Introduction

If your little one is growing up and approaching puberty, she is likely to feel anxious about her bodily changes. The topic of menstruation is always surrounded by myths and taboo which impacts a girl’s mental and emotional health, and also her lifestyle. Talking about periods can make a parent and their kid feel awkward, but finding a way to talk about the period is important and can make a huge difference in dealing with it when she gets her first periods. Hence it is of utmost necessary to make her understand about puberty, menstruation, and reproductive health.

Puberty

Puberty in girls links childhood to adulthood where there is a development of secondary sexual characters like the development of breast, hair growth around the pubis and the armpit, peak growth in height, and attaining menstruation. All these changes are completed between the age of 10 and 16 years. The onset of puberty depends on genetics, nutrition, body weight, psychological state, social and cultural background. A girl with good nutrition, adequate body weight, and whose mother and sister have early menarche (onset of first menstruation), start puberty early. If a girl exhibits any sexual characteristic before the age of 8 and starts menstruating before the age of 10 then she may need to seek a doctor to know the underlying cause for precocious puberty. Not only girls even boys need to have a certain knowledge about periods, as boys also attend puberty at the same age and it is important to educate them as well.

Menstruation

Menstruation / Periods is a natural process where there is shedding of blood and other material from the inner lining of the uterus. Under the influence of hormones, that are oestrogen and progesterone, every month there is proliferation (thickening) of the endometrium (inner lining of the uterus) and at the end of the menstrual cycle, this lining dies and sheds off in the form of blood from the vagina. Once the menstruation starts, it continues every month in a cyclical pattern at the interval of 21-35 days, which implies starting from the first day of the last period to the first day of the next period.  Periods may last for 4-5 days with an average blood loss of 25-55ml that is around 2-4tsp and nearly 70% of blood loss occurs in the first 2 days.

Now the most common question that would arise in their minds is why do I get my periods? They should know that every month there is a release of an egg from the ovaries (which is a part of the uterus) and getting periods means her body is preparing the uterus for the pregnancy under the effect of hormones. When a girl is not sexually active there would be no pregnancy and the preparation goes waste, hence there is shedding of the endometrium. That is how you get your periods every month.

So, there is nothing to feel dirty or impure when you hear about periods/menstruation, let’s talk about periods the way it is.

Points to be remembered

• It is always good to keep track of their last period date, this will keep them well prepared for the next period.
• For few girls, once they get their first period, it may be irregular and it might take about 2-3 years for a regular cycle and this is completely normal.
• After a certain age, if the periods get delayed by >10 days and have an irregular pattern then she may seek a doctor.
• Heavy bleeding and who tend to change pads within 2 hours are not normal.
• Severe cramps and severe PMS are not normal.
• Change pad/tampon every 4-6 hours and maintain local hygiene.
• Having a balanced diet and indulging in physical activity helps to balance the hormone, which leads to regularising the cycle and reducing the symptoms like cramps and PMS. To know more about the diet and exercise check the menstrual cycle diet and physical activity page.
• In Ayurveda, we can find a lot of reference regarding, the regimen to be followed during the menstrual cycle, normal and abnormal menstrual cycle and the treatments. Herbs and diet mentioned in the ayurvedic texts work wonderfully in all the gynaecological disorders.

You can educate your kid about puberty, menstruation, and reproductive health. Tell them to have good health and hygiene. Make them understand that it is completely normal to talk to you about it. By educating them before having their first period will help them not to get anxious and to be prepared for it.