Tell me about your daughter's first period

[mommyoffive]

What age did your dd have her first period?   How old were you when you had your first period? 

Was her first period a normal length?   

After her first period, did she have one every month?  

 

I don't remember all the details from when I went through this.  

 

[SKL]

Both of my kids started about age 11.75.

The first period was pretty normal.

They came mostly monthly after that, but the timing was not consistent.  2 years later, it still isn't as consistent as one would think.

My first is not really relevant since my kids were adopted.  But I was 13.

[fairfarmhand]

Oldest 12, middle and youngest 11. 
 

not regular for awhile,  not like an adult period, very light for a few years.

also, my oldest was absolutely insane one week, crying at one point, laughing 5 minutes later, raging a few minutes later. 
 

I seriously thought about taking her for mental treatment. and she started her period the next week and I went...oh...

[jpinal205]

My three dd's got their first periods around 15. I was over 16 before I started mine as was my mom. None of them were regular for the first year or so. Very short duration for the first few months. The only symptom they seemed to have in common was headaches. (and very moody but they would never agree with that).

[alisoncooks]

My girls were young. Around 10, I think.  Young 10. Youngest was pretty regular from the get-go. Oldest had a short cycle, followed by a 3-month pause, then a very regular cycle since then.

Also, my cycle went to heck-in-a-handbasket when oldest DD started. 

And like @fairfarmhand - my oldest had a lot of emotional/hormonal issues before. Since she was so young, I didn't really know why she was so...volatile (her entire 9th year). 

Edited April 2, 2020 by alisoncooks

[Murphy101]

I was a week before my 12th bday. 

Dd1 was 12, dd2 was 13, 

I don’t remember any of Th e other info or never knew it. 

For my girls it’s been no big deal. They said they were having it, and I’d already explained everything and told them where pads were when the day comes.  I told them to circle every day they have bleeding of any kind but to add a few big dots if it’s just spotting on their personal calendar and to expect that approx 25-35 days later it’ll happen again. I’ve never looked or asked about flow or days. I know they have light cycles bc they only want the “1” size pads. 

I know dd2 has some serious PMS bc daaaang. We ALL know without asking. But she also tends to be my most moody/melancholy child regardless and before. I put her on prenatal vitamins and vitD a year ago and that’s done wonders for her mental health overall. 

[SKL]

Yes, my kids have all sorts of ups and downs around their period.  My youngest will now say "Kid1 is acting euphoric again - she must be about to get her period."

[Soror]

I believe I was 12 and same for dd1. Things were a bit irregular at first but seem to be normalish now. Moodyness was insane(constant PMS) for the first several months but is much improved. I have dd tracking her cycles just so she knows when and what to expect. From what has been said bleeding hasn't been excessive at all but lasts several days.

[Momto6inIN]

I was almost 14, 1st DD was barely 11, 2nd DD is almost 12 but hasn't started yet.

1st DD's have been exactly like my adult periods from the beginning, including debilitating cramps and a heavy 1st day. However, she is clocklike regular and I never have been.

The first year or so she was an angry nightmare the week before and a crying mess the week of, but that has since improved. Or maybe she's just more mature and handling the swings better now.

[catz]

I was 11.5. DD was 12.5.  We were both fairly consistent once it started. It wasn't a HUGE deal for either of us.  

[Selkie]

I was 12. Dd got lucky and didn't start until just shy of her 15th birthday. Hers weren't regular at first, but she's 17 now and they are fairly regular. I haven't noticed any emotional swings or hormonal moods with her, other than her being not thrilled when it shows up!

[ktgrok]

I was I think 11. 5th grade I think. 

DD is 10, and at her recent well visit the pediatrician made it clear to me that it could happen anytime, and to be prepared. Then a few days ago I started really feeling the need to be ready - not sure how much of that is mother's intuition, which I'm a believer in, or just me wanting to be ready for anything, given the situation right now!

So I have some teen pads, some teen leak proof underwear, etc on the way from amazon. 

[mom2scouts]

My dd is 13.5 and hasn't had her first period yet. She's very active and quite thin. I was 12 when I started and expected her to be about the same age, so I've been prepared for awhile now.

