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.
The Period You Get While On The Pill Isnt A ‘true’ Period
Sure, you bleed during the week that you take the sugar pills. But technically thatâs âmonthly withdrawal bleeding.â Itâs slightly different than a regular period.
Normally, you ovulate in the middle of your menstrual cycle. If the egg your ovaries release isnât fertilized, your hormone levels drop, causing you to shed the lining inside your uterus, and you get your period.
Birth control pills, though, prevent ovulation. With most types, you take hormones for 3 weeks followed by 1 week of pills without them. Though they keep your body from releasing an egg, they usually donât prevent it from building up the lining of your uterus all month. The period-like bleeding during that fourth week is your bodyâs reaction to the lack of hormones from the last week of the pill.
What’s A Menstrual Period Anyway
Your period during a natural menstrual cycle happens because your uterus is shedding its inner lining.
The body’s natural process is to have your uterine lining become thicker in anticipation of fertilizing the egg . When it finds out no fertilization is happening, it sheds that lining.
No baby is coming to protect and nurture in there, after all! The unfertilized egg, along with blood and tissue, passes through the vagina and inevitably shows up on your tampons and pads. This whole process is controlled by the rise and fall of your body’s hormone levels, specifically estrogen and progesterone
Recommended Reading: Usaa New Car Insurance Grace Period
How Do I Test My Cervical Mucus
Watching the changes in the amount and consistency of your cervical mucus can help you understand your cycle. Heres how it works: check your secretions before and after urinating by wiping with toilet paper. Alternatively you can insert a clean finger into your vagina to obtain a sample of mucus. Observe the consistency of the mucus, and use this chart to identify where you are in your cycle. Your mucus can be cloudy, white, yellowish, or clear. It can have either a sticky or stretchy consistency. Use your thumb and forefinger to see if the mucus stretches.
| Cycle timing | |
| No noticeable mucus | Not fertile |
You are most fertile on the days when you have abundant, stretchy mucus. This is not a foolproof method to prevent pregnancy.
You Can’t Get Pregnant When You Have Your Period
While uncommon, it *can* happen. Thanks to health class, you probably know that when you have your period, you aren’t ovulating, so you might think that means you wouldn’t be able to get pregnant. But that’s actually not the case.
Here’s the deal: Your ovulation and your menstrual cycle can be unpredictable, and ovulation can happen before, during, and after the bleeding phase, especially if your period is irregular. You can also bleed even if you’re not having your periodit’s called spotting and when it happens, it can seem like your period. Even if you’re not ovulating when you have sex, sperm can live in your vagina for up to five days, so if an egg is released during that time, it can be fertilized. Bottom line: You can get pregnant any time you have sex, period or no period. That’s why it’s important to still use birth control and condoms when having sex during your period both to prevent pregnancy and to protect against STDs.
Read Also: Usaa New Car Insurance Grace Period
How Can I Figure Out What Is Happening In My Cycle When Am I Ovulating
Simply tracking your cycle on a calendar, along with some details of your bleeding and symptoms can help you understand your cycle. Record when your period starts and ends, what the flow was like, and describe any pain or other symptoms , changes in mood or behaviour that you experienced. Over several cycles you will be able to see patterns in your cycle, or identify irregularities that are occurring. Use your own calendar or try this menstrual diary. There are also numerous apps available to help you track your period. If your periods come regularly every 21-35 days, chances are excellent that you are ovulating.
Beyond simple calendar tracking, there are a few ways to figure out the timing of your own personal menstrual cycle. Separately or used together, these can be used to help determine when and whether you are ovulating. Three methods you can try are cervical mucus testing, basal body temperature monitoring, and ovulation prediction kits.
What If I Forget To Remove My Tampon
If you forget to remove your tampon, it can turn sideways or become compressed at the top of your vagina. This can make it difficult for you to pull it out. If you think you’ve left a tampon in and you can’t get it out, go to your GP or nearest sexual health clinic. They can remove it for you.
Read the full answer to What if I forget to remove my tampon?
You May Like: Usaa New Car Insurance Grace Period
Wear A Pad Or Tampon For More Than 4 Hours
It’s easy to get caught up in your everyday activities, but don’t leave the same pad or tampon in all day. “You should be changing your tampon/pad every 3 to 4 hours to avoid an unpleasant odor, bacterial buildup â which can lead to infections â as well as the dreaded bleeding through your pants,” Jones says.
How Often Should I Change My Pad/tampon
You should change a pad before it becomes soaked with blood. Each woman decides for herself what works best. You should change a tampon at least every 4 to 8 hours. Make sure to use the lowest absorbency tampon needed for your flow. For example, use junior or regular tampons on the lightest day of your period. Using a super absorbency tampon on your lightest days increases your risk for toxic shock syndrome . TSS is a rare but sometimes deadly disease. TSS is caused by bacteria that can produce toxins. If your body can’t fight the toxins, your immune system reacts and causes the symptoms of TSS .
Young women may be more likely to get TSS. Using any kind of tampon puts you at greater risk for TSS than using pads. The Food and Drug Administration recommends the following tips to help avoid tampon problems:
- Follow package directions for insertion.
- Choose the lowest absorbency for your flow.
- Change your tampon at least every 4 to 8 hours.
- Consider switching between pads and tampons.
- Know the warning signs of TSS .
- Don’t use tampons between periods.
