What An Adolescent Girl Like You Should Know About Menstruation


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Adolescence is the stage wherein your body goes through significant changes, both physically and mentally. For women, one of these changes is having a menstrual period. During this time, you will experience physical changes that you need to understand and be prepared for what to do before your first period occurs.

So, learn, adjust, and understand the things that will be discussed further below to know what you should and should not do, as well as what to expect when you have your first period. Take a read!

What is Menarche?

You may have heard of the words menstruation and period many times, may it be in school, through friends, or with family. However, how many times have you heard the word ‘menarche’?

Menarche is the term for the first-ever period that you will experience eventually due to the physiologic process that you’ll go through for the rest of your teenage life. It is the time where a lady’s physical and sexual maturation takes place, which is also known as the puberty stage.

With this, the said cycle happens around 12 years of age. Or, it could be earlier or later than the said year, which is completely normal.

What You Should Expect

After your first period of occurrence, most girls experience a pause of their menstruation. This means to say that if you experience a gap of your menstruation after your menarche occurred, it is an ordinary happening. Why? It is because it might take a while for your hormone to adjust the responsibility to the organs for ovulation and regular menstruation.

 What Happens During Menstruation?

After menarche, menstruation follows. When puberty starts, the brain sends signals throughout the system to produce hormones that prepare your body for possible future pregnancy.

The hormones then create a lining of the uterus, which thickens with blood and tissue so that it will be able to nurture a fertilized ovum, that eventually develops into a fetus, holding it till the baby is mature enough for birth.

However, if unfertilized, the ovaries will release an egg (called ovulation), then it will gradually move down to the fallopian tube and towards the uterus. Now, if pregnancy doesn’t occur, the lining will break down along with the ovulated egg. This then results in blood flowing out of your vagina.

What to Do if You Got Your Period at School

Of course, since you are surely attending school, having your first period at school is not far off from reality. Thus, here are the tips that you might want to follow to avoid any discomfort if, by chance, it happens to you in real life.

Prepare the Essentials. You can be well prepared if you have your menstruation kit with you. This means to say that you have a sanitary pad or a menstrual cup like the DaisyCup at your bag, purse, or locker.

There are different varieties of menstrual hygiene products. From sanitary pads, tampons, or menstrual cup, which you might find most comforting and convenient.

Additionally, you need to at least prepare extra clothes or underwear, just in case of leaking.

Why the Menstrual Cup. It is recommended that a menstrual cup should be used if you are looking for a comfortable and convenient period week. It is especially helpful for athletes. Why? It is because menstrual cups are convenient and comfortable to wear during activities.

Start Tracking Your Period. You might want to start tracking your period after having one. Now, if you do, you may already have noticed a pattern whenever it visits you. Thus, it will be easier to tell the next time when you will have Aunt Flow visit you. In this way, you will be able to prepare beforehand.

You can start tracking your periods on a calendar or download some mobile applications to help you out. So, if you choose to track your period by using a calendar, you can mark the first day with an “x” then put an X whenever your menstruation visits you.

How Much Blood Will Come Out?

Since you are new to it, you might probably wonder how much blood gushes out of your vagina. To answer your question, usually, it is only around a few tablespoons of blood. You probably thought that it is a lot of blood.

Furthermore, most girls change their sanitary pad or tampon for about 3-6 times a day. However, you won’t be needing to go in and out of the comfort room to change pads. If you don’t want to go through this hassle, you can use a menstrual cup, which can last up to 12 hours.

Takeaway

There are actually a lot of things that you should prepare for when you have your period. Things like PMS (premenstrual syndrome), which might be felt through cramps and mood swings is one of them.

However, know that menstruation is part of a woman’s body system, and it is only natural and healthy to have it. So, all the things that come with it are normal too. But, you should be aware that menstruation shouldn’t get in your daily activities. Hence, use the best menstrual that works best for you.