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menstruation Question & Answer


You didn't explicitly say menstruate but I'm taking cues from the words stopped, heavy, and pads. Sometimes first time means first time having sex or something else.

As a general rule, you don't have to worry. Your period is going to be unique to each person because our hormones are not exactly the same, but it can be pretty typical to have a light first time of getting your period.

It's also okay for your period to be absent for a month or two and then come back. Mine went away for a couple YEARS between first periods. Your body is adjusting to a new normal?. when it comes back it can be heavy because it may have been building the uterine lining for that whole period of time between menses. It's okay.

Where you say you're going through about 3-4 pads per day, I have to ask about the types of pads you're using. I knew a young woman who only had access to panty liners at home because her mother and sister used tampons. She only knew about the thin liners as pads.

If we're talking about party liners then yeah, you're going to overflow those for sure. They are not intended to hold that much menstrual fluid.

If you're overflowing the gigantic overnights pads 3 to 4 at a time, track how many days this has been happening and call your doctor to get checked out.

Generally speaking, a person who menstruates can expect to bleed anywhere from a couple days to about a week. If you are bleeding longer than that and heavily, make sure to go in and check in with your doctor.


Published Date : 7/24/2020

You didn't explicitly say menstruate but I'm taking cues from the words stopped, heavy, and pads. Sometimes first time means first time having sex or something else.

As a general rule, you don't have to worry. Your period is going to be unique to each person because our hormones are not exactly the same, but it can be pretty typical to have a light first time of getting your period.

It's also okay for your period to be absent for a month or two and then come back. Mine went away for a couple YEARS between first periods. Your body is adjusting to a new normal?. when it comes back it can be heavy because it may have been building the uterine lining for that whole period of time between menses. It's okay.

Where you say you're going through about 3-4 pads per day, I have to ask about the types of pads you're using. I knew a young woman who only had access to panty liners at home because her mother and sister used tampons. She only knew about the thin liners as pads.

If we're talking about party liners then yeah, you're going to overflow those for sure. They are not intended to hold that much menstrual fluid.

If you're overflowing the gigantic overnights pads 3 to 4 at a time, track how many days this has been happening and call your doctor to get checked out.

Generally speaking, a person who menstruates can expect to bleed anywhere from a couple days to about a week. If you are bleeding longer than that and heavily, make sure to go in and check in with your doctor.


Published Date : 7/24/2020

This is a new one I haven't heard. And I have SO many questions (I love learning).

I don't doubt that she believes this. Many folks have all kinds of superstitions and rituals and traditions around menstruation. People used to spend time away from others when they bled. People weren't allowed to participate in prayer or do sports. So many of these things lead to menstruators being discriminated against in schools, churches, etc. Thankfully lots of those negative things have faded away as people became more educated.

This head bath, however, does not sound like a bad thing.

I'd be curious to learn more from your mom about the head bath and the purification. Are you washing your hair when you say head bath? or is there something more happening? Can she explain what's purifying about it? Does there need to be something in the water to help with purification? Does the water need to be in a certain vessel before hand?

Also, where are you located? Is this a thing all people who menstruate in your region, religion, or community do?

No shame here. Keeping clean is a good idea anyway and it can be a nice ritual for you to keep up during Menstruation. It's just not something I've heard of before so I can not answer why.


Published Date : 7/30/2020

This is a new one I haven't heard. And I have SO many questions (I love learning).

I don't doubt that she believes this. Many folks have all kinds of superstitions and rituals and traditions around menstruation. People used to spend time away from others when they bled. People weren't allowed to participate in prayer or do sports. So many of these things lead to menstruators being discriminated against in schools, churches, etc. Thankfully lots of those negative things have faded away as people became more educated.

This head bath, however, does not sound like a bad thing.

I'd be curious to learn more from your mom about the head bath and the purification. Are you washing your hair when you say head bath? or is there something more happening? Can she explain what's purifying about it? Does there need to be something in the water to help with purification? Does the water need to be in a certain vessel before hand?

Also, where are you located? Is this a thing all people who menstruate in your region, religion, or community do?

No shame here. Keeping clean is a good idea anyway and it can be a nice ritual for you to keep up during Menstruation. It's just not something I've heard of before so I can not answer why.


Published Date : 7/30/2020

Wow. I don't know how old you are but if you're an adult, this is really something. This feels wildly controlling and oppressive. Wow.

I've never heard of someone monitoring another person in this way and trying to determine if they're having sex by the color of the period blood.

The only thing I can think of is maybe if you're having sex DURING your period and your partner is not using a condom, then maybe your period blood would be diluted with semen. But then the semen might also make the tampon or pad smell differently than just normal period blood.

Is your mother still in the picture? Share what your step mother is doing to you with her or with your father.


Published Date : 8/10/2020

Wow. I don't know how old you are but if you're an adult, this is really something. This feels wildly controlling and oppressive. Wow.

I've never heard of someone monitoring another person in this way and trying to determine if they're having sex by the color of the period blood.

The only thing I can think of is maybe if you're having sex DURING your period and your partner is not using a condom, then maybe your period blood would be diluted with semen. But then the semen might also make the tampon or pad smell differently than just normal period blood.

Is your mother still in the picture? Share what your step mother is doing to you with her or with your father.


Published Date : 8/10/2020

Hormones.

For a really quick overview, check out this:

This is your period in 2 minutes[1], by Glamour


Published Date : 10/15/2018

Hormones.

For a really quick overview, check out this:

This is your period in 2 minutes[1], by Glamour


Published Date : 10/15/2018

Why is your period late?? I have to ask this: Have you had penis-in-vagina sexual intercourse? Is there any chance you could be pregnant?

If not, the lateness could be attributed to how new your period is. Some say it takes 1 to 2 years for a woman's cycle to become more regular. If you're not having sex and are otherwise healthy, don't let it worry you too much. Your body is figuring out its new ?normal?.

If this continues to concern you, you're always welcome to bring this up with your regular OB/GYN.


Published Date : 8/4/2018

Why is your period late?? I have to ask this: Have you had penis-in-vagina sexual intercourse? Is there any chance you could be pregnant?

If not, the lateness could be attributed to how new your period is. Some say it takes 1 to 2 years for a woman's cycle to become more regular. If you're not having sex and are otherwise healthy, don't let it worry you too much. Your body is figuring out its new ?normal?.

If this continues to concern you, you're always welcome to bring this up with your regular OB/GYN.


Published Date : 8/4/2018

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