How did you/have you prepared for first period?

[Lottie4]

My daughter is nearly 12 and looking at her, I still think I've got a little while until I have to worry about periods, but just wondered how others prepared.

I've heard some girls are light to start with, but I was really heavy so am trying to cover everything. I've got her some Lillets teen and Bodyform normal with and without wings which she can have straight away. If it turns out shes heavy I've got a some Bodyform super with wings just in case. I've also got a pretty small toiletry bag which I'm going to give her soon with spare pair of pants, wipes and a couple of towels in case she starts when I'm not around. Does this all sound okay?

That sounds absolutely fine. Keep a discrete store of towels in each of your bathrooms and give her a pre-packed little bag with essentials in to take to school. She's be absolutely ok as long as she is prepared for every eventuality.

Thanks for your reply. Wanted to be well prepared as you never know when its going to happen.

Sounds very well-prepared to me.

DD and I bought a pretty pencil-case for her to carry a towel, pants and wipes in for school. She is still at primary and I thought it would be less obvious if she needed to use it. It just sits in her schoolbag.
Also remember to include something if she goes on a sleepover, etc. I always forgot but DD is trained now so packs for herself :)

I've bought the liletts teen starter pack from boots. It has a couple of each of their products in. I also have a pack of teen towels in my wardrobe ready (they were 3 for 2 at the time and have 2 starter packs for twins).

It is probably quite an expensive way to do it but they have s discreet pouch they can use in there school bag (though it used to make me laugh that individually wrapped ones were branded as discreet when I started many years ago...apparently people would just think they were cakes or something . It also has a nice little booklet about puberty.

For me it means that they know where they can go. They don't have to come and ask me immediately. When I was at school we all got given a starter pack with 4 towels in. I found it so embaressing because my mum had put it away and I had to go and ask for it. At least if they have some available they have a few hours flexibility to come and discuss with me if they want.

The only thing I haven't done is recommended they take some to school or their dads 'just in case'. I think they are feeling a bit anxious that it is getting closer and don't want to increase the anxiety...not sure what to do for the best.

I know it is getting closer...but I don't know how close. Dtd2 has quite a lot of pubic hair, but breasts buds only just starting to develop. She also has some fine wispy under arm hair that isnt noticeable unless you look. Dtd1 in terms of visual changes is a little bit behind.

I wish there was a set sequence of events so that I and they could be even better prepared....

What you've done sounds great, and far better than my total shock when nearly-9-yr-old DD started with no warning bar some tummy aches (which I'd cheerily dismissed as worrying about maths)! Then she had an 8-month gap before the next one, for which we were somewhat more prepared... and another 6 months before they settled down into anything predictable.

Yes, I thought I'd give her a couple in a little bag - that way she has them at school if she doesn't want to approach a teacher or if I'm out, she hasn't got to ask her Dad. I know periods are often a lot later, but at the end of last year she developed all the other signs of puberty at the same time, so think it's best to be prepared, especially as BirdintheWings says some do start early (what a shock at the time for you!).

Sounds great to me. I also gave her some 'nappy sacks' for her school stuff in case her knickers were stained. Also, suggest to her she check where the bins are in the loos as there isn't always one in each. My dd is at primary school so there may be more in high school. hth

I've got some Lillets teens as well in preparation, but am now going to get her some other pads like you have - my friend's daughter started yesterday and she is keeping her off school today as she's really heavy and constantly leaking. I was really heavy to start with (had to change every hour and often had to go to a teacher as I had stained skirts), so to be prepared for first time. Even if they are light in the day, might be handy for night time use anyway.

To be honest I use a combination of bodyform super and normal so have a good variety in the house anyway.

What do you guys think about them putting them in their school bags before the event. I really don't want to freak them..

Put them in a PE bag -- more room for changes of clothes in there, and less likely to fall out on the floor when grubbing for a pencil.
Just make sure you remember to tell them!

