dd9 started her periods today, i am a bit surprised! she is only my little one.

[piratecat]

I am not totally shocked, but it still seems so young. She began with her boobs hurting alot at 8, then pubes started about 6 months ago.

I thought i saw a little brownish stain at the front of her pants a few weeks ago, and we talked about it and i got her a nice little book which we read together.

It was such a surprise when she called down from the loo, I was more shocked becuase i could hear the panic in her voice. Then she ha a cry, bless her.
It was all so new, talking to her about hygiene, and how she is going to change her pads at school. She tells me there are no sanitary type bins in the toilets, only a handtowel bin.

She has dealt with so so much in her little life, with her dad. Mumsnet has been here all the way thru, and its unreal that i am not posting this tbh!!

She isn't even dry at night yet, so not altogether sure how this is going to work with pads, and drynites .

Is very pleased she gets to bunk off swimming tomorrow tho.

Oh poor wee thing, she'll be ok though.

Unmumsnetty awww, and to say she's still your lo. Pl dont let her feel she has to grow up as fast as her body. As left said, she'll be ok and so will you. Must be so strange tho (almost 2yo dd here)x

it is very strange! my mum told me to tell her that in no way oes she have to grow up yet, and that 'nana still hasn't grown up yet either!!'

My dd just can't be 'arsed' with this tbh, she likes Pokemon, and drawing cats. !!

Aw. She still is your little one.

Maybe go on tomorrow without her knowing and talk to the person who deals with children's welfare? There needs to be a bin in the loos she uses. It needs to be made easy for her. My DD was older when she started but always carried a kit in a little zipped purse thing with a couple of pads and a spare pair of Knicks.

She will cope with this you know. And she is the same little girl she was yesterday x

hiya, will go into school and tell teacher, and ask about the loo situation. I had a look on here, and one poster had the same type post in Jan, and i read that alot of primary schools don't have bins in the loos!! They make them go to the staff loo.

This is rubbish.

There were two girls in DDs primary class who had started their periods by the end of year 5. It's not uncommon. The girls need to have their lives made easy! At my DC primary there was one loo in the year 5&6 area that had a bin and there was a kit there too with pads in in case any girl got caught out. It's not difficult for the school really.

Hope she gets on well with it tomorrow.

oh it's good to hear about there being other girls in year 5! I told her i knew for sure there were some years in year 6 but she is pretty embarrassed that she could be the only one so far in yr 5.

She has bad spots, and has been really feeling fed up about the only one in class with visible ones. She's always felt the odd one out cos of her dad not being in her life, and many class mates know she has had times of upset.
She just wants to be invisible!! I have said noone will be able to tell, and it's ok to feel a bit shocked, but it's part of life sweetheart.

She is a capable and copes ok with most of what gets thrown her way.

Yes and thinking about it, one of DS's girl cubs had started her periods in Y5 because I remember her mum worrying about her going on cub camp in the summer term.

My daughter was much reassured by the knowledge that all the women she knew (all her teachers, people who helped at Brownies, celebrities etc ) had periods too, I remember her listing off all these names and me saying "Yes they'll be having periods too....."

My daughter was older, but in her particular group of mates was one of the first as far as I know but no one really talks about it to start with. Now at 14 of course they re very open and frank about stuff, but not at the beginning.

Of course your DD wants to be invisible, they all want to blend in, that's why on wear your own clothes day they all look identical, no one wants to stand out do they? My son is 12 and his voice has broken, he was the first of his mates, he was mortified to start with.

After this one, make sure she has a kit in her bag at all times, my DD didn't have another period for about 8 months and it took ages to settle into any routine, and they mustn't worry about being caught out. i remember lots of mums saying their girls carried emergency kits.

She will cope, and she has done this now, so when her mates get to this point your DD will be all cool and confident about it

thankyou for your lovely message!

Yes have packed her a kit, and we have discussed when to go and check her pad. She will do an about turn after lunch before her and her friends go into the playground.

I did wonder if it would be regular from now on in. I have said like you did, that every single female she knows has them.

she is doing well actually, is on her nintendo collecting Pokemon!!

Bless her, hope it goes well tomorrow x

What a brave little girl going off to school with her kit.

I started at 10 and was still playing with my dolls and going to ballet class.

I dont remember it making me grow up quick.

It does seem more likely these days,i remember being the only one for ages.

My friends dd and my neice all started at 9 and seem to take it all in their stride.

I hope she's ok,get her some nice chocolate for after school.

Oh poor little love - it's just far too young for all that nonsense :(

It probably wont be regular for a very long time - which in some ways is good (in that she wont have to go through it monthly) but not so good in that you wont know when it's due. Try to see if she feels any different in the days before next time it comes.

I would just give her some little bags (like nappy sacks but prettier) and tell her to put them in there and put them at the bottom of her school bag and bring them home. Hopefully she wont need to change much at school yet. It would be horrible to have to use the other toilets as everyone would know why.

I would also let her wear some small shorts/lycra shorts under her skirt if she wants to.

Poor little love.

