I just started my period a few days ago, and I need help on how it all works. I don't have a mom...?
930033
Well the basics of the scientific side of things is that an egg is released from your ovaries about once a month, and the lining in your uterus builds up ready for a pregnancy - and when the egg remains unfertilised cause there's no sperm getting in there, your uterus flushes out this lining in the form of your period, and the whole cycle happens again next month. Here's the need-to-know stuff though! Hope it helps, sorry if there's way more than you wanted to know....\n\nIt comes approximately every 28 days - but the actual cycle varies hugley between people and can be really irregular for the 1st year or so, you may want to keep some pads/tampons in your school bag and stuff so as to avoid being caught out. You may also like to mark with just a little star or something in your diary the 1st day each month when you get your period so you can work out how long your cycle is and when to expect your next one. The length of time it lasts for is really different for different people as well - often around 5 days, but they say anywhere between 2 and 8 is normal.\n\nYou may find you get PMS each month before it starts - eg feel really down, or moody, tearful - that's pretty normal, some people get mega-bad PMS (if you feel suicidal or something once a month you may wanna talk to your doctor about supplements or something to control it though!) I used to have a screaming fit followed by a crying fit when I was ~16! Don't get that anymore, thankfully...\n\nBasically you've gotta find what suits you in terms of pads and tampons... you can go swimming during your period if using tampons as they soak up the blood internally (can't go swimming with pads though) and tampon boxes always include instructions on how to insert them. If you don't feel comfortable with tampons and they've got swimming at school, just get your Dad to write you a note (He can say you've got a cold or something, pretty much any excuse, if you don't want a note to the teacher saying you've got your period!) It's best to use pads near the end of the period when there's not much blood there. There's a range of pads out there - eg ones with wings to hold them in place, and ones for different flows - you might want to wear an 'overnight' one for overnight, etc... So you'll find the ones you prefer. You need to change the pad about every 3-4hrs, or earlier if it's full. There should be a little bin in most women's toilets, and you just chuck it in there, if it's a pad wrap a bit of toilet paper or the wrapper or something round it so it doesn't stick to the chute... that's just yuck! I'd wrap something round it whatever the bin... It can be kinda difficult at other people's houses if they don't provide a bin in either their toilet or their bathroom and you've really gotta change it, but usually there's something somewhere!\n\nIf you get really bad cramps sometimes a hot-water bottle against your tummy can help a bit. You may also feel a bit bloated. Make sure you're getting enough iron and Vitamin C in your diet (this doesn't necessarily mean eat tonnes of red meat - I'm vegetarian! - you can get iron through foods like spinach, raisins, etc.. You can probably find a list of iron-rich foods no prob) as although you really don't lose much blood at all, it can make you slightly more at risk of iron deficiency. I wouldn't recommend taking any iron supplements or anything unless a blood-test by a doctor has actually shown you to be low on iron, as too much is just as bad as too little!\n\nNot sure if I've left anything out... and sorry if that was a case of mega-TMI! Better to know more than enough than less than enough... but if you do have any more questions just add them to the top bit!
597193
First, the best advice I can give you is to speakto your mum. She will be able to buy you some sanitary towels and tell you how to use them, when to change them etc.\n\nIf you get crampy pains in the lower part of your stomach, a hot water bottle often helps, as can a warm bath, or some pain killers. Gentle exercise usually helps as well.\n\nHaving your period shouldn't stop you from doing ANYTHING you would usually do. For things like swimming etc, you can use tampons, although I'd advise you stick with towels just now andjust avoid swimming when you're on your period. Having your period is not an illness and should not be treated as one. It is not an excuse to lie about the house and slack off your chores or anything like that - sorry!! It happens to 50% of the population once a month and if we all treated it as an illness, the world would grind to a halt!\n\nBut seriously, speak to your mum about it. She'll be able to help you out much more than anyone on the internet can.
739358
well, alot of times when you first get your period, it is really irregular, it could be right on time again which would be 28-35 days, any day after the 35 would be considered late. and it could be 3 months until you start again. but the best way that you can really tell when you are going to start your period again is if you feel cramps or bloating which usually happens 1 week before you start your period but everyone is different. the best choice for you would be to keep a calendar and write down every day that you start your period and how long it lasts. and look at all the months that you had your period and you will notice a patern. so then you will be able to track your period.Good luck hun and congrats on becoming a woman!
647676
You don't say how old you are and that might affect how your periods are.\n\nOne thing that helps with cramps is to give up caffiene.  No coffee, tea, caffienated sodas and you might have a much easier time.\n\nThere are over the counter meds that work well--Pamprin works pretty well--and your doctor can prescribe stronger medications.  In some cases, birth control pills are prescribed to manage menstrual pain.\n\nOther things you can do?  Use a heating pad (or one of those heating bandages that are out now), gentle exercise such as stretching or walking, and if you're of age a shot of brandy or some other liquor works pretty well.\n\nGood luck.  (You have my sympathies)
558487
It's not always exactly every 30 days.  It could be 33 or 35, especially at first.  Don't worry unless you think you're pregnant.  Talk to your mom about it or sister or older friend.
740564
Sounds like your period.  From what you describe this happened on the 23rd day of your cycle.  3 days + 2 weeks + 6 days as you have explained it.\nNo worries.
