Deal With Getting Your First Period at School

Anticipating your first period can be stressful. You never know when or where it will happen. Considering how much time you spend in school each week, there is a pretty good chance it will happen there. By learning how to use a pad, bracing yourself to be caught off-guard, and preparing for the your first period in general, you will have no trouble handling your first period at school.

Steps

Use a Sanitary Napkin (Pad)

  1. Obtain a pad. Perhaps you were prepared and have a pad stashed in your locker, but maybe this isn’t the case for you. Not to worry! Simply ask any girl in school who you think might have their period. No need to be embarrassed! Women sharing feminine hygiene products is a practice as old as time! It is part of the code of being a girl.[1]
    • Your bathrooms at school may have a coin-operated dispenser that sells pads.
    • You can also visit your school nurse. There will certainly be pads available there.
  2. Pull your underwear down to your knees. Sit down on the toilet so any blood will drip into the toilet bowl and not onto the floor or your clothing. Clean up your body using some toilet paper.
  3. Unwrap the pad and remove the backing. Carefully open the packaging around your pad and remove it. You may want to save the wrapper for later. It is perfect for disposing of your pad when it’s time to change.[1] Then, remove the backing to expose the adhesive. Usually, you will find a long piece of wax-like paper covering the sticky-side on the bottom of the pad. (In some brands, the outer wrapper may also double as backing, so the adhesive may already be exposed).[1]
  4. Center the pad in the crotch of your underwear. On most underwear, there is a cotton strip that you can use as a guide. Basically, you want the pad to cover the part that goes between your legs. If your pad has one wider or bigger side, it should go toward the back of your underwear (toward your butt). Make sure the adhesive is stuck firmly to the fabric of your underwear.[1]
    • If your pad has wings, remove the backing and fold them around the middle part of your underwear, so it looks like the pad is hugging your underwear — its "arms" wrapped around the crotch of the underwear.[1]
    • Make sure the pad isn't too far forward or too far back. It should be centered.
  5. Pull your underwear up. Make sure that your underwear and the pad fit snugly against your body. It might be a little uncomfortable at first (reminiscent of a diaper), but you will get used to it. You should change your pad every three to four hours (or sooner if you have a really heavy flow).

Adapting When Caught Off Guard

  1. Create a make-shift pad. If you are not able to locate a pad, don’t worry. You can use toilet paper to create a make-shift pad until you go home or can get to the nurse's office. Simply take a long piece of toilet paper and fold it into a rectangle. Place your toilet paper rectangle in the crotch of your underwear. Then take another long piece of toilet paper, and wrap it around both the rectangle and your underpants, holding the make-shift pad in place. You will want to check this more often that you would check a traditional pad, but it should do the trick![2]
  2. Go see the nurse. If you have just gotten your first period, a visit to the school nurse might be a good idea. The nurse can provide you with pads if you need them, and you can probably lay down for a little while to feel better and gain your composure. The nurse may also have a hot water bottle or heating pad you can place on your belly (for cramps), or some over-the-counter pain medication (like ibuprofen).[3]
  3. Wrap a sweater around your waist. Although first periods and usually very light, there is still a chance that you might get some blood on your pants. If this happens to you, simply wrap a long-sleeved shirt around your waist to cover it up. If you don’t have one, you may be able to borrow from a friend.[3]
    • The school nurse may also have extra clothes on hand for you to borrow.
  4. Don’t be embarrassed. The most important thing is to keep a good attitude. It’s true that you might not feel very well when you have your period, and it can be a lot to handle, but it is a natural and important part of life! It means that you are a growing and changing. Having your period is something that should be celebrated, not something you should ever feel ashamed of.[3]
    • Remind yourself that almost every woman goes through this! Look around you: just about every adult woman you see has experienced what you are going through.
    • Try to have a sense of humor about it! Read about period jokes online and share them with your girlfriends. Such as, "Jokes about menstrual cycles are not funny. Period."

