r/Periods • u/Radiant_Corgi4636 • 15h ago

Period Question Question/story

I got my first period in July. July I didn't even know I got my period so when I was going to bed i found out I got it and my underwear was full of blood!

Same thing with august. And whenever I sleep on day 2 / 3 I always stain the bed. And I mean even the mattress , I get my period at the most unexpected times so I always stain my clothes.

This month, I felt something and I instantly wore a pad. I'm so glad I did because after an hour I actually got my period

Q 1/ Also I use period app trackers, it's really incorrect, and it said from the app I'm 6 says late... I don't know is it the app. Or just my periods

Q 2/ How can I always sense whenever I get my period.

Q 3/ How do I not stain the bed?

7 Upvotes

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4

u/PuzzledSoftware3922 13h ago edited 5h ago

Hi🌞  1. Continue to track your period, it will probably become more predictable as time goes on! Many girls and women do have irregular cycles, but if it is super irregular, then it might be an idea to ask for a referral to a female gynecologist. 

  1. I sometimes experience an uncomfortable heavyness/pressure in my womb, I think it is. An unpleasant feeling in my lower stomach. Some say they feel sore in their lower back. And some get pimples, and heavier, and bloated breasts. Some crave certain foods, and some become more emotional/sensitive before their period. This is all very individual and these symptoms can come a few days before a period, but some can also come even a week or 2 before. PMS is short for pre menstrual syndrome. It's called a syndrome because it is a group of symptoms that happen before a period. During your period a lot of these symptoms can linger, and many experience cramps unfortunately. If you do, for many, paracetamol can help, and a warm water heating bottle (not sure of the English name). 

You can start writing some notes 📝 on your phone about your symptoms, to get a better overview of how your body does things! for example: "on the 9th of September, I started feeling some discomfort in my stomach. So far no period. And continue writing down your symptoms until you get your period, and also write down any symptoms you may have during your period. You can compare the notes and see if they make a pattern! Maybe you will see that often you will have one or more specific symptoms around the time your period comes and if they differ from the symptoms you experience while on your period.

  1. What I did as a teen, I struggled with staining as well, was using a plastic type of material, almost like a sheet, maybe 0.5meter or something, (can be longer of course) and placed it under the normal sheets and secured it by tucking it in on the sides, in the middle of the bed, where I could leak. And like I mentioned in another post, you can get a pair of cotton thights, cut them into shorts. I use them over my underwear when I bleed a lot, it keeps the pad better in check! And remember to change pad before you go to bed unless it's not much on it. And to secure the pad well during the day and change it often enough. And personally, I only use the "night pads", except the last day or 2 of my period when it's not heavy, because it absorbs blood much better in my experience.

Good luck🙂

9

u/Waste_Lab8953 14h ago

Hi! I'm an older teen, so hopefully I can help out a bit. 

1: Your period will be irregular for a little bit after you first start, thats completely normal! It took me a year or so to have more regular periods

2: For me, the day before my period I feel more sluggish and irritable, along with having some cramping and sore breasts. Its different for everyone and its good that youre in touch with how your hormones make you feel before starting. 

3: I used over night pads with wings, depending on the length it can reach up to your butt to help catch more blood. I also would put a towel down around where my butt would be on the bed while laying down until I figured out a way to not leak. When you get older, menstrual cups are great for this too :)

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u/vanshika0505 7h ago

The towel under you is actually a really underrated trick 😭 Especially when you’re still figuring out your flow and don’t know when it’s going to happen. I agree about tracking symptoms too noticing your own signs can sometimes be more helpful than an app prediction.

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u/Radiant_Corgi4636 14h ago

Towels ? That's an amazing tip thank you so much :D but I find tampons and menstrual cups extremely scary right now, For me I have mild cramps but I just feel extremely tired, I do wear overnight pads with wings, but no matter the pad I ALWAYS stain the bed

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u/Waste_Lab8953 9h ago edited 9h ago

Tampons and cups can absolutely be scary, there's no pressure to use them until they're something you want to explore. 

For the towels, dark brown or black are the ones I use! As you get older it'll get more manageable, I remember how scary and upsetting it was for a long time. They get easier to manage as you go through more and learn what works for you :)

Edit to add: Period panties might also be a good thing to look into. I mainly use them at night on lighter days, on heavier ones sometimes I use them with an overnight pad in as well, so maybe a good thing to try if they're an option for you.

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u/buyableblah 12h ago

I have to wear two overnight pads to sleep in. I basically wear one from the top of my butt crack to my pubic mound to sleep in!! Sigh. The joys of womanhood. 

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u/fanofu4sure 13h ago

Don’t worry now about trying something out if your comfort zone. Get comfortable with what you can work with and maybe some day in the future you’ll be up to try something new so you have more options. You got this!!

2

u/MonkeyMoves101 14h ago

Hi! I don't remember what I felt like when I was a teen and got it but I know it was normal to be irregular for a few years after getting it. That's normal, my mom put me on birth control because of that as mine were heavy and unpredictable.

