This article uses inclusive language. We want to bring awareness to the fact that women are not the only ones who menstruate. 

 

There is a time in people’s life where our body begins to experience some changes. This time period is called puberty, where human bodies start to mature and change. For the people who have a uterus, ovaries, vulva, and more, these changes might be seen as growing taller, getting acne, pubic hair, among others. But one of the main changes and perhaps one of the most terrifying ones (that actually shouldn’t be) is getting our menstruation or first period. Here we will talk about periods with no prejudice. You’ll learn why periods occur, how you can prepare for them, and maybe some answers to the questions that you might be afraid to ask. 

 

Most people get their first period when they are around the age of 12 because it’s usually when puberty hits, yet, because everyone's body is different, they might get their first menstruation between the ages of 10-15. What’s going on inside the body for it to bleed and scare us to death the first time we experience it? A period happens when there are certain hormonal changes in our body; a hormone is a chemical messenger. In this case,  the ovaries release some hormones called estrogen and progesterone, which are in charge of sending messages for the lining of the uterus to be created. To have more context, the uterus is the place where a fetus develops when a person is pregnant, inside the uterus the inner lining is found, which is where the developing fetus is supported and nourished. Let’s continue, when the inner lining is built, it’s ready for a fertilized ovum to attach and start developing. If there is no fertilized ovum, then the inner lining breaks down and bleeds. When this occurs, we get our menstruation or period. The inner lining usually takes a whole month to build up. That’s why our period usually arrives once a month, sometimes more than a month, sometimes less than a month, and they normally last between 3 and 8 days. When does your period stop? It stops when one gets pregnant, but that only lasts for a while, or when we reach menopause, which is around the ages of 45-55, which is when a person's reproductive life ends. 

 

Now that we are informed in the whole theoretical part, let’s discuss what could be going on inside your mind and how you can properly prepare. I know first periods are hard and scary, believe me, I’ve been there, terrified of what was happening to my body and praying to every single superior being that what was occurring to me was not my period, yet here I am, several years later, and my prayers were not answered; it was clearly my period. How do you know it’s your first period and not something different? Well, there are some signs that you could look out for. For example, you could be feeling slightly moody, you could be getting pimples, or you could get cramps, which is a pain in your lower abdomen. These are the most common symptoms you could look out for, however, you could also get an idea of when your first menstruation might be arriving by asking your mom or the person who birthed you when they get their first period. There is usually a connection with it, so for example, I knew more or less when I would get mine because of the age my mother got it. What can you use for your period? Pads and tampons are mostly used. At first, most people use pads which are made of cotton, and they stick up to one's underwear; it can come in different shapes and sizes, but beware of not leaving it for too long. It should only be used between 4-8 hours.  Others find better and more convenient tampons specially for sports or swimming. A tampon is a cotton plug that goes inside the vagina and absorbs all the blood, but you can’t leave it in for more than eight hours. A tampon might be scary at first, but once you get used to it,  you won’t even feel it. And one that might not be that used, but is becoming wildly popular, is the menstrual cup. This is basically a cup made of a special kind of silicone that is inserted like a tampon, and collects the blood. Then you take it out and empty it, and wash it. The cup can last up to 12 hours inside you because it won’t produce any infection, and the best part is that it’s eco-friendly and reusable; the cup can be used for up to 10 years.   

 

The first couple of times, periods are not regular, but you’ll see that as time passes it will regulate, and you will get used to it; you’ll be able to know around what time it arrives and disappears. Finally, let’s talk about some common symptoms for when you get your period. The most common ones are getting cramps, nausea, headaches, diarrhea, chest tenderness, mood swings, acne, muscle aches, and, believe me, the list could go on and on. This may be overwhelming but don’t worry, there are ways to alleviate or stop the symptoms, like hot compresses, Advil, Buscapina, tea, and, of course if you want, a dark chocolate bar. 

 

I know periods can be very scary because of all the symptoms, and the fact that you are literally bleeding, but being honest, it's the most normal and natural thing in the world. You should not be scared to talk about it or feel ashamed because of it. If you need to talk with somebody about what’s going on with your body, you can always ask a person or adult of your trust, or you can even talk about it with your doctor. And remember, if you need to ask for a pad or a tampon, DO IT! We all go through it and we understand you. You are not alone.