Periods

What you need to know

Periods are a normal part of growing up for most girls and you’ll have your first period during puberty. During your period you’ll lose a small amount of blood from your vagina. It’s nothing to be scared of and it only will last for a few days.

You’ll get your period about once a month and it’ll last between 3 and 8 days. You might have a stomach ache before or during your period so ask your parent or carer about a hot water bottle or your usual painkillers to help the pain.

You can use sanitary pads, tampons or menstrual cups to collect the blood. If you don’t have one of these right now you can put some tissue or toilet paper in your underwear until you can get one to use.

Sometimes periods aren’t regular, especially when they first start and it might be difficult to plan exactly when you’ll get your period.

Things to know about periods:

it's good to be prepared for your period in case it starts unexpectedly
it can feel confusing or embarrassing but there's nothing to be ashamed of
you can talk to a relative or another adult you trust about what's going on.

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tips to be ready for your period

Sometimes you can start your period when you're not expecting to, so it's always a good idea to plan ahead. You could try to:

keep sanitary products in a bag, drawer or locker
have a plan in case you do start your period - like a change of underwear and sanitary pads or tampons
if you're at school or on a trip tell the teachers so they know you might need to go to the toilet to change
ask an adult like your parent, carer or school nurse about things to help with any pain or discomfort, like a hot water bottles, microwave wheat bag or pain relief tablets
gentle exercise can help relieve pain and bloating - try yoga, stretching or walking
keep a diary, calendar or notes to keep track of what’s normal for you so you can notice any changes as periods can be irregular when they first start.

Irregular periods

Your periods might be irregular when they first start as your body adjusts to the changes in your hormones This can sometimes make it hard to know when your period will happen so you could keep a sanitary pad or tampon in the zipped section of your bag or in a make-up bag or pencil case in case you need it.

You might miss a period after your first one as your body gets used to the changes. Being ill, not eating and some types of medication can also make your period late. If you’re worried or your periods don't settle down into a regular pattern, it may help to talk this through with a doctor or nurse.

A period doesn't mean you'll bleed all day. It's normal to stop bleeding for a few hours and then bleed a bit more. Everyone is different and what you experience may be different to what someone else experiences.

How much blood do you lose?

The amount of blood you lose during your period is about 30-70 ml, which is 5 to 12 teaspoons full, although it might seem like a lot more. If you’re worried about the amount of blood, try this quiz to help you to decide what to do.

Period blood is red but can be pink, brown or black on lighter days. All of these are normal but if you’re worried about anything it’s okay to talk to an adult you trust, like a parent, carer, relative or your school nurse.

If you find that you have very heavy periods, or you have bleeding between periods you should talk to your doctor.

Period pain and mood changes

Throughout your period you have different levels of hormones in your body. It's natural to have some side effects from this.

Premenstrual tension (or PMT, Premenstrual Syndrome or PMS) is the name for the feeling you might get a few days before a period. Most women and girls get PMT and the symptoms can be mild or severe.

Common symptoms of PMT:

mood swings and getting easily annoyed
crying or feeling sad all of a sudden
not being able to concentrate
feeling really tired
your breasts feeling softer than normal
your stomach feeling really full or bloated
cramping in the stomach area
temporary weight gain
headaches.

Tips for period pain

Gentle exercise, using a hot water bottle, having a bath or taking some pain relief tablets can help. Always ask your parent, carer or school nurse about pain relief tablets before you take them.

If the pains get too much, you can talk to your doctor about other options or to see if there's another reason for the pain.

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Tampons and other sanitary products

When you have your period you’ll need to use something called a sanitary product to soak up the blood. There are different products you can use and you can buy these from supermarkets, pharmacies and some local shops. You might feel embarrassed or confused about which products to buy so it’s okay to ask someone to come with you to buy them and you can ask an adult you trust or a friend for advice.

You can buy them at any age but they’re not free so you’ll need to ask a parent, carer or an adult at school like a school nurse if you don’t have your own money. If you or your family use a food bank you can ask for free sanitary products there.

