What does Your First Period Look Like: It’s Time For Your Daughter To Know

As your daughter grows up, she will experience a lot of changes in her body, especially during puberty. One of these changes is known as menstruation. The changes that happen in a girl’s body can be sometimes confusing, at times embarrassing and sometimes scary. That is why talking to your daughter about these bodily changes and menstrual cycles is very important though a discussion about these things could involve a tricky conversation.

The Onset Of Menstruation

Periods can start anytime between nine to sixteen years of age, but it varies widely, depending on racial, ethnic and genetic factors. On an average 80 per cent of girls start menstruating by 11-13 years of age. Periods is the hallmark of the onset of the reproductive capacity of a girl. Once a girl starts her period, she is capable of becoming pregnant. This happens because of a complex interaction between the pituitary and ovarian hormones. It actually prepares the uterus for pregnancy and when there is no pregnancy, the bed sheds down in the form of menstruation.

Initially, she can have irregular periods as it takes some time for ovulation to become regular and cycles to be regular because of hypothalamic immaturity. And sometimes a girl may bleed twice in a month or sometimes it may be once in two months.

The Menstrual Calendar

Teaching your daughter how to track her periods will help her a lot. She would know how her cycles are and she would be able to be prepared, even if it comes at an awkward place. She will also be able to plan her school projects. swimming classes, and camping trips etc. Knowing her cycle will also help to identify if her periods are irregular or it she needs to see a doctor.

Girls and boys need to know that once a girl starts her periods, she can become pregnant if she is sexually active

The Different Symptoms

Many girls may experience some additional symptoms during periods such as pain, mood changes, breast pain, abdominal pain, back pain, headache, bloating, fatigue, acne and also some skin and hair changes. In most of the cases, the pain is mild to moderate and can be managed by over-the-counter analgesics and also by hot fermentation. But if pain is very severe and she has to miss school or she cannot get up from her bed during periods, she definitely needs a gynaecologist’s opinion.

Dealing With It

The body changes that occur during puberty may be embarrassing for some and at the same time scary for others but talking to your daughter about it and explaining to her about these changes and telling her that this s all part of growing up and it’s good for her, will give your child a good understanding and a positive outlook of bodily changes during puberty. Also, all girls should know that every other girl goes through these changes. Knowing these things, will allay their anxiety levels and they will be able to cope with the changes in a better way.