My DD just started her period

[JFCO]

My DD is only 10 and half years old and started her period. I don't know what to do. Apart from talking to her about it and giving her my sanitary towel, I am not sure about...anything. What sanitary product should I buy for her? OMG, I am freaking out! Wasn't expecting this. She is only 10

@Incyra

OP can I ask if there were any warnings signs that she may start. My dd is yr6 and she has changes to her body but she won't even entertain the idea that she should maybe carry pads with her to school or anything. Did it come all of a sudden?

One of the signs I remember very vividly was that my dd was overly emotional in the run up. I couldn't even look at her sideways without her busting in tears.

@JiltedJohnsJulie

*Why are you waiting till now to talk to her about it? Many girls start their periods from 9 onwards. 10 isn't young for it.

Buy some pads, explain what's happening if you haven't already (which would be shocking I may add) and see how she gets on*

Not very helpful cherry. The OP's DD has already started her periods and is after some advice on how to help her.

How to help would have been being prepared for this very normal event in a child's life. Lord help the OPs child going forwards if this amount of fuss is made over starting a period. What's next body hair

@cherrypie111

Why are you waiting till now to talk to her about it? Many girls start their periods from 9 onwards. 10 isn't young for it.

Buy some pads, explain what's happening if you haven't already (which would be shocking I may add) and see how she gets on

Op didn't say she hadn't spoken to her dd. She said she was not prepared. That is exactly what happen with us. Dd knew all about periods but we just were not expecting her to start so young. Hence I didn't have pads in the house. And it is a bit of a shock intitally.

I always make sure my girls have some disposable bags, spare pants and pads in their school bag. At least then, they can get sorted out if they start at school. DD3 (11) hasn't started yet, but she still has those tucked in her bag, ready.

@cherrypie111

Why are you waiting till now to talk to her about it? Many girls start their periods from 9 onwards. 10 isn't young for it.

Buy some pads, explain what's happening if you haven't already (which would be shocking I may add) and see how she gets on

I haven't waited until now! I've talked about it over the last 2/3 years to her. But the last year I've encouraged her to take some pads to school but she refuses and gets upset talking about it

Sorry I thought you were replying to me but realise you meant the OP.

@JiltedJohnsJulie

*Why are you waiting till now to talk to her about it? Many girls start their periods from 9 onwards. 10 isn't young for it.

Buy some pads, explain what's happening if you haven't already (which would be shocking I may add) and see how she gets on*

Not very helpful cherry. The OP's DD has already started her periods and is after some advice on how to help her.

I do think 10 is young.

I was only 9 when I started mine and it was a big shock for my parents. None of my friends started until they were at least 12 and it was tough having to deal with heavy painful periods at such a young age with no one to talk to. My mum wrote my teacher a note to let her know just incase I needed toilet breaks more often when at school.

My DD started her period at 12.5. She’d been carrying pads to school with her for almost a year at that point, but of course her period started when they were on a school excursion where they could only take a tiny bag for security reasons so she didn’t have any supplies. Thank goodness for the first aid kit!

She’s 14 now and period pants have been great. They even do swimwear. She’s still not 100% regular so we do have staining on underwear, pjs and sheets when she gets caught out. I just keep a bucket in the laundry and she knows to throw any stained items in there. She didn’t have any pain for the first 18 mths but does get a little bit now, so let her know that it’s normal and make sure you have pain relief on hand.

My DD and her friends are much more open about discussing periods than I was at that age and that makes the adjustment so much easier I think.

isthismylifenow,
'One of the signs I remember very vividly was that my dd was overly emotional in the run up. I couldn't even look at her sideways without her busting in tears'

This was my DD 2 days beforehand! I just didn't know what to do with her: she even burst into tears when she didn't like her morning smoothie! It was really strange. Today she is my calm and lovely (little) girl again ❤️
Really glad I posted yesterday. Lots of helpful advice!

Lil-lets teen pads are quite narrow so they may fit your dd a bit better than the usual type. Getting a selection would be a good idea though. A diary or period app to keep track of cycles. Make sure there's a stash of chocolate in the house! I always crazed my mum for chocolate when af arrived.. I still crave it and have a stash in my house now! A hot watter bottle (perhaps dd could pick one she likes?) If she doesn't need it, it is still nice to have! My mum bought be some plain black underwear which helped. Might sound silly but let her know she can still have baths/showers... I thought if I had a bath there would be a pool of blood 🤦🏼‍♀️ (i was 11, my mum told me nothing!)

@JFCO

My DD is only 10 and half years old and started her period. I don't know what to do. Apart from talking to her about it and giving her my sanitary towel, I am not sure about...anything. What sanitary product should I buy for her? OMG, I am freaking out! Wasn't expecting this. She is only 10

Oh I empathise. I was in year 6 when I started my period, and I didn’t know what a period was so I thought I was dying. I was born in the mid 90s so puberty talk only happened in the final week of year 6.

You’ll have to sit her down and explain the menstrual cycle. The reasons why girls and women have them, but it doesn’t necessarily mean she’s developed enough to carry a baby (the idea of this can scare young girls). It’s just a natural process that girls and women have.

Buy her some normal sized pads and explain how to use them and how to wrap them up before putting them in the bin. If you don’t make a big fuss about it then she’ll be calmer and accept it’s normal.

Following on from my post, it can be so embarrassing that your body is developing but your friends and peers are still childlike for years. Periods, cramps, boobs, spots. My friends started their period between 13-16 years. It’s worth explaining puberty too, not just the menstrual cycle.

Does she keep a diary? When you talk to her about her menstrual cycle it would be worth suggesting that she tracks it so that she is prepares with sanpro/pants, and explaining that sometimes you can feel more tired or sad around your period and not to worry about that.

Also, please tell her that it can sometimes give women a bit of a funny tummy. We were never warned about this and it was years before I learned this was a normal symptom!

@EnjoyingTheSilence

Teach her how to wash the bloody out of any clothes or sheets when she leaks, cold water and shampoo

I was taught cold water and salt. It’s handy to know shampoo works as well.

It's good to know how to rinse stuff
Mine started in the summer hols between year 5 and 6, after they had only just turned 10.

I agree with PPS it is young. While it's good to know how to wash stuff out I wouldn't expect them to be stripping their sheets and trying to wash stains out in the morning before school etc.

With mine I made sure they had a ready supply of pads and some in a make up bag for school. I let the school know as well so they could use the toilet with the sanitary bin.

Dd1 coped really well. Dd2 was freaked out and will not discuss it with me, takes out the pads I put in her school bag etc. So if your DD will talk about it then you're winning already!

It'll be fine. I agree it is young though. I was quite upset with dd1 as it's such a pita to deal with I hoped there would be more time. Dd2 I knew it was coming.

They both started puberty at 8.5 so I kind of knew it was going to be young but still I was sad for them both.

@DigitalChristmas ooh I didn’t know about salt. Thanks for the tip