As natural as this is, and as advanced as today's society appears to be, menstruation is still taboo. Although women menstruate every month for more than half of their lives, unfortunately they still go through many situations related to this subject in secret, without saying much about it.
For a girl who starts menstruating, then, this period of puberty can be very difficult, because facing a taboo within one's own body is quite a challenge for a young mind in formation. Therefore, menstruation needs to be demystified and brought up more often, including in our daily lives.
In the same sense, we need to understand what menarche is and what other events are involved with this process, so that we know how to help young women and girls at this very important moment in their lives, treating the matter carefully. Check out!
What is menarche?
A woman's first period is called menarche. Menarche is one of the last stages of a girl's puberty and represents the female body's entry into reproductive life, as the menstrual cycle is, in fact, a woman's reproductive cycle.
What is the age of menarche?
In most cases, menarche occurs between 10 and 15 years of age, but it can vary from body to body, coming well before that period (early menarche) or even later (late menarche).
Because it involves so many physical changes and different social pressures, the period of menarche can be really confusing and challenging for girls. Therefore, it is important to understand the subject and provide all possible support to them at this time.
How is the menarche flow?
In the first few months of menarche, the flow tends to be irregular. After the first period, some variations may occur, both in the menstrual cycle and in the flow itself, as the body is in the process of adapting to this new process.
What are the first symptoms of menarche?
During adolescence, many changes take place in a girl's body. It is even normal for girls to feel anxiety and insecurity during this period; after all, not only are the various menstrual hormones messing with their bodies, but it is also a challenging phase of self-knowledge. To know how to identify if menarche is coming, the 3 main signs are pointed out below.
breast growth
One of the main signs of female puberty is breast growth, as well as increased sensitivity in this area. First, you can feel small lumps on the girl's nipples, and then a lump begins to appear around them.
It is important to note that the use of a bra is not mandatory at this time - in fact, at any time. After all, both girls and women must choose to use it according to their own preferences and needs. A girl who decides she needs a bra should choose a model that is as comfortable for her as possible.
discharge
A few months before the first period, a white or yellowish discharge may begin to appear on the underwear, which is actually a normal secretion from the vagina. In the days leading up to bleeding, a discharge may be more noticeable.
It can be a good alternative, for the girl who has discharge, to use disposable daily protectors, available in any pharmacy or supermarket. In addition to getting the girl used to the idea of ​​using tampons, this can prevent her panties from getting stained.
But the important thing is to choose those that let the skin breathe, avoiding using it every day, as they retain vaginal perspiration, favoring the emergence of harmful microorganisms that cause discharge and infections.
hair development
Another notable sign of menarche, which continues throughout the period of female puberty, is the development of hair. Initially, they appear thin and soft.s, predominantly in the intimate regions and in the armpits. Over time, the hairs tend to thicken and grow in greater amounts.
It is not recommended that girls shave as soon as the first hairs start to appear on the body, because, at that time, the skin is sensitive, and shaving can cause unnecessary injuries.
What to expect from the first cycles
The first menstrual cycles are always irregular, and should be regularized only after 4 years of recurrences. So at the beginning, the flow and duration of female bleeding can vary greatly from one period to another, and there may still be larger or smaller intervals, without being able to predict and calculate the phases of the cycle.
Even if you don't feel the ovulation pains, which start to happen only 2 years after menarche, the girl who starts menstruating can experience quite a lot of cramping. Therefore, it is good that warm water compresses and medicines are available to her at all times.
Regarding the use of sanitary pads and hygiene in relation to bleeding, it is important that the girl is reassured and very well oriented, so that she learns to deal with it in the best possible way. Very intense flows, for example, can cause dread and fear in newly menstruating women, mainly because leaks can happen, which can make them uncomfortable in public.
Nowadays, there are many options for dealing with menstruation, not necessarily having to surrender to the most commonly used disposable pads. Reusable cloth pads, menstrual cups and absorbent panties are popular novelties. For girls who have just gone through menarche, use of external absorbents is recommended, because, at first, devices such as the menstrual cup and the famous “OB” (internal absorbent) can hurt her. To prevent leaks, therefore, absorbent panties intended for heavy flows may be the best (and most comfortable) alternative.
Early Menarche: What is it?
It is called early menarche when the first menstruation happens before 8 years of age, and in these cases, it is important to consult a pediatrician. Most cases of this type do not have a defined cause, and therefore the treatment can vary a lot, and it can be just a follow-up of the girl's puberty, or involve the use of drugs that delay menstruation.
There are cases of early menstruation explained by exposure to some chemicals or ingestion of specific drugs that make the girl's body produce the sex hormones that lead to puberty. Severe primary hypothyroidism and childhood obesity are also identified as causes of this event..
“I got my period early. Is there cause for guilt or shame?”
This is a big and distressing question that can cross the minds of many girls with early menarche. And, of course, the answer is no. Each body is a body and must be investigated and respected according to its own requirements and limits.
For a child, however, facing early menarche can be quite challenging, and become a reason for a series of insecurities. Within this, a feeling of loneliness is included, since, while the girl deals with the various difficulties of the menstrual cycle (bleeding, physical pain and the like), it can take years to see her friends in the same situation.
That's why it's important to be by their side in this situation, giving them all the support you can and stressing all the time that all is well. Even more important is to encourage the girl to continue playing and exercising her childhood, without separating her from the child's universe and, also, protecting her from possible harassment and malicious comments that she may hear during this period.
Unfortunately, many people still associate the arrival of menstruation with the entry into adulthood and sexual availability, but it is known that, given today's society, this is not what the matter is about. It is possible for a girl to menstruate and continue to act, think and live like a child., and this is undoubtedly the healthiest alternative for their psychological and social development.
late period
In contrast to early cases, there is also late menarche, which is when girls start menstruating only after the age of 16. Although the most common cause is constitutional delay in growth (also called CRCP - constitutional delay in growth and puberty) for genetic reasons, late menstruation is commonly seen in athletic and low body weight girls.
Practitioners of rhythmic gymnastics, swimming, ballet and tennis, for example, usually suffer from this delay in puberty because of high-intensity training, stress and chronic energy deficit in the practice of these sports.
As soon as menarche delay is noticed, a gynecologist should be consulted., so that the girl has the necessary accompaniments, being able to undergo some treatment so that her development is not harmed as a whole. In the case of athletes, it is possible that a break in sports practices is recommended.
Regardless of the age at which menarche occurs, it is important that the girl who starts menstruating takes her period with ease, accepting her changes and inconstancy, without causing her any trauma or anguish. Therefore, being understandable and helpful at this moment is an act of paramount importance.
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It is not necessary to make a big deal about the first period of a loved one, with celebrations and over-reactions about the news, but it is better that this is faced carefully and, above all, discussed with zeal. After all, it is high time we normalized talking about menstruation and made it something widely accepted in society.
