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

dumpy

Buffy_the_Vampire_Bat wrote: »

No offence to any of you lovely ladies here who have talked about having special shopping trips or giving presents or whatever to "celebrate" the event, but if anyone had tried to do that for me, I think I would have run a mile in embarassment

Snap! Couldn't have imagined anything worse than a big fuss. :eek:

The only thing I wish my mum had done differently was to keep buying a steady supply and not having to ask each month. In the end I bought them myself out of my own pocket money rather than ask.

Oh a mention that pain killers were a good idea would have been useful.

ZarZar1990

My mum told me about periods from quite a young age, because from the age of 7-11 it was just me my mum and my sister.
I was very inquisitive and asked 'whats that' when my mum had sanitary towels in the cupboards etc, so she explained them to me from a very young age eg:
"When girls get closer to being a lady, they start there period which means theres a little bit of blood for a short time every month, it will probably happen when you go up to secondary school, although it could happen before"

Then she would discuss with me when her friends DD started theirs as I got older, so I expected it.

When it actually happened, she cried (hahaha) and rang my Dad (hahaha) and gave me some bodyform santiary towels. (Not the smallest, but not too bulky) xxx

Bunnie1982

Both my mum and my dad gave me the "talk". I always preferred my dads method as he was blunt about everything whereas my mum seemed a bit more uncomfortable.

Anyway when I started my mum gave me one of her bricks to wear and after one complaint from me that they weren't very comfortable, my dad went out to the shop and bought me some thinner ones and some chocolate. I was only 10 but my dad was ace about it all, he was a lorry driver and every week he would give me his loose change so I could put it in a pot to buy essential monthly items.

tiamai_d

Personally, I'm a bit of a prude when it comes to periods, and always have been. I just don't feel the need for people to know and that included my Mum (and I still don't feel the need to tell everyone I'm on or I have PMT). So the best thing she had done was to magically restock some pads in my drawer that had been there since the beginning of Primary 7 (I started half way through P7) along with a book that somehow appeared. I was a book worm and would have been mortified having a 'chat'! Actually I once had a huge row with DH when he told his mum that I was 'on' after I took some painkillers.

However can I add that my baby girl is never ever going to grow up at all and so I don't have to have that conversation with her at not ever and anyone who tries to tell me any different will get a glassy eyed smile and then later the voodoo doll will be out

Becles

My Mam bought me a book about puberty, but didn't really talk much about other than to say sex and periods were dirty and shouldn't be talked about. She was telling me things like not to say vagina in front of my grandparents as they'd be horrified, and I was sitting thinking why the hell would I start talking about vagina's with my grandparents

She bought some chunky horrid pads that I didn't like and I used them for ages before realising there were different styles available, and didn't really explain much how the hormomal stuff and how it's normal to be a bit tearful or angry with things.

I've been much more open with my boys about growing up. I caught the eldest masturbating, and we just laughed it off although he was horrified I'd caught him! Both the boys have asked personal questions to me and I'm hoping Charlotte will feel the same when she's old enough.

I'll explain what happens both physically and emotionally to her during periods, and explain about different types of pads and tampons, then let her pick which ones she feels happiest using.

JBD

I can remember the dreaded 'belt' and the Dr White sanitary towels. Thank goodness things have improved since then. I can also identify with some ladies about being embarassed, and not having enough supplies. I too used to make towels out of toilet tissue, I was really surprised to read other posts about this, I thought I was the only one!. I have a 9 year old DD, even although she won't really understand[ due to being autistic] I will make sure she is as comfortable as possible during her periods. I think when I was growing up periods were still seen as the 'curse' .Personally I would have liked a little bit more input and support from my Mum. I think it's fantastic that women nowadays can be so much more open about their bodies.

lizbob

my mum was away on business so i had to tell my dad as i only had the two free towels my school nurse gave me. he was awesome, went out, bought every brand of sanitary protection available (panic buying anyone??) along with crisps, chocolate and hot choc as "thats what he'd seen a mum do in a sit com"!! aww bless

Chuzzle

My mum said "oh sh~t" cos she used lil-lets and only had them in the house and it was a sunday when I started. I had a friend over for the weekend and I woke in the early hours of the morning with a hideously painful stomache cramp and the day went from there. I was 11 when I started and right up until I had my first son some 10 years later monthlies where awful for me. I didn't get the talk but mum did give me a couple of books to read about growing up and bodily changes, all I can remember thinking when I read the books was "don't boys bits look funny" :rotfl:

I would just tell her you are always there to answer her questions how ever embaressed she might feel.

savvy

shellsuit wrote: »

My first towels were Bodyform, which were tapered a bit at one end, and had a big bump right though the middle, does anyone remember those?!

Mine were Kotex, and I'll never forget it! I was 11 and packing for Brownie camp when my mum came in and gave me a couple of packs of different ones !!!!!! do I need these things for and why the heck do I need to take them where everyone else is gonna see in my bag............being a tomboy I was mortified. She explained what might happen to me while I was away and how to use them.............okaaaaaaaaay can I get back to packing now, ALONE??

What freaked me more that weekend when I had my first period overnight and without a weird Kotex thingy in my pj's.......was not the fact that I was bleeding from a place that wasn't my knees and elbows like usual.....................it was the eery spooky fact that my mother knew it was going to happen THAT particular weekend :eek::eek::eek: Of course it had to be a lucky coincidence but at age 11 it freaked me out!

After that I don't remember too much, I didn't have problems getting hold of any so guessing she got them in for me The only time I got well embarrassed by periods is when I passed out in the toilets at college and somehow ended up in sickbay and my stepdad had to get me

Incidently I just went to google Kotex to see if they are still going, and they are.............but they also have some cool pointers for mums with daughters here

maggied wrote: »

Aw bless her! I was so pleased when mine finally arrived (much avid studying of "Are you there God it's me, Margaret"!!) -

I remember that book!! I read it and learnt loads...........but have no idea where it came from or where it went, the library seems to be a memory, but wasn't into those books, I was more into Doctor Who and Smash Hits...........maybe just another lucky coincidence??

tiamai_d wrote: »

However can I add that my baby girl is never ever going to grow up at all and so I don't have to have that conversation with her at not ever and anyone who tries to tell me any different will get a glassy eyed smile and then later the voodoo doll will be out

If I had girls I'd be exactly the same!! :rotfl::rotfl: I've always thanked the powers that be that I had boys!

Quick edit: If anyone does have painful periods try cutting right down on wheat and sugar..............done me flipping wonders in that department!!!!

busiscoming2

My mum didn't do anything nice! I luckily started soon after I had come in from school, I was given a huge towel with loops and a belt. We never really spoke about it although she had told me about the facts of life when I was about 10, I didn't start until I was about 13. I remember buying lilets with my pocket money the following month cos I couldn't stand the bulky towels!!
I made sure I was well prepared for my daughter. I remember buying special 'young' pads from Boots - I think they were called Denim and put them in her knicker drawer when she was about 10.