One of the most difficult tasks for mothers, How do you prepare your daughter for her menstrual period?

Puberty is one of the sensitive stages in girls’ lives, which requires arming them with a sufficient amount of awareness before reaching menstruation so that it does not turn into a painful or traumatic experience.

Experts stress that awareness will help the girl accept this important change in her life and deal with it maturely, but talking about this stage remains a difficult challenge for many mothers.

What are the signs of the first period?

Before talking about the best ways to educate a girl and prepare her for the menstrual cycle, it is necessary to review the physical signs of the approaching menstrual cycle first.

The Health Shots website confirmed the difficulty of predicting when the menstrual cycle will start, but it talked about a group of signs, the most prominent of which are:

Age: Menstruation usually begins around the age of ten, but this may vary from one girl to another. Some girls may suffer from early puberty , while others may suffer from late puberty . This may be affected by multiple factors including genetics, hormones, body composition, health, and environment. It may occur any time between the ages of 8 and 14, and marks the transition from childhood to adulthood.

Breast growth: Breasts begin to grow and enlarge at least two years before the first menstrual period. Girls may experience a sudden growth spurt at least a year before their first period. These changes are mainly due to increased estrogen levels, and you may also begin to feel pain in the breast area.

Skin changes: The onset of puberty may cause certain changes to the skin. A girl may notice the appearance of more pimples or acne problems due to increased production of sebum, which is an oily substance capable of blocking pores. This would lead to skin problems.

Mood swings: When a girl is about to experience the beginning of her first menstrual period, she may suffer from mood swings and fatigue, which are premenstrual symptoms that most women complain about throughout their menstrual cycle. You may also experience more anxiety, sadness, or a disturbed sleeping pattern.

What are the normal symptoms of menstruation?

It is normal for a girl to experience some symptoms as part of premenstrual syndrome before, during, or after her period begins, which were mentioned by the “Healthline” website:

Abdominal cramps: Abdominal cramps, also called primary dysmenorrhea, are a common symptom of PMS. It may begin in the days before menstruation and continue for several days or more once menstruation begins. The severity of the cramps may range from mild, mild pain to severe pain that prevents one from performing life as usual.

Bloating: If you feel like your belly is heavy or you can't zip up your jeans a few days before your period, you have menstrual bloating. Changes in estrogen and progesterone levels can cause your body to retain more water and salt than usual. This results in a feeling of bloating. Many women recover from these symptoms 2 to 3 days after menstruation begins.

Lower back pain: Uterine and abdominal contractions cause muscle spasms in the lower back. Some girls may suffer from severe lower back pain during menstruation, while others feel mild pain in their back.

Difficulty sleeping: Menstrual symptoms, such as cramps, headaches, and mood swings, may affect sleep, making it difficult to fall or stay asleep. The body temperature can also rise slightly, which affects the quality of sleep.

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Do not hide the truth from her.

How and when do I talk to my daughter about her first menstrual period?

Some mothers wonder with concern and confusion: How and when should I talk to my daughter about the menstrual cycle?

The “Super Mama” website offers several tips inspired by mothers who have gone through the experience that will make it easier to open the topic and make it easier for your daughter:

Talk to her early: Some girls’ menstrual cycle begins at the age of nine, so it is preferable to start talking about the menstrual cycle at the age of 8. Don't worry about opening the topic at this age. On the contrary, children are more open and receptive to information before the beginning of adolescence. When you start talking about menstruation as normal, it will become easier.

Gradual information: It is important to talk to the teenager several times. Take advantage of the opportunities and open the topic to make it simple before her eyes and not shameful. Do not tell her all the information at once, but rather in several stages. Graduation makes it easy, unlike a single information session that may cause shock.

Sanitary pads: Your daughter may ask you about the sanitary pads she sees on TV and their uses. Tell her that it is used to absorb body secretions, and that she will use it soon when she enters the stage of a young girl, and that the female body produces secretions for several days every month as she reaches puberty. Assure her that all girls and mothers get their period.

How does your period come?: When you feel like you want to know more. Tell her that there is a system in a woman’s body that produces an egg every month to enable her to become a mother, and that the egg turns into secretions every time, until the girl grows up, gets married, and then gives birth.

Talk to her about the symptoms of menstruation and the possibility of feeling pain: Do not hide the truth from her, so that she is not shocked at the first experience. Make sure she is psychologically prepared for the pain associated with the menstrual cycle so that there is no need to worry. Also tell her that menstruation increases her appetite for sweets and chocolate, changes her mood and also causes headaches.