A Girl's First Period

Some additional questions:

Where were you?

Did you tell anyone? If yes, who?

Did you use a tampon, napkin, or panty liner first?

Were you embarrassed, scared, or proud?

Were your periods regular or irregular?

I was at sisters birthday party and they gave me a towelto use .and my sis and mum made a big fuss of me saying i was now a woman ,

yeah right i hated it cos i started on my sisters birtday 3rd august 2000.

I was 14, so that would have been summer of 74, you do the math. My mother had given me a book 4 years before that explained puberty, what happens with boys and girls, where babies come from and what happens when boys and girls "really, really like each other." That was my one and only introduction to reproduction.

We were at my great-aunt's summer cottage on a lake in Upper New York State (think Dirty Dancing for a scenic idea). She always kept the bathroom well stocked with anything anyone could possibly need or want in the way of "unmentionables". I had been feeling "off" for a few days and then one afternoon I went to use the bathroom and lo and behold!

I used one of the belts and pads that were there for the purpose, and then I went and told my mother (that was a dreaded chore in and of itself, she was not exactly a supportive parent). She insisted on examining the evidence - like I was making it up? Then we marched (and I mean marched) to the store to buy a) replacement products for the ONE I had used and b) more products for my use. Now, pantiliners and tampons were available even then but nooooo, not for my mother! Pads and belt it was.

The ultimate humiliation was that night when she decided to engage in family sharing (evidently she had just read an article about it in Ladiee' Home Journal or Family Circle, it was surely not an original thought) and she announced it at the dinner table. I thought my father was going into apoplexy (WAAAAY too much information for him) and my sister (2.5 years younger) was just clueless. This is not the right way to handle the situation!

My periods were as regular as clockwork from that point on until I was 43, when they ceased. I only missed a period when I was pregnant.

That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.

Where were you?

I was 11 and at a girlscout function at a local pond. Went to the bathroom in the port-a-potty and saw blood in the panty of my bathing suit.

Did you tell anyone?

Given I was out in public, I told my mom. We went home and she taught me how to use pads while I was sitting in the master bathroom on the toilet for the lesson. I knew what it was as my mom had told me what to expect as I was growing up. It wasn't a secret.

Did you use a tampon, napkin, or panty liner first?

Pad/napkin - though I later tried a tampon at 14 and found it very uncomfortable, so I stuck with pads.

Were you embarrassed, scared, or proud?

None of the above. I was rather matter of fact and was more like SHIT now I know it will come every month... grrrr.

Were your periods regular or irregular?

Relatively regular from then on, though they were heavy for several days of the cycle. Only recently have they been having issues.

I was 10 years old. I, my sister, and my Mom were sitting on my Mother's bed chatting and waiting to go to swimming lessons. We all got up, my Mom got excited(she was late, seems she was pregnant with my baby brother) but alas it was just my period starting. I was started on tampons, since I had swimming lessons to attend all week. Getting that first tampon out was a bit of a beaner, but it was either get it out myself or have my Mom come do it. I've since converted to using a Divas Cup, much better cost factor compared to tampons and/or pads.

Were your periods regular or irregular? Mine have never been regular. They show up when ever they want. Though I now know the symptoms a bit better and know it will show up within the week or so. I have always had a bad time with the first 24 hours, though now it has cut back to about 20 hours.

I was 13 at the time mine started. I was at school and just done going to the bathroom when I heard some extra stuff come out of me. I was prepared with a pad in my purse. I had to use pads except for swim practices. My mom checked to make sure that I had a pad on after I was done. My periods liked to show up about every other month for about a year until they became pretty regular.

I was away on holiday for the summer.

I told my mum and my grandma, because it was her house i was staying at.

I used a pad first.. i was too scared to use tampons back then.

I remember being scared and a bit emotional when it happened.

They have always been pretty regular.

Where were you? At school

Did you tell anyone? No, I didn't know what was going on. I was terrified. If yes, who?

Did you use a tampon, napkin, or panty liner first? Papertowels until we had sex ed. Mom didn't prepare me at all. Had a period for 3 months before I knew what it was.

Were you embarrassed, scared, or proud? Scared

Were your periods regular or irregular? I don't remember

Where were you?

i was in school

Did you tell anyone? If yes, who?

a good friend

Did you use a tampon, napkin, or panty liner first?

i used a tampon. my friend gave it to me

Were you embarrassed, scared, or proud?

i was a bit scared, because there was very much blood

Were your periods regular or irregular?

up to the age of 15 my periods were very irregular. later i got them in regular rhythm

Where were you?

i was in school

Did you tell anyone? If yes, who?

