Getting Menarche Ready
What is a Menarche?
Menarche (mi-NAR-kee) is the name for your daughter’s very first period.
When does it occur?
- Menarche may occur anytime between 9yrs and 17yrs
- Usually around 2 years after her breasts begin to develop.
- Usually around 6 months to one year after vaginal fluid (white/yellow sticky mucus) is discharged from her vagina into her underwear.
How will I recognise it?
- You may see spots of blood in your daughter’s panties (this may be brown or red).
- Her first period may or may not be heavy, and in some cases can be considered spotting (spots of red or brown in her underwear).
How long will it last?
- This varies from girl to girl and can be hereditary, but an average time is 3 to 7 days
How to manage the bleeding
- There are a variety of sanitary products on the market and the selection is usually based on personal choice and convenience. However, if you would like non-inserted (not inside the vagina) and environmentally conscious products, Butterflies recommends re-usable cloth pads. Please see our recommended brands page:
How do I prepare for my daughter’s Menarche?
Once you suspect all the signs indicate that your daughter is due to start menstruating, you can prepare for it.
Suggestion:
Carve out some time for just you and your daughter to go on a bonding day out with activities which will include a shopping trip to create a Menarche Ready Kit (MRK).
Buy an attractive pouch/purse/makeup bag/ to contain the following suggested items:
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One re-usable sanitary pads or biodegradable disposable pad
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One pretty menstrual leek proof panty
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One flannel (or individually wrapped feminine hygiene wipe if preferred)
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One plastic zip bag (food bag) for soiled pad/underwear
Make sure your daughter carries this with her whenever she leaves the house ensuring that she is always
Menarche Ready!