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Original poster

Daughters first period

47 replies

Beachdays44 · 04/08/2022 01:02

My daughter (age 11) got her first period a month or so ago...all was fine. She had her second one this week and it was really, really heavy. Heavier than any period I've ever had. And it went on for 5/6 days. Pads were soaked through a number of times (despite frequent changes) plus blood on clothing, etc. We had no plans fortunately. But later this month there are a lot of plans such as a week long water sports activity camp and a sleepover with friends. She's now really worried that her period will arrive that week. As am I!

I know that period pants are a thing now... How would these work? Can they be worn under a wetsuit? Or will we just have to forfeit the camp? It seems so unfair.

And she has said there is no way she is staying in her friends house overnight if she has her period or thinks she might be about to get it...she says she wouldn't be able to relax which I can understand.

Any tips? She knows about tampons but says she is not ready to try them...she is only 11. It all seems so unfair..none of her friends have their periods yet.

OP posts:
thaegumathteth · 04/08/2022 01:33

I'm sorry I don't know but I'm watching because I have a same aged daughter very into swimming etc and I think this is coming soon. It's so rubbish for them!

I do know you can get period swimwear.

SirenSays · 04/08/2022 01:37

You can buy period swimwear but I've no idea if it's any good. Menstrual cups or disks could be an alternative to tampons

BiscoffSundae · 04/08/2022 01:43

Was thinking of making a similar thread my daughter is 11 thought period pants would be ideal but I genuinely don’t see how they don’t leak? Anyone got any recommendations for good ones? Modibod are so expensive are the cheaper ones just as good?

my daughters are also really heavy, I actually read when they first start they are usually very light and very irregular and may disappear for months then come back but hers have been very regular and very heavy

VioletToes · 04/08/2022 01:57

SirenSays · 04/08/2022 01:37

You can buy period swimwear but I've no idea if it's any good. Menstrual cups or disks could be an alternative to tampons

C'mon, a menstrual cup is not an alternative to a tampon for an 11 yo.

My DD is 11 and I think she'll start her period soon. It is shit for them, and there will be things that they won't want to do because they have their period, or it's just about to start.

I'm going to let DD decide what she's comfortable with and not force anything. The camp situation, that's just crap but it might be that she feels she has to miss it.

This next generation will take our outrage at all this and do something sooner. We were mostly just told by our DM that it was just part and parcel of being a female so suck it up 🙄

bellinisurge · 04/08/2022 01:57

My daughter uses reusables but I'm not convinced by period swimwear. It's not selectively absorbent. In other words, it absorbs whatever liquid it comes into contact with.
Dd hasn't really swum with them much - she's not a swimming fan sadly. But she put standard period pants on under a swimsuit and didn't stay long in the water. Others may have a better experience.

avamiah · 04/08/2022 02:00

My daughter is 12 and started her period about 5 months ago, she was already in year 7 ( secondary school) so she was expecting it and to be honest so was I as she had been wearing a bra since she had turned 11.
It was no big thing to be honest as she started on a weekend and was at home and there was just a bit of blood on her bed sheet and pyjama bottoms and we had all the different pads in ( you name it and she has them as I just ordered all different ones for teenagers off Amazon.

My daughter won’t even stay over at her aunties while she is on her period or if it’s nearly due as she is worried about having a accident on the bed sheets, but this is normal and will pass.
I wear tampons and have done since i was 13 and have explained everything about them to her and shown her how small they are but she still finds them a bit scary no doubt because her 3 adult aunties all use towels which isn’t a great help.

I’m being honest when I say that unless you have a medical condition then sanitary pads or whatever trendy name you use for them are a hindrance and remind you that you are on your period especially if you are a swimmer.

Suzi888 · 04/08/2022 02:05

There’s period swimwear- but very pricey. Wuka - could be worth it if she’s into water sports etc.

Original poster
Beachdays44 · 04/08/2022 09:55

Thanks for responses... I assume we'd lose our payment for the water activities course?! No wonder teenage girls are far less likely to be involved in sports than boys! I'd be slow to book anything like that again as the worry in the lead up to it takes away from the enjoyment.

I just don't see how she could do the course if she had a heavy period?

OP posts:
Paq · 04/08/2022 09:57

Period swimwear is good for medium/light flow. Period pants were a game changer for my DD.

SharpLily · 04/08/2022 10:02

Could you ask your doctor for tranexamic acid to reduce the flow in this case? If it's really that heavy then she probably needs it anyway.

bicky · 04/08/2022 10:04

my 13 year old wears period pants, made a huge difference, have a look at modibody they do different underwear for different flows

Lellochip · 04/08/2022 10:05

You could see about getting some noresthisterone tablets to delay her period as a one off? It's not without side effects but as she's only just started so not got a reliable cycle, and it's heavy anyway, might be worth it. If she continues having really heavy ones speak to the GP, there are things, like tranexamic acid, they can prescribe to help.

