Period Fact #6 – Will her period hurt?

Welcome back to our Friday series on Period Facts.  Today’s topic is ‘Will Her Period Hurt?’ Periods themselves shouldn’t hurt.  Some girls experience cramping during their periods which happens when the uterus contracts or tightens as it is working to flush the lining of the uterus.  Bloating caused from extra fluid in the abdomen may also cause discomfort.

Cramping usually happens in the abdomen or the area below the belly button.  If your daughter has burning, itching or sharp pain around her vagina then it is probably best to discuss her concerns with a doctor.

Period Fact #5 – When will my daughter get her first period?

The fifth question in our series on period facts is ‘When you daughter get her first period?’.  It may be frustrating for your daughter to know that no one can tell exactly when a girl will have her first period.  During puberty a girl’s body will go through some typical stages of development but each girl is unique and the changes will happen at different times.  Usually a period will come about 2 to 2 1/2 years after breasts first start growing.  An indicator may also be when other female relatives started their periods.

Period Fact #4 – How may days will I bleed?

This is fourth in the series about period facts, helping you help your daughter with what she needs to know about periods.  Today’s question is ‘How many days will I bleed?’.  A period can last anywhere from 3 to 5 days each month.  For some girls, the first day or so is the heaviest and then the “flow” gets lighter – remember from Period Fact #3 that blood and tissue really come out in dribbles.

Every girl’s period is unique to her so your daughter will have to wait and see to know just how long her periods will last.  She may even skip one which is normal too.  Periods are often irregular for the first couple of years.

Period Fact #3 – How much blood will there be?

Continuing our series about period facts is today’s topic that is usually uppermost in a young girl’s mind – how much blood will there be?  Assure your daughters that it’s really not so much and it doesn’t come gushing out like a cut.  Menstrual blood dribbles out a little at a time.  The amount will vary from girl to girl but will be around one to six tablespoons.  Sometimes the blood has clumps in it which is normal too.  Menstrual blood is really a mixture of blood and the broken down lining of the uterus.

Period Fact #2 – How long is a Menstrual Cycle?

This post is second in our series about period facts – helping you to explain periods to your daughter.  In our first post last week we talked about what a period is, now we do a little explaining about how long a menstrual cycle lasts.

A menstrual cycle includes the whole process from when an ovary first releases an egg and lasts until the next egg is released.  To know how many days a whole cycle lasts, a girl can count the days from the first day of her last period to the first day of her next period.  Usually a menstrual cycle is about 28 days but it’s OK if the cycle is shorter or longer.  Remember that it may take up to a year for a girl to settle into a regular cycle.

Help your daughter to track her menstrual cycle using the free Dot Girl Period Calendar.  Knowing her cycle will help her be prepared with supplies, especially if she is away from home for an overnight camp or other activity.

Period Fact #1 – What is a Period Anyway?

In the next few months, we’ll be covering various topics related to periods to help parents explain to their daughters the changes that are taking place in their bodies.  We start off with a simple explanation of a menstrual period.

When a girl’s body gets to the right stage of development, it will start to release an egg each month of one of the two ovaries.  The lining of the uterus will thicken in preparation to hold and nourish a fertilized egg.

The egg is released two weeks before bleeding starts.  Most of the time the egg is not fertilized causing it to be flushed from the body through the vagina along with the lining of the uterus.  A menstrual period is that time when the egg and uterine tissue are being flushed.  A girl’s first period is typically light and may not be regular for several months.