A117 How to explain periods and puberty to your daughter

A117 How To Explain Periods And Puberty To Your Daughter

## Having "The Talk"
Puberty, with its physical and emotional changes, can be a rollercoaster ride for girls, so it’s important to have honest and open conversations. How you explain puberty to your daughter will set the tone for the next few years (no pressure!).

If you think it’s time to explain puberty to your daughter and have the ‘period talk’, follow these tips.

Read the full article below

Menstrual cramps occur when the lining of the uterus, which has built up in preparation for pregnancy, needs to flake off and leave the body. For this to happen, the uterine muscles alternately contract and relax. These contractions can in turn cause crampy menstrual pains. Not everyone experiences these. Some feel only slight discomfort, while others experience pain in the lower abdomen or sharp pain radiating to the legs and back. Other symptoms that may accompany menstrual pain include:<br/>
- nausea,
- vomiting,
- diarrhoea.
<br/>
However, it is important to remember that although menstrual pain is common, acute pain caused by these cramps is not. You should consult your doctor if you have acute pain, if it impedes your daily functioning or if it intensifies over time. These symptoms may suggest that there are other factors behind what appears to be normal, expected menstrual pain.

A015 - T02 - Why period cramps happen and how do you know it's it?

Why period cramps happen and how do you know it's it?

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Lie on your back with one leg stretched out, and pull the other knee up towards your chin. Clasp your knee with your arms to ease the strain and then hold the posture, relaxing for a few minutes.

How do you stretch away [cramp pains](/en-gb/period-hub/symptoms-explained/why-are-you-tired-before-period/ "Cramp pains")?

A056 - T03 - Knee to Chest Stretch

Knee to Chest Stretch

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How Often Is a Period

Caffeine tends to make your blood vessels constrict and can constrict the uterus. This can make cramping feel more intense.

During your [period](/en-gb/period-hub/first-period-and-puberty/first-period-symptoms/ "First period symptoms"), skip the morning coffee and opt for a herbal tea instead! If you need to start your day with coffee, try decaffeinated coffee during your period. If you rely on caffeine all day, then to beat the afternoon slump, have a protein-rich snack or go for a brisk 10-minute walk. This will give you a boost of energy.

Skip the caffeine

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Every woman at some point in her life experiences crampy menstrual pains. And how to get reduce period pain and cramps? You can start with warm compresses!

A015 How to get rid of period pain and cramps

How to get reduce period pain and cramps

If there’s a silver lining to getting period cramps, it’s that they often start a day or two before your period.

This gives you a nice (if uncomfortable!) heads up that your period is on its way, and enough time to check if your supply of pads and tampons is fully replenished from last month’s period.

You can also start wearing pantyliners to catch that first bit of period blood when it starts.

A015 - Get prepared

Get prepared


A015 How to Get Rid of Period Pain and Cramps

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Discovering a little blood on your knickers before your period is due can be confusing. But breathe deep. It’s usually no big deal. Click to learn more!

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Nothing is guaranteed to make her toes curl more than you tiptoe-ing round the subject.

When starting to explain puberty, avoid euphemisms. Using phrases like ‘foof’ or ‘front bottom’, or replacing words like ‘period’ with ‘time of the month’, can send out subtle messages that periods are something to be embarrassed about.

Be clear that puberty is something that everyone goes through – mums, dads and brothers included!

Be matter of fact

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1 Start talking early

Can PMS cause fatigue? If you're feeling tired before your period, click here to learn what you can do about this!

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Sit on the floor, legs as far apart as you can get them. Hold your toes if you can, or clasp your ankles lightly. Keep your back straight and breathe in, holding your diaphragm (the muscle under your ribs) up and in. Holding this position, take a few deep breaths. As you breathe out for the last time, bend forwards towards the floor and exhale.

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Find helpful resources about periods categorised into subtopics. Get informed with expert insights, navigate your period journey with confidence.

First Period & Puberty

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Popping a painkiller may be the first thing that comes to mind when asked how to get rid of period pain. Over-the-counter painkillers lower the levels of cramp-inducing chemicals in your body known as prostaglandins. You can take a pain reliever when you start feeling cramps.

Be sure to talk to your parents before taking any medication and always follow the dosage instructions on the box.

Try an over-the-counter painkiller

Caurosal - A117 - How To Explain Periods And Puberty To Your Daughter

How To Explain Periods And Puberty To Your Daughter

Yes, we know. You want to stay on the sofa. But resist that urge to remain curled up in a ball on the couch and get moving. Your body will thank you for it.

That’s because exercise releases endorphins – the feel-good hormones. Endorphins actually change the way the brain processes pain, and therefore can make pain feel less intense. Pretty neat, huh? 

Fitting in some light exercises for period pain can be as simple as doing a few minutes of yoga or taking a brisk walk around the block. The main thing is to increase your blood circulation, loosen up your muscles, and get those endorphins flowing. 

