First periods

[eli]

Hope this is not too gritty a question. i have an 11-year-old daughter and know that her periods could start at any time. I want to have some sanitary towels in the cupboard but having been years since I used the things I don't know what product would be most appropriate for a young girl. Can anyone make any recommendations?

I have a 9yo who is complaining of constant tummy aches (not feeling sick just hurting) which I have put down mostly to wind but throughout her years she has always hit her milestones early i.e. walking at 9 months, losing her teeth at 4 etc. and am convinced she will start puberty early :0( It suddenly dawned on me a couple of weeks ago that her tummy aches might be a warning of whats to come and have now convinced myself that her periods are on their way - she is also extremely moody at the moment (answering back etc.) which is not normally like her.

I went to Tescos to buy some sanitary towels so as to be prepared and was at a loss as to what to get her and feel that the towels are all too big for her little knickers (she is ver slim and can still wear 7-8 knickers comfortably) and got myself worked up and upset at the thought of it all.

So I thought I would google "sanitary towels for teenagers" and this website came up. I have subsequently found out what the best brand of towels to use (Always Ultra Thins seem the way to go) and that I am not alone in my 9yo starting or about to start her periods (although she hasn't as yet) which although worrying was also reassuring.

If there is any other advice anyone can give me re. this somewhat emotive subject then please do.

Hello, before your daughter starts her periods she will develop other signs of puberty. There is also a link to bodyweight although it's not an absolute.
Tummy aches and moodiness can be caused by any number of other causes from worry to worms! Abdominal migraine also not uncommon in children.

Really!! I didn't know that - thanks. I haven't noticed any other signs other than what I mentioned before which, I have to say, makes me feel a whole lot better. Its also making we me wonder if I worrying unecessarily about the whole thing

lilismummy you could try using thicker pantyliners as your periods tend to start quite light, this is what me and my sisters did. Also always with silk are quite thin and pretty.

also if you think she would use tampons tampax lites are tiny and perfect for teenagers.

Penelopepitstops, thanks for that, I didn't even consider thicker pantyliners - do they have wings? My daughter is only 9yrs so tampax (for me personally) would be out of the question for now but thanks for tip

Just reading your bits on periods for young girls and wondered whether there was a company that provided Starter Packs with information booklets and cd's. In Australia there is such a company and you simply email them and they send these packs out free of charge. Any ideas? My daughter is just at the right age and I feel she'll be starting her periods very soon

Hiya
just to add my experience to this long running thread. DD(now 14) started last June, on the day she was leaving to spend 10 days in the Ardeche and Med on a PGL/school holiday. You know the sort, canoeing, banana boats etc. Talk about horrendous timing!. I sent her off with two big packs of pads, and said you'll probably only be on for a couple of days. Poor thing, flooded her sleeping back most nights, couldnt participate in a lot of the events and only finished the day she came home. So for a first one it was really bad. She has continued to be like this every time since. She decided about two months ago that tampons were the way forward for her and (after a few attempts) hasn't looked back, but it really is each to their own as it is such a personal thing.
Good luck

Ah the first period - my very first period was HORRIFIC - really heavy and painful. Luckily they settled down after that but it didn't half put me off!

My mum bought me a book when I was about 10 which had case studies in it. One girl wrote how she started in the swimming pool. Well - that was NOT helpful as ever since reading that and actually starting I would be terrified of swimming and would always be checking under the water "just in case".

It's a tricky time.

Hi, hope you don't mind a guy posting here, but I'm a single dad with no experience of periods and no one to ask.
I have an 11 year old girl, and as she is showing signs of puberty, I've told her about periods and that they may start soon, I need to get her some sanitary towels, and reading above i can get some Always Ultra Thins, which i have no problem getting.
But I know this may sound a stupid question, but I honestly don't know the answer, What do you do with the used ones, are they flushed down the toilet, or just thrown in the bin.
Thanks
Ben

loons
perhaps school nurse does starter packs and info?

thanks for this thread. I was so confused as to what to get dd(13 and sn) now I know. good old mn

my thought exactly 2shoes

DD is 13 and shows ALL the signs of puberty. I went to Boots yesterday and pondered forever over the selection, as I wanted to give her a supply 'just in case'. I settled on 3 packs - Always Ultra with wings, Always Ultra without wings and Always Ultra for nights. Having just found this thread I am delighted to see I seem to have made a good choice!

