I had my first period in my life today, what should I know?

Question

Any tips to reduce pain, about the pads and tampons (I'm using a pad right now), any information. Right now I have a very, very slight ache in my, uh lower abdomen place? is that the womb? Person who gives the most gets 10 points!!!

i talked to my mother and asked so many questions she ran away from me lol

Answer 1

Firstly congratulations! :o)

My first piece of advice is to celebrate!
I didn't and I regret it a lot now, use it as a good excuse to get your parents to buy you something new you want, go out for a meal or a trip somewhere special or have a big girly slumber party with a red theme where you can talk all about it if you want with friends, if you're into that sort of thing. It is something to celebrate so make it special.

Second piece of advice is the most important;
Your period is only as good or as bad as YOU make it!
If you ignore taboos or brainwashing that tell you that your period has to be bad and educate yourself you will find periods can actually be really cool things to have, other girls may tell you how bad it is but there is no reason for you to have the same attitude as they do, you have a positive attitude about your periods I promise they will be fine.

Know your options, there are more options than tampons and pads, also know the issues, for example tampons are actually bad for vaginal health, there are also issues such as cost, convenience, environmental harm, body-issues, politics and history.
You may find it much better to use organic, cloth or homemade pads rather than commercial pads as they are more comfortable and don't contain the chemicals commercial pads like Always do so they aren't as likely to irritate you or cause infections…they are also cheaper, greener and come in funky colors and patterns!
Here are some different options for you to look into:
Commercial tampons, Organic tampons, Sponge tampons, Soft tampons, Homemade tampons, Padettes, Commercial pads, Organic pads, Cloth pads, Homemade pads, Padded panties, Period blanket, Toilet paper, Rubber bell-shaped menstrual cups, Silicone bell-shaped menstrual cups, Softcups, Diaphragms as menstrual cups, Homemade menstrual cups, Extraction, etc.

Lower abdomen, yes womb or officially/technically, that is your uterus, this is where the blood and bits come from, the shedding of your uterus can cause pain as the muscles contract, this is totally avoidable and even if you do get them it is easy to deal with them if you know how.

Here is an image - http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/61/Female_anatomy_frontal.png - the blood and larger bits of uterus lining come down into the vagina from the cervix, and then come out of your vagina from there. Your cervix gets soft, low and open when you have your period, also when you ovulate, so it can be a little sensitive around your period.

There is a fantastic site that would probably help you understand it all a little better called Scarleteen, this site is fantastic, it is aimed at teens but a lot of adults use it as well because it is really well written, easy to understand without being patronising, and has a very body-positive attitude – http://www.scarleteen.com

As for cramps themselves, here is a big old list of things to help you prevent and cure cramps, if you look around online or get some books from the library you can find all sorts of different ideas you can try to see what works best for you, you may also come accross web sites and books celebrating menstruation, many of which are really interesting and positive so worth looking at :o)


•Do not use painkillers, these actually increase period pain over time as your body build immunity and gets used to the painkillers being within your system, not only that but they simply numb the pain they do not actually do anything about the cause of the pain – pain is your bodies way of telling you that something is wrong, don't ignore it. Coming off painkillers if this is what you normally use can be hard because the next few periods after stopping using painkillers can seem more painful, but if you use other methods to prevent or cure menstrual cramps it does get better.

•Take herbal teas, many herbal teas are ideal for menstrual pains as well as other menstrual or cycle related problems including curing PMS, reducing flow, inducing your periods and regulating your menstrual cycle. Herbs to try are as follows; Lemon balm, Black Haw, Blessed thistle, Camomile, Wild marjoram, Red raspberry, Wild strawberry, Valerian, Yarrow, Raspberry leaf, Blue cohosh, Dong quai – Check with a health store to make sure they are right for you, some stores will also sell women's blends that would help as well.