35965a · 04/08/2022 10:08

I have heavy periods and there’s no way I would wear period swimwear. I think for a light flow it would be fine but no way. There would be blood trailing after me. So I do feel bad for your poor DD, it is crap. You can get noresthisterone as a PP said, that’s what I’ve always taken for events where I just cannot deal with a period.

MrsPelligrinoPetrichor · 04/08/2022 10:12

Definitely look into period pants for day to day wear, no experience of swim wear.

Whatwouldscullydo · 04/08/2022 10:16

The swim wear is more designed for sitting around a pool or back.up fir tampons/cups.

Its not designed for swimming really.

I'd probably speak to a good and delay it this once as it would be a shame to miss out on the camp.

Id also start maybe keeping a record. No I'm not being odd but if they continue to be consistently very heavy and unmanageable then it might be worth seeing a gp rather than suffering through and a record /diary might be useful. Although obviously this can be entirely normal.fir a while as they are new and will able a while to settle.

Whatwouldscullydo · 04/08/2022 10:17

Gp

Geranium1984 · 04/08/2022 10:17

Awww I really feel for her, this used to be me. I don't have anything to compare with but I used to always get leaks on my clothes and knickers.
I used to wear a pad and 2 pairs of knickers to try and keep it in place 😟
Things got better when I started using tampons as could use a lighter pad or a panty liner and change every 2 or 3 hrs.

I used pads for the first couple of years though understand why you wouldn't want to jump to tampons at this stage xx

thunderandsunshine01 · 04/08/2022 10:23

Lellochip · 04/08/2022 10:05

You could see about getting some noresthisterone tablets to delay her period as a one off? It's not without side effects but as she's only just started so not got a reliable cycle, and it's heavy anyway, might be worth it. If she continues having really heavy ones speak to the GP, there are things, like tranexamic acid, they can prescribe to help.

I would second this, for a week long experience which seems a bit of a one off / treat I wouldn’t want her to miss this. And then buy the swimwear period pants as a safety net just in case

FartSock5000 · 04/08/2022 10:35

Heavy periods that soak through pads so quickly are likely Menorrhagia and she does not need to suffer.

My DSD has been prescribed Naproxen in the past at 14yrs old and I remembered and took it too when my episodes started couple years ago.

She took 2 tablets on day 1 and again the next day and they lightened her periods to the point they were barely there. It does the same for me.

This is not something to do regularly but works for those infrequent episodes. Don't be afraid to ask your GP for this kind of help. Girls take pain pills for periods and the Naproxen does the same thing at the same dose but also helps the body lighten those extremen flows when GP prescribes it.

Pinkbananas01 · 04/08/2022 10:44

My 12yr old uses the period pants alongside normal pads, mainly for heavier days or when at school to give her the confidence that she w9nt have any leakage. Have been great so far. I just looked on Amazon & bought cheapest, think it's innersby, but you can get them in Primark , M&S etc now so just look for whenever on offer.
You just rinse them in cold water before washing as normal.

2bazookas · 04/08/2022 10:46

Buy her a selection of different press-on pads to try out.

You could BOTH try out period pants and compare notes.

I was the first in my class to have a period, and have to miss swimming. The pool was uncovered, outdoors and unheated; and no other excuse was allowed so Everybody Knew. Suddenly, menstruation was as enviable as needing a bra.

In the 1960's, tampons started to be advertised in womens magazines.My mother was not very happy when I sent away for a free trial pack. I was about 14 and never looked back, but Mum would never try.

wizbit93 · 04/08/2022 10:55

I switched to reusable pads a few years ago as I have heavy periods and they hold so much more blood. Not the comfiest of things though. Absolutely great for night. I wear them with period pants as a backup. On lighter days I just use the pants.
DD (15) was using them too, but she's recently switched to tampons. She uses period pants as backup. We've tried lots of brands but M&S seem to be the latest winner.
We both have modibodi swim pants but I've only used them on a light day, with a tampon. Did the job though!

Craftybodger · 04/08/2022 11:01

Modibodi period pants and swimwear really work. My 12 yo loves hers and uses them - she is very keen to use reusable sanpro.

Original poster
Beachdays44 · 04/08/2022 11:10

I am keeping a diary to try and figure out the pattern. I will look into the medication..I wonder would a GP prescribe it though as she is so young and this next period (due the camp week) will only be her third one?

OP posts:
HowcanIhelp123 · 04/08/2022 11:17

I was prescribed norethisterone at around 14 for a beach holiday. If your DD can articulate how anxious it makes her and how detrimental having her period that week would be for her they should be willing. From personal experience they're far more likely to do what your DD asks for herself than has you asking for her.

Other than that I would suggest period pants/swim wear. She could double up on a pad and period underwear at night and set a mid night alarm to change if she is worried.

Going forward menstrual discs were a game changer for me (holds much more than a tampon or pad, reusable, and you can get ones with tabs which means just as easy to remove as a tampon). She'll be no where near ready for them at 11 but worth bearing in mind as she gets older.