*Ladies only*What nice things did your Mum do when you started your periods?

RosaBernicia

So glad to see that people do think about this and can discuss it! I have rather negative memories of my first period, though some here have had a lot worse.

Although there were pads in the house and we'd been given information at school, I was quite shaken up by it actually happening. Went downstairs to tell my mother, as I wanted to speak to someone but obviously not my dad and somehow not the friend who had come over. I distinctly remember sitting crying with my knees pulled up on a kitchen chair, saying 'but I don't want to be grown up, I have enough to deal with being a kid'. (I very rarely cried even then - won't go into background.) Was told how thoroughly stupid I was being and how mean I was because I'd left my friend on her own for all of five minutes (she was reading a magazine and hadn't even noticed I'd gone). Unfortunately that's about the level of emotional support I should have expected.

So I think it's lovely to have a positive way of acknowledging it.

Oh and I have some cloth pads - partly for green reasons, and partly just because it makes me smile to have purple starry cloth pad instead of nasty pseudo-medical plastic! There's a thread on the Green and Ethical board with links if you're interested. (I can't believe I just announced that to the world )

Rosa xx

Invasion

Thankyou Rosa!

looktothefuture

I started the day before I started high school (and it was a new convent where none of my friends were going to - scared to say the least!) , I was 13. I was alone at home with the maid Gertie and the houseboy Sam (Lived in South Africa where you have maids and houseboys) and although Gertrude was a lovely lady I just couldn't have told her that I'd started so I called a friend from down the road who walked up with supplies! My friend was a god-send as she'd been having a period since she was 9 so knew exactly what to do! She whipped away my dirty panties and gave them a salt wash (bless her!) and showed me properly how to insert a tampon (she didn't literally show me!) and how to use the pads.

When my mom got home, my friend sat with me holding my hand while I told her... my mom gave a huge whoop and enormous hug! She praised my friend for helping me out when I needed her the most! Gertie on the other hand, was the embaressment... a week later, she's dishing out our meal and says in a loud voice "Little Madam, please remember to flush your tampons... I can't be cleaning the toilet with thems things floating about!" I was Mortified!!!!! My stepfather balked, turned a light shade of purple and had to be smackied on the back because he'd inhaled peas he was about to put into his mouth!

I would get pocket money but not once did I ever need to get supplies out of that money. Once a month mom made sure I had all the pads and tampons I needed.

When my little sister started 5 years later, she came to me and asked "LTTF... why do I have sand in my panties? I've not been at the beach today!" I knew immediatly and called my friend, who once again came to the rescue as I was out of supplies! Sis didn't mind because my friend was like a big sister to her!

Now I'm so irregular, I use a mooncup and it works great!

thriftykitty

xXMessedUpXx wrote: »

Mum made a little denim puch full of stuff i might have needed. The day i started (year 5..i was upset lol) she assured me everything was ok, and this was part of being a woman and gave me the little pouch thingy. That really really helped make it seem easier and not as scary, as she'd thought of everything beforehand. Lol i started earlier than both my sisters but she did the same thing for them. Took me till i wa s17 to start using tampons.. Thinks its cos i started aged 10..so shoving something inside me didn't really feel right (sorry to be so crude)

Gawd, my periods used to be heavy and painful. Had a lot of time off in years 6-8 cos of the sheer amount of pain i was in and the heaviness (leaking onto school chairs=not good). Had mefenemic acid for a while but it settled down once i started using contraceptives.

My experience was pretty much the same! My mum gave me a little pouch with some pads in and when I started she just asked if I was ok, and then got me my own supply. She was very good about it, showed concern but left me to get on with it really.
And I didn't start using tampons til I was 17 either! (started at 13 tho). Was always too embarrassed to ask my mum for them so had to pluck up the courage to go buy some myself (was jsut before a beach holiday and there was no way i wasnt going in the pool or the sea for the entire week!)
Had horribly heavy periods too - not so much leaking onto school chairs but near enough. Contraceptives were the only thing that sorted me out. SO much better now
And have enjoyed reading this post - didnt really talk to my friends about this stuff (were always around boys so didnt seem appropriate ). But has been nice reading about other peoples experiences. Felt quite alone when i started mine!

pigpen

I didn't tell anyone for a couple of years.. until I bled on the bed..

