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Richa Pendake offers caregiving tips for mothers to help their daughters with menarche
During the age of adolescence every girl undergoes several physical and emotional changes triggered by puberty. A part of the same is menarche – the first occurrence of menstrual bleeding. While the experience is a first-of-its-kind for the individual, there are certain tips and measures that the child’s mother must take to make her menstruation journey a seamless one.
Provide Medical Knowledge
Being informed with the correct medical knowledge about menstruation and passing on the same to the daughter while alleviating myths around it, the mother’s approach must be to stabilise her daughter with the normalcy around menstruation.
Help With Materials And Hygiene
Mothers should inform their daughters about medical supplies such as sanitary pads and the correct ways to use them – a necessity to maintain personal hygiene during periods. As periods can be painful, mothers can suggest remedies against them like heating pads, natural pain relievers, yoga, and so on. There are several new-age naturally formulated pain relievers like oral strips that help women combat unbearable period cramps.
Enable Your Child To Handle Periods On Her Own
Inform your daughter to keep track of her monthly cycles by maintaining a diary. Ask her to equip her wardrobe and bag with an emergency sanitary pads.
Impart Sex Education
Upon hitting puberty, adolescents are bound to be interested to learn about physical intimacy and sex. It is crucial to equip your child with the right information in a sensitive manner. Girls need to be informed about how menstruation is related to fertility and in turn the role it plays in getting pregnant. As a mother, have an open and medically-backed conversation with your daughter regarding sex and safety measures.
Prepare A Period-Utility Bag
Pack your daughter a bag with a cheerful note, pads, a roll-on, a hot water bag and some chocolates to comfort her during her periods.
Pack A Bag For The Teacher
While your daughter is at the school during her periods, hand over a bag to the teacher with a note requesting them to provide your daughter with the provided essentials like hot water if needed.
Keep The Men In The Family Informed
While your daughter is dealing with period-related changes, the men in the family also should understand how it affects the girl. It will help your daughter attain normalcy around periods instead of treating it as taboo. Keeping the men informed about your daughter’s periods plugs away the awkwardness that they might otherwise feel if kept uninformed.
Involve A Buddy Friend/ Friend’s Parents
At the school/ housing society/ extracurricular venues, mothers must be in touch with their daughters’ close friend or their parents with whom she is comfortable to seek help like getting sanitary pads, water, pain relievers, etc., in case of emergency.This menstrual hygiene day, all mothers can be a little more aware of the discomfort daughters can go through in tough times.
Also Read: Ways To Approach Conversations With Your Child About Periods
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