Periods

We sat down with four awesome ladies of our Teen Advisory Council— Kaitlyn (14), Amber (12), Adler (17), and Evelynn (17)—to chat about periods.

Any fun names for your period?

Adler:

“Shark week” is a popular one. “I’ve fallen to the communists” from The IT Crowd. I’ve also heard “the tide is coming,” “tampon drive,” “my red flower is blooming,” and “my moon door is open.” The last two are from Game of Thrones.

Kaitlyn:

“Japan is attacking” (because of the national flag). My friends and I usually say, “My uterus is dying.”

Evelynn:

My mom uses names like “Aunt Flo.”

Amber:

I don’t know a lot of period slang because I don’t really talk about my period with my friends because they don’t have their periods yet.

Evelynn:

I feel like a lot of people don’t use specific terms because there is stigma around it. My friends and I typically just ask for a pad or tampon—that’s a clear sign. Or people will just say, “I’m on my cycle” or talk about how their cycles are syncing.

What was it like to get your period for the first time?

Amber:

I got my period for the first time in February of this year. I had just turned 12. We were at a basketball game at Dillard University and having a good time. I had to go to the bathroom and I looked at my underwear and was like, “Oh my God.” I was so confused. I cleaned myself up and robotically walked back to the bleachers and told my mom that I thought I had gotten my period. I was wearing these really nice white pants and they were totally stained. We went to CVS on the way home and got some pads and my mom told me what to do. For the next few days, I was scared of myself. Why was myself doing this to myself? I was hungry, irritated, and mad at everyone for no reason. That was hard because I’m usually nice to everyone.

Adler:

I was 13 and it happened on a band trip to Disney World in Orlando. I was the only girl in the band. Initially, I thought I had gotten food poisoning or had too much root beer and poo’d myself. I hate when books describe the first period as a rose petal between your legs. Mine was murderous. There was so much blood. I put on a bathrobe over my clothing and went to find the female chaperone. She gave me a week’s worth of panty liners. I used those and Disney princess napkins for the rest of the trip.

Kaitlyn:

I was 11 and woke up soaked in my own blood. I was terrified. I was like, ‘What happened in the middle of the night? Did the dog attack me?’ I didn’t realize where the blood was coming from. I didn’t go to my mom. She found out because she saw the blood on the sheets when I came home from school. My first period lasted about nine days and was so heavy. It would get light for a day and then kept coming. A friend told me to go to CVS to buy pads. And for some reason I thought the sticky side was supposed to go up. So that happened. I started Googling everything about periods and was a lot more prepared the second month.

Evelynn:

I had mine when I was 12. I was having really terrible stomach pains and my mom took me to several doctors around Louisiana because we thought something was wrong with my stomach. At some point I started having brown discharge. A week later, I was at school and bled through my khaki pants during first block. I put my sweater around my waist and had to go the whole day with dry blood in my pants. I told my mom when I got home and she was excited.

Adler:

My mom was very excited too. The second I got home from my Disney World trip she had all this stuff laid out and told me about all the products.

Kaitlyn:

I didn’t know how to talk to my mom about this. I have always bought my own pads and tampons. We don’t talk about this stuff very much.

Amber:

When I first went to buy pads on my own, I was so nervous. I begged my mom to buy them for me, but she wanted me to do it myself. I got a male cashier and didn’t make any eye contact. And then I just cried on my way out the door. I don’t know why.

Kaitlyn:

I stare the cashier in the eye when I buy tampons or pads. I hate the stigma. My friends will be like, “I need a tampon. Slide it under the desk!” and I’ll just throw it to them in the middle of class. There just shouldn’t be stigma around it.

How does your period affect you and what helps you feel better?

Evelynn:

The week before, I’m just really frustrated at everything and everyone. And then the week of my period, it’s just sadness. It’s terrible.

Adler:

I turn into a witch. I always get a killer headache the day before and then I’m just awful to everyone. I get very antisocial.

Evelynn:

My flow is really heavy and my period lasts a full seven days. My friends have them for three days and then they are done.

Kaitlyn:

I just wallow in my pain and try to lie down in different positions. I still don’t really know what to do.

Amber:

I usually go into my room, lock the door, turn off all the lights, get a pillow and lie there facedown. Ginger tea does help in my experience.

Adler:

Lying on my side and rubbing my stomach clockwise helps me. And yes, liquids, liquids, liquids. Stay hydrated. Pho is great. And I like taking baths. I get cold and hot flashes when I’m on my period. If I’m feeling really hot, I’ll run a cold bath. If I’m feeling really cold, I’ll run a hot bath.

Evelynn:

Ibuprofen doesn’t really work for me. I typically end up switching to Aleve. It’s really important to figure out what helps with the pain. Heating pads can only do so much. The pain just comes and goes. I have friends who take birth control to alleviate the pain.

Adler:

Exercise helps me with cramps. I know it works for a lot of people. I also like martial arts to let all the emotions out so I won’t yell at my mother or my cat.

Any thoughts on feminine products?

Evelynn:

The first time I wore a tampon, I put the whole thing in. I didn’t push the plastic tube. It was very uncomfortable, but I told myself it was fine and went swimming in a lake with the plastic inside of me. I never wanted to use a tampon ever again, but then I spoke with my mom and she explained to me that the plastic part is not supposed to go in, that you’re supposed to use it to push the tampon in.

Adler:

I didn’t use tampons for a long time, but now I’m like, ‘Why be afraid of a roll of cotton!?’ But it can hurt if you don’t put it in right.

Evelynn:

It’s a bit scary to use tampons because you don’t know exactly where you’re sticking it and how far it should go in. It’s helpful that there are so many options for different tampon and pad sizes, but it takes a while to figure out what’s right for you.

Adler:

If you want to use tampons, find a good starter tampon. Something small. You’ll have to change it sooner, but it’ll be easier to get comfortable.

Kaitlyn:

I typically use a tampon and a pad, and I’ve been wanting to try menstrual cups because I like that they are reusable.

Adler:

My mom sends me period product trends and is about to order me a ton of period panties [washable, reusable undies that absorb your period].

Amber:

Don’t get scented stuff. It’ll just irritate your skin.

Any thoughts on feminine products?

Evelynn:

The first time I wore a tampon, I put the whole thing in. I didn’t push the plastic tube. It was very uncomfortable, but I told myself it was fine and went swimming in a lake with the plastic inside of me. I never wanted to use a tampon ever again, but then I spoke with my mom and she explained to me that the plastic part is not supposed to go in, that you’re supposed to use it to push the tampon in.

Adler:

I didn’t use tampons for a long time, but now I’m like, ‘Why be afraid of a roll of cotton!?’ But it can hurt if you don’t put it in right.

Evelynn:

It’s a bit scary to use tampons because you don’t know exactly where you’re sticking it and how far it should go in. It’s helpful that there are so many options for different tampon and pad sizes, but it takes a while to figure out what’s right for you.

Adler:

If you want to use tampons, find a good starter tampon. Something small. You’ll have to change it sooner, but it’ll be easier to get comfortable.

Kaitlyn:

I typically use a tampon and a pad, and I’ve been wanting to try menstrual cups because I like that they are reusable.

Adler:

My mom sends me period product trends and is about to order me a ton of period panties [washable, reusable undies that absorb your period].

Amber:

Don’t get scented stuff. It’ll just irritate your skin.

Any other words of wisdom for girls who are about to have their first period?