No Products, But Lots of Problems

Isabella E  •  Germany  •  32

I was 13 years young, when I got my period over night and was shocked and crying about the amount of blood. We had no period products at the house because my mother was already in menopause. If I would have seen the sign of brown discharge as what it was, I would have been able to prepare myself. But I only knew of red period blood.

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When I saw brown discharge in my underwear, I thought I had a bladder issue from sitting on cold ground in the early spring. And I was too embarrassed to tell my mother and just hoped the brown discharge would go away.

Why don’t they teach us in school about these things? It’s just sad, and I want to spare other girls that kind of situation.

Snacks to Unwrap

Paige C  •  Georgia  •  25

My first period story is dreadfully uneventful. However, I have a first period "experience" story. I was changing my pad in a bathroom at a beach, and there was a mom accompanying her very small daughter into the stall next to me.

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I tear open the pad wrapper, and the little girl says in this tiny voice, "Mommy, why does that lady have a snack?" The mom and I had to stifle our snorts of laughter.

Dinner Period Party

Paula G  •  Spain  •  26

I was having dinner with some family friends in their house. I remember I went to the bathroom and saw blood on my panties.

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I went back to the table pretending nothing happened until we got home and I told my mum. It was an awkward situation. She started celebrating and called my dad to tell him I was already a woman.