First Period Stories
First Period Stories are always coming our way from women eager to share memories of their first time. It reminds us that every girl will at some point go through a first period experience and even though the experience is common to all girls, each has their own unique story on when and how it happened to her.
We have asked a few of our readers permission to share their stories. Please be sure to share the stories with your daughter to let her know she is not alone in this step towards womanhood. Note that stories are not edited for grammar.
Betsy’s Story
I started my period on the last day of the 7th grade. I had just arrived home from school and was looking forward to a wonderfully carefree summer. I went to the bathroom and my period started. I yelled to my Mom to tell her, and to ask what to do, but she was too embarrassed to talk about it so she simply tossed me a box of maxi pads. I had no idea what to expect. I quietly endured the cramps and wondered if any of my friends had gone through it yet. When my Dad came home from work, my Mom told him. He called me into the family room and started talking about how I was a “woman now”, and that we were going out to dinner to celebrate. The whole thing was really uncomfortable–from the cramps, to my Mom’s embarrassment and lack of communication, to my Dad’s celebration idea. I learned how NOT to handle it with my daughter!
Kristen’s Story
I was 14 when I first had mine. All my friends had already had theirs for years. My mom was constantly asking the pediatrician why I hadn’t started. It was extremely embarrassing. She used to have regular discussions about it with my aunts and grandmother. Completely humiliating and I always felt like a freak. When I finally got it, I was on Christmas vacation. I remember taking Pepto Bismol because I thought I had diarrhea. Later that day when I started cramping it occurred to me what it really was and told my mom. She bought me the “Friend” Care Bear. I thought that was nice, until I found out she called everyone she knew to tell them I was FINALLY a woman!
Ana’s Story
I can remember my first period experience like it was just yesterday even though it has been well over 18 years. My mother hadn’t talked to me about it. She was a single mother of four and working two jobs. I was left to fend for myself. I had to grow up too fast; thank God for my 2nd grade teacher who helped me out and gave me a quick but nourishing run down of what was really happening to me and why. Because at that moment in time I thought that there was something really wrong with me and I also thought that I had done something to cause my private parts to bleed. I was really really scared. And now 18 years later my own daughter is going through this and I have tried as much as I can to give her as much information and support that she needs so she isn’t as scared as I was. I hope I am doing well. Thank You for letting me share my story