- Signs and symptoms of first menstruation
- What is the normal color of the first menstruation
- How many days does menstruation last
- How to deal with menstruation
- How to prepare for your first period
- How to delay the first menstruation
The name of the first menstruation is menarche and it occurs around 12 years of age, but as there is no fixed date to come, some girls may start menstruating at 8 or 9 years of age, due to hormonal factors, lifestyle and The feeding. After menarche, the girl is considered a teenager.
Signs and symptoms of first menstruation
Some signs and symptoms that may indicate the onset of menstruation for the first time are:
- Pubic hair growth; Breast growth; Hips increase; Small weight gain.
During menstruation, it is normal for the girl to feel pain in the abdominal area and become sadder, irritated, tearful or sensitive. This is due to hormonal changes that happen at this stage and it is not usually necessary to take medication at this stage, but when menstruation causes severe cramps, placing a hot water bottle on the lower belly can relieve this discomfort.
What is the normal color of the first menstruation
The color of the first menstruation is dark or brown, but ideally, it should be pink or red most days. Menstruation that is darker than normal occurs due to hormonal changes and generally does not represent a health problem. Menstruation has a characteristic smell, but if it is very intense, and looks like the smell of rotten fish, it is necessary to go to the gynecologist, because the girl may have some vaginal infection that needs to be treated with medication.
How many days does menstruation last
Menstruation lasts between 3 to 8 days, depending on the body of each girl. In general, after 30 days of its end, there will be a new menstruation. But, it is normal that after the first menstruation, the second and third take longer to descend. It is also normal for menstruation to become irregular in the early years of the menstrual cycle, becoming more and more regular over time.
As a rule, a woman should menstruate every month (excluding the period of pregnancy) until around 50 years of age, when she enters menopause.
How to deal with menstruation
During all menstruation the woman must be careful to use an absorbent to retain the lost blood. There are 2 absorbent options: internal or external. Whichever is chosen, it should be changed on average every 3 hours or whenever it is very dirty.
During menstruation, you can continue with all activities of daily living, with no need to stop doing any of them and, if the girl is still a virgin, she does not need to go to the gynecologist. However, from the moment she ceases to be a virgin, she must go to the gynecologist to do the necessary tests, at least once a year.
How to prepare for your first period
To be properly prepared for the first menstruation the girl must:
- Always have an intimate tampon in your bag or backpack; Have a pack of baby wipes; Have another panties to change, if necessary.
To avoid embarrassment, if someone else touches your bag, put these items in a bag (necessaire).
Menstruation is the symbol of a woman's fertility. After the first menstruation, the girl must know that she should not have any intimate contact with the boys without using a condom, as she may become pregnant and / or acquire sexually transmitted diseases.
How to delay the first menstruation
Girls under 9 years old, who have pubic hair and armpits, may delay the onset of their first period to allow for greater bone growth. This treatment is indicated by the pediatric endocrinologist and consists of taking 1 injection of hormones every month, until the girl reaches an age when there is no longer any advantage in avoiding the onset of menstruation.
