. Menses in the starting are irregular because the reproductive hormones take time in getting balanced inside the body and keep fluctuating during different menstrual cycles. During the beginning of menstruation, the hormones are not stable and which is why ovulation does not occur during each cycle. The process of ovulation occurs in 2 per 10 cycles which leads to irregular periods. Accordingly, the menstrual cycle is expected to get stabilized by the sixth year because the ovulation happens in 9 out of 10 cycles and the periods tend to become regular.
The first few menstrual cycles can range between 21-45 days and can become shorter or longer depending upon the hormones in the body. An average period cycle ranges in between 24-38 and girls start experiencing normal period cycles by the third year.