Among all the physical and psychological changes that our children begin to experience when they enter adolescence, the arrival of the first menstruation It is usually the one that most doubts, worries or even fear awakens in girls. That is why it is very important that parents address the issue naturally, and respond to all their concerns.
Today we share a basic guide with everything you need to know about the teenager's first rule: when it occurs, what characteristics the first cycles have and what advice you should take into account, both you and the father, as well as your daughter, to face this stage of life in a positive, healthy and natural way.
The arrival of menstruation, the main change that happens in adolescence
As the girl approaches puberty, the pituitary gland releases hormones that stimulate the ovaries to produce estrogen and progesterone, the hormones involved in physical and sexual changes that take place in adolescence.
In Babies and more These are the main physical changes that children experience before and during adolescence. One of the most important changes that occurs in this stage of development is the maturation of sexual characteristics and the beginning of the fertile stage, which begins from the arrival of the first rule (menarche).Once a month, an egg leaves one of the ovaries and travels through the fallopian tubes to the uterus, where it will wait for the arrival of a sperm to be fertilized. If this fertilization does not occurThe endometrium, which had been prepared to receive the fertilized egg, is no longer necessary and the body slowly expels it along with a certain amount of blood through the vagina. And this is what is known as menstrual period, menstruation or rule.
At what age does the rule appear for the first time?
As we saw a few days ago in the article about physical changes in adolescence, between one and three years after the girls start breast augmentation the first rule usually appears, which tends to be preceded months earlier by an increase in vaginal discharge.
Depending on when these first signs of puberty have begun, the rule will come sooner or later, with a normal interval estimated between 10 and 15 years. In our country, the most frequent age of appearance of the first rule is 12 years, but this age may vary from one country to another.
Similarly, there are certain socioeconomic and hereditary conditions that can also affect. In this way, it is common for mothers and daughters to have their first period at the same age.
Characteristics of the first menstrual cycles
Usually, a regular cycle takes place every 28 days, although the cycle between 21 and 35 days is also considered normal, always counting from the first day of the rule and until the appearance of the next.
However, during the first months after the beginning of the first rule the periods are often irregular, although as time passes and the body matures, it will reach a regularity (approximately, between one and two years after this first menstruation).
The duration of the rule varies from one woman to another, and even from one cycle to another, considering a normal duration between three and seven days.
When should we consult with the doctor?
Before the appearance of the first rule it is advisable that our daughter visit the pediatrician or the family doctor, who will give you some directions and advice to follow during those days. Likewise, it will ask you certain questions about your menstrual cycles, in order to detect any possible anomaly.
The symptoms that should put us on alert are:
Heavy bleeding: Although the amount of bleeding varies from one woman to another, and also from one month to another, it can normally be quantified between 40 and 80 ml. To know if the bleeding is very abundant, the AEP recommends as a measure to take into account the spotting of more than eight payments per day for a period between seven and ten days.
Spotted or bleeding between rules.
Unexpected changes in the rules.
Intense pain: yes well the first rules do not usually cause painAs time goes by some women may experience discomfort or pain, both during ovulation and during the period. If this happens, it is important to consult with the doctor who will recommend the best treatment to follow depending on the age of the girl and the type of pain she has.
Likewise, it is also important to consult with the doctor in case the first rule has not appeared around 16 years. In some cases, lower body fat, stress, inadequate nutrition or excessive training (in case of elite sports) can lead to an absence or delay in menstruation, although it is convenient for the girl to be assessed by the doctor To rule out any problem.
Advice before the arrival of the first rule
- He parental role is crucial at this stage of life, in which our daughter is likely to feel confused or even afraid of the changes her body is experiencing.
Therefore, whether we have boys or girls, as our children enter adolescence we must speak with them naturally about the physical changes in their bodies, also explaining what happens during the menstrual cycle.
This will help eliminate taboos, see the arrival of menstruation as normal and natural, and clear any doubts that may arise around this time.
In Jared The menstruation in different places of the world, a monthly nightmare for many women - Talk with our children about sexuality It is something we must do since they are small, since there is no specific time to address the issue. However, adolescence often raises new questions for children, so it is essential to clarify all their doubts.
Experts also recommend making our children understand that Biological maturation is not linked to maturation to have sexAlthough adolescence may be a good time to address certain issues (if they have not arisen before), such as unwanted pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases.
In Babies and more Do you fear the arrival of “the conversation” of sex with your teenage son? Calm down, you don't have to have it as you think- We need to keep in mind that the arrival of the first rule can occur at any time, place and situation, so it is possible that our daughter will happen outside the home.
Therefore, as we intuit that your first rule is approaching, let us give you tools and guidelines so that you know how to act in case it occurs outside the family environment, such as at school or while camping.
Talk about the rule naturally and positively, preventing the girl from feeling ashamed, or transmitting negative concepts, rejection, prejudices or myths. Also, menstruation does not have to alter the plans of the adolescent, or prevent her from continuing her normal life or enjoying sport (among which, there is also swimming or water sports).
As we have advanced in the previous point, if the rule is painful it is important to consult with the pediatrician to put a treatment, although there are some measures that can help minimize discomfort such as the application of local heat, abdominal massages, physical exercise or repose.
Before the arrival of the first period, the girl can use the hygiene product she prefers and with which she feels most comfortable.
In this regard, there is no problem if you want to use tampons, although it is important to teach our daughter to use them correctly, as well as to indicate that she should change them frequently or every three hours, since leaving them for a long time could cause infections (some very serious).
In VitónicaWhat is toxic shock syndrome, do tampons pose a real risk for women?- It is important that the girl Learn to know your body and its cycles, so that over time, she herself can anticipate when her next period will take place.
To do this, we must recommend to our daughter that write on a calendar the first day of each rule, and if this takes place on a regular basis it will be easy to calculate when the next one will come. If, on the contrary, your periods are irregular, there may be associated symptoms that are worth noting (such as the appearance of pimples, ovarian pain, stomach upset ...), since they could offer data on the timing of the cycle in which it is located.
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