Hi, for me the best pads anyone can use if they are new to periods is the Lil-Lets Teens range. Why! Because they are shorter and narrower than adult brands, but just as absorbent. They come in three absorbencies so day for a light-medium flow, long for a medium to heavy flow and night for heavy flows or when sleeping.  They also come in pretty bags and wrappers so are not so obvious in your school or PE bag.

You can get them in store, or via their online stores and on Amazon too! 

Honestly, for anyone who’s new to periods, I’m not a huge fan of relying on apps to predict your cycle.

During your early teen years, your hormones are changing constantly, which means your period can be super unpredictable, sometimes early, sometimes late, sometimes skipping a month altogether. No app can perfectly predict that, and it can make you feel stressed when the dates don’t match up.

Instead, my best advice is to always be prepared. Keep a couple of pads in a small period kit in your school bag, and consider wearing pantyliners daily if that makes you feel more confident.

Once your cycle becomes more regular (which can take a few years!), tracking apps can be more helpful, but until then, knowing you’re ready whenever your period arrives is the best approach.

It’s totally normal for the blood at the end of your period to go light brown and for there to be only a tiny bit. As your period finishes, your body is just getting rid of the last bit of blood, and because it’s been in the uterus for a little while, it can turn brown instead of bright red. That doesn’t mean anything is wrong — it’s just older blood making its way out.

It’s honestly one of the most common period things ever, so don’t stress.

Hi, your body is unique and for this reason your journey through puberty will be special just for you, so please don't worry if your first period has yet to arrive, often discharge is noticed for longer than a year.

Remember too, that any brown fluid you see may not be discharge at all, but in fact your period!

See my blog below for info on discharge.

What Is Vaginal Discharge? A Guide for Teens on What’s Normal and What’s Not

Hi, yes these releases of brown fluid are definitely your first few periods. Period blood you see often is brown and not red in colour. Keep some pads in your school or PE kit from now on, because over time the blood released may increase.

And please don't worry about the long gap in between each period, this is very normal and often happens in your teen years.

See my blog below for more advice.

My First Period

Do tampons expire?

Hi! Such a great question and one a lot of people don’t realise has an actual answer.

Yes, tampons do expire. But, if they’re kept in a clean, dry, and damp‑free place, they can usually last for up to five years. Most boxes will have an expiry date printed on the side so you can easily check when it’s time to throw them away.

It’s not that an expired tampon suddenly becomes dangerous it’s more that the absorbency and quality may not be as good as when it was first made. If tampons are stored somewhere damp (like a bathroom cabinet with lots of steam), the material can break down or become less effective over time.
So the key things to remember are:

• Store them somewhere dry.
• Check the expiry date on the box.
• If they’re older than five years, it’s best to bin them and get a new pack.

A first period can arrive as early as 8 years old, but for most it arrives between the ages of 12-13 and some girls have to wait until their late teens. 

But there may be some signs that your period is not too far away, such as breast development, discharge, underarm and body hair and mood swings. All of which can arrive around 2 years before a first period.

How long do periods last?

What a great question! A period can last anywhere between 2–10 days, and it’s totally normal for it to change during your first few years. Your cycle is still learning what to do, and as your body matures, things usually settle into a more regular pattern.

If you’re wondering how long we menstruate overall in life, here are some cool facts:

• Most people get periods from around age 10–16 until their late 40s to mid‑50s.
• Over a lifetime, that adds up to around 450 periods in total.
• That means you’ll spend roughly 3,000–3,500 days of your life on your period, that’s nearly 10 years of managing menstruation!

When you think about it like that, it really shows how important it is to find period products that feel comfortable, suit your lifestyle, and make your cycle easier to manage.

Here's the thing about periods...you don’t have to tell anyone unless you actually want to. No one can tell you’ve started unless you choose to share it, so if you’d prefer to keep it private for now, that’s absolutely okay...lots of girls do.