In addition to this, maintaining a healthy diet and regular exercise regimen can make a significant contribution to preventing menstrual pain.

Get moving

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When you’re pregnant, every little change in your body takes on greater significance, and you can read each of them as a sign of what is happening with your baby. That is great, as long as you don’t over-interpret, or assume everything is an indication that things are going wrong! The same thing applies to your discharge.

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Learning how to manage [period pain and menstrual cramps](/en-gb/period-hub/symptoms-explained/what-is-pms/) can be hugely helpful in adjusting to menstruation and enjoying puberty as best you can. How to get rid of period pain? It all depends on your body, sometimes home remedies are enough to relieve period pain and sometimes you need to see a doctor.

How to manage period cramps? Here are our best tips for how to get rid of period pain (or at least decrease the pain):

A015 - T03 - How to Get Rid of Period Pain and Cramps.  10 remedies to try

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Emotional Changes During Puberty

Period Hub - Back to Period Hub page

A117 Explain periods to daughter

A117 - T01 - Start talking early 

Start talking early

Sit with your knees open and bent at the sides, with the soles of your feet together in front of your crotch. Clasp your hands under your toes, or hold your ankles. Press the soles of your feet together and breathe in, deeply expanding your chest and lifting your diaphragm, as described above. Raise your head a little, and feel your stomach expand. Breathe in and out deeply into your stomach four or five times.

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Research has shown that when a mother relays her own experiences to help explain puberty, it gives her daughter a framework with which to understand the world.

It doesn’t matter if your story is about something difﬁcult, such as feeling embarrassed because of your period in the school changing rooms. As long as there’s a positive resolution, your experiences can provide valuable lessons, and help her feel like she can talk to you.

Share your experiences

As soon as you notice the ﬁrst signs of puberty, start having regular talks to help your daughter understand the changes she’s experiencing & how to cope.

If you’ve noticed signs of vaginal discharge in her underwear, reassure her that it’s completely normal. Talk to her about using pantyliners, which can help her feel fresh all day long. This is also the perfect time to explain periods to a child.

A117 - T01 - SUB01 - Start talking early

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Eating foods that are rich in fibre (like lentils, spinach, beans and vegetables) and reducing foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar. Try to avoid or limit your intake of red meat, high fructose corn syrup and highly processed foods. Also limit your alcohol consumption.

Certain foods may bring relief from cramps - they are called anti-inflammatory foods. They help to increase blood flow and relax the uterus. These include:

- berries, 
- tomatoes, 
- pineapple 
- spices: turmeric, ginger, garlic. 
- green leafy vegetables, 
- almonds, walnuts and 
- fatty fish, e.g. salmon

This way you’ll stay healthy and give your body the right ingredients to fight period pain.

Eat a balanced diet

6 Encourage period openness

Carousal - A015 How to Manage Period Pain and Cramps

A015 How to Manage Period Pain and Cramps

Heat can help with menstrual pain. Warm water can help relax your muscles and ease the pain and may relieve smooth muscle spasms. If you decide to take a bath during your period, ensure that the water temperature is not too high and that the bath is not too long (20 minutes maximum).

Take a warm bath or shower

Hugging a heat pad or hot water bottle is one of the most popular ways to stop period cramps. Applying heat to your cramping area can increase blood flow, which in turn helps loosen the muscles that are contracting and causing [cramps](/en-gb/period-hub/symptoms-explained/how-to-get-rid-of-period-pain-and-cramps/ "Cramps"). Added bonus: you get to cuddle up all warm and cozy for some relaxation time. All in the name of how to stop period pain.

Hug a heat pad or hot water bottle

From cramps to mood swings, get insights into common period symptoms and how to manage them effectively.

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A117 - T05 - Write her a note

Write her a note

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With Always Infinity FlexProtect Night Extra (Size 4) period pads with wings, you may even forget you are wearing a pad so you can enjoy a good-night sleep.

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How do you relieve period pain when you have no energy to do anything? If your cramps are really bad, try resting. Take a quick snooze. You may wake up feeling refreshed and cramp-free. You can also just lie on the bed or sofa and listen to music or read a book.

Rest

The more you can encourage everyone in the household to be open about puberty and periods, the better.

- Send Dad to pick up pads or tampons from the shop, or ask your son to put your period products in the bathroom when unpacking the shopping.

- Mention to other members of the family that you have your period so that your daughter understands that periods are not a taboo subject.

A117 - T06 - SUB01 - Encourage period openness

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A015 - How to get rid of period pain and cramps

Get her period ready

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Materials for Teachers

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01-Home remedies for irregular periods in teenagers

How To Explain Periods And Puberty To Your Daughter

Read the full article below

Having "The Talk"

01 Start talking early

02 Be matter of fact

03 Use tools to help

04 Share your experiences

05 Write her a note

06 Encourage period openness

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