I have given them to her, as I remember being fascinated by the 'equipment' I would need and I hope being able to see / feel / try it before the event might take away some of the apprehension.

I started my periods at exactly the age my daughter is now and moved to tampons immediately but I'm not sure she will want to do that. Will give her the option, obviously.

LOL at all the people freaking out over mooncups

MotherofGirls, that's precisely what I've done to: if you keep a couple of different sizes your dd will be prepared for all eventualities. And there is no knowing how much you will bleed during your early periods: I was like some Amazonian cataract, absolutely gross, with dd it seems to be more irregular and light. I keep it in a bag in the bathroom, easily accessible and not kept hidden or a secret from any family member- but then I use the same stuff myself (never really got onto tampons).

Ladies if I may make a suggestion, I would like to steer you toward the natural 1oo% cotton organic stuff if I could. Not all scratchy or anything, its just the ph balance down there is so easy to disrupt, and now they have sented towels and things, its really not healthy to use perfumes or chemicals on such a delicate area.

Boots ahve a good selection, no more expensive, but just kinder to delicate bits.

Ta cc

lilismummy, just noticed your post, 9 yrs is a little young for puberty, but you are right in not being unheard of. My dd is 2,3yrs and already in puberty!!!!! Its called precousious puberty, so I have a little knowledge of the goings on, I would mention it to the docs let them take a look, see what they think, she may need monitoring, hope you dont mind my butting in.

I used to give my DH her own supplies which she kept in her room for the moment it happened!

She also took a couple of Always pads to school in a pretty pencil case/makeup bag thingy, which was inconspicuous and she was always prepared. I also advised her to pop a pad in all her handbags so that if she was out she's never be caught without- something I always do- but have to remember to take them out before giving bags to charity shop!

BTW some girls do have periods at nine- I know someone whose daughter started then. The order of things is usually breast development, pubic hair, underarm hair, periods- and fattening up a bit all over.

My 12 year old daughter is having very erratic periods since she started in March is this normal?

Yes- they can be all over the place for the first 2 years, just like they are when they are into their last 2 years ( menopause.)

My DD had a period the day of a school selection test when she was nearly 11. She had shown no other obvious signs of puberty. It was a total one-off and there has been no repeat. She's 13 now and they still haven't started. The doctor said it could have been associated with stress. When I mentioned it to her (DD) the other day (we were talking about the possibility of her period showing up any time soon) she appeared to have forgotten all about it.

i would highly recommend some panty liners as intially will be a very small amount of blood and recommend always silk sanitary towels.

unless a champion swimmer and needs to use tampons encourage not to use for first year or so.

contact your school nurse they cover several schools in an area ~(ask daughters school for number) and they will have some leaflets to send you and maybe some product samples.

excellent website www.beingagirl.com

2 weeks ago i had this discusion with DD 11.7 yr.
we have looked at all types of sanitary devices not sure if thats the right word.
we have played tampons in the sink (even i didnt realise they swelled up THAT much) & making sure the panty liner goes the right way sorry if TMI
she has decided on panty liners and i have purchased the tampax pink (small for young girls)if she decides that she wants to try them.
She hasnt started yet but we have done ALL the questions & some that i had NEVER thought of!!!!!

she has a small makeup bag with some feminine wipes, a spare pair of nicks and some panty liners and a nappy sack.

a girl in her class has already started and as DD is rather hormonal i assume she wont be much longer (seem to be monthly mood swings but nothing else).

No doubt then the mood swings will really settle in

If your daughter is at secondary school, you will probably find that she's discussed this with friends. My daughters prefer Always pads, but one prefers with wings & the other without. They are using normal absorbency in day but have night time variety with wings for bedtime. (They don't want to use tampons at all at the moment.)
They also use panty pads around the time their period might start.

Both my daughters had a light vaginal discharge shortly before their periods started. May be a warning sign to be prepared.

If you have a child who can't swallow tablets & has period pain try Nurofen Meltets or kid's Calpol tablets that can be sucked.

Sometimes you get free containers/tins with towels (e.g. Bodyform)that can be popped discreetly in school bag.

Also if your daughter wears boxer shorts she may find normal pants keep pads in place better.

Another worry I encountered was what to do if this period started while we were on holiday - using hired bedding in a rented house. Although I was happy I could remove stains from bedding, I was worried that i might have problems if it seeped through to mattress. I took some 'baby/toddler' night time bed protector pads with me to put between sheet & mattress.

Hope that helps!