To not know how old I was when I got my first period?

[Talismania]

I have a new GP and I was asked this at my first appointment. I remember what house I lived in at the time so could say it was sometime between the ages of 10 and 15, but beyond that I have no idea. GP was surprised. Is this something most women remember?

MissDuke they may be a factor in that they set you up for a life of continuing those habits - who knows?

OTOH there is an aspect of biology called epigenetics, where your body is affected for life by early actions or actions of your parents. For example, children of parents who had nutritionally poor diets in pregnancy are supposed to be far faster at laying down fat; this is thought to be due to the infant receiving 'starvation, times are hard, lay down fat quick' signals whilst in utero. It's really interesting. Also, breastfeeding children with a family history of asthma does reduce incidence of asthma - so nurture has a role.

It's all so complex that it's hard to make any clear statements; your lifestyle choices may be poor but your genetics will carry you through, or your lifestyle choices may be great and genetics will kill you. It doesn't always work like we're told it should - i.e. eat well and exercise and you'll be fine.

Genetics are also a factor in menarche, it should be said, so if you started early then I'd say it's slightly more likely that your daughter will too.

I remember mine because it was the opening night of the school play, and I had to wear a leotard on stage. I was 14 and convinced everyone could tell!

I am not exactly sure. I was in secondary school up a tree is all I remember. Was definitely after my second year.

I was 13 and started a couple of days after Christmas.
Mum had gone back to work and there was only me and Dad at home. I didn't have much idea of what was happening and Dad didn't know why I was so upset as I wouldn't talk to him. Mum came back later, chucked a packet of sanitary towels at me and told me off for making such a drama out of it.
Still don't think I've quite forgiven her for being so heartless, I was so naive and vaguely terrified. Mind you, she has some odd ideas - when I was about 18 she spotted a packet of tampons in my room, came marching out, banging on bathroom door demanding to know if I was 'enjoying myself' in there

I remember mine because I had no idea what a period was at all and was convinced I was dying as I didn't know why I was loosing all this blood from 'there'. It was a few days after my 9th birthday and I was staying at my little sister's grandmas and I remember crying my eyes out curled up on the sofa with grandma A stroking my hair and telling me all about being a woman. My mum never mentioned it, and neither did my grandparents who I lived with on and off

unspecialsnowflake there is a family story about my tomboyish auntie (Dad's sister) who was so upset about becoming obviously female and growing boobs that she nicked one of my grandmother's corsets and locked herself in the bathroom and trussed herself up trying to flatten them. My dad says he remembers standing outside the bathroom with his brothers calling in and laughing hysterically while she had a tantrum again, my nurturing family!!

I was 15! The last of my friends.

I don't have any recollection of even having a first period! I remember having bad period pains in my mid-teens but not the first time. I am pretty sure I was already at secondary school, so must have been at least 12, as my birthday is early in the school year, but honestly I have no idea when beyond that.

I was 14-16 but can't pin it down more than that.

I can tell you the exact date but think this is one of my many asd traits and therefore not helpful!

4 th may 1990 when I was 11.

Was also one of my happiest ever summers, which I remember as golden with sunshine. Was possibly just that I finished primary school that year plus the world cup was on though!

I remember mine, I was quite early at 10 years old and in primary school. I started in the night, bled lots causing my younger sister to run up to our mum sleeping, yelling "Bob is dying!"

PlumpingThePartTimeMother, very interesting reply, thanks

I suppose in my head, I wonder how all of the confounding factors mentioned can be separated out to isolate early menarche as the cause of the diabetes/CHD etc, but I guess if I actually read the research maybe it would convince me.

Late March 1990. I was just shy of my 13th birthday.

My SIL can't remember when she got hers which to be honest, I found a bit odd!

I think I was about 13 but I really can't be sure. I don't remember anything about it!

No GP has ever asked me this before. But I do remember: Sunday 15th November 1987. I was almost 15 and was pleased I could finally utilise the Simplicity towels my mum had bough me 3 years previously

I haven't got a clue, I think I was one of the later ones in my peer group but other than that, no idea at all.

Three months before my 13th birthday and straight after a swimming gala.

I swam like a brick

Sunday 18th August 1985. The worst thing was knowing I had to wake Mum, who was having a post-lunch nap. I remember staring out of the upstairs window, trying to build up the courage. Mum gave me a box of Tampax and a box of pads and left me to it in the bathroom, saying to call if I needed any help, and reminding me I did a lot of swimming (meaning tampons would be a better choice.)

My sister, two years younger, started November the same year. I was quite glad she'd at least waited so I was first - as if either if us had had a choice, but I'd have not taken it well if she had started before me, given the two year gap between us.

I know I was 14 and a half (I think) (actually more than that maybe) but couldn't tell you the exact date/month etc... I remember I think being in the toilet upstairs at home and using Kotex I think until I bought or mum bought me Tampax pink mini tampons... (Mum used Lilets but didn't like me to use tampons...!).

I remember the utter nightmare of when going out (I had heavy periods) for the day I had to remember to take pads/tampax and ensure there was a toilet en route... I remember the period pains and PMS/PMT...

MissDuke the joys of statistical analysis!! DH is part statistician and he can bore for England on this topic

They usually say something like 'Adjusting for all confounding factors, there is a significant increase in breast cancer risk (XX%, 95%CI yy-zz, p

I think I was twelve, may have been eleven. Don't remember when or what I was doing - my earliest memory of having one was sportsday, because we had those horrid knickers to run in and I was scared my pad would show (couldn't cope with tampons then). That definitely wasn't my first though.

It was October 1988, and I was 14. Two months off 15. That seems pretty late.

I just don't understand why the whole issue was so excruciating for our Mums' generation, but then again, DD is only 4.

I have matter-of-fact discussions about anything she and DS (6) want to know, and can't imagine it ever being awkward the way it seemed to be back then, but am I being naive...?

I remember that I was 13, but only because the event was so traumatic I was on a beach during a family holiday, minus my parents, and I had to rush to a local shop with my aunt to buy 'feminine products' - I was expecting these to be the sanitary pads my mother had prepped me about but nooo... fast forward a little while later to me in a public toilet cubicle, with my aunt waiting outside the door, trying and failing in agony to insert a tampon! Just awful