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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Ridiculously early first period

32 replies

katymouse · 03/11/2007 23:38

DD1 is 8 and 3/4. She has started her first period about 2 hours ago. Quite scared and upset. Terrified to do a wee in case it hurt (she had cystitis last year caused by scratching her itchy new pubic hair as it grew). I'm fairly proud of how I coped, explained that it was coming from deep inside, in a place called her womb, and that it was part of growing up and getting ready to have babies herself one day, and how the womb has a special lining, all soft and snuggly, for a baby to grow in, but if there isn't a baby (because you need to be married to a daddy to have one, and she isn't of course), then the special lining, which is made from blood, goes back to being blood, and drips out through a little hole right by the one you do wees through. I helped her wash, and gave her a towel. She seemed quite comfortable with the information, although unchuffed by the 'it'll last a few days, and happen every month from now on' bit. She then went back to being theoreticallly in bed, but in practise watching fireworks out of her bedroom window. DD2 was actually more upset. she is DD1's fraternal twin, but has not started pubic hair yet and is an inch shorter. Scared it will happen while she's asleep.

There will be a lot more questions tomorrow, has anyone else gone through this with a Year 4?

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pinkbubble · 03/11/2007 23:48

Oh bless, poor you and DD! I dreaded this happening to my eldest DD, lucky for her and me it waited until she was just 13. I ideally wanted her to be older but she has shown me how grown up she can be!

She is very young to start such things, hope she copes ok. Think you described things really well. Did you have any clues that this was going to happen(other than the pubic hairs)

Califireworks · 03/11/2007 23:51

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Original poster

katymouse · 03/11/2007 23:55

No, she is tall for her age (I buy age 10-11 for her) but no sign of bosom bumps yet, and me and my sisters all had those months before first period.

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KerryMumKABOOM · 03/11/2007 23:57

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Original poster

katymouse · 04/11/2007 00:03

No, me and three sisters all between 11 and 14. Same with dh's sisters - I asked when the pubes appeared.

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PeachesMcScreamWhizzBangFizz · 04/11/2007 00:04

Poor little thing. Nothing constructive to add here i'm afraid (got one boy now and was very average with my periods)

BUT good for you for explaining it all so well. She's got a good mum and she'll be ok.

Original poster

katymouse · 04/11/2007 00:08

This place is addictive isn't it! I MUST go to bed, we have seriously important church tomorrow involving a bishop. Looking forward to logging on again soon. Goodnight all - fireworks haven't gone off for at least 20 mins now.

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jellycat · 04/11/2007 00:08

Oh dear, poor her. Hope her school is set up for it. I was 10 when mine started and school was not set up (i.e. no bins for towels). I had to go in the staff loo. I coped OK but really hated it, was v. embarrassed at school, terrified pad would leak etc. At least pads are better these days (I had looped towels and a belt as stick-on ones hadn't come in back then!).

Original poster

katymouse · 04/11/2007 00:09

Forgot to say thanks for supportive words.

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Boysandbeaches · 04/11/2007 00:14

Oh, you have brought back some memories - particularly, of a good Mum . I was the first in junior's (so 10ish) to get my period and breasts - but can't remember in what order. You have handled it perfectly. My periods appeared periodically until I was 12 and then, like clock-work. So, there is a chance she won't have anymore for a while. Oddly enough, my Mum was the opposite - the very last of her peer-group to develop. I remember her telling me how envious she'd been and NOT being impressed .

ThisIsSabrinaPleaseDoNotScare · 04/11/2007 00:18

Your poor daughter, I'm sure she will cope amazing well though with your support (just don't mention mooncups )

This might not be the start of proper periods though, perhaps just a breakthrough bleed (fingers crossed)

KerryMumKABOOM · 04/11/2007 00:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

spottyshoes · 04/11/2007 00:57

I'm shocked that a school was not prepared. I had my 1st around my 10th birthday yet had already had the lesson at school that explained about periods when I was 8. It was quite nice actually as all our mums came but it was quite weird as most of us were cuddling up and sitting on our mums knees!!! I am now 27 so that was nearly 20 years ago (OFGS!!!!! feel such a fogey saying that!!)