717577
Is it possible that you are pregnant??  Let's rule that out first.  Are you seriously underweight?  If you do not have enough body fat, you will not menstruate.  Are you into sports or extremely athletic?  That also deals with body fat composition, but it is a healthy reason to not have the body fat.  Also, how stressed are you?  That could keep it from coming too.\n\nListen, you are 18.  You are an adult.  You have a responsibility to take care of yourself.  I'm sorry that your parents aren't there for you, and I know it's scary, but you have to do this.  If I were your sister, I'd go with you.  Talk to your school nurse for some direction of what to do- where to go.  Go get yourself checked out.  It could be something serious, and you don't want it to get worse because you didn't go to the OB when you could have.
584376
It is perfectly normal to have irregular periods.  If you have alot of stress it happens, or if you exercise too much, or don't eat properly, or you can be perfectly healthy and its genetic.  Ask your mom if she was that way.  It is slightly possible it is problem like cysts so you should definately talk to your doctor.  She'll be able to figure out if it is a problem or if it is natural for you.  If it really bothers you, you can go on the Pill, which will make your periods lighter and as regular as clockwork (I literally get mine at 9am on the Wednesday they are due!)  So, there's nothing much to worry about since you are young, but talk to your doctor and go on the Pill if it bothers you alot.
886880
well irregularity is normal during the beggining stages of your period, but regardless of irregularities you should still be getting your period about every 2-3 months. Perhaps the bleeding was caused by something other than your period since there seems to be large periods of time between each menstrual cycle. I suggest you talk to your doctor about it, a mom might make you feel better, but a doctor can actually tell you what is wrong. :)
871079
Help you with what?  It was your period.  Don't be embarrassed.  Every girl has it sooner or later.
1094337
Don't worry, I had the same problem the first time I used a tampon... You can use a mirror to look down there;  then push a little, like if you are going to poo, and the "hole" that opens and close  that's were you have to put the tampon... it's kind of the middle one, the back one, or last one is where we really poo! hehe... also don't forget to read the instructions of the tampons so you can insert it correctly... It would be a good idea to ask your mother or a friend that already uses tampon, although I know it's kind of embarrasing to ask some things to our mothers, but that's how a friend explained me, and it worked! just be careful to put it correctly, and you won't feel anything! and also read the instructions of when you have to change it, etc.  Good Luck! :D
102214
if you havent been getting your period for a long time its normal, and it could be the side effects of some medicines, but you really should get checked by a doctor... you cant loose anything.. if there is nothing wrong then you are releived.. and if you have something wrong then you can get help immediatly... my mom began to get her period two times a month and she was very sick, fortunatly she went to the doctor early and the could control the sicknes.. she is alright now....  i dont mean to make you worried.. but... i wouldnt want anything bad to happen!! good luck! :)
636796
Periods can fluctuate.  You can also trick yourself into thinking that your pregnant. \n\nDon't worry.  Sometimes your body doesn't take as long for a period as it does on other times.  If you've had some really stressful stuff happen, your body might have cut it short.  \n\nSometimes, when you're consistently having really short or too frequent periods, you're not ovulating.  If you keep having problems talk with your doctor.\n\nHe can give you a prescription for a few days worth of progesterone to jump start your uterus and get it back on track and more regular.  But only bother doing that if you consistently have problems with your period.
66052
Are you sexually active? If so you could be pregnant. But my guess is your not, so you should talk to you mom and go see your gyno.   Has it been more than a month because periods are sometimes irregular.
991649
When you first start your period, often it is irregular and catches you by surprise.  I always carried seomthing in my purse/backpack to be prepared for that.  Also, look for the signs of your period coming (such as bloating, cramping, ect) and then its not so much of a surprise.  Also, Id suggest tracking it on a calendar or website (theres lots of free ones to do so), and then u can predict it so much better.
900305
Hi!\n I'm 13 and have had periods long enough to know this stuff.\n\nWell, for one thing, before your first period you might get PMS, or premenstrual syndrome, where you are super moody and sometimes even weep for no apparent reason, or lash out at people who don't deserve it. You will have had whitish discharge for 6 months to a year before your first period, and your breasts will have already started to develop, and pubic hair will have already started to grow.\n\nTo prepare for your period, you should buy tampons and pads. You may also buy pantyliner for hygienic purposes(to be more clean), to absorb the whitish discharge. I usually wear these right before periods, but if the discharge comes out during other times of the month, that's okay too. (But, if your discharge has a strong, yucky smell, or if it is a color other than white, go to the doctor.) Some girls wear pantyliner every day when they're not on their period, just in case their period comes along unexpectedly. :-)\n\nSome girls choose to wear tampons during the day and pads at night. If you choose to wear only pads, don't feel self-conscious if you think they are bulky because they're not. Just make sure you change your pads/tampons at least every 4 or 5 hours. \n\nWith tampons, if you do not do that, you may get toxic shock syndrome. With pads, you do this simply because it's icky to not do so.You can get instructions on how to insert tampons and how to put on pads from the manufacturer's box, or your mom.\n\nPeriods may seem unfair and a drag, but they are a fact of life and we women must all live with it and make the best of it.\n\nGood luck and welcome to puberty!
312522
say something like  "so mom guess what? i got my period today" or "mom i think i started my period could we go buy some pads or something" tell her b4 u go to bed or right after school- DON'T WAIT because that's not safe