How to prepare your daughter for the first period

The first and most important step is to make the period something completely natural to talk about. Explain in simple terms what a period is, why the body bleeds, and that it is a natural part of puberty. It’s also important to tell that all bodies develop at their own pace.

Maybe you’re asking yourself: When do girls get their first period? For most people, it starts between the ages of 9 and 15, but it varies greatly from person to person. Therefore, there is no one right age for the first period.

The most important thing is to create an open and safe conversation where your child knows that she can always come to you with questions.

One of the things that can give a lot of security before the first period is to get to know period products in advance. When your daughter has already tried them once, it feels much less foreign if her period suddenly starts – for example, at school.

It can be a good idea to practice together in peace and quiet at home. For example, she can try wearing period underwear one day so she can feel how they feel. You can also practice how to change them, try sanitary pads or cloth pads, and talk about how to pack away used products.

Small exercises like these can make a big difference to the feeling of security. Many young girls feel particularly comfortable with period underwear because they function like regular underwear, but at the same time can absorb menstrual blood. This makes them a simple and discreet solution, especially at first.

One of the things many girls worry about the most before their first period is the thought: What if my period starts at school? It’s a completely natural concern, and luckily, a little bit of preparation can make a big difference.

A small period kit in your school bag can provide a lot of security. A small wetbag or bag can contain, for example:

• Period underwear
• Sanitary pads or cloth pads
• Extra underwear
• Wet wipes
• A small wetbag for used products

When your daughter knows she has it in her bag, she can feel much calmer and more prepared if her period starts at school. It gives a sense of security to know that she always has what she needs.

One of the things that can really calm down before the first period is to talk through the situation in advance and make a small plan together. When your daughter knows what she can do if her period starts at school, it all feels much less confusing.

For example, talk to:

• What to do if she discovers blood in her underwear at school
• where she can go – for example, the nearest toilet
• How she changes her period product
• who she can ask for help if she needs it

You can also talk about what she can do if she should bleed through. Many girls feel more comfortable knowing that you can always tie a blouse or sweater around your waist until you can go to the bathroom and change.

When she has a plan and you have talked it through together, the situation can feel much more manageable and safe.

Many girls worry about bleeding through their clothes, especially when they think about their first period at school. This is a completely understandable concern, because if it happens, it can feel both uncomfortable and embarrassing. Maybe you can remember a situation where you have bled through – and what you did to deal with it.

It can help to talk openly about it and explain that:

• it doesn’t happen very often
• But it can happen to anyone
• and that it is completely normal

If it should happen anyway, she can, for example:

• tie a sweater or blouse around the waist
• go to the toilet and change
• have an extra pair of pants in her bag so she can change quickly

If she is particularly worried about bleeding through, she can also choose pads or period underwear with extra absorbency that provide a little extra security during the day.

At the same time, it can be a good opportunity to talk about how to help a friend if she is experiencing the same thing. Showing care and supporting each other can make a big difference in a situation that may otherwise feel vulnerable.

The first period can feel different from girl to girl. For some, it feels big and significant, while for others it is just another new thing the body is starting to do.

It can be a good idea to talk about it in advance and ask your daughter how she would like it to be when her first period comes. You can also agree on it together in advance and talk about how the day should be marked, so it might be something you can look forward to a bit.

Maybe she wants to make something special out of the day, or maybe she just wants it to feel quiet and natural.

For example, you can mark the day by:

• Watch a movie together
• go out to eat together
• drink a cup of hot tea
• eat some chocolate
• Bake a cake
• Cozy under the duvet and talk
• or get a small gift

It doesn’t have to be big or solemn. The most important thing is that your daughter feels safe, seen and supported on the day.

If you choose Elskbar’s My First Period Kit, a small bracelet is included in the kit. For some girls, it can be a great way to mark their first period – a little symbol of that special day.

Elskbar’s period underwear for teens will be launched in early summer 2026 and are designed to make the first period as safe and simple as possible.

Then, when the day of the first period comes, it can be nice for your daughter to feel that there is no right or wrong way to react. Some girls are happy, some are surprised, and others just need a little peace to get used to the new thing.

You can ask some simple and loving questions that will help her feel what she needs. For example:

• Fancy a hug?
• Want to talk a little about it?
• Or do you just need some peace?

Some girls want to talk about their first period, while others just want to sit quietly with a cup of hot tea and maybe some chocolate. Both are perfectly okay.

You can also ask if she needs a little extra care:

• Do you have a stomach ache?
• Fancy a heating pad?
• Should we find period underwear or pads together?

Many people are also happy to hear that a little chocolate can actually feel nice during your period, partly because cocoa contains magnesium, which can help the body relax a little more.

Many girls and parents wonder: How to know that the first period is coming?

There are often small signs from the body in the time leading up to the first period, and most appear 1–2 years before it begins.

For many girls, it starts with breast development, which typically begins around 2–2.5 years before the first period. Later, white or slightly yellowish discharge may appear. This is completely normal and a sign that the hormone estrogen has increased. For many girls, this means that menstruation often comes within the next 6–12 months.

In the months leading up to their first period, some girls also experience a rapid growth spurt. There may also be other small signs of puberty, such as body odor, a little acne or a greater emotional sensitivity.

In fact, vaginal discharge is often one of the first signs that the body is starting to prepare for menstruation. At the same time, it is important to remember that all bodies develop differently. Therefore, the first period can come both earlier and later than with friends – and both are completely normal.

When do girls get their first period?
Most girls get their first period between the ages of 9 and 15.

How long does the first period last?
The first period typically lasts 2–7 days.

What do you do if your period starts at school?
It can be a good idea to have a small period kit in your bag with, for example, period underwear or pads.

Is menstruation painful?
Some experience stomach cramps or fatigue, while others hardly notice anything.

At Elskbar, we are currently working on a new collection of period underwear for teenagers, which has been developed for young bodies and for the first period. The goal is to make the start as safe, simple and natural as possible.

The underwear are designed in a comfortable hipster model and come in classic black. They are made of natural TENCEL,™ which feels soft against the skin and provides good breathability.

Inside, the panties have a light absorbent layer of bamboo, which makes it easier to see your bleeding and assess when it’s time to change.

They come in two varieties:

• Day – for ordinary days
• Night – with extra absorbency power for the night

Elskbar’s period underwear for teens will be launched in early summer 2026.

If you want to be notified when they are launched, you can sign up for our newsletter and be among the first to hear about them.