When a teenager on her first period, this marks a turning point in his life. This period is anticipated by some, feared by others, so to prepare for it as best as possible, we have gathered some advice to carry out this smooth transition.
How to prepare for your first period?
The average age at which teenage girls have their The first period is around 12 years old. But for some it will start earlier and for others much later. That is why it can be difficult to properly prepare your daughters before that day arrives. When they are still little girls, we want to protect their innocence. When they are older, it can be difficult to initiate the discussion.
It is for this reason that parents must be ready to accompany your daughter in this transition.
Be prepared for her first period
Mother Nature does not have the kindness to warn us a few days or a few weeks before the first period arrives, so we must be ready.
To best support your teenager, leave him the choice. Indeed, it is will feel listen and accompany In this upheaval, if you give him the choice of his protection. To do this, plan to have available:
- Sanitary towels
- Tampons and panty liners
- A menstrual cup
- A menstrual panty
Please ensure that disposable hygiene products are as healthy as possible, like those from the brand Jho, for example. Because some feminine hygiene products contain chemicals that can be harmful to the health of girls and women. It is essential to inform teenagers about more natural and chemical-free alternatives.
For the summer, we also recommend planning for a period swimwear to ensure that she does not experience her first period as a constraint that prevents her from having her period.
It is also important that you have researched the use of each of them so that you can teach your teenager how to use them if you do not use them yourself.
Offering him the Choosing her menstrual protection allows her to confidently start her life as a young woman. It is essential not to make her feel guilty and to give her the necessary time to adapt to her new changes.
Accompany her
The rules mark the beginning of a new responsibility For young girls, it is therefore important that they are supported in this change to grasp all the stakes and nuances.
Once the first rules have arrived, your role is to support your teenager In this transition. But providing answers to your teenager's questions can prove to be more or less complex depending on your relationship and their state of mind at the moment.
In order to provide him with the maximum response, you can plan for resources such as young articles addressing the topic, podcasts, videos.
Today, you can also find a lot of content on social media. Before providing any resources, check their validity and be ready to respond to your daughter's needs. You need to choose the most suitable content for your teenager.
Then offer him one appointment for information with a midwife or a gynecologist to answer all the questions they may have. It is also important not to make them feel guilty or to project our fears onto them, as they already have a lot to manage and learn. The kindness and love that you can provide them will help them live better with this new component of their life.
Encourage her to talk to you about it openlyIt is not always an easy topic to address, but they need your support during this time!
By helping them understand the impact of their rules on their lifestyle, you can assist them in making this transition smoothly.
After the first period, your teenager's lifestyle is turned upside down
After facing the first period, it's not over, the periods will return every month and at the beginning, they make their own rules. Hormonal surges, acne, changes in sensitivity and emotions, etc... And at the beginning, not all young girls are "regulated".
To cope with all these upheavals, one must adapt your lifestyle. The sleep and the food will be your main allies in combating the discomforts caused by your first period and all those that will follow.
Sleep
Le lack of sleep can disrupt hormonal balance and cause or worsen various issues such as acne. It is therefore recommended for menstruating teenagers to sleep between 8 to 9 hours per nightHere is a good reason to turn into a groundhog.
But it is not always easy to have a regular sleep cycle, so if they have trouble sleeping enough, you can help them by offering a environment conducive to restFor example, you could buy a new soft blanket, a brand new cushion to replace the old worn-out one, etc... It's up to you to dig a little with your teenager to see what they are missing.
You will also be able to introduce them to some relaxation techniques, to be done before going to bed. Practices such as the meditation or yoga They are easy to set up. If you are not familiar with it, you can find many tutorials and/or mobile applications to guide you in these practices.
When young girls adopt a rhealthy sleep rhythm At the beginning of their menstrual life, we observe that they stabilize their cycle more easily and reduce the inconveniences it causes.
A good diet
Just like sleep, the food plays an important role in the news Menstrual hygiene for adolescent girls.
When a young girl has her first rules, it is necessary to inform him about the risks and causes of poor nutritionSuch as, for example, anemia, weight gain, bloating, and inflammation that accompany this joyful period.
Fortunately, you can simply remedy some of its discomforts with a good diet. By adopting a complete and healthy diet, your daughter will already start to feel a reduction in the discomfort caused by her menstruation.
During her period, she will need to favor foods tels que :
- red meat 🥩
- dark chocolate 🍫
- rice and legumes (lentils, beans, red and white beans) 🍚
- the oilseeds (almonds, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts) 🥜
- the fruits and vegetables for their vitamins 🍊
- slow sugars 🍝
She will also need to drink more water than usual to avoid dehydration and to limit lower back pain. Cases of dehydration are very common among young girls, so grab your water bottles! 💧
Now let's take a look at the foods to limit or avoid during this period. The foods to avoid as much as possible are:
- containing saturated fats 🧈
- rich in salt 🧂
- caffeine, theine, and sodas 🍵
- dairy products 🥛
- alcohol (for those of drinking age) 🍸
If you teach your daughter to put a little bit of discipline on your plate During this period, she will thank you later. Indeed, a good habit formed young is often easier to maintain when she becomes independent.
Of course, more, she will observe a healthy lifestyle with ncomplete outfits and nutrient-rich meals, the more it will help her body cope with these changes. To best assist your daughter and avoid imposing a strict and abrupt change, you can start making changes (if necessary) to her lifestyle before her first period. The transition will be smoother and more manageable.
How to manage the stress around this change
Like all upheavals, the first periods can be a source of stress for young girls. The more you support her in this transition, the better she will be able to cope and manage stress.
But above all, it is important to understand what the sources of this stress can be. Of course, the period itself is stressful, but other events such as the fear of having a mark or being mocked can be the reason for this stress.
Prevent is often the only thing you can do as a parent, so make sure she has a spare protection or a pouch, a case if she has a reusable protection. Also ensure that she can have a change bottom available in her locker or bag. You can definitely whip up a "emergency kit 🩸" including its elements so that she feels reassured.
Stress is also present in the daily life of your teenager and it is completely different from what you may feel. You need to be attentive to understanding one's anxieties and needs Facing this, but in most situations, you will be powerless.
For the army facing these challenges, teach it some stress management techniques such as breathing exercises or simple meditation that are easy to use. If you notice that your teenager is particularly stressed, you can relieve her with homeopathic follow-up.
The set of its factors: support, sleep, nutrition, and stress management will help provide your teen with the tools she will need to supporting her first period and to accept this new component of his life.
