Puberty & Menstruation
Puberty is the name for the time when
your body goes through changes and you begin to go from being a
child to an adult. Your hormone levels change and you develop
breasts and start your menstrual periods. You grow taller all of a
sudden. Puberty usually starts between 8 and 13 years of age.
During puberty, the same basic things happen to every girl. But
the time when these changes happen is different for every girl.
These changes are normal and healthy and are all part of becoming
a woman. They are something to celebrate!
Probably the most talked about event
of puberty for a girl is her period. Getting your period is
another way of talking about
menstruation. Within about a year after beginning her growth
spurt, most girls will have their first period. This marks the
beginning of a girl's life as a young woman. In some cultures,
this is celebrated publicly. Others choose to be more private
about it. Some girls can't wait for their first period to come,
while others may dread it or feel neutral about it. No matter how
you feel, it's an important event in your life and part of the
normal process of becoming an adult.
There really isn't any way you can
tell the day or week you'll get your first period. There also
isn't really any way you can make it come sooner or delay it from
happening. But you can understand what is happening inside your
body to know what is normal for you.
During each period, the inner lining
of your
uterus is shed through the
vagina, the passage that connects your inner
reproductive organs to your outer sex organs (genitals). This
lining is mostly blood and other tissues that have been building
up since your last period. The purpose of this blood is to provide
nutrients for a fertilized egg if you were to become pregnant.
Girls start having their periods early in their lives, but most
don't decide to start a family till they've already been having
their periods for many years. Most women stop having periods when
they are between 45 and 55 years old. This is called
menopause.
You may have heard some women talking
about their monthly cycle. This cycle begins on the first day of
one period and ends on first day of the next period. While women's
periods do tend to come about once per month, there is a wide
range in the length of menstrual cycle from woman to woman. Some
women's periods come as often as every 21 days, some as far apart
as every 35 days. The most common range is 25-30 days. Some women
have regular cycles and their periods start exactly the same
number of days apart each time. For other women, the length of
their cycle varies from month to month.
There is also a great range in how
much blood flow each woman loses during her period. You may have a
heavy flow and need to change your pad or tampon frequently. Or
you may have a light flow with barely any blood loss. Usually your
flow will be heaviest at the beginning of your period. It may
start out light, get heavier, and then get lighter again until
it's over. It's also common to see some small clots or pieces of
tissue in your menstrual blood. Most women's periods last from 3
to 7 days.
Another thing that can vary is the
color of the blood on your tampon or pad. Sometimes the blood from
your period can be a dark, rust-like color. Other times it can be
a bright red color. The color may vary according to where you are
in your period or the heaviness of your flow. Pay attention to the
rhythm of your body, so you'll know what is normal for you in
terms of flow, cycle and period length, and color of your blood.
How your period
makes you feel
Some young women say
they never get cramps with their periods, while others experience
severe pain and fatigue every month. Cramps are caused by your
uterus
contracting as it works to shed its lining. You can try taking a
warm bath or check with a parent or your school nurse to see if
you can take an over the counter pain killer. Exercise may also
lessen the pain of cramps
You may have heard of something
called premenstrual syndrome, or PMS. PMS is a collection of
symptoms that some women get around the time of their periods. PMS
can include headaches, back pain, irritability or moodiness,
feeling sad or emotional, bloating, and breast tenderness. Some
women don't have any of these symptoms, while others have all of
them and perhaps a few more. Cutting back on salty foods and
caffeine may also help. If you find that they interfere too much
with your daily life, ask your doctor about other things you can
do to feel better around your period
Helpful hints for
dealing with your period:
-
Pay
attention to your flow so you'll get a sense of how often you need
to change your pad or tampon. Don't use tampons that are labeled
extra absorbent. It's better to use a tampon designed for lighter
flow and change it more often. You may also wear a mini-pad when
using a tampon to protect your clothing in case of leakage.
