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The Right Words
Talk to Your Daughter About the Human Body
By Kelly Burgess
The first period is generally preceded by about six months of vaginal discharge. This period usually consists of no more than five to six tablespoons of clean blood, which is released over two to seven days. An average menstrual cycle lasts about 28 days. Although 12 is the average age of menses, or first menstruation, it does happen in girls as young as 9 or 10.
Well before your child starts menstruating, it's important to make sure she understands what's happening. Age 11 is probably the latest to make her aware that this will happen to her, but you don't have to be terribly complex at this point. How much you want her to know is up to you, but one easy explanation is to say that one egg is released every month from her ovaries and it travels to the uterus. If that egg were fertilized by sperm from a man, a baby would start to grow from the egg. Every month, a lining builds up in the womb, in order to prepare for a possible pregnancy. When the body knows that no baby is growing, then this lining breaks down and seeps through the vagina and out of the body.
Probably what most young girls are concerned about is the embarrassment factor or of being caught unprepared. Explain that she'll catch the blood on special pads that are made for that purpose. Buy some pads and show her how they will attach easily and securely to her underwear and how to rollthem up and dispose of them. Several manufacturers sell smaller-sized pads that are made especially for younger teens or preteens. In fact, it might be nice to let your daughter know that she can be expecting some discharge before her periods start and buy her some panty liners to use to protect her underwear. This can be kind of a warm-up for the big event.