I've done this for my DDs, but the one I think is most likely to start first refuses to keep her bag with her and stores it in her wardrobe. She says it's humiliating to have a discreet little wash bag in her school bag. I really don't know how the get around that, but as long as your DD will accept it then put it in her school bag and make sure she's not stressed about having to wash/bring home messy pants - tell her she can bin them.

Don't forget to take them on holiday with you! I started late at night in France and my mum had nothing with her

I took dd shopping a little while before she started and we bought five or six different sorts of pads and a couple of packs of tampons too. Plus a little bag, and then she had that in the bottom of her school bag for probably six months or so. I have a feeling that the day she started she had left the bag at home all the same! After a few threads here we also talked about whether she would like some sort of celebration the day she started, and she said yes chocolate and cake would be good - any excuse So we made red velvet cake (which was a bit disappointing, but quite silly).

I think the important thing is to talk about it quite openly, share your own experiences, let them know that you didn't always get it quite right, and that you won't get mad if there are a few stains along the way (my mother was really shit at that one). Plus make sure she has some darker trousers etc so that she has some good options if she's worried (dd doesn't wear school uniform).

Your bag sounds great Lottie :)

AdoraBell, I bought what looks like a little makeup bag from Next - it has a shiny outside and almost looks like a pencil case, so if it falls out that's what most will think it is. I'm going to also point out members of staff who I think about be good to approach if she has a problem, ie her form tutor, head of year, head of KS3 or student reception, so if your daughter still refuses to take anything to school, she will know who to approach if she needs help. If she has a locker at school, that's another possible place to leave them, at least a friend could go and get bag if she doesn't want to leave toilet or ask a teacher.

Yep, Lottie sounds almost exactly like what I gave DDs. But she still won't take it to school, not even in the bottom of her rucksack where it's never going to fall from. It's not like she's likely to be the first in her year or even class as where we are girls do tend to develop and start puberty a couple of years earlier, on average. Lockers are open at present, and some of the boys have a habit of pulling people's things out - which is probably why she doesn't want the bag- but next year they'll have lockable ones.

Shool uniform is dark, so if she starts really light it may not be a huge problem in that respect, but what if she's heavy? Surely that would be worse than possibly being embarrassed if her bag comes out of the rucksack. And she suddenly doesn't want to hear any conversations about this. I'll see if I can get her to choose another bag, maybe she'll be happier with her own choice.

I'll try talking to teachers too, I hadn't connected the dots from unruly boys in the class to DD's bag.

Agree with the holiday one, my daughter started the day we arrived in Venice, she was 11 and I thought I'd got at least another year before she started so was totally unprepared, fortunately those first ones are fairly light (don't strike me down if I'm wrong) but hers/mine were.

So far the holiday aspect had slipped my attention, Doh! Will pack some for our upcoming trip to a kind of campsite in the forest. I can't remember when or how mine started, but DD's are nearly 12 and one has been wearing bras for about 18 months and has become one moody little madam so I'm thinking the hormones are ramping up the action.

We went camping a few weeks ago and for the first time took something just in case.

AdoraBell, she's got a fairly good chance of starting at home anyway, but the school will help her through it. Once she's had one, she'll probably realize she will does need to start carrying something with her.

My first period was really light, I was out on a day trip and can remember putting toilet paper in my pants as I was worried my Mum would come into the toilets and get one out of the vending machine. Looking back, she was probably prepared like we are trying to be. My second period and following ones were so heavy, had to change every hour the first day, and you can imagine how many accidents I had at school. Luckily I felt comfortable with my old form tutor who had a room around the back, so would go to her. The school had a washing machine and they were brilliant and would wash my skirt and pants - can't imagine they'd do that now with lack of time and health and safety.

I'm sure they will all take it in their stride, it's just us that want to try and get it right for them.

I'm sure you've right Lottie, my mother was no help to me at this time, luckily I have an older sister.

help my d as started rubbin up on things she is 8yr is this the start ov things 2 cum i.e. puberty n cycles???????? dnt no wot 2 do