As a parent of a teen or preteen girl, you may worry about how to prepare her for her first period. That can be a very delicate and sensitive subject that can sometimes be hard to breach. Fortunately, gynecologists are experts at discussing the topic with women of any age. If you need help talking to your daughter, and you just don't know where to start, you may want to schedule a gynecologic appointment. Here are a few more things you may want to try to prepare your daughter for menses.
Discussion
There is so much to learn about periods. Since your daughter has never had one before and yet has a lifetime of periods ahead of her, you may want to let her know what is normal and what is not. For example, your daughter may not know that she may experience mood swings around the time of her period. She may also assume that she is the first of her friends to experience menses, though most of the other girls her age are probably in the same boat. Talk to her about what to expect each month, as well as abnormal symptoms that she should tell you about.
A Care Package
She may seem like a little girl to you, but a preteen or teenage girl is not too young to learn about how to use a pad. Make sure that she has her own little supply to use at her disposal.
Tracking Means Preparation
You may also want to teach your daughter how to track her period in order to know when it will be coming around again. Knowing how to track a period will allow her to be prepared each month so that hopefully she will not be caught off-guard.
Leave It Open-Ended
Instead of having this learning experience just once with your daughter, you may want to leave it open-ended so that she can talk to you if she needs help or has questions. Too many teen girls are left on their own to deal with periods, sometimes getting incorrect information from friends. The best information will likely come from you.
In conclusion, there are many different methods to go about preparing your daughter. However, one of the most important things to try and get across is that if there are any problems or issues, she can come talk to you. Sometimes just having someone to turn to is the greatest resource. Talk to a gynecologist or your child's pediatrician for more information.
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