Coming of Age & Period Care

October 14, 2021

Transitioning from childhood to adulthood, or coming of age, is both an exciting and uncertain time in a young woman’s life. By supporting your loved ones during this transitional time, you help prepare them for adulthood and take away some of the fear and anxiety that are commonplace.

Read on for more information about coming of age, menstrual periods and recommendations on products that are designed to ease the transition from childhood to adulthood.

What Is a Period?

Every month, a woman’s body goes through a monthly cycle. The menstrual cycle is the name for the changes that take place inside a woman’s body each month. These changes prepare the woman’s body for the possibility of pregnancy. Girls typically start menstruation from the ages of 10-12, but some girls can experience their first period as early as age 8.

Every month an ovary releases an egg through a process called ovulation. The uterus also changes each month to prepare for a possible pregnancy. If an egg isn’t fertilized during ovulation, the lining of the uterus sheds through the vagina. The shedding of the uterus is known as a menstrual period.

What Is Premenstrual Syndrome?

PMS, or premenstrual syndrome, affects approximately 90% of women in the 5-11 days before menstruation. Often characterized by its various symptoms, PMS can affect mood and body rhythms like sleep and digestion. While the exact cause of PMS is unknown, doctors suspect fluctuations in serotonin levels and hormones are responsible for the condition.

Irregular Period Symptoms

There may come a time where you need to know whether what your body is experiencing is normal during menstruation, or you need to contact your doctor. Irregular periods could be caused due to an underlying medical issue such as hormone imbalance, fibroids, endometriosis, or even extreme stress.

Women typically lose about 1-6 tablespoons of blood/vaginal tissue during their period. If you are bleeding more or less than that you should contact your doctor.
Menstrual cramps are a normal part of PMS and many women experience them. If your menstrual cramps are affecting your everyday lifestyle you should contact your doctor.
Most people get their period somewhere in between every 21 and 35 days. If you are bleeding more/less often than that you should contact your doctor.

How to Know When Your Period is Coming to End

You’ll start to have symptoms associated with perimenopause (around menopause) when your reproductive years are coming to a close. You can expect perimenopause to happen typically in your 40s and it comes with your menstrual cycle becoming irregular. While you may find you have a month or two of irregular periods, menopause doesn’t officially start until you haven’t had a period for 12 consecutive months.

How to Support a Loved One Coming of Age

Starting your period is probably the single most important change a girl goes through during puberty. Supporting a young woman through this process can be awkward, but it doesn’t have to be! Taking the mystery out of the menstrual cycle will do a lot to ease you or a loved one’s mind during the first months after menstruation begins.

Frequently Asked Questions About Menstruation

Why do women menstruate?

This goes back to the fundamentals of menstruation - women menstruate in order to bear children. Ovulation is an important part of getting pregnant, and if an egg is not fertilized during ovulation that is when a period occurs.

What can you expect during the period?

Some people have PMS which can allude to the fact that they are going to be getting their period soon. Symptoms such as acne, bloating, sore breasts, and possibly even cramps can come with PMS. This could change from month-to-month, but it’s normal to usually bleed anywhere from 2-7 days during your period.

Does it hurt to have a period?

The only pain you may experience during your period is menstrual cramps which could affect you right before and during your period. Most women have mild cramps in the lower abdomen that does not interfere with everyday activities, but for some women menstrual cramps can be very severe.

When do women stop having a period?

Women go through menstruation throughout most of their life. The only time you can expect to not have a period is during pregnancy when the egg is fertilized by a sperm. Women completely stop having a period as they go through menopause and the body stops producing eggs. Learn more about menopause.

Period Care Products to Help

Luckily, there are a variety of products that help to get through menstruation like a champ. A menstrual cycle tracker is extremely beneficial to help keep yourself educated on what your body is going through throughout the month . It’s also important to educate yourself on what kind of menstrual care products you are putting inside or near your body. Brands like Cora and Seventh Generation tout their tampons and pads are made 100% without chlorine and their tampons specifically are made with organic cotton and safe to use.

Now that you have the education part taken care of, we want you to be as comfortable as possible. The well known brand Thinx has a line specifically made with tweens and teens in mind, Thinx(BTWN), to provide comfort and ease when starting out the menstruation journey. Having our Refresh intimate cleaning wipes on hand is a great way to stay fresh and clean throughout your menstrual cycle. Our feminine products are recommended by wellness professionals throughout the world. You’re not going through this alone and that’s why Rosebud Woman specializes in period care and feminine care products. We want to help make this transitional period in your life as pleasant as possible.