Help - I need guidance with how to do the period talk!!

[Itsthawooluff]

Title says it all really . My Mum adopted the ostrich approach of ignoring it all until school had dealt with it at 13, then sidling up and saying "So you know all about it now, do you - Good" before scarpering quickly. Didn't fill me with confidence exactly, rather a huge feeling of embarassment about the whole topic.
I want to have a slightly more "you can ask me anything" type conversation - but don't know where to start. I'm tempted to start with a few books, Babette Cole etc etc, but didn't want to dump the books, say "Oh good, you've read the books, so now you know all about it" and run - the educated ostrich approach.
DD1 is rising 9, which I appreciate is a bit young, but apparently some girls do start as young as that, and I wanted it all to be very old hat by the time she actually needs the info.

my mum never spoke to me about periods, apart from one time when I'd gone out for a meal with my parents age 11 or so and she suddenly said something along the lines of 'you look a bit tired, geekgrrl. I guess you will probably be starting your periods soon.' Cue utter mortification.
Of course I had a vague idea, but when I got my period for the first time I really freaked and didn't know what it was (the blood was brown).
My parents really hadn't handled it well - I guess it didn't help that my mum had had a hysterectomy when I was v. young so I never actually experienced anyone having periods or saw any sanitary products until I started. I haven't broached the topic yet with dd1 who will be 8 this year - I don't want to repeat my parents' mistakes, but am unsure how to get the conversation started?!
I've always had a very negative attitude towards my periods and don't want to pass it on the dds.

Hooray - managed to start a conversation with both dds (9 and 7) (whilst in car). Was just talking about growing up in general, and managed to slot in comment about periods. Cue dd2 asking "What are periods?", so I said "Do you know dd1?". DD1 did know (had read something in a book she had chosen from the library), and proceeded to explain what she knew to dd2, I could then add a little bit more info - especially the bits on "Its not blue like the adverts, and it lasts a few days each month" , and we left it that I would get some books for them to look at, and if they had any more questions I would answer them.

Phew! Now I've bitten the bullet, it's a big relief.

Thanks for all the advice - very much appreciated.

I have that CD rom called growing up and keeping safe as well as I used it with my DS.Its great and I too would recommend it. Their website is www.sensecds.com