Talking to Mum About Your Periods

Your period is lasting forever! Or maybe you feel like you have to pee 24/7 even when you just went 5 minutes ago. If either of these things has happened to you, or you’ve had other problems with your menstrual cycle, it’s time for puberty talks with your parents. But are you worried how to tell your mum you’ve started your periods?

Talking to your parents about periods and other personal female problems can feel a bit embarrassing, especially if you aren’t used to talking about such things. But your mum is a good place to start for a lot of reasons. Here are some ways to break the ice.

Maybe the idea of a big sit-down with your mum seems intimidating. So try opening the conversation casually by saying something like, "Um, Mum, has your period ever lasted for a really long time?" This opens the door to discussion.

If it’s hard for you to start a face-to-face discussion, leave your mum a note where only she’ll find it. You could write something like, "Mum, I’m having a lot of pain with my periods lately. Can we talk about this tonight?" That way, she’ll initiate a conversation with you and you won’t have to worry about bringing it up.

You could take a direct approach and just tell her your feelings. Start by saying something like, "This is uncomfortable for me, but I need to talk to you about my periods". That way, you and your mum can get to the root of your problem right away.

Whether or not anything is wrong, keep your mum up to date on your concerns and problems with your body. Even when things are normal, never underestimate mum (or aunt, or older female friend) advice! She might be able to give you tips on how to deal with cramps and other helpful advice. Chances are she had similar questions when she was young and will be glad you asked her.

Are you and your mum totally comfortable talking about this stuff? Did you know how to tell your mum you’d started your periods? Can you just chat about it naturally?