When did your daughter's periods start? And what physical symptoms did she have?

[Justgivemeasoddingname]

Dd is 10 and for about a year has been very moody. She's quite physically developed- tall, shapely and there is the very beginning of breast development happening. She's complained a lot of sore tummies although tbh usually at night time and I think it's a stalling technique for bedtime! However tonight she said the pain was down each side infront of her hip bone curving round inwards, like surrounding her tummy area ITSWIM. I remember when I started my periods having pain above my breasts but not anywhere connected to my uterus etc.
I haven't had a full on talk about periods or bought her the book yet so I'm thinking should do all that now but would also like to know what others have experienced? TIA

Definitely tell her about periods ASAP- her tummy pain could be a good starting point for that (e.g. "women sometimes get tummy pain a bit like that because...")- the shock and fear she'd experience if she started without knowing doesn't bear thinking about!

Symptoms vary a lot, especially in girls- could be what she has, though I'd be surprised if it has been going on a year. Perhaps worth a visit to the GP if it seems more than just a little niggle.

My daughter started developing breasts at 10 but didn’t get her period until almost 13. She didn’t have any tummy pains or anything like that until one day she found some blood when she went to the loo. After that, she had terrible cramps and bleeding for over a week and regular periods since. Into her late teens her periods got shorter and less painful. But she only got cramps after the bleeding started. I’d say to tell your daughter about periods ASAP but i doubt the tummy pains at night are period pains.

13. Had breast tissue years before. No physical symptoms. In fact she didn’t even notice - I saw her pants on the floor after she had jumped into the bath. Second dd same but 14. No physical symptoms.

No physical symptoms, no pain until after periods had started, and only during periods.

If you say her breasts are only starting to develop, I'd say you still have plenty of time to tell her about periods, but puberty has definitely started, especially if you also have signs of mood swings.
Normal development is Thelarche, Pubarche, Menache, with an average of 3 years between the first and the last.

DD started a couple of days after her 11th birthday. She'd had the odd belly ache but nothing regular. She'd already started developing breasts and needing deodorant for at least a year prior to that and luckily we'd already discussed periods/ read books on puberty and had supplies in for her so it wasn't a big deal (we took a day off school to go have hot chocolate and buy 'period knickers and make it an okay thing rather than scary grown up thing)

Mrsdmitri that's a sweet thing to do.
Dd has needed deodorant for well over a year now. Sounds like period pains per se are not expected but I really need to order that book.
Thanks all.

Even with all the prep DD got a bit teary the first time which is why we took the day off. She needed the day just to get her head around it, and it meant she was comfortable for us to approach her (primary) school to ask how it was set up for menstruating pupils. It turned out a couple of other girls had started during the summer so they did a big talk for all the girls and showed them which toilet had a sanpro bin and they ended up being very open and supportive of each other within the class.

DD1 started at 11 1/2, exactly a year earlier than I did. DD2 is 9 years and 6 months and we got her first trainer bras on Thursday, which she was very happy with!

I wonder if your DD should see the GP if she is having pains. I didn't get pains until well after my periods started, DD1 has not had period pains yet. She's 13 and 3 months.