How were you told about the onset of periods

I was given a ok to read and told to ask if l'd git any questions ....as if!!! Was also told not to talk about it to my younger sister or father!! Sounds as if many of us had similar experiences ! Awful

In the first year of secondary school we had two talks from a Dr Wallis. I think a letter went home to tell our parents about it. The first was on personal hygiene, teeth cleaning, deodorants etc, the second was about periods. We all sat there stuffing hankies in our mouths to stifle our giggles. Most of us had no idea. I guess our parents were glad that somebody else had done the job of telling us.
I had a sister 18m older who told me a little, but I learnt most from other girls at school, especially one girl whose mother was very enlightened for those days. We also learned about reproduction in biology lessons, though it was about earthworms, frogs and rabbits.
I started when I was 12. It was one dark evening after school. I called for my mum. She said “ oh, you’ve got a pain” and produced some “ things” i.e Dr Whites and a belt. If we ran out, I had to ask her for some more “ things”. They were bought in plain packaging from the haberdashers. We were not to have a bath or wash our hair whilst on a period.

I was told nothing about the facts of life. Many years later, she told me that Dad wanted “ these relations” i.e. sex, when he was upset after a very close friend and colleague had died.
That was the most intimate conversation we ever had!

It was 1955 and I was 13 and at school with griping tummy pain and bleeding. I told the infirmarian nun about the pain and she said I could go home. Terrified I walked the 2 miles home as I was afraid of leaving blood on a bus seat and told my mother I was very ill and bleeding.

Mother just said it was the curse and all women had it every month and gave me cloths and a safety pin to attach them to my knickers. She told me to wash the cloths thoroughly and not tell my brothers what they were or speak about anything to do with ‘the curse’. Then I understood what I had puzzled over when my brother and I had been sent earlier in the year to visit family 200 miles away, “If anything happens Auntie will help you”.

We lived out of town and it was a long time later that she went to the shops and bought a belt and pads for me. What a relief. Since she was still in her 30s when I started I can only think that she had always made pads from old cloths for herself. Needless to say, sex and having babies were also taboo subjects and I grew into adulthood knowing nothing about having sex and imagining that women’s bellies split open to allow babies to be born.

After my mother spent an afternoon tea with some neighbours ,who had three girls - she came home with a slim booklet .
This illustrated very tastefully in fifties style graphics - the importance of good grooming-taking baths daily, washing your hair ,buffing your nails and periods - written in evasive language was discussed in a couple of sentences .
I read the book as instructed by my mother.
And wondered why she'd gone to so much trouble to explain normal daily ablutions.
Consequently, when my periods came aged ten - I was a thin underdeveloped girl and I wasn't really sure what they were .
I rinsed my knickers out and dried them quickly in the airing cupboard .

After three months of a dark discharge - they became bright red ,heavy ,clotty and painful and I knew what they were from listening to older girls .

Just told me the basics really, sometime before I started. That was it, no sex talk I just had to find out myself from the playground. But I told my daughter and as she had a learning difficulty I explained it was the body building a nest for a baby and then leaning it ready for the next month. I showed her how to put the pad on, about changing it etc. But there was one thing I forgot. She asked me after about 2 weeks for some more pads and I said are you still bleeding ? No, she repaid, but I thought I had to keep wearing it until next time. Just forgot to tell her it would stop after a few days.

I think my mum just gave me a book to read! I do remember my first period, though!

I was told by an older girl at school that when you turned 10 a girls body wanted a baby every month and made an egg with a mouth and the womb made blood for it to feed on and if you didn't have a seed for the egg to eat put inside your bottom by a naked man it drained out of you as a period. I was terrified....
Such a relief to have a conversation with my lovely mum to find out the facts properly so years later when puberty hit I was well prepared. Then Mum told me more about sex. That it was natural between a loving couple (providing they were married) and should never be had with just any boy and it was a nice feeling that didnt always make a baby but it could so if you didnt want babies you had to be careful. Had no idea what she meant about being careful then though.
I do remember when I left home to study she reminded me that I would always have a home with her and Dad but see hear..if you ever bring a baby back with you there will be hell to pay..lucky that I knew what to do by then ?

