I was twelve years old and it was the end of August. My little brother’s birthday, actually. We went swimming at a lake, stopped at a restaurant to eat after, and didn’t get home until it was really late. When I peeled off my bathing suit, I saw the brownish spot in the crotch and told my mom. She got me a pad and showed me how to use it.
I was really lucky. I already knew about menstruation from school and my mom and that first one was really light. But man, that first year at school was rough- the flow got super heavy and the cramps were awful. I didn’t know how to manage it yet at first and ruined a lot of pants and sweatshirts.
Although I did get pretty creative, one time during school I had bled through my jeans and I used duct tape to write messages on my butt to cover it up.
Oh, and my brother’s turning nineteen soon and still has no idea that his birthday is also the anniversary of my first period.
submitted by: anarchistblack