What Will My First Period Feel Like
You may find your first period comes and goes with very little in the way of symptoms, or you may find you experience quite a bit of discomfort. Common symptoms include:
- Cramping in the lower abdomen
- Breast tenderness
- Diarrhea or nausea
Most of these symptoms do not last long, and can be treated with ibuprofen or other over-the-counter pain relief medications. A heating pad or hot water bottle on the abdomen or lower back can help ease pain in these areas. More details on menstrual pain and other symptoms can be found here .
Recognizing Signs Of Puberty
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.
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How To Prepare For Your First Period
There are a few suggestions that can help in managing the first period effectively.
1. Know What It Is Like
2. Buy Necessary Supplies
There are a wide variety of feminine hygiene products available in the market. Start with pads that aren’t bulky and have light or medium absorbency. Practicing wearing a pad before the actual period starts helps in understanding its required middle position. Either one uses a tampon or a menstrual cup, it is more important to be comfortable with the protection that one chooses.
3. Bring Pads with You
If your “When will I get my first period quiz” tells you that you period is just around the corner, you should always bring pads with you. It is possible that one may get her period while away from home. In such situation, having a pad surely gives peace of mind. They can be stored in a makeup bag or pencil case to avoid falling or getting noticed. Cramps in period can be very well managed with over the counter medications.
4. Deal With Leak Outs
In case of leak out, several layers of toilet paper can be used till one gets a pad. They absorb the blood and can act as a temporary liner. Though rarely, but if sometimes blood seeps through pants, cover back with a shirt or a sweater tied around the waist.
5. Handle the Cramp
What Are The Signs You Are Getting Your Period
Women usually start noticing physical and mood changes about 1-2 weeks before period bleeding starts. Ninety percent of women have premenstrual syndrome symptoms at some point in their reproductive life. Some women have more severe PMS signs and symptoms than others.
Changing hormones are to blame for many uncomfortable or unpleasant period signs and symptoms like cramps and tender breasts. Brain chemicals are also involved, but itâs unclear to what extent.
Period signs and symptoms usually end about 3-4 days after bleeding begins.
Common signs that your period is approaching are:
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What Is A Normal Period For A Teenager
The average menstrual cycle is about 28 days, but its also normal to get your period every 21 to 45 days. Most periods stick around fewer than seven days. Still, Meltzer adds, Almost everything to do with a teens first few years of menstruation can be considered normal. Some teens have very heavy periods, some have very light ones, and some only have one or two periods a year initially. None of that is unusual.
Getting your period can suck. A lot. Periods can be uncomfortable and painful with lots of cramping and discomfort thats all totally normal. But if your tween or teen cant get out of bed because of debilitating cramping , it could be a sign of a more serious health problem. Check in with a doctor to find out whats going on.
What Causes Menstrual Period To Come Out
Period occurs due to cyclical change of your hormones during your menstrual cycle.
What is the menstrual cycle?
The menstrual cycle is the number of days between 2 periods. For example, if your last menstrual period started on the 27th of April and your next period starts on the 26th of May, then you have a 30-day menstrual cycle.
Some women may have an erratic menstrual cycle, short menstrual cycle or long menstrual cycle.
What causes period to come out?
At birth and during puberty, the ovaries contain a fixed number of follicles that are released in each cycle. Weeks before you are born, your body stops producing follicle that develops to release an egg.
It is estimated that throughout the lifetime of women, about 500 eggs are released from the ovaries. These release of the egg is called ovulation.
Before ovulation occurs, your body increases the secretion of estrogen. This hormone works to help grow the endometrium covering the inner part of the uterus.
If you get pregnant, you will have no period because the endometrium helps provide nutrition for your baby.
Now its your turn. Do you have a headache or pains before your period starts? Are your menstrual period symptoms affecting your daily activities?
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What Do I Need To Do To Prepare For My First Period
There is nothing in particular you need to do to prepare for your first period, besides having feminine hygiene products and over-the-counter pain relievers such as ibuprofen or naproxen on hand. If you happen to get your period with no access to menstrual products, toilet paper will work in an emergency. If you get your first period at school, your teacher or school nurse will have a pantiliner or pad on hand.
There are a variety of menstrual products available to you:
Disposable pads
These absorbent pads have an adhesive backing that sticks to the inside of your underwear. They are available in different lengths and absorbencies, and some have adhesive wings that wrap around the sides of your underwear. Disposable pads should be changed every 4-6 hours and are thrown out after a single use.
Pantiliners
These are small, thin, disposable absorbent pads that can be used on their own on days of light flow. They can also be used in combination with a tampon, in case of leaks or discharge.
Reusable pads
These are usually made of cotton, bamboo, or other natural absorbent fibres, and are often available at health food stores. They can be washed with detergent and reused. Some have velcro tabs to secure them around your underwear.
Tampons
Menstrual cup
Low Energy And Fatigue/trouble Sleeping
The luteal phase is often associated with lower energy. PMS would clinically be suspected if this decrease in energy and fatigue was severe. Low energy in the luteal phase can be attributed to a couple of things.
The menstrual cycle is associated with changes in the serotonin neurotransmitter system, and serotonin is part of the sleep/wake cycle, mood regulation, and bowel movement control. As hormonal levels change and decrease, the serotonin levels, your energy, and your sleep cycle are all affected. Severe serotonin disruption can lead to the severe symptoms experienced in PMS and PMDD .