[rebcoola]

Oldest was 12  the first was light, she was pretty wonky for the first 6 months and had a couple really painful ones but now seems pretty regular. 

 I was 11. 

Middle hasn't started yet but we are ready for it anytime.  Curious if this time of relative inactivity will hurry it.

[mommyoffive]

11 minutes ago, rebcoola said:

Oldest was 12  the first was light, she was pretty wonky for the first 6 months and had a couple really painful ones but now seems pretty regular. 

 I was 11. 

Middle hasn't started yet but we are ready for it anytime.  Curious if this time of relative inactivity will hurry it.

 

My oldest is thin and normally really active.  She is ballet dancer that normally dances at least 3 hours a day 7 days a week.  She has been doing some dancing at home, but not this level.  We don't have a home studio and her school isn't providing any classes.  She is playing outside, but mostly when she is doing that it is low level things.   Gardening.  Slow bike riding up and down the small driveway.  So I kind of wonder if this brought it on more than normal times? 

Anyway I was 13.5 when I got mine, but I don't remember what they were like at that time.    DD was 14.  

[Terabith]

Oldest was 12.5.  Younger one was 10.  I had precocious puberty and had just turned 8 when I had my first.  

They actually had pretty regular periods from the beginning, both in length and frequency.

[barnwife]

I was almost 12 when I got mine. It started as it would continue, basically until my late 20s when I had our first. It was super heavy and super long. I...was not prepared for just how heavy it was. My cramps were unbelievable. In high school there were times I left school because the pain was so bad it was making me puke. 

I sincerely hope that DD does not take after me in this.

[mommyoffive]

1 hour ago, barnwife said:

I was almost 12 when I got mine. It started as it would continue, basically until my late 20s when I had our first. It was super heavy and super long. I...was not prepared for just how heavy it was. My cramps were unbelievable. In high school there were times I left school because the pain was so bad it was making me puke. 

I sincerely hope that DD does not take after me in this.

 

Me too.   I have had bad periods forever too.  I hope my girls don't. 

[Amber in SJ]

I started mine the summer I turned 13, and strangely enough all three of my girls did too.  All three girls have taken after me with severe irritatibility and mood swings the day before, severe cramps and heavy flow for days 1 & 2 and then just enough to be annoying for 3-4 more days and regular as clockwork since the first one.

Dd #1 wore teen pads for a year before trying tampons, Dd#2 started while we were camping at the beach with 15 other families from our church, and Dd #3 started the morning of our annual youth group water slide park extravaganza, so she went straight to tampons and never looked back.  She is the one with the most severe cramps and regularly vomits from the pain on the first day.

Not having my period was the best part of pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Amber in SJ

[Terabith]

1 hour ago, mommyoffive said:

 

Me too.   I have had bad periods forever too.  I hope my girls don't. 

I had horrific periods as a teen, with narcotics, horrific nausea and vomiting, and missing school every month.  They got a bit better when I was in my 20's but pretty much all my period issues stopped after childbirth.  My kids have not had difficult periods at all.  My younger one has occasional cramps that once in awhile merit an ibuprofen.  My older one has no issues whatsoever.  

[mommyoffive]

1 hour ago, Amber in SJ said:

I started mine the summer I turned 13, and strangely enough all three of my girls did too.  All three girls have taken after me with severe irritatibility and mood swings the day before, severe cramps and heavy flow for days 1 & 2 and then just enough to be annoying for 3-4 more days and regular as clockwork since the first one.

Dd #1 wore teen pads for a year before trying tampons, Dd#2 started while we were camping at the beach with 15 other families from our church, and Dd #3 started the morning of our annual youth group water slide park extravaganza, so she went straight to tampons and never looked back.  She is the one with the most severe cramps and regularly vomits from the pain on the first day.

Not having my period was the best part of pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Amber in SJ

 

Amen sister. 

[mommyoffive]

1 hour ago, Terabith said:

I had horrific periods as a teen, with narcotics, horrific nausea and vomiting, and missing school every month.  They got a bit better when I was in my 20's but pretty much all my period issues stopped after childbirth.  My kids have not had difficult periods at all.  My younger one has occasional cramps that once in awhile merit an ibuprofen.  My older one has no issues whatsoever.  

 

That is good to hear.  I was hoping that I wouldn't doom them.