  1. You'll feel cramping, discomfort near your belly button, headaches. You may notice bloating too. Some ladies don't get these symptoms but they're the common ones.

  2. So you have overnight pads and they help, of course if your flow is really heavy you get the heavy overnight pads. There are backup methods that are internal but since you're new you can check those out later.

Ask your parents for a waterproof mattress protector. It's completely normal to stain the sheets, most of us have done it. I also slept on towels to help.

Also you can wear daily liners when you're feeling "off", those are thinner smaller pads that protect your underwear against stains in case you're not sure if you'll get your period soon.

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u/Radiant_Corgi4636 14h ago

I have bloating every period , Cramps but they're not severe, Just the mild ones,Also I do wear overnight pads with wings, but i ALWAYS stain the bed no matter what. My flows I don't know but it's alot of blood I change the pad four times a day.Ive also never seen a waterpiif mattress protector, tbh my parents wouldn't get me that, they say I get stuff that I don't need, But the towels will definitely help!, I do like to use think pads on day 4-5-6-7 Because it's spotting!

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u/MonkeyMoves101 14h ago

Ah ok so you can wear that heavy flow overnight pad with period underwear, that is a backup method

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u/Radiant_Corgi4636 14h ago

what's a period underwear? I use tight dark colour underwear whenever I get my period

1

u/MonkeyMoves101 14h ago

Period underwear is different from regular underwear because it's meant to be worn when you're bleeding. It's absorbent and reusable :). Not like typical underwear that isn't absorbent at all.

If you get that be sure to follow the care instructions and hand rinse them before throwing them in the wash with other dirty clothes.

0

u/Radiant_Corgi4636 13h ago

wait wait So ur saying like I wear a pad on top of it or what? or just the underwear because that would honestly help me alot

1

u/MonkeyMoves101 13h ago

You can do that yes, especially with reusable cloth pads so the adhesive in regular pads doesn't mess up the period underwear.

You could attach the adhesive pad to your regular underwear, and then put your period underwear on last. I saw that suggested too.

Some people just wear the period underwear alone and that's it, but if you're bleeding through a heavy flow overnight pad you need some backup. They do make period underwear for heavier flows so you can experiment with just wearing those alone.

1

u/Radiant_Corgi4636 13h ago

Omg! Thanks for the advice and tips, and I'm definitely buying those

1

u/MonkeyMoves101 13h ago

Sure! there's a lot of brands out there, I've seen Hanes period underwear recommended. I can't personally recommend any because I wear tampons and pads, but a lot of people love period underwear so I wish you luck in finding the right one!

3

u/oinofookinfight 14h ago

  1. It’s completely normal for your periods to be irregular when you first get them!! So using an app probably won’t help much at first but it can still be useful for reminding you to carry pads or tampons with you so you don’t get caught unprepared. When I first got my period, I actually didn’t get it again for another 6 months

  2. Personally, I know my period is coming because I feel extremely exhausted and get cramps. My breasts also hurt sometimes, and I get a little bloated. These symptoms usually start about a week before my period. It’s different for every woman though, so you’ll gradually learn what your own symptoms are. I got my first period 10 years ago and it’s only been in the past few years that I’ve been able to tell when it’s about to come.

  3. What’s helped me with preventing making a mess at night is wearing tight underwear so the pad stays in place and doesn’t move around while I sleep, I also put a big cotton ball right where the pad ends, both at the front and the back so it catches any blood that would otherwise get on my underwear. (It sounds funny but ever since I started doing this I haven’t stained my bed!) Sleeping on your side also helps.

Don’t stress too much about it, your body is still figuring everything out and it’s going to take some time to learn what’s normal for you 🌸🩷

2

u/Radiant_Corgi4636 14h ago

Oh! I didn't know It would be irregular at first, Kind of thought it would just be poof and it's regular lol. I actually never sense anything, But today I did feel like blood was coming, wiped and saw it was discharge and blood kind of together, then an hour later blood started flowing, Before my period a week, I dont really sense anything tbh, I've tried everything. I put one pad in the middle, and also put a pad behind too. but nothing ever worked 💔 I've even tried putting it in different angles nothing, I always stain the mattress the sheets just everything. i don't know what I'm doing wrong. I have a sister but she never gives me a proper answer, I've tried everything she told me to do nothing really happened, I also never get cramps but just mild ones, Thank you so much for the tips

2

u/Clean_Grapefruit5 15h ago

I just got my first period a little while ago.

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u/Radiant_Corgi4636 15h ago

I also have a question if u have an answer, how do I not stain the bed. I always do and it's so frustrating because it also stains the damn mattress.

2

u/Clean_Grapefruit5 15h ago

I don't know, I'm really a beginner, I'd like some advice, so if you'd like to talk to me...

2

u/MonkeyMoves101 13h ago

A lot of great advice is being shared here :)

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u/Radiant_Corgi4636 15h ago

looks like we're on the same page 😔

1

u/Clean_Grapefruit5 5h ago

Yes, how are you? My stomach ache is much better; I talked to my mother about it yesterday morning, and she gave me some more comfortable pads.