•Don't use tampons, as well as being very bad for vaginal health many tampons are also made in such a way that they expand lengthways meaning that they can expand straight into your cervix, which is already delicate due to menstruation, and increase cramping. Commercial pads are also best avoided because as well as also being bad for vaginal health they are generally uncomfortable so hardly help with menstrual cramps. If you use these options consider other options such as; rubber bell-shaped menstrual cups, silicone bell-shaped menstrual cups, diaphragm as menstrual cups, homemade menstrual cups, softcups, organic tampons, sponges, padettes, padded panties, organic pads, cloth pads, homemade pads, free-flow, free-flow layering, free-flow instinctive, extraction, toilet paper, period blankets, etc.

•Avoid salty foods and alcohol, these can increase bloating by retaining water, and so make you feel generally sluggish as well as making cramping worse.

•Drink lots of water, this can aid in avoiding bloating. This will also help with headaches or migraines brought on by menstruation. Also adding lemon juice, a natural diuretic can decrease bloating.

•Eat your greens, and a healthy diet can make you feel a lot better at the best of times, but during menstruation it can be a good pick up and help avoid that sluggish feeling.

•Avoid foods like dairy and caffeine, generally these can cause problems for people, during menstruation this can be particularly true, many find these increase period pains. Also avoid soy products; these are notorious for causing menstrual cramps.

•Take up yoga, this is a very good exercise tip because as well as being gentle exercise it also has stretching that can help even further and breathing exercises that can help relax you and so further aid in relieving menstrual cramps.

•Take a bath, a nice warm bath can help relax you and the heat can ease period pains as well, avoid things that can harm your vagina like bubble bath, however some nice natural salts or essential oils can make a nice relaxing bath.

• Breathing exercises, some people find this a little strange, that breathing is something we do naturally anyway, however we often get out of practice and taking the time to understand how your body moves as you breath and mental exercise can help calm you down.

•Essential oils can work wonders; a little lavender oil in a burner can make a lot of difference to your mental state and calm you down. If not lavender oil then there are many other oils that can be used, a lot of stores also carry relaxation blends. Better still small pots of oil and flower blends, which can be applied to your temples, can provide a discrete but effective means of relaxation. Clary Sage is actually fantastic to massage into your stomach to relieve menstrual cramps.

•Regular cycles, although in your teens this is not going to be easy for you as your body is still maturing sexually and physically your cycles are unlikely to be very regular – however there are things you can do to help, some of the above mentioned herbs can help, but you might also want to try taking Evening Primrose Oil that will help regulate your cycles and so help with menstrual problems.

•Sex, or in your case masturbation given as you are underage, during orgasm it is believed that a hormone which causes uterine contractions is released calls Oxytocin, which can help to push out menstrual material. The relaxation and improved circulation to the pelvic area after sex can also ease period pain. Although masturbation during menstruation can be messy there is no reason to avoid it, using a towel over your bed, having sex in the shower, or using softcups or soft tampons are all options for mess free during your period.

•Heat or cold – most people say heat packs are good, you can get all sorts of really good reusable heat pads with lavender in that help a lot, but for some people cold packs work a whole lot better when applied to their stomach, so try them both and see which one helps you best.

•Acupressure/acupuncture can help a lot, although it might be too expensive for you to go to a therapist for this you may want to get yourself a basic book on acupressure/acupuncture to teach yourself some basics to help with your cramps.

•Cell-salts, these are a natural-mineral your body needs, so if you are lacking this can affect all sorts of things in your body, you can take these daily to help prevent cramps or take them when you get cramps upping the dose every 5-10 minutes until the pain goes away.

•Up your intake of magnesium, calcium, and potassium, also couple with zinc to help your body absorb these easier. These are all things needed by your body to help the uterus lining shed.

•Get regular check-ups, a healthy uterus means an easier period, if you are in good health menstrual cramps will not be as common a problem for you, it may be because you are young and cycles irregular that this is causing more of a problem for you.

•Supplements, not just the ones mentioned above (magnesium, calcium, and potassium) but also Omega 3 & 6, Multi B with high B6 and B13, vitamin E is also a good anti-inflammatory.

•Good attitude, more from the first comments, but also bare in mind menstruation is not just about your body getting rid of waste uterus lining but also everything else from the month that it does not need - this includes bad emotions - it sounds hippy-like but it is true, the more stressed you have been during your cycle the more problematic your period will be.