Started on a school trip, didn't notice but mum did as I was doing hand stands in the house ! Told me to go to my bedroom, read this leaflet ( Dr Whites ) handed me a belt and a sanitary towel. I was 11 yrs old, didn't understand the leaflet thought I would bleed to death, my older sister just laughed and showed me what to do. Later on got told, "dont you bring trouble home " didn't understand until I was about 17 ! Very naive in the 60's in a small northern town

My sister and her friends were keen to enlighten me, I did have a very embarrassing lecture from my mum after my sister had sorted me out

I was a couple of weeks past my 13th birthday. I did know but in a very hazy way. I told my mother who just said “I should have got you some items” and it was never discussed again. My first few were fairly scanty so I wasn’t perturbed but then the absolute pain and flooding kicked in. I remember once being dropped off at the end of a fairly long road to walk up to my school and started on the way. By the time I arrived blood was pouring down my legs. Aged 17 I started taking the pill which I stayed on for around 20 years until after I had my 3rd child. That was bliss. Then aged 40 I stopped and all the old problems began again only far worse. I stopped having periods at 50 and whereas I’d dreaded the end of my fertility it was a blessed relief when it occurred.

My mother had a similar experience to many of you here. She started her periods aged ten and thought she was bleeding to death. My grandmother gave her the necessary equipment and told her that this would happen every month from now on and this was what she needed. Because of this, my mother was determined that I would have a better understanding and experience and explained the basics in the summer holidays when I was nine. In the next term at school we had a general health and hygiene series and one morning the girls were taken into the hall by ourselves. A nurse explained the basic facts of life and we were given a sanitary towel to pass to each other. By this time, 1974, they had progressed to stick on pads, Kotex Simplicity, although they were still like bricks. We were also given a booklet, Very Personally Yours, to take home. In the event, I was fourteen when I started and it was pretty much a non-event, although I still found it embarrassing. I do not miss having periods.

Mine where heralded by awful stomach cramps and feeling faint. I was taken to the sick room at school I was eleven. It carried on like this until I was 21 and went on the pill when I got married. I lost count of the times I passed out at work and once on the bus going there. I was put in one of the company cars and taken home. My boss was brilliant. My mother did take me to the doctors and I was given some pills which where no good at all. I was given a leaflet at school called “ personally yours “ but don’t remember a talk, I guess we must have had one though.

We had the talk from the deputy headmistress in the last year of primary school. It was timed for just before our end of primary residential trip in case anyone started while away from home. We were told the female teacher on the trip would have supplies and we could ask discretely if we needed anything. Reading other’s experiences this was very enlightened, it would have been 1976. I was always fascinated by the adverts for sanitary towels in womens magazines but never asked what they were for.

My mum told me when I was about 11, but I was able to tell her about the school talk. I’d been too embarrassed to bring it up before then. She would make sure there was a pack of towels in my drawer every month. My gran slipped me a pack just after I started with a comforting hug so my mum must have told her. I remember not being sure if I needed to wear a pad overnight or if the flow stopped while asleep. Don’t think anyone had covered that in their talks. My mum would ask every month when my dad and brother were out if I had anything to burn, which meant used towels sealed in a plastic bag and burnt on an open fire. I’m not sure why they were not thought suitable for the general household waste.

My mum used tampons, but didn’t buy me any. I remember sneaking one out of her room when we had PE. I would leave it in far too, long looking back, it’s a wonder I don’t get toxic shock syndrome. She did get me some when I was about 16, I couldn’t tell her I already knew what to do.

I made sure my own daughter was prepared for what would happen well in advance. She had a pack of pads in her chest of drawers about a year before she started. I remember her going to stay with her gran aged eleven, dh was taking her but I was staying at home. I suggested she take some pads just in case she started while away. She was adamant she wouldn’t, but told me if it did happen while away she would just ask her gran for supplies. I had to tell her it was unlikely her 83 year old gran would have anything in the house suitable. I’m sure my mother in law would have been lovely had the need arisen, just unprepared with supplies,
Determined DD wouldn’t have my experience with tampons I bought her several types. She’s far more squeamish than me and just wasn’t interested for several years, but at least she had the option.

Some of the experiences people went through sound awful.

