DD started her period today sob sob

[valleyqueen]

She is almost 12 and totally cool with it. She isn't my baby anymore is she? :(

She'll always be your baby...just a bigger more womanly one!

She'll always be your baby. Starting a new chapter in her life. Exciting for you and her!

Exciting?? I am just wondering when the moods will start, she was complaining of tummy ache earlier bless her.

We are going pad shopping tomorrow as the ones I gave her are crap. I haven't used pads for about 18 years so don't know what the hell I am doing.

Beginning to think I am far too negative... please explain why it's exciting mememe30 or someone I'd =be very grateful as I dread dd starting but try to make positive comments.
Agree with others though valleyqueen - she will always be your baby, always.

My DD uses the Always ultra ones if thats any help as they are quite thin and discrete (they come in different sorts, (regular, nite time and winged etc)
DD also gets bad stomach cramps which I have never suffered from thankfully. She says Feminax helps when she remembers to take it!

She's starting the path to becoming a woman. I think thats an exciting (if a little moody) time.

Fruitspooks you are a font of knowledge thank you :) from cat litter to sanitary products.

She hasn't been moody so far so fingers crossed, don't know what we are going to do about swimming though?

If it's school swimming, my DD's school are quite realistic - the girls just go into a different set and do sport/pe rather than swim if they've got their period - everyone's very matter of fact about it and it works fine

can she use tampons for swimming?

I hadn't thought about swimming!

Lucky DD isn't doing it at school and hasn't started her periods yet, though I'm sure it's near.

I have bought DD some pads that say suitable for teenagers on the pack, and she has a couple in a cute purse in her bag ready.

vq, how long was it from your DD having reasonable amount of pubic hair and at least A-cup bra?

Hope you don't mind me jumping on your thread valleyqueen but my little girl is 8 & had a bleed last week with cramps & all tests have come back clear so the doctor said it could be her period. It may just be a one off show & not come back for years or it my turn into a monthly thing we just don't know yet.

I haven't explained anything to her yet as she is still so young & tbh I don't know what to say ?

My mum used to call it The Curse, as her generation generally did. I remember hearing an Irish nun say 'It's never a curse, it's a blessing to know that you could bear children'.

I find that rather moving now with two girls of my own. (I know it doesn't ALWAYS mean bearing children will be a peice of cake but I thought for a nun it was a nice sentiment.)

She will always be your little one.

If she does become moody, I definitely recommend getting her on to Star flower oil. Its a bit like evening primrose oil for teenagers. Balances the hormones! Wish my mum had put me on them. Am sure she thinks its great to have her period! Bless.

i used tampons from the age of 12 and now use a mooncup - both made a HUGE difference to how periods affected my (sporty) life.

don't dismiss the possibilities, mini tampons are very small and easy to use.

Someone I was friends with at University told me her Dad opened a bottle of champagne for the whole family to enjoy on the night she started her first period.

It may feel hard to be positive about it but children grow up. To show them anything other than acceptance and love exactly as they are right now not wishing they were anything other than they are is not good or healthy imvho.

Evie that is really young I am not sure what I would say either. Maybe you could get one of the Babette cole books or a leaflet, I have a good selection at work I will stick a message on this thread when I know what they are called.

Tilly dd started getting pubic hair properly about a year ago before that she was getting a bit and was an a cup about the same time she is nearly a b now (going to be like her mum).

Not sure if she is ready for tampons she wants to but I had to convince her really hard she has 3 holes. She thought there was a pee one and a poo one. I did pmsl at that one.

vq, if DD gets to be a B, she'll be bigger than me

I use starflower oil and was wondering if I should get her some, def will now.

scaley I took her to the cinema to celebrate today :) and for some odd reason she wanted to sleep in my bed last night, I let her of course.

Thanks valleyqueen I would appreciate that.

Eviedidit, I wanted to post after seeing your message.

If your DD is 8, do you not feel it's time for her to know about periods anyway, whether or not she may have started?

(I have an 8 yr old DD, so understand your feelings - they are still so young in many ways)

But IMHO it's essential for us to give our children clear, simple, reliable information about how their bodies will change, before they get bamboozled by some nonsense in the playground.

There are lots of good books around, they might help to give you some ideas about how to start telling her.
I just left a book about growing up around for DD to find, then casually asked her if she had any questions about it, and got a chat going that way.

iheart I am trying to decide how much to tell her but I think a book sounds like a great idea.
I didn't imagine I would be having this conversation with her until next year, she won't be 9 until the end of March & I don't want it forced onto us so that is why I waited for the test results to come back.

I agree about getting in there before the school yard version gets there