Answer 2

a strong painkiller helps but also the way u eat before your period can also help to reduce the pain e.g. bananas (but it might not work for everyone).Sometimes, a hot water bottle or a hot bath can help ease discomfort. Some find that deep breathing and exercising help, too. but other than that good painkillers that work quickly are midol,motrin, advil and baralgin. pads may be uncomfortable but ur young and it is better for u to use them instead of tampons (which will be painful for a person who is not a virgin),.A tampon can be uncomfortable in the years right after menstruation starts, when the pelvis and vagina are still growing.also, if u may be at school during the days that u have it it is hygienic to change it after a while because it may smell and also u will feel alot cleaner.it is the uterus. since menstruation occurs when fertilization does not occur (sperm fuse with the egg) and the lining of the uterus breaks down.

Answer 3

pain-hot water bottle, tylenol, advil and kind of pill you take for pain is good unless you get pills for pms
i say most tenagers like to use tampons, because its alittle more comfortable then blood on the out side, but i prefer pads because i cant wear tampons it feels like you have more pain in the abdomen for me any ways and lower abdomen it is ur womb because the tissue in side of you is peeling off and it hurts alot for the first 2-3 days but after that it itll slow down the pain that is and you do get a lighter blood flow after a few days any way i hope this helps you thanks for the 2 points if i dont get the 10 toodles ps it is the womb and yes that is where the baby would be but that is where the blood is coming from after the blood is gone you need to fill up again so if you get pregnant you would have a very comfortable place for ur baby

Answer 4

I love to lay on a heating pad! I feel soo good after. I would not use a tampon right away because you are still probably getting to know yourself down there. Yeah that s caused by the uterus contracting and pushing out the lining of the vagina where a baby would have began life. So your body has to remove that to create a new lining. I know it is painful , but take some Advil and you should be okay. Good luck

Answer 5

The cramping thing is normal. Yes its the lower abdomen, not the womb. The womb is where a baby would be. :) First of all I would tell your mom about it so yall can go to the store and buy some motrin, pamprin( i pesonally like pamprin) whatever kind of menstrual pain medicine you decide. When I first started I used pads, the tampon thing didnt work for me till i got about 16. Good luck and congrats! :)

Answer 6

take a medicine that you wold take for a head ache for the pain, also exercise or use a heating pad. Change pads every 4 hours or sooner if heavy. Tampons change atleast every few hours to be safe, 7 at the max, or else you will get a infection. Sleep on your side or back then you won't get blood on the bed. Good Luck!

Answer 7

well if you have a headache then get some Midol (that should reduce cramps, head aches, and it works really good!) at first you should aslo wear pads (less risky, but they are kinda messy!)
(tampons use when your doing swimming) if your back hurts then just lay down and put a heating pack on it (it works for me!) and dont be afraid if you bleed alot cuz sometimes its kinda scary!
anyway if you have any questions just IM me and ill give you some answers!

good luck! =)

Answer 8

welll midol is like the best cramp reliever but its different for everybody.
drink a lot a lot of water.
take pads everywhere u go.
tampons? i dont no if u lose ur virginity like that.
be active during ur period. reduces cramps.
dont wear tight clothes. increases cramps.
shower everyday so u wont get infections.
have fun!

Answer 9

If you can talk with your family doctor,will be a good idea.The doctor will give you pills for the pain. Or if you go to some pharmacy store,and ask to the pharmacist;for sure he/she will help you.pad are more comfortable than tampons.Good luck.Do not be worry.The pain is going to disappear.Relax,try to go to your bedroom and sleep for few minutes and you will feel better.

Answer 10

Eat some calcium rich foods to help relieve the cramps. U mostly cramp from lack of calcium. Also, take a walk. During this time it helps to eat more fruit and veggies along with an iron pill to help combat the tired feeling you might get.
Welcome to woman hood give yourself a cake and celebrate.

Answer 11

its because you are not used to having your period yet give a week if it doesn't get better tell your mom and in about another week or a month if its not better tell your doctor and he will tell you more and don't go to your boyfriends house until your way older Good Luck Girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!