OK, girls, we all hate 'em - periods! It really annoys me and when my friend asked me once what was bad about them I just couldn't reply. There's nothing great about 'em, but neither is there anything bad about them if you're clued up. Don't forget to read the Questions and Answers below. My three tips:
>>> Don't use tampons if you're not comfortable with them.
>>> Wear something comfortable. I for one prefer the towels with wings, but maybe you like long towels, or a short one.
>>> When you don't have your period, rejoice and make the most of it. Why bother thinking of tomorrow when you can NEVER get today back?
I also have a few sites for you girls who need a little more information. These are some good ones to try:
Being Girl - For Girls, By Girls
Is my only recommendation. It just has it all!
To ask a question about periods, email me at george.braddyll@hotmail.co.uk - thanks!
Q: What are periods?
A: Periods are the lining of your womb, and come down your vagina into your pants to be replaced with a fresh lining.
Q: How often do you have them?
A: At first, they'll be pretty hit and miss, so keep a towel on hand always. However, once they settle down, every 28 days. I use my calandar and put something like a star or a dash next to the date of my next period, just to prepare myself.
Q: How much do I bleed?
A: Although it seems like a lot, only around 3-5 teaspoons. Though some girls have floods, which are a little heavier and if you do talk to your Mum about it. Mums rock at this kinda stuff. =]
Q: Do I need to wear a towel/tampon to bed?
A: If your on your period, yes, and change it in the morning. If your not on your period, don't, especially with tampons. NEVER WEAR TAMPONS IF YOU ARE NOT ON YOUR PERIOD.
Q: How often do I need to change my towel/tampon?
A: With towels, I'd suggest when you get up, around lunch time, and then at supper-ish. I'm not sure about tampons, but around the same.
Q: How do I dispose of them?
A: With towels, keep the wrapping, roll it up in it and use the little sticker on the end to seal it, and then put it in a blue bin. You get these everywhere, ot just put it in the bin. No one will know it was you. With tampons, just flush it down the loo. YOU SHOULD NEVER FLUSH TOWELS DOWN THE LOO.
Q: I have some sticky yellow stuff in my pants. What is this?
A: Vaginal discharge. It's just stuff that helps keep your vagina clean, normally yellow-white in colour. You can wear panty-liners to stop it staining your pants, though I wouldn't bother, 'cause who's gonna notice? However, if it's brown-ish or smells bad, it's a good idea to see your GP to check everything's OK.
Q: What type of towels should I get?
A: Think on how heavy your period is. Towels without wings tend to squish up in your pants and then you get blood in your pants - not nice, so I'd suggest ones with wings. The length, however, is totally up to you, though make sure your towel isn't sticking out of your pants - not a good look, it just makes you look like a dork. ^.^
Q: What do I do in the bath or the shower? Will it trickle down my legs?
A: No way! As I was saying, periods are not big floods or anything. I was worried about this but my Mum said it's YOUR bath, so who cares? I've been in the bath often with periods and I've never noticed a thing!
Q: How do I use towels?
A: Simply take them out of the packaging and stick them in your pants with the sticky side facing downwards. If yours has wings, use the wings to roughly measure where the towel should be, and then peel back the little paper holding the wings in place and fold them around your pants. Easy.
Q: How do I use tampons? A: I don't use tampons myself, but there's a little leaflet in the box with everything you need to know, so give it a read. =)