I had had a pair of messy pants before and my dad had beat the living daylights out of me with his belt.. screaming at my for being so filthy and disgusting and horrible.. in front of my brother and 2 younger sisters of course.. classy guy my dad.. I was grounded for 6 weeks summer holidays.. which made buying the next months supplies very problematic.. especially as I had no pocket money or anything, I sneaked a couple of my stepmothers tampons and pads and a few from my mothers.. I would do jobs for my gran for 50p.. like a whole basket of ironing :eek: I only had to do it once a week to have £2 for my pads. I would wash out my underwear in the bathroom.. I wasn't permitted baths so I had to 'pretend' I was getting a wash myself while I washed my underwear in freezing water.. I then hung it in my room to dry.. which took forever.. then I'd put them in the wash basket to be properly washed.

When my oldest daughter started hers she brought her pants down and said I found 'this' in my pants.. I asked if there were any questions and she used a couple of my pads the first day and we bought her a selection of different brands to try the next day.. She is 15 now and just asked for tampons.. I got applicator ones for ease of use.. for now..

Ladyhawk

My family is not particularly open when it somes to anything like this (despite all being medically trained in one way or another). My mum left a small box of tampons on my drawer when I was about 11, and I started my period when I was 13. I was just to embarressed to tell her so I got a friend to buy me some pads because the tampons were just too scary! My mum found those and magically another pack of pads appeared. After that when I needed more I left a note in my mum's drawer.

It was all too humiliating for some reason. If I ever am lucky enough to have children I am defintely going to be very open from the start so that there is no embarressment about anything.

jo1967

I was 15 1/2 when I started & so relieved lol!! I now realise how lucky I was!

I have been quite saddened at some of the stories, my mum had prepared me & didnt make a fuss just helped me get sorted (she had plenty supplies in!).

I have a teenage son & so havent had the need for girly chats. Reading the posts I was thinking I am sure I would be ok if I had a girl but the other morning my son asked why I flushed the loo in the middle of the night as it disturbed him (normally dont for a wee but my cycle is changing & have to get up in the night to change now). I just apologised & said there were "just certain times when I have to" lol!!! So maybe I would be mumbling & embarressed around a girl too!!!

tara747

Yes, some of these stories are really very sad! Just read pigpen's post, big hugs to you ((()))

I have only ever used NA tampons, tried the applicator one time, ouch ouch!!! Sticking a bit of cardboard inside yourself cannot possibly be more comfy than your own finger!! :eek:

But I know that not everyone can feel like this, otherwise the applicator tampons wouldn't sell LOL. Who uses them and why? I am interested to know.

ashbart

On my 10th birthday, my mum sent me to have a bath in the morning and there was a pretty pink bag left for me with 2 white bra's, a heart necklace with my initial, and a pack of pads. I hadn't started my period yet but, it gave me time to ask questions and start to feel like a young lady, with the bra's, even though I didn't really need them! I didn't actually start until I was 13 or 14 but, I don't remember being embarassed or anything, it just felt like the 'next stage' in growing up. I told my mum and she asked if I still had the pads, I did and that was that!

I love the idea of one post - who said they used to get a pack of pads with a bar of chocolate on their bed every month. All packs of pads/tampons should come with a bar of chocolate! Brilliant idea!!

nikkit72

my DD started last september , and unfortunately i was rushed into hospital at 5 am that morning and needing a emergency op , at 16 weeks pregnant , with a big ovarian cyst, i had to leave my children in bed and call my mum to come round as i was rushed in , after my op they caled me in the evening and my DD told me she had turned into a young lady , it was very sad as i wasnt there for her, i had to stay in hospital for 7 days and really missed being with her for this special time , she did come to see me and we had a little cry and i told her how proud i was of her , but i didnt do anything special , i just let her know how proud i was of her for coping without me