But if you do want to tell your friend, you have a couple of options. You can wait until periods or puberty come up in conversation and just say something simple like, “Yeah, mine started recently actually,” so it feels natural and not like a huge announcement.

Or, if you’d rather say it one‑to‑one, you can pull her aside at break or lunch and tell her privately. Just make sure she’s someone you trust and someone who wouldn’t share it around, it’s your personal info.

The most important thing is that you do what feels comfortable for you. There’s no right or wrong way to tell someone, and there’s definitely no rush. If you want help practising what to say, I can help you with that too!

Hi! No, using tampons will not make cramps worse they are not inserted in the area of the body where cramps are generally noticed (uterus). 

If you are finding that an adult normal pad is not offering you the protection you need during your heaviest days, consider switching to a long or night pad, these are great for heavier flows.

And as you seem interested in tampons, possibly consider these in the future, tampons come in a wide variety of absorbencies to help even the heaviest of flows and may be a more practical option for you. 

Finally, if you find that even when using a super or super plus tampon, or a long or night pad you are having to change every 2 hours or less, then you should ask your mum, or the person who cares for you to book you an appointment with your doctor for a chat.

Yes, this is very normal periods can be irregular and erratic throughout your teenage years, because your body is still developing and the hormones making those bodily changes are also responsible for regulating your period. 

Remember too, that a monthly cycle can be anything from 21-34 days so don't believe the myth that all cycles are 28 days this is simply not the case. The blog below discusses lots of areas related to your menstrual cycle that you may find useful.

How to Be Prepared for Your First Period: Best Products for Teens

Your discharge will vary in how it looks from day to day, and generally clear, runny discharge that looks like egg white is noticed around the middle of your monthly cycle and not always a sign that your first period is due.

Getting a period at 4 years old is extremely rare. Most girls start their periods between 8 and 16, with the average being around 12–13.

There is a condition called precocious puberty, where puberty begins unusually early, but even then it’s not common and would always need to be checked by a doctor. So while it’s not impossible, it’s definitely not normal, and if it ever did happen, a doctor would need to see the child right away to make sure everything is okay.

Hi, try not to worry, periods can be quite irregular in the first few years, and having cycles that range between 16 and 22 days is actually very common while your body is still working its way through puberty.

Things usually settle down over time. Your mum is just trying to look out for you, and seeing a doctor later on is only to double‑check everything is healthy, not because anything is wrong, but for now, what you’re experiencing is normal for many teens.

Hi, here’s the thing about periods when you’re a teenager, they’re often very unpredictable at first.

A menstrual cycle can be anywhere from 21–34 days, and a few girls do become regular right away, but for lots of people the first year or two can be quite irregular, sometimes with long gaps of several months between periods.

So I can’t give you an exact date for your next one, but it’s a good idea to always carry a pad or a small period kit with you when you’re away from home, just in case.

Hi, this is almost certainly your first period, they often are brown and not red in colour and last just a couple of days. Now is the time to have a chat to your mum, or the person who cares for you and share this news with them. 

Your next period may not arrive exactly the same day next month, for the first few years periods can be erratic, and for this reason it's important to always have some pads with you when you are out and about or in school. Check out the blogs below for more tips.

Period Tips for School

Sometimes, yes these can be mistaken for one another! But generally, marks left from not wiping correctly after pooping, are towards the back of your underwear and in a line, they have an unpleasant odour too. Whilst, period blood is generally central the gusset area of your underwear and is more rounded in shape, it will also have very little odour.

Yes, absolutely this is your first period as period blood is not always red and can be pink, orange, brown or even do dark it appears black in colour. 

My advice would be to now place a pad or liner in your underwear and always keep some spare pads in a period kit, so you are never unprepared. And have a chat to your mum, or the person who cares for you and let them know of your news, they will want to support you.

For advice on periods and telling someone about your first period arriving see the links below.

How Do I Tell Someone My First Period Is Here (or Might Be Coming Soon)?

My First Period