Well done for explaining it so well but it must be so hard knowing our babies grow up so fast!

lispy · 04/11/2007 02:39

I saw on tv that the first period comes when the girl hits 43kg. Regardless of age.

ExplosiveScienceT · 04/11/2007 03:40

I think it may be an idea to take her to the doctor just to get checked out. There is a condition called precocious puberty which could actually cause her to stop growing because of hormone levels. The stopping growth happens to everyone, but it is obviously different when it happens to 13 year olds.

Original poster

katymouse · 04/11/2007 10:53

Good morning all. dd1 having her first period is making me feel OLD. She's still happy enough, it's me that's worrying. She says the pads are too big, and so they are, they're designed for a forty-two year old size 14 mummy who has very heavy ones, having never really gone back to normal since twins were born. So trip to Boots this a.m. and hope they're open. Any suggestions on good products for girls? Also, school swimming lesson on Tuesday. Can we risk it? Can a child her age use tampons? Good point about school, I've emailed her class teacher already. Re GP, I did speak to him when the pubes appeared 18 months ago, he said it was within the bounds of normal, and not to panic. I will arrange a phone chat tomorrow. Re sex... they know a little about this already. Luckily we go to a small rural C of E primary where there are no juvenile sluts in the playground to confuse the younger ones with tripe culled from rubbish teen mags. I'd rather keep to the answering questions as they arise method at present. Thanks for all the kind words, making me feel a lot less miserable about it. She was a baby only five minutes ago...

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Original poster

katymouse · 04/11/2007 10:56

Re old days periods at school, did anyone else have built in incinerators in the girls loos that didn't work properly and your vile deposit would get stuck and be hanging out for all to see?

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pointydog · 04/11/2007 11:04

poor dd. If you hadn't had a chance to talk to her about it, it must all be quite a shock.

Personally, I wouldn't even begin to faff about tryig to help her use tampons, I'd just ask for her to be excused from swimming.

Depending on how heavy teh flow is, I recently just got dd1 some panty liners which are extremely thin. Get two differnet ones, perhaps?

PestoPyromaniacMonster · 04/11/2007 11:44

My dd1 is coming up to the age where she might start, so I wondered if you could tell me what pads you are using for your dd please?

mintydixcharrington · 04/11/2007 13:11

Take her to the GP. It is very early, as is the pubic hair growth, and if she was my daughter I would want to speak to a paediatric endocrinologist about it. And I wouldn't allow the GP to fob me off.
Poor DD

mintydixcharrington · 04/11/2007 13:13

Just a second, her pubic hair appeared 18 months ago, when she was just 7?
Your GP should have referred you then. Please, make sure she is seen by a paediatrician.

pooka · 04/11/2007 13:16

Oh the poor girl. Horrid to start so young. I started at 11 (almost 12) and that was OK because was at secondary school and wasn't the first. Had been rather looking forward to it, in fact.

Tommy · 04/11/2007 13:24

re the swimming - you may find that her period has finished by. I remember strauing mine (at 12) and being really upset because I had a swimming gala that evening but the blood loss was so small that I just went anyway (without anything and everything was fine.

I didn't have such a great and supportive Mummy - so well done to you for explaining it all so well.

ShinyHappyRocketsGoingBANG · 04/11/2007 13:41

I think you have handled this really well.. but am wondering, like Minty, if this is a bit too early to be considered to be at the early end of the normal spectrum. You GP will be able to tell you.

I took DD to the doctors because she has a breast bed (age 8.) She told me that 8 is the early end of normal for a few early signs of puberty but that periods happen towards the end of the process.

Not meaning to worry you though; I'm not a medic; it may well be fine.

Original poster

katymouse · 04/11/2007 13:52

Apparently she isn't the first in her class! One of the other year 4s has been spotting on a regular basis for last 3 months - and there are only 12 girls in that group.

I will check out the doctor stuff pretty intensely. We have a new GP, female this time, who may be more use.

Boots didn't have any really narrow pads except as panty liners, which I feared might not be robust enough. Everything seems pretty light, so hopefully swimming will be okay. I don't really want to get involved in tampons just yet but i don't want her to miss out on life either - she loves swimming. We are using Always Ultra Slim Pads. So far so good.

Have to go offline now, the Bishop awaits!

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