-
Keep a
personal calendar where you can mark the first day of your periods
and how long they last. You'll get a sense of your cycle and can
make sure you have pads or tampons with you around the time when
you think your period will start.
-
Be
prepared! You might want to carry a pad or tampon in your backpack
or purse just in case you start your period when you're away from
home. Even if you haven't had your first period yet, you'll feel
good knowing you're ready if it comes. You'll also be able to help
a friend in need, too!
Things to know
about your period:
-
Your first
period may be different from your other periods. It might take
several months for your period to establish a "routine." Try to be
patient with your body while it's entering this new phase of your
life, and ask your doctor any questions you have.
-
It's best
to use pads or tampons that are not scented with perfumes or other
deodorants. The chemicals used in these products can be
irritating. Normal blood flow from your period should not cause a
bad odor. If you do experience an odor, try to make sure you wash
regularly during your period and try changing your pad or tampon
more frequently. Ask your doctor about it if it continues.
-
Some women
feel shy or embarrassed about buying tampons or pads in the
supermarket or drugstore. If you're one of them, try to remember
that you're purchasing a product you need for a very normal,
natural part of your life.
Things that can affect your period:
During the first year or so of having
your period, your body may be working at getting into a period
"routine." For example, you might have your first period and then
not have another one for a few months. Or, you might have a few
periods and skip one a few months down the road.
Even while your body is establishing
your normal pattern, there are other things that can affect your
period. For example, if your body has too little fat on it or you
are exercising too much, your period can stop or your cycle can be
lengthened. Having too little body fat is unhealthy for many
reasons, so ask your doctor to help you get back to a healthy
weight.
Stress can also affect your period.
If you are going through a particularly stressful time, your
period may stop or change from what is normal for you. While this
usually doesn't cause long-term period problems, it's best to try
to reduce your stress. If the stress is too much for you to handle
on your own or continues for a long time, talk to an adult you
trust and get some help dealing with your problems.
Physical illness can also affect your
period. A bad cold or flu may be enough to throw your period off
that month. Likewise, a major illness can certainly cause you to
skip your period. Make sure you let your doctor know if the cycle
of your period becomes irregular often.
You might want to talk with your
health care provider about a condition called a bleeding disorder
if you have very heavy menstrual periods or have ever had problems
with the following things:
-
easy
bruising
-
frequent or
prolonged nosebleeds
-
prolonged /
heavy bleeding after minor cuts, dental work, childbirth, or
surgery.
The most common bleeding disorder in
girls and women (von Willebrand's disease or VWD) runs in
families, so your mother, sister, female cousins, or aunts also
might have some of the signs listed above.
The cycle of the
female body
You have 2
ovaries: one on each side of, but lower than, your belly
button. Each of your ovaries contains about 1 million eggs or ova
and you've had all of them since you were born. During each
menstrual cycle, one egg is released from one of your two ovaries.
This usually happens about halfway between two periods.
The egg travels from the ovaries,
through the
fallopian tubes and into your
uterus. If a woman has sex and sperm from a man joins her egg
on its way to the uterus, the egg has become fertilized. The
fertilized egg will attach to her uterine lining and she'll be
pregnant. If the egg doesn't become fertilized, it will be shed
during her next period.
Emotions
This period of growth may feel like a
difficult time for many reasons. In addition to the physical
changes, your hormones are causing complex emotional changes as
well. For example, your feelings and emotions about how your body
is changing may vary from day to day.
One day you might feel great about
being wonderfully tall. The next day, you might hate the fact that
you are taller than most of the boys. One week, you might be happy
that you've already gotten your period and can share tips for
dealing with cramps with your girlfriends. The next week (when you
have those cramps!), you might wish you could stay a little girl
forever!
It is completely normal to have mixed
feelings about all that is going on in your body. Talk with your
girlfriends, your sister or mother, your teachers, or another
woman who has already reached adulthood. Every woman you know has
been through the same changes and will understand what you're
going through! Soon, you'll be able to help someone else, too. |