Faye got in touch with Meic as she’s confused about whether her period has started or not, and she wants to know what’s happening. She contacted us through Grab the Meic for help. Here’s our advice.
Grab the Meic was an opportunity to ask us about anything that was worrying you. The advice was not instant and was used to create anonymous blogs for the website to help other young people who were in a similar situation. We no longer offer Grab the Meic. If you want information, advice or advocacy, contact the helpline for support on the details at the bottom of this page.
Hi Meic,
I’m not very sure right now whether I’m having my period or not. I’m having random spurts of blood every month. Do you know what’s happening because they only last for an hour or something?
Faye (*name changed to protect their identity)
Meic’s Advice
Hi Faye
Thank you for contacting Meic about concerns if you are having your period or not. It is really good that you are looking for help with this. Well done. This can be a frightening time if you are not sure what is happening or why.
Chat to someone
The first thing that would help is chatting to an adult that you feel you can trust, like a family member or teacher. I’m sure they would be able to reassure you that this is a normal part of growing up and would give you advice on what to do. Some people can feel embarrassed when talking about periods, but it really isn’t something to be ashamed of. Most people that were assigned female at birth bleed regularly. It’s not gross or disgusting; it’s just natural, and talking about it should be natural too. The more we talk about it, the more natural it will become to talk about it.
On average, periods (or menstruation) start at around 12 years old, but it can happen any time between 8 and 17. They won’t be regular at the beginning. Your body will need to get into a routine over several months, so the length of the period and the amount of blood you lose will vary. You don’t need to be worried about it. A period can last between 3 and 7 days, and although it may seem like a lot of blood, in reality, you only lose between 3 and 5 tablespoons throughout the whole period.
Be prepared
It would be a good idea to start carrying sanitary pads or tampons in your bag in case you start. But if you’re at school and you don’t have any, don’t worry. Some schools have free sanitary products in the toilets, but if not, you can ask to see the school nurse who can provide you with some. Remember – this is natural and not something to be embarrassed about, so don’t be scared of asking. It is a normal part of life.
If things haven’t settled down in a few months, and you’re still worried about it, then make an appointment to speak to your GP.
Further information
Check out our blog P Is For Periods and Puberty for more info.
The NHS has a page all about starting your periods, including information about delayed periods and period problems.
Newsround created a special programme ‘Let’s Talk About Periods’ that you can watch here.
Check out this information on the Brook website looking at the menstrual cycle, ovulation, different sanitary options and more.
We hope this information helps, but if you need to talk further about anything, get in touch (contact details below).
Take care.
The Meic Team.
Chat to Meic
If you need to talk to someone about anything that’s bothering you, then call Meic to talk to a friendly advisor.
Meic is an information and advocacy helpline for children and young people aged 0-25 in Wales. We are open 8am to midnight, 7 days a week.
