How do I explain periods to a 7 year old?

[Gogglemint]

Am worrying that dd is about to start her periods. She had a stint last month that was entirely similar to pmt, and tonight she went to the loo and totally panicked because there was blood in the loo (hopefully not hers-there is no evidence of anything on clothing, but I am not "on" at the mo and dh has not had any nosebleeds recently, so am at a bit of a loss). I am generally a good parent in most things (I hope), but am totally unable to broach sex and periods with her for some reason, it makes me want to curl up and die!

I started mine when I was 8, but have no idea how to even start this conversation with her. I can't remember what my mum told me, and have blanked it out entirely.

What do I do? She is so young!

Check out the Internet for info that you can talk through with her, type in periods, pubert etc
Tampax have a page and a good preteen range

Thank you. They have info on the tampax website, so will have a look at that. I feel so smutty about all this, how ridiculous!!

Starting periods at age 7 is not normal. You need to take her to the doctor. I once knew a little girl like this and she was given hormone treatment. Early puberty can cause various problems for children.

I don't think she has started them yet, but I feel that I should talk to her about this so that she doesn't panic if anything does happen. She is 8 next week, so will be coming up to the age I was when I started mine.

I brought a book that has been especially wrote for younger girls my dd is 11 but very young for her age and it had very simple words and explanations and the pictures were not to over the top. It is a really fab book and she looked at it on her own as well.

Was it called "Girls only"? I've just ordered one from Amazon. I'll get in touch with the docs too and see what they say. Hopefully it is nothing and just a precaution, but better to be prepared!

Girls Only is a bit older I think - the one I bought is still on top of the wardrobe & will remain there for a few years yet

I bought DD this for DD when she was only slightly older than yours - its a great little book & far more age appropriate

Brilliant rockinhippy, thanks, have ordered it! I really don't want to have to dwell on the sex aspect and delve into making babies etc, so hopefully this one will be a happy medium!

The book I brought is called whats happening to me? I think it was £7.99.

That's the one I ordered onward. Thank you both so much for your help!

Your welcome and good luck!

I think you should explain it to her before it happens. If you started at 8 she may also start early and it will be a hell of a shock for her she bleeds and doesn't know why
You dont need to go into the whole sex chat if you don't want to, but at least explain about periods and about eggs and babies

I started mine when I was 10 and despite being informed about where babies come from I knew nothing about periods and I thought I was dying!!! Was quite traumatic as I screamed and my mum came rushing up the stairs. I would go down the route of when boys and girls grow up boys shave their faces and girls have a little blood each month but all girls get it and it's nothing to worry about. Just make sure she understands that not all girls get it at the same time.

please talk to her, or at the very least make sure she feels she can talk to you.

It is very young by the way!

My mum was to embarrassed to talk to me about it, other than saying it was important to always have clean knickers in case you got run over by a bus

Then when my period started I freaked out, yet told no one. I stuffed masses of loo paper down my knickers at break time, but the blood still seeped out and I remember EXACTLY the horrified stares of all my class mates at PE (mixed!) at the massive blood stain in my PE shorts (white, of all colours) and the PE teacher was a bloke and didn't know what to do, and sent me to the changing room.

Then at home I desperately tried to wash my knickers and PE shorts before my mum saw them.

the stress! the embarrassment!

I kept using loo paper throughout the first months...with varying degrees of success

When my mum finally noticed some blood stains (despite my frantic washing) she put a packet of tampax in my bedroom, without explanation, and I remember ending up with the cardboard tube inside me, and the tampon in the loo! I couldn't get it right.

In the end my dad took pity on me and sat down for a brief chat and told me about sanitary towels. That helped a bit.

Long story, but just to say, please please please do not do this to your daughter.

my sons are 7 and 9 and I have told them about periods as I don't want them to freak out about it if/when they have girl friends.

Why is it such a taboo still? At some of my friends' houses the first period was celebrated with champagne, to honour an important milestone in a girl's life (maybe that is odd too??? still, better)

Chandon that is horrible.

OP could you leave your own sanitary products within her sight so that she asks what they are and then you can open up a conversation.

DD (same age as yours) has seen my mooncup and that proved a good opener.

OP is anyone you know pregnant? That would be a good starting point for a discussion. My DD is 6.5 years old and loves hearing about when I was pregnant with her, looking at pictures/scans and hearing about her birth. She was four when DS was born and we bought lots of books and things at that time. If I forget I often send her to get a pad from my bedside drawer so she knows where the pads are kept and when they are used just from doing that.

I told her that a mummy grows a bed inside her, a special soft cushion made of blood. Every month it grows and when its ready her body releases an egg. If the egg meets a seed and is going to be a baby then it grows on the cushion. Otherwise the blood comes out every month and needs to be caught by something to stop her staining her clothes.

This led onto discussions the time when she might start having periods herself and why it isn't a good idea to have a baby when you are still growing etc.

My mum didn't tell me and I was sobbing in my room thinking I was dying when she put a packet of pads on my bed and asked me if I had been told about it at school. That was it.

Its not smutty, its amazing, this is how life starts and your DD should be ready and aware of just how great her body can be. (OK OK I know. But its going to happen and much much easier to be interested and excited than shit scared and embarrassed).

At university I had lots of friends who were male and periods came up in discussion once. They all thought a woman sat on the loo and it came out, or that it was a one day thing, they had no idea about time span, mechanics, purpose etc anything like that. This were 18/19 year old men and I have to admit to being completely shocked-only ten years ago. Needless to say my DS will be equipped with an understanding of these things. I hope my DD meets boys like Chandon's when she gets older, rather than those who have had these things kept from them.

I'm not sure about champagne but I think a large chocolate cake might be in order when DD starts her periods mostly for me.

Thanks everyone. Will have a few little talks with her over a couple of weeks I think. Much easier (for me!) that way!