If you have any of these symptoms of TSS while using tampons, take the tampon out, and contact your doctor right away:
- Sudden high fever
- Muscle aches
Recommended Reading: Get Period Blood Out Of Underwear
Recognizing Signs Of Puberty
How Can Women Take Care Of Bleeding And Symptoms
You can use pads, tampons, or menstrual cups to manage bleeding. Be sure to change tampons at least every 4 to 8 hours. Menstrual cups can be worn for up to 12 hours. Pads or menstrual cups may be best at night.
Many women can improve their symptoms by getting regular exercise and eating a healthy diet. It also may help to limit alcohol and caffeine. Try to reduce stress.
A heating pad, hot water bottle, or warm bath also can help with cramps. You can take an over-the-counter medicine such as ibuprofen or naproxen before and during your period to reduce pain and bleeding.
Also Check: Usaa New Car Insurance Grace Period
More Than A Funny Word
OK, so it’s a funny word . . . but what is puberty, anyway? Puberty is the name for when your body begins to develop and change.
During puberty, your body will grow faster than any other time in your life, except for when you were an infant. Back then, your body was growing rapidly and you were learning new things you’ll be doing these things and much more during puberty. Except this time, you won’t have diapers or a rattle and you’ll have to dress yourself!
It’s good to know about the changes that come along with puberty before they happen, and it’s really important to remember that everybody goes through it. No matter where you live, whether you’re a guy or a girl, or whether you like hip-hop or country music, you will experience the changes that happen during puberty. No two people are exactly alike. But one thing all adults have in common is they made it through puberty.
Drink Raspberry Leaf Tea
Since caffeine should really be avoided when you’re menstruating, raspberry leaf tea is the perfect warm drink for period time. This vitamin and mineral rich tea has been used to promote women’s health for centuries. It contains fragrine, which helps to tone and strengthen the uterus, and has been shown to reduce cramping and discomfort during our periods. It also contains manganese and magnesium, which are key to promoting good fertility.
Read Also: Usaa New Car Insurance Grace Period
When Do Periods Stop
Your periods will continue until you reach the menopause, which usually happens when you are in your late 40s to mid-50s. In the UK the average age of menopause is 51.
Your periods may start to become less frequent over a few months or years before stopping altogether. In some cases they can stop suddenly.
Period Hacks: How To Feel Better On Your Period
Periods and feeling bleh seem to go hand in hand. Thereâs a lot being thrown at your body â bloating, cramps, bleeding, and the all-too-familiar emotional ups and downs caused by hormones on the fritz. And maybe you begin feeling this way BEFORE your period even starts, say hello to premenstrual syndrome . We get it, this can ALL be rough – thankfully, weâve got some period hacks to share that will help you know how to feel better on your period and put you at ease.
Read Also: Usaa New Car Insurance Grace Period
What Causes Period Without Ovulating
Now that you know the answer to your question, “Can you have a period without ovulation?”you may want to know exactly what causes this situation. Still, hormonal imbalance seems to be the most common cause of anovulatory cycle, various underlying causes can also make you experience anovulatory cycles, for example, your diet and strenuous exercise. However, some of the causes are not that simple to identify. Below are just some common ones for your reference.
1. Strenuous Exercise Program
If you follow a strenuous exercise program, you may end up making changes to your hormones, which can affect your menstruation cycle as well. Even simple exercises such as running can make changes to the levels of hormones called gonadotropins, which can cause anovulatory cycle. Similarly, you may notice hormonal changes due to anxiety and emotional stress.
2. Certain Medications
You may notice a change in your menstrual cycle for taking certain medications for long. Steroidal oral contraceptives are usually responsible for anovulation because they disrupt the hypothalamic-pituitary axis and suppress ovulation to prevent pregnancy.
3. Possible Health Conditions
When To Speak With A Doctor
People may wish to see a healthcare professional if they have PMS symptoms that affect their daily life, if the symptoms occur outside of their period, or if they experience any sudden or dramatic changes to PMS or period symptoms.
If a person expects to have a period, but it does not arrive, it is best to speak with a healthcare professional about the potential causes. They may recommend a pregnancy test if someone could be pregnant or other tests if pregnancy is not the cause.
Heavy bleeding and severe abdominal cramping can indicate pregnancy complications, such as pregnancy loss or ectopic pregnancy. Contact a provider immediately if a pregnant person experiences any of the following symptoms:
- heavy bleeding
You May Like: 90 Day Probationary Period Policy Examples
Recap: Your Period On Birth Control
We get it: We’ve been taught that getting your period is a natural sign of femininity and means that everything is working normally for having babies. But the truth is that having your period on birth control is not the same thing as natural menstruation. Instead, it’s a different beast altogether.
*Editor’s Note: If you’re having irregular periods or spotting and you’re NOT taking birth control, then you should follow up with your doctor.
You should know that:
Changes to your periods are typical when you’re taking birth control pills. Make sure you’re taking your pills as directed.
Unless you have other concerning symptoms, not having your period while taking the placebo birth control pills does not automatically mean you’re pregnant. However, you can check with your doctor if you’re unsure.
Once you stop using birth control, then your periods should go back to normal, and your chances of getting pregnant will return to normal.
As always, if you have bothersome irregular bleeding, don’t hesitate to ask your doctor. There may be a way to change your method, or they can let you know if it’s something that will go away anytime soon. It’s super helpful to track what’s going so you can present that to your doctor. Believe us, they like data, so record the dates it’s happening and what it looks/feels like. You’ve got this!