Pain To Stains, 12 Women Share Their Experience Of First Periods

Menstruation is a turning point in the life of most women. But if she is unaware of the process, the experience can be rather scary. Our society is so reserved that parents find it difficult to talk to their own children about normal bodily functions like periods and what to expect and do when the cycle starts.

We spoke to 12 women and asked about their experience of their first-time menstruation. Here is what they said.

Sandhya Bhadauria (24)

When Sandhya Bhadauria got her first period, her mother was not with her. She feels lucky that her first time was not painful, and she knew what it was. However, “I was freaked out about how to manage it. Later, I went to the nearest pharmacy with one of my friends and bought myself sanitary pads,” she added.

Initially, she did not know how to use napkins but the package instructions helped her. Bhadauria told her mother after three months that she had started menstruating.

Anushka Gupta (18)

Anushka Gupta was only 10 when she heard a group of girls talking about periods. She went to her mother and asked her to explain it. She was taken aback by it but then Whisper and Stay Free ads started to make sense to her.

She was in the fifth standard when she first bled, but since she knew about it beforehand, she was not horrified. She just became more conscious.

Sanskriti Bhatnagar (21)

Sanskriti Bhatnagar first heard about periods from one of her teachers. She then went home and asked her mother to explain it to her.

However, her experience of her first menstruation cycle was a traumatic one because she suffered a lot of pain and cramping. She was freaked out because none of her friends experienced excruciating pain like her.

Aneesha Tiwari (25)

Aneesha Tiwari was not aware of periods, and she was already suffering from polycystic ovarian disorder (PCOD) when she first bled in class 10.

She was horrified, for no one in her class wanted to sit with her. She started crying because, at that time, she did not even know how to use a sanitary pad. However, in a surprise turn of events, one of her male friends explained periods to her.

Amrita Pandey (45)

Amrita Pandey was only 13 when she got her first menses. Her mother never told her about the monthly cycle. Therefore, when she first saw blood, she got scared.

After suffering for two days, she finally told her mother about it. Her mother explained to her that she would bleed for approximately five days every month. She remained upset about it until she was 15. After that, she made her peace with periods.

Prerna Jain (26)

It was during summer vacation when Prerna Jain first menstruated. She was in class 10, but did not know that the monthly cycle also comes with premenstrual syndrome, which includes leg pain and backache.

She suffered through it for three days after finally spotting blood in her underwear. It was a strange and painful experience for her. When she told her mother about it, she helped her with pads and calmed her nerves down.

Arkatapa Basu (25)

Arkatapa Basu says she was lucky to get the ‘period talk’ done at an early stage. Therefore, she didn’t freak out when she started bleeding. It was also better the first time because she did not experience cramps and pain as she does now.

Prachi Modi (27)

Prachi Modi says she was quite happy when she got her periods. Since all of her girlfriends had already gone through the phase, and she felt sidelined until she bled.

Though she was prepared for the phase, she did not know the hygiene care that is a must during the menstrual cycle. She did not know how frequently she should change the pad. Therefore, she feels when girls are given a talk on menstruation, their guardians should also talk about hygiene.

Shilpi Rana (20)

Shilpa Rana was 13 or 14 years old when she started menstruating. It was not shocking to her because by then she was made aware of all of it in her school. When she got her first period, she felt like a grown-up.

However, the experience was not good because of cramps. Rana also found it uncomfortable to use sanitary pads. It was itchy and always kept her conscious that she was bleeding.

Anjali Tiwari (27)

Anjali Tiwari first started bleeding when she was 15 years old. By that time, all her classmates and friends had already gone through the phase. Although she knew about it, she was scared when it happened. She discussed it with her mother, who made her feel calm and explained everything in detail.

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Ankita Mathur (27)

Ankita Mathur got her periods while riding a bicycle. She had a stain on her pants. When she came home, her mother noticed it and asked if she was bleeding. Since she did not know, she rebuffed it by saying it might be a ketchup stain. However, her mother then told her about periods and got her supplies.

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Ajita Jha (27)

Ajita Jha was not surprised when she got her periods in sixth standard. She already had a session at school. However, she admits that it was emotionally draining. She felt a little scared and ended up crying in distress.

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