Whatever sanitary protection you use it’s important to change it regularly throughout the day to keep clean and reduce the risk of leaking.

The most common products to use for periods:

Sanitary towels or pads

Lots of girls use sanitary pads because they're very easy to use. These are strips of padding which have a sticky side that you can attach to your underwear to keep them in place.

There are lots of different sizes of sanitary towels, so you can change them depending on how heavy or light your period is and some have “wings” that attach around your underwear to help keep them in place.

Tampons

These are specially made small tubes of cotton wool which have a string at one end. You put these into your vagina and they soak up the blood before it comes out of your body. The string is to pull it out when you need to change it.

Some tampons have applicators which you might find easier to insert into your vagina. This will be explained on the pack when you buy them or you could ask an adult you trust how to use them.

When you buy tampons read the instruction leaflet in the box which explains how to use them correctly. When a tampon is in the right position you shouldn't be able to feel it, so if it hurts, it’s best to remove it and try to insert a new one.

A tampon can never get stuck or lost inside you and the muscles of your vagina hold it in place. It will expand inside you as it fills with blood so it will look bigger when you take it out.

Always change tampons regularly, every 3 – 6 hours and 8 hours is the maximum time to leave a tampon in. Try to alternate tampons with using sanitary pads and use a tampon that matches the blood flow you have, like not using a super absorbency tampon when you have a light period day.

Pantyliners

These are smaller and thinner versions of sanitary towels or pads and are used on days when your period is very light. You can also use these if you have a lot of discharge in between your periods.

Menstrual cups

These are small rubber or silicone cups which can be put inside the vagina to catch the blood. The muscles of the vagina keep them in place so they don't fall out. They're then emptied, washed and used again.

5 tips to help you use tampons:

try to relax — if your muscles tense up it can be harder to insert
see which style of tampon works best for you
if you're struggling you may want to use a handheld mirror to help you see what you're doing
you should change your tampon every 3 to 6 hours
only use tampons when you're on your period.

Why do periods happen

Periods are part of your menstrual cycle which is all about your fertility and your body preparing for the possibility to be able to become pregnant.

Each month one of your ovaries (you have 2) releases an egg. The egg travels down 1 of 2 tubes called fallopian tubes and into your womb.

The lining of your womb thickens for a short while during this time. If the egg is fertilised by sperm from a boy's body, it will stick in this lining and grow. This is how you get pregnant.

If the egg is not fertilised, then the lining of the womb breaks down and passes out of your body through your vagina as a small amount of blood — this is called a period.

Staying active during your period

It’s okay to exercise and play sports during your period. You can wear a sanitary pad or tampon as you would normally do.

Gentle exercise can help with mild pain and bloating but if you feel very uncomfortable or in pain, you could take pain relief tablets or have a break if you can.

If you want to swim while on your period, a tampon will absorb the blood and won't show through your swimwear. It's important to remember to change the tampon when you have finished swimming. Using a pad will not be as effective because it will absorb water.

Sex during periods

You can have sex at any time of the month as long as it's something that you and your partner both feel comfortable with. Some people prefer not to have sex during their period - it’s your decision what feels right for you.

If you do choose to have sex it’s important to use protection as there’s still a chance you can get pregnant and catch or pass on sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Sperm can live in the body for up to 7 days so it can be possible to get pregnant at any time of the month.

If you use tampons, it is important to remove a tampon before you have sex.

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TALKING ABOUT YOUR PERIOD

Talking about periods can sometimes feel embarrassing. Remember that almost all women will have had periods and they might remember what it was like the first time.

You could try talking to your mum, aunt or another family member. Talking to friends can sometimes be helpful too.

If the only person you can talk to is a male relative it might seem hard. Some men will have an understanding of what a period is and how it affects women.

You don't have to explain everything, you could just talk about what you feel comfortable saying. Sometimes writing a letter, sending a text or message to someone you trust can make it easier to tell them.

Remember that you can always talk to us. Our counsellors are there to listen to you and support you.