Every girl’s body will give her some clear clues. Most of the time, a girl will get her period almost two years after her breasts start to develop. Another sign is called vaginal discharge – a fluid (sort of like mucus) that a girl may have seen or felt on her underwear. This discharge begins about six months to a year before a girl actually gets her first period.
The menstruation cycle happens because the body has begun the process of preparing a girl to become a woman, so one day she could give birth to a child if she chooses to.
A period happens because your body is changing. Every female has estrogen and progesterone hormones known as the female hormones that are released by a body part called the ovaries. Now every girl has eggs in her body, and these eggs when fertilized will become babies.
But obviously, nobody wants to become a mother at such a young age. So, our body works out a system. The female hormones create a blood lining of the body part called the uterus (or womb). The purpose of this lining is to create an environment for the fertilized egg to attach to and start developing. When the egg is not fertilized, the lining breaks and comes out in the form of blood.
This process happens every month because the body has to create this fertilization environment for the eggs. And it takes roughly 20 days for the lining to create again.
Periods may last from three days to a week in a month. Women will get their periods until they are about 45 or 50 years old. Again, every woman’s body has its own schedule. The only time you won’t have periods is when you are pregnant, because that means the egg gets fertilized remember?
It depends on what you feel comfortable with. But here are your options –
- Menstrual pad – a diaper-like pad that absorbs the blood. They are both disposable and reusable.
- Menstrual cup – a medical-grade silicone in a bell-shaped cup with a stem at the bottom. The stem helps in removing the cup. It is placed on the vagina opening to collect the blood. They are reusable.
- Tampons – a plug made of soft material/cloth inserted into the vagina to absorb menstrual blood