Immediately the teacher! I needed a pad! Then my friends and mom

Did you use a tampon, napkin, or panty liner first?

Pad

Were you embarrassed, scared, or proud?

All of the above!

Were your periods regular or irregular?

Always normal except under alot of stress

I was 12 and away at sleep-away camp.

My mother and I were expecting my period to start soon, so we packed tampons with my bathroom supplies when we were getting everything together for camp. I was prepared for it, and inserted a tampon when I saw my period had arrived. I had practiced that while I was home.

Everyone in the bunk knew I got my period because when I got out of bed in the morning and made the bed because I was very surprised to see a big red spot on the sheets and my nighty.

We didn't have cell phones and calling home was discouraged at camp, so I told my mother in a letter.

She sent me back a dozen red roses!

My first few periods varied in length a little, but after five or six, they came every 27 days on the dot.

Where were you?

At my aunt's house

Did you tell anyone?

Yes. I told my Mother and Aunt.

Did you use a tampon, napkin, or panty liner first?

Pad

Were you embarrassed, scared, or proud?

Scared and not feeling well at all

Were your periods regular or irregular?

Regular and usually very heavy

Where were you?

I was at home (parents' house) and just got out of the pool and had to go to the bathroom.

Did you tell anyone?

I told my mother and then I told my father.

Did you use a tampon, napkin, or panty liner first?

Panty liner

Were you embarrassed, scared, or proud?

I was really proud 😃

Were your periods regular or irregular?

The first one wasn't too bad. The ones after that were hell on Earth!

This was a really big event for me because it meant that I wasn't going to be the last girl among the several of us who hung out together to get her period.

Where were you? I was home and it was over Thanksgiving holiday because my aunts, uncles, and cousins were at our house.

Did you tell anyone? If yes, who? I sort of disappeared into my bedroom and when my mom came to find me, I told that I had gotten my period. She was pretty happy about it and hugged me.

Did you use a tampon, napkin, or panty liner first? I used a napkin with a belt.

Were you embarrassed, scared, or proud? At first I was scared, but then I was really proud. One by one my friends had started and it was a big deal to be able to make the announcement the following Monday.

Were your periods regular or irregular? Not at first. It took maybe a year or so before they were

Where were you?

I was 12 when I had my first period.

It happened while I learned for school with a friend.

Did you tell anyone? If yes, who?

I spoke with my mom about it, and she reassurde me because I was uncertain about it.

Did you use a tampon, napkin, or panty liner first?

At the beginning I used panty liner. When I became 15 or so I changed to tampons.

Were you embarrassed, scared, or proud?

First I was a bit scared but after a while I accepted it and was happy to become a woman.

Were your periods regular or irregular?

Since my periods startet, they are mostly regular.

Where were you?

At my house

Did you tell anyone?

Yes. I told my Mom

Did you use a tampon, napkin, or panty liner first?

Pad

Were you embarrassed, scared, or proud?

I was very proud!

Were your periods regular or irregular?

Regular and heavy

Where were you?

Hom

Did you tell anyone? If yes, who?

yes My aunt

Did you use a tampon, napkin, or panty liner first?

tampon

Were you embarrassed, scared, or proud?

proud

Were your periods regular or irregular?

regular

It was over summer break and I was at home when it began.

2. I told my mom, who in turn told my step dad and brother.

3. That morning I used a pad, but by evening I was trying tampons.

4. I was terrified. The second my mom found out she scheduled me a doctor appointment. She wanted to check and make sure everything was ok. I wanted to hide.

5. They were extremely normal.

I was at a friends for a sleepover I was 13

I told my friend...she was older and had already started hers

I used a tampon because that is what she used

I was very proud

Irregular for about the first 6 months then like clockwork

Where were you? At school following gym class.

Did you tell anyone? If yes, who? My best friend, Katlyn, who had already started menstruating and gave me a pad.

Did you use a tampon, napkin, or panty liner first? pad

Were you embarrassed, scared, or proud? We had had a discussion in health class, my mom had told me what to expect and I'd had several friends who had started periods already. So mostly proud.

Were your periods regular or irregular? a bit irregular for heavy vs light and days in a cycle during the first year or so, but then became very regular

Where were you?

I was home

Did you tell anyone? If yes, who?

no

Did you use a tampon, napkin, or panty liner first?

Napkins

Were you embarrassed, scared, or proud?

a little

Were your periods regular or irregular?

Irregular