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When Should I Expect My First Period
Most girls get their first period somewhere between the ages of 10 and 14, with an average of just over 12 years old. Its hard to tell when your first period will arrive. It usually happens about two years after the first signs of puberty , and about a year after you begin growing pubic hair. You will also notice white or yellowish vaginal discharge in the few months leading up to your period.
There are numerous factors that are thought to influence the age of the first period, including:
- Parental education
- Illness and stress
The average age of the first period has been decreasing over time. In 1900 in the United States, the average age of the first period was between 14 and 15 years of age. The decreasing age of the onset of menstruation seems to have levelled off now at 12.
There is no way to predict exactly when you will get your first period, and there is nothing you can do to make it start, except wait. If you are worried about your first period, talk to your family doctor.
If you are sexually active, you will need to consider the possibility that you could get pregnant once you have your period. In fact, you can even get pregnant if youve never menstruated, since its possible to ovulate before your first period. There are many forms of birth control available read about them here. You are also at risk of sexually transmitted infections if you are sexually active learn how to protect yourself.
Diagnosing Early Pregnancy And Periods
You may have an easier time determining which symptoms youâre having if you start by tracking your symptoms on a calendar each month. This will help you determine how youâre feeling and notice any patterns you may have including PMS.
Your doctor will ask you several questions to rule out possible problems. They may want to know about your eating habits, exercise habits, work, and family history.
Keeping track of your symptoms will also help you know if youâve missed a period.
Only a licensed healthcare professional can diagnose pregnancy. If your doctor suspects you may be pregnant, they will order a blood test and ultrasound scan to confirm.
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Pregnancy Symptoms Vs Pms Symptoms
The signs and symptoms of the luteal phase can be confused for and/or similar to the signs and symptoms of pregnancyso, how can you tell the difference?
There are a few important distinctions to tip you off. If you experience any of the following, you may be pregnant and should schedule a visit with your doctor:
- Late or missed period
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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Your Breasts Feel Tender
Its common for breasts to feel extra sensitive, or even sore, on the days leading upto a period. Breasts can feel sore and swollen due to the fluctuating levels of hormones, explains Dr. Kallen. Why? Estrogen enlarges breast ducts, and progesterone causes milk glands to swell. Both combined can make your breasts feel pretty tender.
Remember, its important to get to know how your breasts normally look and feel. Ideally, examine them in the days after your period ends, when your breasts are least likely to be swollen and tender. Bear in mind that breast tenderness before your period is normal, but if you have other concerns about your breasts or notice a change, you should see a health care professional.
Your Discharge Is Dry
Vaginal discharge changes during different parts of your cycle and is often a good telltale sign of the most fertile time in your cycle. Around ovulation, your cervix produces more cervical mucus, and your discharge may have a raw egg white texture to increase the chances of conception, explains Dr. Kallen. But right before your period, it generally looks different. Youll have no discharge at all, or it may be sticky because this is when youre least fertile.
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Kat A Former Clue Intern Shared Her Personal Experience Of Waiting To Get Her First Period Below
“Periods can be frustrating, messy and sometimes downright painful. Nevertheless, I couldnât wait to get mine. When I was nine, my mom taught me about periods, but stressed that I shouldnât expect mine to start any time soon since she had gotten hers later than average. Still, I was determined that that wouldnât be the case for me.
When I was 10, I woke up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, looked down, and finally, a little spot of blood! The wait was over! I was a grownup now, ready to tackle anything! I rushed down the hall to tell my mom who gave me a pad with an unconvinced look on her face. That night I was almost too excited to sleep, knowing what I could tell all my friends in the morning. You can imagine my despair when there was not a hint of red to be seen, only a small cut on my upper thigh. False alarm.
Throughout elementary and middle school I had to sit through various puberty talks and was given countless handfuls of pads and tampons from sex ed teachers âjust in case.â I had to watch all of my friends come into school ready to spill the details of where they were and how they felt now that they were âa real woman.â I wasnât as physically mature as they were but I felt absolutely sure that this milestone would make me fit in again. Days, months and years passed. I watched everyone develop, claim that they had âsynced up,â and relate to each otherâs symptoms. I felt excluded.
Article was originally published July 26, 2017
Your Lower Back Hurts
Aside from cramps, you are likely to be familiar with lower back pain days prior to your period. It can sometimes be severe enough to interfere with your work or daily activities.
Research shows that approximately 1 in every 3 women experience lower back pain as part of PMS .The cause might be traced to elevated estrogen and progesterone levels around your ovulation time.
These hormones increase blood flow to the pelvic region and reduce circulation in the lumbar arteries. That leads to insufficient oxygen supply in this area, which results in muscle stiffness and pain.
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How Do I Use A Tampon
Inserting a tampon for the first time can be a bit of a challenge. Its hard to know exactly how to position your body and at what angle to put the tampon in. After a few tries, you will figure out what works best for you. Its best to use slender size tampons when you are learning. If you arent exactly sure where your vaginal opening is, use a mirror to have a look at your vulva .
To insert a tampon that has an applicator:
To insert a tampon without an applicator: