Signs Your Daughter Is About To Start Her First Period
Before her first period arrives, your daughters body will experience some changes. Here are the signs that suggest your daughters first period is on its way, so you can prepare her in advanceBeing a proactive parent will go a long way in answering any questions she may have. Letting her know some small signs of first period can ease and prevent a lot of worries and concerns.
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When will I get my first period? Its a common question from pre-teen and teen daughters. Wouldnt it be lovely if you knew exactly when your daughter was going to get her first period? That way both of you could be 100% prepared. Unfortunately, no-one can give you an exact date . However, we can tell you what signs of first period to look out for.
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.
How Do I Know When I Will Get My Next Period
Its impossible to predict when your next period will start. Most girls and women go about 28 days from the first day of one period to the first day of the next, but anywhere from 21-35 days is normal. Especially in the first few years of menstruating, your period may be very irregular. If you track your period on a calendar , you will begin to notice a pattern over time. You can use this menstrual diary to keep track of your periods.
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How To Help Your Child Through A First Period
Many parents feel uncomfortable talking with their child about puberty and their first period. Parents might have grown up feeling ashamed by periods and might not want to embarrass their child by having that conversation now.
However, a first period is part of overall health and development, and having an honest conversation about it is an important way to help your child as they grow up.
Some tips to help your child through a first period include:
- answering any questions your child has about periods honestly and directly
- using times like when you are buying menstrual products, discussing family pregnancies, or other natural moments to start the conversation with your child
- asking your child what questions they have about getting periods
- asking your child if they have any questions about menstrual products or thoughts about what type theyd like to use
- explaining some of the pros and cons of types of menstrual products
- emphasizing that periods are typical and natural
- using clear, concrete words for body parts and body functions
It can help to have the conversation slowly over the course of several years rather than all at once. For instance, you can first mention that some people bleed every month to prepare for pregnancy during a conversation about where babies come from when your child is very young. Over the next several years you can answer additional questions and provide more information.
Atypical Heights And When To See A Doctor
A chart like the CDCs is a great way to see if theres any atypical development going onwhether that might mean being taller or being shorter than expected.
As we mentioned above, its also important to keep in mind the development of the breasts, puberty, and the first menstrual cycle.
If puberty for a girl happens before the age of 8, this is considered atypical and its recommended to see a pediatrician. Likewise, it is also considered atypical if a girl has not developed breasts by the age of 13 and/or not begun her menstrual cycle by the time shes 15 or 16.
Similarly, its best to see a doctor if a girl begins showing signs of puberty too early, at 6 or 7 years old. Whatever extreme the girl is at, its best to have a doctor take a look because such development may be a sign of medical problems or some kind of hormonal imbalances.
One of the many tools that pediatricians can use to determine health problems is an X-ray. By checking out the bones of a child, they can determine if theyre on track to reach their expected height. Blood tests might also be taken to determine if there are any diseases that might be affecting growth and development.
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Mood Changes Before And During Periods
Many people will experience mood changes just before or during the first few days of their periods. These changes can include being a bit irritable or more sensitive, or feeling angry, anxious or even depressed.
This can be hard for your child and the rest of the family to cope with. Giving your child a bit more privacy and space around this time can make it easier for everyone, without making a big deal about it.
If your childs mood changes are upsetting or disrupting their everyday life, they might like to see a health professional, like the GP.
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How Does It Start
The first period typically occurs after a female first ovulates. This happens when the ovaries release an egg into the fallopian tube.
When this happens, the womb lining thickens in preparation for the egg to be fertilized. If fertilization does not occur, the lining sheds, as the body no longer needs it. This is where period blood comes from.
In most females, this cycle continues regularly from the age of the first period until menopause, which is when periods end.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the average age at which females began menstruating in the United States in 20132017 was
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Further Reading For Girls
- “Susan’s Growing Up” is a picture book about periods that has been specially developed for people with learning disabilities. It’s from the Books Beyond Words series from the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
- “The Period Book: Everything You Don’t Want to Ask “ by Karen Gravelle, and published by Piatkus, is a well-known book for any girl approaching puberty. It explains what to expect and how to cope with periods.
Page last reviewed: 05 August 2019 Next review due: 05 August 2022
The Age Of First Menstruation Has Fallen Considerably Over The Last Two Centuries
In the last two centuries, the average age at first period has been falling continuously in France. In 1750 it is estimated to have been close to 16 by 1850 it was down to 15, and by 1950 it had fallen to 13. In 1994, it stood at 12.6 years of age. Young girls are reaching puberty at younger ages than before in all wealthy countries. Improved diet is one of the causes to which the trend is attributed.
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When Do Girls Breasts Stop Growing
Breast development is usually the first sign of puberty. As a girls body grows, she will start to develop bumps under her nipple, called breast buds. As these buds grow, they will form breasts made up of mammary glands and fatty tissues.
Certain aspects of breast size are hereditary, meaning it runs in the family . Breasts will vary in size depending on a womans weight. After puberty, breast tissue continues to change and respond to hormones throughout a womans life, including during the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, breast-feeding, and menopause.
A females breasts can start to develop from as young as 8 and can continue until the age of around 18.
Teenagers can sometimes feel self-conscious about this element of growing up, but it is normal to:
- have one breast slightly bigger than the other
- have sore or tender breasts at times, particularly around a period
- have bumps, pimples, or hair around the nipples
A well-balanced diet, which gives growing teenagers all the nutrients they need, and keeping physically active will support continued growth and proper development.
But puberty and subsequent growth can be delayed for a variety of reasons. Constitutional delay, or being a late bloomer, describes a pattern of later development that runs in families and is nothing to worry about. These teenagers will fully develop, just later than their peers.
Being overweight can affect hormone levels and signal the start of puberty earlier than expected.
Did We Cover Everything About The Menarche Symptoms Of Your Daughters First Period Starting
The onset of the first period can be anything from empowering to intimidating, depending on the environment or surroundings.
In this post, we reviewed the most common signs your daughter is about to start her period.
Therefore, when you notice any of the menarche symptoms in your daughter, know that she will need your help and support.
At that point in time, it is your responsibility to assure her that all these changes are totally normal.
With proper preparation and information, you can calm your daughters nerves and help her ease into womanhood smoothly and easily.
What has been your biggest challenge for parenting daughters?
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At What Age Do Girls Typically Get Their First Period
The age at which girls get their first period varies quite a bit. Some can be as young as 9, and some can be as late as 15 or 16.
Sometimes a girls first period will come around the time that her mother got her first period. So it can be helpful for her mother to share her experience with her daughter. That can give her some idea of what to expect for what age she might get her first period. Sometimes its completely different.
Most girls get their period between ages 12 and 14, but it can happen years earlier or later, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists .
Some girls get their first period as young as 9 or as old as 15 or 16, Premier Physician Network providers say.
For most girls, their period starts about two years after they first start to grow breasts, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services .
For more information about when girls typically get their first period, talk to your doctor.
Learn more:
What To Do When You Get Your Period
Before you start getting periods it is good to be prepared for when it eventually comes. Hopefully you will have an opportunity to talk with your mother or sister or someone else in your family who can help you to prepare. Meanwhile here are some tips for when you do start bleeding.
- Keep a period kit somewhere handy. This is because you might get your period unexpectedly or forget its due. Keeping some painkillers, sanitary products and a spare pair of underpants in your bag, at school or at work can be a lifesaver.
- Enjoy life as much as possible. Its safe and often possible to do all the things you would normally do. Its also okay to have sex when you have your period, but if youre using a tampon youll need to take it out first.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Menarche
Leading up to your first period, you may notice these symptoms:
- Tender or sore breasts .
During your period, you may notice red or brown blood on your underwear or in the toilet after using the bathroom. You may bleed so little that you only see a few spots before your period ends. Or, your bleeding may start light, get heavier, and then become light again before it ends.
Everyone experiences periods differently. And first periods are especially unpredictable. Dont worry if your symptoms or your period are different from someone elses.
Your Serotonin Levels Are Diminished
Strangely enough, the hormonal changes you experience also influence how the chemicals in your brain function. Neurotransmitters in the brain probably have something to do with PMS symptoms, Dr. Dweck says. Research suggests that serotonin drops when your period starts, due to all the hormonal fluctuations. Low amounts of serotonin in the brain are associated with depression, irritability, and intense cravings for carbohydrates, which is pretty much PMSing in a nutshell. In her book , psychiatrist Dr. Julie Holland explains,
Lower estrogen levels cause serotonin levels to drop precipitously a few days before menstruation, which may be the basis of many PMS symptoms. Low levels of serotonin are implicated in depression, panic disorder and obsessive compulsive disorder youre even more physically sensitive to pain than usual, and more emotionally sensitive to criticism. Youre less resilient in the face of stresses and feel sadder, hungrier, and more scared, tearful, and angsty.
On top of all that, as levels of estrogen and serotonin rapidly fall, dopamine and gamma-aminobutyric acid also start to disappear when your period arrives. These are two chemicals that boost your moods, put a pep in your step, and reduce anxiety. Without them, you dont exactly have a recipe for calm, cool, and collected on your hands.
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Can Stretching Make You Taller
Hanging and stretching can reverse the compression, making you slightly taller until your spine compresses again. Spinal compression can reduce your height temporarily by 1%. In tall people this can be as much as a half inch. Stretching and hanging and lying down can restore this 1%, but wont make you taller .
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When Will I Get My Period
No one can say exactly when youll get your first menstrual period, but it will be sometime during puberty. Puberty is the time in your life when you begin to become an adult. This means a lot of growing and changing both inside and out.
Some girls start puberty at age 8, and others may start as late as 13 or 14. Each girl goes at her own pace. So dont think youre weird if you start puberty a little earlier or a little later than your friends.
At the beginning of puberty, youll notice that your breasts are developing and hair will start to grow on your genitals . A little later, hair also will grow under your arms.
For most girls, their first menstrual period, or menarche , begins about 2 years after she first starts to get breasts. For most girls this is around age 12. But it can be as early as age 8 or as late as 15. Talk to your doctor if your period started before age 8 or you are 15 and havent started your period.
If you think youre getting close to your first period, it might make you more comfortable to be ready. Put a pad and change of underwear in your backpack or purse in case your period comes when you arent at home.
Are you thinking a lot about when your first period will come? Youre not alone. Lots of girls wonder and wonder when will it come? If you feel a little worried or nervous about getting your period, it can help to talk to someone you trust, like your doctor, mom or older sister.
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Open the Lines of Communication
Instead of having a formal menstruation “talk” with your daughter, try opening up the dialogue and, openly and honestly, asking your daughter about her questions.
Here are some suggestions for answering your daughter’s questions about menstruation:
The more information that you share with your daughter about periods and PMS symptoms, the more comfortable and prepared she will feel as her body grows and changes.
Pms Is Still A Mystery
Itâs 1 or 2 weeks before your period starts, and here come the breakouts, sluggishness, cravings, bloating, and mood swings. Sound familiar? Every woman is different, but for many, PMS is a fact of life.
But doctors donât know exactly why that is. It seems to be a mix of hormone changes during your menstrual cycle, chemical changes in the brain, and other emotional issues you might have, such as depression, that can make PMS worse.
Whatâs more, once you get your period, the rollercoaster may continue. One study found that period-related pains such as cramps, bloating, backaches, and headaches can cloud your thinking, because the pain may make it harder for you to focus on the tasks at hand. Not that you canât still do them you can. It may just feel like it takes more work.
Lifestyle changes are usually the best way to take control of PMS. Aim to get about 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week, get 8 hours of shut-eye per night, and donât smoke. Your diet makes a difference, too, so fill up on fruits, veggies, and whole grains while you limit salt as well as sugar, caffeine, and alcohol.
Let your doctor know if PMS keeps you from doing what you normally do, or if you have symptoms of depression or anxiety. You may have a more serious condition called premenstrual dysphoric disorder that needs medical attention.
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