Menstruation (better known as period) is a major stage of growing up for girls. It is one of the many physical sings that a girl is growing into a woman!
Periods can be confusing, just like all the other changes that come with puberty. Girls have mixed feelings about getting their period, some feel excited while others feel scared and anxious. Girls usually get their period between the ages of 8 to 16 or 2 or 2 1/2 years after their breasts begin to develop. About 6 months before a girl gets her first period, she might notice some clear vaginal discharge, which is completely normal and nothing to worry about unless it has a strong odor or causes itchiness.
When a girl gets her first period, doctors call it Menarche. Menarche doesn't happen until all the parts of a girl's reproductive system have matured and start working together.
Here are the stages of Menstruation:
Menstrutal (day 1-5) - The menstrual phase starts on the first day of your period and lasts until the last. This is what happens during this phase
- The uterus gets rid of its inner lining of soft tissue and blood vessels which exits the body from the vagina in the form of period blood.
- Blood loss of 10 to 80 mls is considered normal.
-You may experience stomach cramps. These cramps are caused by the tightening of the uterine and the stomach muscles to get rid of the blood.
Periods can be confusing, just like all the other changes that come with puberty. Girls have mixed feelings about getting their period, some feel excited while others feel scared and anxious. Girls usually get their period between the ages of 8 to 16 or 2 or 2 1/2 years after their breasts begin to develop. About 6 months before a girl gets her first period, she might notice some clear vaginal discharge, which is completely normal and nothing to worry about unless it has a strong odor or causes itchiness.
When a girl gets her first period, doctors call it Menarche. Menarche doesn't happen until all the parts of a girl's reproductive system have matured and start working together.
Here are the stages of Menstruation:
Menstrutal (day 1-5) - The menstrual phase starts on the first day of your period and lasts until the last. This is what happens during this phase
- The uterus gets rid of its inner lining of soft tissue and blood vessels which exits the body from the vagina in the form of period blood.
- Blood loss of 10 to 80 mls is considered normal.
-You may experience stomach cramps. These cramps are caused by the tightening of the uterine and the stomach muscles to get rid of the blood.
Follicular Phase (day 1-13) - This phase also begins on the first day of your period, but it lasts until the 13th day of the menstruation cycle. This is what happens during this phase
-The pituitary gland releases a hormone that stimulates the egg cells in the ovaries to grow.
-one of these egg cells begins to mature in a structure called follicle. It takes 13 days for the egg cell to reach maturity
- while the egg cell matures, its follicle releases a hormone that stimulates the uterus to develop a lining of blood vessels and soft tissue called endometrium
Ovulation Phase (day 14) - on the 14th day of the cycle, the pituitary gland releases a hormone that causes the ovary to release the matured egg cell. The released egg cell is them swept into the Fallopian tube by the cilia of the fimbriae. Frimbriae are finger like projections located at the end of the Fallopian tube close to the ovaries and cilia are slender hair like projections on each fimbria.
Luteal Phase (day 15-28) - This phase begins on the 15th day and lasts until the end of the cycle. The following events occur during this phase:
- The egg cell released during the ovulation phase stays in the Fallopian tube for a day
- If a sperm cell does not impregnate the egg cell within that time. the egg cell disintegrates
-The hormone that causes the uterus to gain its endometrium gets used up by the end of the menstrual cycle. This causes your period to begin.
- The egg cell released during the ovulation phase stays in the Fallopian tube for a day
- If a sperm cell does not impregnate the egg cell within that time. the egg cell disintegrates
-The hormone that causes the uterus to gain its endometrium gets used up by the end of the menstrual cycle. This causes your period to begin.
How To Help Reduce Period Pains
Periods arent just blood. They are also stomach pains, backaches and many more. Luckily there are some ways to reduce the pain.
Eating Bananas - Bananas are full of potassium which is a nutrient that helps reduce cramps. Eating lots of bananas can help ease your stomach pains.
Putting A Hot Water bottle On Your Stomach/Back - Scientists have proven that if you apply a warmth of 40 degrees Celsius to your skin where internal pain is felt it will numb the pain.
Exercising/Stretching - Exercise relieves cramps because it helps release beta-endorphins otherwise called feel-good hormones. It also produces analgesia (pain relief)
Pain Killers - I do not Recommend this method unless your pains are REALLY bad as there are much healthier ways to ease your Period Pains and overdosing is bad for you.
Being Prepared And Tracking Your Period
There are heaps of apps that can help you track your period such as Ptracker, Clue, iPeriodTracker, and Period Diary
Make sure you slip on a pad or tampon a day or two before your predicted period date.
Periods arent just blood. They are also stomach pains, backaches and many more. Luckily there are some ways to reduce the pain.
Eating Bananas - Bananas are full of potassium which is a nutrient that helps reduce cramps. Eating lots of bananas can help ease your stomach pains.
Putting A Hot Water bottle On Your Stomach/Back - Scientists have proven that if you apply a warmth of 40 degrees Celsius to your skin where internal pain is felt it will numb the pain.
Exercising/Stretching - Exercise relieves cramps because it helps release beta-endorphins otherwise called feel-good hormones. It also produces analgesia (pain relief)
Pain Killers - I do not Recommend this method unless your pains are REALLY bad as there are much healthier ways to ease your Period Pains and overdosing is bad for you.
Being Prepared And Tracking Your Period
There are heaps of apps that can help you track your period such as Ptracker, Clue, iPeriodTracker, and Period Diary
Make sure you slip on a pad or tampon a day or two before your predicted period date.