Knowing What to Expect

  1. Learn about what to expect. The more educated you are on the subject, the easier it will be to stay calm when it happens. Your first period will probably be very light, and may not even look like blood. You may notice your period as bright red drops in your underwear, but it could also be any shade from maroon to brown.[4] Also, don't worry that you will be losing a lot of blood. The average woman loses only about 1 oz. (30 ml) of blood during her period.
    • When your period comes, you may notice a feeling of wetness in your underwear. You may even feel liquid flowing out of your vagina, or you may not notice anything at all.[4]
    • If you are scared of blood or bleeding, try framing it this way: your period isn’t blood from a wound or injury. The blood from your period is actually a sign that you're healthy.
  2. Talk to someone you trust. One of the best ways to learn about what to expect is to talk to your mom, older sister, aunt, cousin, or friend who has already gotten their period. This way you can have an open, back and forth conversation, and ask any questions you may have. Furthermore, girls often begin their periods around the same age as their mother or sisters did. So if talking to your mom or sister is an option, find out when they started and what is was like.
    • You can simply say, "I'm nervous about getting my first period." (Or if you have already started, "I just started my first period.")
    • Then you can say, "What was it like when you started yours?"
  3. Buy supplies. Your local drugstore or grocery store will probably have an entire aisle dedicated to feminine hygiene products. There are a lot of choices, and eventually you’ll figure which products you like best. To start out, look for pads that aren't too bulky or noticeable. You will probably want light or medium absorbency.[1].
    • Pads are probably the easiest thing to start out with. You will have enough to think about without worrying about how to properly insert a tampon.
    • However, if you would prefer to use a tampon or a menstrual cup during your first period, that is OK too. It is most important for you to feel comfortable.
    • If you feel embarrassed about buying pads or tampons, just remember that the cashier really doesn't care what you are buying and it's nothing new or shocking to them.
  4. Store supplies at school. It is a good idea to store some pads in your backpack, purse, gym bag, and/or locker at school (just one or two in each place is fine). If you have the supplies with you at school, you do not need to worry about your first period catching you by surprise.[5]
    • You may want to get a makeup bag or pencil case to store your period supplies.
    • You may also want to hide a pair of underwear in your locker just in case.
    • You may also want to keep a little bottle of ibuprofen or other over-the-counter pain medication in your locker to help with cramps (just check your school's policy on this first).
    • You may also want to toss in a bar of chocolate, as it has been proven to help with PMS and give your mood a boost.
  5. Watch for signs that your period is coming. There is no surefire way to know that your period is approaching, but there are some signs that might give you a clue. If you experience a stomach or backache, cramps in your abdomen, or sore breasts it may mean that your first period is approaching.[4]
    • Women can get their first periods as early as eight years old and as old as 16. The average age is 12.[4]
    • You may notice a white discharge in your underpants up to six months before getting your first period.[4]
    • Your period usually comes after you have reached 100 pounds.



Tips

  • If you have a friend you know that had her period ask her for supplies as she probably has some.
  • Although it may be shocking at first, calm yourself. It's natural.
  • If you just got your first period use pads because they are convenient and not as stressful to put on.
  • Track when you get your normal cycle. Use an app or write on a calendar when your period begins. This will help you prepare by having the needed supplies such as extra clothes and pads/tampons.

Warnings

  • If you know your period is coming, try not to wear colored or pattered jeans blood tends to go right through!
  • Prior to using tampons for the first time, have a female adult properly educate you on how to insert and remove a tampon. Be sure to fully read the medical information on the insert in the box. If you are not sure about proper usage, please seek help.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 http://www.girlshealth.gov/body/period/pads.html
  2. ↑ http://jezebel.com/5812246/diy-pad-crisis
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 http://kidshealth.org/en/kids/period-school.html#
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 https://www.plannedparenthood.org/teens/my-body/your-period
  5. ↑ http://kidshealth.org/en/kids/period-school.html
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