Cosy mum and daughter chat when I was 10 or 11. She’d noticed I was ‘developing’ and did her best to let me know what to expect without making it frightening. She’d put a little pack of supplies for me at the bottom of my wardrobe including a floral type wallet for me to take pads to school. My gran was also really good debunking all the myths eg not washing your hair during a period. Dad never actually said anything (men didn’t then)but if I complained of ‘tummy ache’ he’d be there with a couple of tablets and hot water bottle. I think I was very lucky and have tried to be as supportive to my granddaughter

Does anyone have any experience of opening bank accounts for their grandchildren? Those I’m looking at need to be opened by a parent I think? Or there are prepaid cards for which you have to pay a fee of around £2 or more a month. Grateful for any advice.

I have childrens accounts at Halifax bank for my grandchildren. Rates aren’t good at the moment though.

My mother never said anything, which in hindsight was very cruel and cowardly of her. Leaving a child terrified in order to avoid embarrassment.

My mums comment things on top wardrobe read packet and don’t tell sister (she is younger than me)) that was it no sex discuss only frog’s reproduction at school if any kissing on t.v she would off saying not fit for us to see even in her late nineties still had the same attitude

Mum used to send me to the chemist with a note with ST'S written on it. I asked what ST'S were and she told me so I was well aware at 10 years so when I started my ST's were ready and waiting with a pink sanitary belt. Tampax soon followed but my friend's mum denied her those as "they might lose her virginity" and she was a nurse!

I must have been in the last year of primary school and I had tummy ache. My mum gave me a book called "Peter and Pamela Grow Up". I read it thoroughly then passed it on to my childhood sweetheart who was the same age as me and lived in the adjoining semi. I figured if I had to know all this stuff then he should too!! Looking back on it I can just imagine our mums, who were good friends, thinking it hysterically funny. My periods didn't actually start until I was 14 or 15, by which time I was well prepared with one of those hideous elastic belts with hooks, and big bulky Dr Whites. (Though after a holiday a few years ago which included hiring a bike, I really wished Dr Ws were still available!). I remember wrapping used ones up in newspaper and hiding them until my brothers were out then burning them on the fire.

My mother's parents died when she was young and she was brought up by her 3 sisters. She thought she was dying when she started her period at 16 years old and went to the doctor who explained it to her. As a result she told me about them when I was 10. I don't remember the conversation about sex though I eventually had 5 younger siblings and I seemed always to know about it. Unfortunately I never started menstruating till I was nearly 18 so was convinced I must be a boy (also being a bit of a tomboy and underdeveloped). It was then 6 months before I had another one. I hated the pads and tried Lillets as soon as I could. Tampax felt too big and I couldn't insert them so was further convinced I was abnormal. The worst part was that all my friends who I told about periods because they didn't know started well before me. They had letters so they could miss the communal showers in PE and of course I never did!!

I wasn’t told and my periods started while away on a school trip in the 60s.

Oh GrandmaSeaDragon that must have been so distressing for you!

My friends and I found out from magazines and books in the school library. I was 12 when I started and hated telling my mum. I have 3 brothers and she said that used towels should be burned on the kitchen fire only when they and my dad were not around. I can still remember the awful smell of the incinerator in the girls toilets at school. My mum also said I was not to wash my hair while having a period and even though school expected us to still go swimming, she did not approve.

I can relate to so many of the stories on here, mine was also a typical tortured mumbled few sentences, head down over the ironing board, and being none the wiser. It has left me mumbling crimson faced in many a medical interview, and yet I delude myself in thinking that I am enlightened...obviously not!

Also struck by how much sadness is on this thread - I wonder who/when/how the idea of shame, being unclean and secrecy first came about?

We take for granted that we will have access to whatever we need, but I'm trying to imagine a remote setting where perhaps there's no running water, or shops; maybe it's a hot desert climate - or very cold - and everybody shares the living space...

In some cultures the women are banished to a hut away from the main dwelling. I believe that one religious practice forbids sex while a woman menstruates and require her to be cleansed before going near her husband again. It must have been so hard for women in times gone by - and maybe still is. Thinking of FGMm here. No science to guide, only superstition and pain and fear.

I sometimes donate to a refugee charity that supplies period products to refugees, I must go and look it up. I can't begin to imagine how awful it must be to have to flee your home with nothing and then...what on earth do they do?