Charlotte • Essex, UK • 28
I was 9 years old and on my first abroad holiday with my family and close family friends. I'd been experiencing a few stomach pains throughout the morning but thought nothing of it.
Around midday, we decided to go take a swim in the ocean– something I'd been looking forward to all afternoon. I remember running at the water when I felt a strange warm dampness between my legs.
I was so confused and told my older sister I thought I'd wet myself. She took me into the public toilet and low and behold, I'd started my period! It felt scary, new and DEVASTATING, as I was too scared to use a tampon, therefore couldn't swim for the remaining week of the holiday. Not what I had planned at all!
I was so young and felt so embarrassed and ashamed that this was happening to me– a feeling I would never want a young person to have to go through! Let's break the stigma around periods!
