Everything You Need to Know About Your First Period

If you’re searching for answers about your first period, you’re in the right place!

It’s normal to have questions—and all kinds of feelings—about your first period, and the changes happening in your body. Understanding what to expect can make the experience less overwhelming and more manageable, so here’s what you need to know!

What’s actually happening in your body?

Having your period, or bleeding, is a normal part of the menstrual cycle.

Each month, one of your ovaries (you have two) releases an egg. This is called ovulation and is the time of the month you are most likely to become pregnant with sexual activity.

Then, the egg travels through narrow tubes, called fallopian tubes, into your uterus. If the egg becomes fertilized through sexual activity, a baby can begin to grow. If it is not fertilized, the lining of your uterus sheds itself.

This “shedding” is the inner lining of your uterus, and comes out of the vagina. This is the blood you see during your period.

Here are some great videos that explain puberty and menstruation:

• Video: Is This Normal? Puberty in People with Vaginas, Explained | Planned Parenthood
• Video: Flowing with Confidence | Amaze.org

Physical and Emotional Changes

Your body produces different levels of hormones throughout your menstrual cycle, and those hormones can have an impact on how you feel physically or emotionally. You may notice big changes or very few changes around your period… every body is different. There are a lot of options for managing how you feel physically and emotionally.

Some things you may notice:²

• Growing, tender, or sore breasts
• Mood swings (fast changing emotions of sadness, anger, or sensitivity)
• A curvier body
• Pubic, underarm, and other body hair
• Acne
• Shifting moods and emotions
• Menstrual cramps

Once you have your period, you can become pregnant if you have sex. If you haven’t already discussed sex and reproduction with a parent, caregiver, or trusted friend, now is a great time to ask questions about what sex is and how it can cause pregnancy.

How to deal with bleeding

There are a lot of options for how to manage your period, and you get to decide what works best for you and your body.

Pads, panty liners, and period panties absorb blood from the outside. This means you can place a pad or panty liner in your underwear—or slip on a period panty—and they will catch the blood flow from your vagina. Many women and girls like these products because they come in many sizes and absorbency levels, carry less risk of infection, and don’t cause any internal discomfort.³

Other products include tampons and menstrual cups. They are inserted into the vagina and absorb blood flow internally. Many women and girls like these types of period products because they can’t be seen from the outside, you can’t feel them when inserted properly, and are comfortable during activities such as swimming or other forms of exercise.

It doesn’t matter which product you choose, as long as it’s the one that feels right for you. If you want to use tampons but want some help inserting one properly the first time, TINA has created a starter kit that includes a Tampon Insertion Aid (to help you position the tampon at the correct angle, and insert it to the correct depth) as well as an instructional booklet, videos, and even a guided “meditation” practice to talk you through relaxing your pelvic floor and using TINA to insert a tampon for the first time.

Make a Plan for your First Period

As much as we try, you can’t always predict periods.

Work with a parent, caregiver, or another trusted person to plan for if your period comes at school or another public event. If you do start your period at school or away from home, here are some options that can prepare you:

• Keep a pad or another product in your backpack.
• Keep a spare change of panties and other clothes in your school bag or purse in case of leaks.
• Keep a period product and extra clothes in your purse/overnight bag if you plan to stay at a friend’s house.

If you have limited mobility and need help changing your pad or tampon, work with a parent or trusted adult to plan who will help you. Know ahead of time who you can call if you need more assistance.

What to Do If You Don’t Have Supplies

What if you start your period and don’t have a pad or tampon? It happens to most women at some point.

Luckily there are ways you can get by until you get a pad, tampon, or another product. You can temporarily use folded toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, a clean washcloth, clean socks or other small, clean clothing items.⁴

Unless it’s a clean, unused tampon, do not insert anything into your vagina to absorb blood. Once you have a temporary fix, reach out to a teacher, friend, or another adult nearby who you trust to ask for a period product or help. Most women and girls are happy to help if they can.

Managing Your Period

Track your period

Most periods come every 28 days but vary with each person.⁵

A great way to learn about your period cycle is to track it. This is especially true if you have a disability or condition that limits your mobility because periods can trigger symptoms each month. If you notice your period causes flare-ups in pain or discomfort, you can work with your parents or caregivers to get help changing period products and caring for your body.

You can track your period by writing it down on a calendar. Or you can download an app that helps you track your periods through your smartphone. Be sure to ask a parent or caregiver for permission and help to download apps and to learn how to use them safely.

What to Do If Your Period Leaks or Stains Your Clothes

Period leaks happen, and blood stains are common, too.

With your parent’s permission or guidance, you can place your stained clothing items in ice-cold water for at least 10 minutes or up to overnight.⁶ For colored clothing, try rubbing the stain with a mixture of one part salt and two parts water. After removing the stain, wash the clothes in cold water in a washing machine and hang them to dry.

For tougher stains, turn to an adult for help. For example, you may need to use stronger chemicals that require adult supervision to wash out hard-to-remove stains.

If you need assistance, ask for help from a parent, caregiver, or trusted adult.

Remember, You’re Not Alone!

Talking openly about periods helps reduce stigma and makes it easier for everyone to share their experiences and support each other! So speak up. And remember, menstruation is a natural and healthy part of growing up.

For more information, check out our other First Period resources!