The poor thing, I know how she feels. I too was only 9 when I started but had a terrible time. I'm sure I was the exception though. Much of the advice given is really good as the worst thing of all for me was wondering why I seemed to be the only one. I would obviously advise answering all her questions and letting her know she can talk about it any time she wants to. I was very frightened as I had no idea what it was and was way before my talk from school or mum. One thing I would add is again an exception so not to worry, but I used san towels until 14 the day I tried tampons I was rushed to a&e with severe temperature and told never to try again. Obviously too young to be told about toxic shock but I think we owe it to our children to inform them at the right age. I am sure she will be fine and I remember really nice school nurses and my teachers in y4,5,6, all new and were good to me.

Can I ask how much she weighs?

I remember Dr Winston talking about periods and he said that girls would never be physically able to start menstruating until they reach 7 stone. My dd is 10 soon, but has just hit 4 stone so it will hopefully be a while yet.

Best wishes to your dd.

hi all.

well thankyou so much for your messages, it IS a shock, however much i am seemingly taking it in my stride naturally in her eyes. I fear i'm coming across too matter of fact, but i don't want to make her worry iyswim.
it's a fine balancing trick, another first to experience.
my dd is 5stone 6, she is 4 ft 10 and a very slim girl.
Her boobs began to hurt at 8. she is two months off ten yrs old.

I think i will encourage her to bring them home, i am sure i did. what else, oh yes, well she is at home today, because its a full on period, and she has gone thru two pads this morning. She needs today to get the hang of changing the pads. I bought body form, but not sure if they are the best yet. I had every intention of her going in today but she does need to learn this new art!

I agree, all she wants to do is play, not sit here aware of everything going on in her knix. She is very scared of the blood, it's stringy too which is a pain to deal with.

The most difficult thing, as i said previously is that she still wears drynites, so we had to put a pad inside those. Oh dear. I hope she will start to be dry now.

I agree with keeping her off when its heavy and she is learning how to deal.

Have you got a bodycare shop near you cos they sell pop ins which are tiny little scented bags for towells.

Does she have any pain? I remember finding the towells more comfy in close fitting knickers so maybe abit of knicker shopping is in order.I cant imagine pads fitting in dd's little pants tbh.

I hope she is ok. I expect her mind is in a whirl.

Oh bless her :(

On the ST issue - lillets have now got a teen range, they are a bit smaller, available in Boots at least.

I agree it is horrible that the loos don't have bins. Mine didn't either (I didn't start until yr7 but I had friends who had to use the loo in the sick bay because they started in juniors), I thought as it is a well known fact that it's becoming more common for girls to start younger, junior schools would be more enlightened.

ah, can you ask the school nurse advice, about the dry nites. is she getting treatment for that?
my dds use nappy sacks.

she might not be regular, this might be a one off though., but sitll, it has to come some time. good opportunity to kick the school into action about providing bins.

re weight - my dd is not yet 7 stone, and started her's a week before she was 12, 4 months ago

no she isn't getting treatment for that. i have looked into the range of help, but decided not to go for the hormone treatment, hoping it would kick in naturally.

Last night she slept in with me, and woke up/roused a few times. On one occasion I heard her begin to wee, so quickly woke her and said 'loo now'. So maybe we can do it this way.

We don't have school nurse. I have rung the school and left a message today (the office is closed wednesdays-great) for the head to phone me. I want to know what facilities they have or who she can go to.

Glad she is at home with you today pirate, you are right it is a new thing for her to learn, and she is best off doing that with you

I'm sharing this page with you - it did make me smile here

My daughter is 14 and uses the 5th row down, first orangey packet. I love the idea of them selling it as a show room

My DD couldn't cope with wings She got in a right old pickle!!

oh hello (waves frantically)

yes thats the one we bought, though we also bought the same in a super, and a pack of always.

the ultras aren't long enough. the bodyform, well she's better with those but we are getting spillage on pants. will have to get a cheap load of black ones in a size 6-8 next time i go to the city.

Think she has changed her pad 6 times today, it really is freaking her out. For us, we use mooncups or tampa don't we, and don't see the blood.

Head teacher called me just now and was very nice, he said he will tell her class teacher, and ensure that there is a bin in the bigger girls loos.

I have to say tho, Bodyform twenty years ago was a lovely cushioney pad, which moulded nicely to one's shape. These are more discreet yes, but a bit flat pancake like, and there seems to be more scope for spreading about iyswim.

I really feel for the poor wee mite. 9 - it's just too young :( I'm not surprised it's freaking her out, there's just no way 9 year olds should have to be dealing with it.

I'm sure there's a pill you can get from the Drs, specifically for young girls to delay their periods, how would you feel about that?

I can't believe she has come on so heavy her first time.

I know what you mean about the pads, maybe she would be better off with the thicker ones? You can still get them.

OR - how would you feel about the washables? Worth a try? I haven't used them as I can't stand the thought of them 'hanging around' & there's not a hope in hell I'd wash them with my other clothes, but if it helped my very young DD I'd do it. They are apparently much more comfortable and are very absorbant?!

Oh and yes, I'd definitely have kept her home today - and probably for the rest of the week.

hi chippingin, thanks. it is so weird. its sad in a way, only because she just doesn't need it yet. She has has alot to deal with an i wanted her to have less to deal with, not more.

I just can't do the whole 'oh you're a woman thing' with her, because she's not. She doesn't want to be yet, she wants to be a little girl.

what are these thicker/softer pads you speak of please!

not sure about washables, but will have a little research google.

havent even thought about getting something to delay this from doctor, i had heard you could with a very early age, like 6.