The first period

What it is

A first period is the first time the lining of the uterus is shed through the vagina. Most people get it between 11 and 14, around 12 on average, and it often comes about two years after breasts start to grow.^1,2 In the days before, some people notice cramps, bloating, tender breasts, more acne, mood swings or tiredness.¹

What it's like

• It often starts small. Usually a reddish-brown stain on underwear or sheets, not a sudden gush.²
• It feels like more blood than it is. A whole period is usually about 20 to 90 mL, or 1 to 5 tablespoons.²
• It usually lasts 2 to 7 days. It's often light at first, gets heavier, then light again.^1,3
• The next one may take a while. In the first year the average cycle is about 32 days, and cycles from 21 to 45 days are typical. By the third year, most cycles are 21 to 34 days, like an adult's.³

Choosing period products

All of these are safe. A pad is often easiest for a first period, since tampons and cups take some practice.²

• Pads and panty liners stick inside underwear. Change at least every 4 to 8 hours.¹
• Tampons go inside the vagina. Change at least every 4 to 8 hours, and use the lowest absorbency that's needed.^1,4
• Menstrual cups go inside the vagina and usually hold more than a tampon. Empty and wash every 8 to 12 hours.¹
• Period underwear is washable and reusable.¹

Using three to six pads or tampons a day is typical for teens.³

Myth: Using a tampon means you're not a virgin.

Many people still hear this, and it's easy to see why it spread. A tampon can stretch or wear the hymen, the thin rim of tissue at the vaginal opening, but the hymen wears gradually from many everyday things and says nothing about whether someone has had sex.⁵ Choosing a tampon is about comfort.

Myth: You should skip sports and swimming on your period.

This was a common rule for generations, often passed down kindly. A period doesn't need to stop anything. Going to school, playing sports and seeing friends are all fine, and a short walk can even ease cramps.⁶

Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is rare but serious. Most cases are linked to tampons, and anything left in the vagina too long, including a cup, raises the risk.⁴ Get care right away for a sudden high fever, a rash like sunburn, vomiting or diarrhea, or dizziness or fainting while using a tampon or cup.⁴

Be ready at school

Before a first period, pack a small kit for a school bag: a couple of pads, a spare pair of underwear, and maybe a sweatshirt to tie around the waist.^1,6 If it starts without supplies, a teacher or the school nurse can help.²

Pain is not something to push through

In a 2023 survey of 3,001 UK girls aged 12 to 18, 97% had painful periods, and 42% of those described the pain as severe. Over a third had missed school because of their period. And 35% said what had stopped them, or might stop them, from getting help was being told that pain is normal.⁷

Mild cramps are common. Pain that stops you from doing everyday things is not something you have to live with, and a doctor can help.

When to see a doctor

Talk to a doctor if:^1,3

• you soak through a pad or tampon every 1 to 2 hours
• a period lasts more than 7 days
• you pass clots the size of a quarter or bigger
• periods come more often than every 21 days, or less often than every 45
• you go 90 days without a period, even once
• cramps are bad enough to stop your usual activities
• bleeding is heavy and you bruise easily, or a family member has a bleeding disorder