Period Guide for Beginners - What You Need to Know

Posted by Harleen Kaur on September 1st, 2023

A natural phenomenon that goes on for at least 40 consecutive years of her life and repeats itself monthly, seems heavy. Teaching about it, demystifying it or preparing your daughter for it feels like an even heavier daunting task, doesn’t it? Well, you have to be her menstrual guide anyway and make her aware of the changes in her body and prep her for the arrival of her first period. This means you have to talk about the menstrual cycle and menstruation, hygiene practices related to periods and the significance of the process. But that’s not all. In order to truly prepare them and help them stand tall and confident you also need to check the way you approach this conversation. Let us discuss all of these matters in this comprehensive guide for menstrual health awareness.

 Find the Right Time and Place 

Puberty and periods are both quite sensitive topics and require special attention which you can only give by finding the right place and the time to talk at length. Take advantage of it and use this time to bond by going for a ‘mother and daughter’s day out’ shopping, eating and having fun. When you both have spent enough time together enjoying yourself you can ease into the conversation over milkshakes or while getting your nails done. This will take away the stress and awkwardness that usually accompany these topics and your daughter.

 Be Wary of Your Words 

When talking about periods, most women use words like ‘hassle’ or ‘curse’. Try to avoid such words and check your own mindset regarding the topic. If you also feel periods are a curse on the woman folk or it is simply a hassle then you will definitely use such words, tone and gestures and inculcate those in your daughter as well. If you really want to be a good menstrual guide for her, then you must tell her about the facts, prepare her with practical tactics and not reflect your negative outlook regarding the topic onto her, as the latter will only scare and upset her, and nick her confidence when her periods actually arrive.

 Cover the Following Topics 

Aim for complete menstrual health awareness for your daughter by delving into various important aspects of the subject. This must include discussions on what is the menstrual cycle and its significance, what is menstruation or periods, the significance of periods, PMS, normal and abnormal periods and so on. You must give your daughter a basic idea about all of these topics and teach her the importance of staying hygienic during periods.

 Explore Menstrual Hygiene Products Together 

Another crucial part of a first-period menstrual guide is creating awareness regarding the various period products. Tell your daughter about the various products available in the market and better still explore them together to find the most suitable one for her. For example, if she prefers comfort and spends more time reading and staying indoors then pads for periods would make a great choice for her but if she likes to be active, loves to dance or is an athlete then tampons would work the best for her.

 Explain How to Use Period Products 

Once you have narrowed down your ideal menstrual hygiene products, it is time to get her acquainted with them. Teaching her the right way to use them can be very beneficial for her when she suddenly experiences her first period and you are not there to help her out. For the same reason, you must also advise her to carry a pad for such emergencies.

 Prep for Mishaps 

Teaching her to use a period product and packing one in her school bag isn’t sufficient. It is your job to also prep her for the adverse times when she may not have the product handy. Teach her to fabricate makeshift pads for periods out of toilet paper for such an exigent situation. Your daughter’s first period can take her by surprise and may also spoil her clothes so it is ideal to always keep a small pouch in her bag with all the necessary supplies like two or three sanitary pads, a clean pair of underwear and a pair of pants as well. It is also good to teach her how to have a friend’s back when she may get her period unexpectedly. Tell her to offer a pad, give a hand to take her to the toilet to get changed and have her tie a jacket around her waist to hide the bloody stains.

 Don’t Make the Negatives of Periods Your Focal Point 

Although it is indeed a nuisance to deal with the constant feeling of moisture, the fear of stains and cramps that usually go hand in hand with periods, try to not give them the centre stage in your conversation. Paint a realistic picture for your daughter just to alert her of the situation whenever it may present itself. Making them your focal point or dramatizing it may make her apprehensive of her future periods as she may picture it very differently and often with exaggerated annotations.

 Emphasise on the Normality and Commonality of Periods 

The last but by no means the least thing that you must discuss with your daughter is the normality of this natural phenomenon. Remind her of the many great women- athletes, entrepreneurs, mothers, scientists and so on, who have achieved so much in life. Do this to make her understand that menstrual cycle and menstruation are normal parts of life and cannot and should not become a hindrance in her path. With the right knowledge, hygiene practices and suitable period products, she can live her life to the fullest- enjoying every moment and realizing her dreams.

Conclusion 

Being a mother, you have so many responsibilities towards your daughter and being her menstrual guide to educate her on the topics is one of them. Make a point to approach the subject with compassion and teach her patiently and openly about everything. You have to prepare yourself for the conversation first but it is all worth it as that will ensure your daughter turns out to be the proud, confident, self-aware and independent woman she deserves to be.