We all have different first period STORIES because we, as humans, are all individuals. For some our period can come early, for some, later on in our teen years. It all depends on how we're brought up, what information our family shares with us, how prepared we are, what's talked about with our friends, what our culture dictates, and so many other things ... Everyone's body is different and everyones first-period story will be different.
According to Kids Health, the AVERAGE time frame for girls to get their first period is between 10 and 15. This is a time in their lives where emotions are running hot, hormones can be dictating their behaviour, and so it's VERY IMPORTANT that we make sure this is a NORMAL stage in our daughter's lives, that they're confident, comfortable, educated, and that they know what to expect.
Watch this video of women sharing their first period stories, does one of these stories sound similar to yours?
FOUR signs to watch for;
1.) Breast buds start to develop
This is often one of the first signs that your daughter is starting puberty. When you Puffy nipples and bigger areola's, that's a sure sign! Often, breasts will grow at different stages. It's NORMAL not to have two the same!
2.) Pubic hair starts to grow
Another not-so-obvious sign is the arrival of pubic hair down there. They may not tell you this (no biggie, just some girls are more private than others), but be prepared! For some girls (15%) pubic hair appears before they start developing their breast buds.
3.) Vaginal Discharge
Some girls experience a small to moderate amount of clear or white vaginal discharge that starts about 6-12 months BEFORE their first period. This is a normal response to growing amounts of the hormone estrogen in the body. THIS is when it's the perfect time to get them wearing our pre-period light absorbency knickers. They feel like regular underwear, are so light they won't notice any difference, and you're giving them comfort, freedom and confidence to tackle all the discharge changes or light bladder leakages that girls go through.
4.) Growth spurt!
Most girls have their growth spurt a little earlier than boys do. The fastest rate of height growth usually occurs in girls sometime between when their breast buds start developing and about 6 months before they get their period. Once a girl has had her first period, her growth will start to slow down, and on average grow only a further 3-5cm (1-2 inches) after getting their period.
5.) Body shape changes
The growth spurt won't happen for all girls, but it's very likely that your daughter's hips will get wider and her waist (may) get smaller, sure signs that it's time to give them pre-period knickers to prepare them for what's coming. It's shouldn't be a cause for alarm, but it's ALWAYS great to be prepared at all times.
7.) Periods
While this can vary, most girls get their first period within 2 – 3 years after the development of the breast buds.
Periods are a NORMAL part of growing up. Many girls can be worried (and a lot of this can depend on our LANGUAGE) that they're now all grown up, or that they're now WOMEN. If we change this language to STARTING on the JOURNEY to being a woman, or our body preparing us to become women, this won't seem as daunting as overnight suddenly being a woman! Young girls need to know that it's okay to talk about periods and ask questions about them.
Some girls may have anxiety around how to handle their first period, particularly because it's likely to happen unexpectedly. By providing and encouraging your daughters to wear our pre-period undies in the months leading up to their first period, will means they don't even need to have a "period kit" at school, which can add its own set of awkwardness (pads, spare knickers, panty-liners in the school bag). Our light absorbency (or pre-period knickers) have the white KNICKED on the waistband, and are designed for girls who have not yet had a period but will in the future or for spotting, or light coverage either side of a regular period.
While some girls will have bright red blood with their first period, other girls may only have spotting with red-brown discharge - both are normal! While some girls will have periods once a month, their periods may be irregular in the first few years as the body adapts to rapid physiological changes. Also, normal cycles of periods can be as short as 21 days or as long as 35… so even people with regular cycles might not have a period every single month!
Now that you know what to look out for, what's next?
Good question ... and we have just the right answer for that! Our Knicked pre-period or light absorbency knickers are super lightweight, and offer comfort, peace of mind and protection from discharge or arrival of a first or unexpected period. They're designed to hold 5mls or one panty liner. These are available in two styles; super soft Eco Modal in our hipster cut or Micromesh, which is a cooling lightweight stretch material in our high waist bikini cut.
Ditch the disposable panty liners and do something wonderful for the planet. Teach your daughters to love and care for themselves AND the environment. ALSO, you can read this blog to know how you could get 50% cashback through your local council for simply purchasing reusable knickers here!
We have a Pre-Period Bundle that you can grab which will SAVE you $19.95!!!! Inside the bundle are:
- 2 x Heavy absorbency
- 5 x Light absorbency
- 1 x FREE gift
... and the 7th pair is FREE which makes you save that much $$$!
OR you can try our WELCOME TO YOUR PERIOD bundle. It comes with:
- 2 x Light absorbency
- 1 x Heavy absorbency
- 1 x Tree of Life
- 1 x Positivity Cards
- 12 x Healing Hearts
- 1 x Silk bag
What are you waiting for? Grab yours now - help your daughter(s) feel PREPARED and eliminate the awkwardness!
