Females go through many things in their life and one of the complicated things is their periods. It takes 10-12 years for them to experience their first period. It is considered a rite of passage for most women and can be a great time to start paying attention to your body.

Although mothers already know when and how it can happen, teaching the same to daughters can be challenging. That’s why we curated this article to help her know about “my first period” and the associated noticeable signs.

Check for the Puberty Signs

Periods come after puberty only so the girls who are waiting for their first period, need to check for puberty signs. Some of them include:

• Public hair development like under arms and thicker ones on legs
• Acne development in the body
• Enlargement of breasts
• Increase in the thickness of thighs and hips

As soon as your body shows any of these signs, it means you are going to get the period soon. Most probably, it can occur after two years of hitting puberty.

Breast Enlargement

During puberty girls grow more than just their height, they also change their appearance. Breasts start growing at a fast pace during this time and so are other body parts. They experience raised bumps and the darker area of the nipples turns larger too. Sometimes, one side of the breast will grow more and then the other one catches up.

In general, the first period always begins after 2 years of breasts starting to grow bigger. In case the breast buds develop more at 8-9 years of age, the periods may take three years to come.

Pubic Hair

After the breasts enlarge, your body will also show the signs of pubic hair. At first, some hair will start growing and turns thicker with time. They can form on your legs, vaginal region, and underarms. 

Body Shape

Not only do breasts grow big, but your body will also transform. There will be a rapid increase in the height that will slow down as soon as the first period is on its way. Your hips will also grow wide, fat, and round whereas the other body parts will remain in the same shape. 

Vaginal Discharge

With breast, growth comes changes to the fluid discharge out of your vagina. It will feel more wet than usual. Most of the girls experience this only after 5-6 months of their first period.

What happens after your first period?

The period is accompanied by many symptoms so when any of the following is experienced, a girl can identify her first period better:

• Constipation
• Period Cramps
• Breast soreness
• Back Pain
• High emotions
• Food cravings especially sweets
• Tiredness

Final Thoughts

First periods  are a lot of different things to a lot of different people, but chances are if you’re having your first period when you’re under the age of 11 or 12, you don’t have too much experience with it.

Some girls start their periods as young as 8 or 9, some as late as 12 or 13, and for others, it may take even longer for their bodies to develop enough for a period to happen.

Based on your unique combination of genetics and environmental factors like diet, metabolism, lifestyle (like exercise), and stress levels, your period may come anytime between the ages specified above.