Most menstrual periods last from three to five days, but any where from two to seven days is normal. The amount of blood flow varies, too, but for most women, bleeding starts out light at first, followed by heavier flow for a day or two and then another light day or two. Sanitary pads or tampons, which are made of cotton or another absorbent material, are worn to absorb the blood flow.

Sanitary pads are placed inside the panties; tampons are inserted into the vagina.

The amount of bleeding varies from woman to woman because everybody's body has a different way of building up the lining of the uterus. A lighter flow or heavier flow doesn't mean you can't get pregnant as easily or you're never going to get pregnant, or that your periods will always stay the same way. But if you're bleeding excessively-soaking one or more tampons or pads an hour-you should see a doctor to see if there's a problem."

Teenagers often are concerned if they expel blood clots during their periods. This is very normal and not dangerous. The menstrual clots are clumps of pooled blood in the vagina. Sometimes, instead of flowing freely, blood drains from the uterus and stays in the vagina until there's a change in position–say, from sitting to standing.

Young women experiencing their first periods often wonder, "will my periods ever become “regular?”. When a girl starts to menstruate, her period may not come on a regular schedule forseveral years. Her periods may come three weeks apart, or even months apart.

Why you need to keep track of my periods?

A girl should keep a record so she'll know if her period is late. A late period may be sign of pregnancy or one or medical problems that you should immediately inform/visit your doctor. Also, your doctor can provide you with better care if he/she knows about your periods.

How do I keep track of my periods?

The first day of your period is called Day 1. The period or bleeding usually lasts 3 to 5 days but 7 days is not uncommon. Ovulation(when the egg is released) happens 12 to 16 days before your next period starts.Ovulation, and the days before and after, is the time when you are most likely to get pregnant. Ifthe female does not get pregnant, her period comes and the whole cycle begins again, with Day 1 starting over again when the next period starts. The whole cycle usually takes 21 to 36 days, but even 42 days is not unusual for a cycle.

Will I get cramps and how bad are they?

Cramps are a common complaint. More than half of menstruating women have cramp-like pain during their periods.The medical term for menstrual pain is dysmenorrhea. Cramps are usually felt inthe pelvic area and lower abdomen, but can radiate to the lower back or down thelegs.

Many girls have cramps severe enough to keep them home from school.  In fact, according to Danforth's Obstetrics and Gynecology,dysmenorrhea is the most frequent cause of absenteeism from school among younger women. Women seem to go through phases when cramps are severe, then get better for several years, and then maybe worsen again. Most women find they have less menstrual pain after having children.

Cramps are like labor pains. Just as the uterus contracts to open up the cervix (neck of the uterus) and push out a baby, it contracts to expel menstrual blood. Often, after several years of menstruating or after childbirth, the cervical opening enlarges. The uterus doesn't have to contract as much to discharge the menstrual flow, so there is less cramping.

Menstrual pain may also come from the bleeding process itself. When the uterine lining separates from the wall, it releases chemicals called prostaglandins. Prostaglandins cause blood vessels to narrow, impeding the supply of oxygen to the uterus. Just as the pain of a heart attack comes from insufficient blood to the muscles of the heart, too little blood to the uterine muscle might cause the pain of menstrual cramps.

Menstrual pain can have other causes, although these are rare among teenagers. They include tumors, fallopian tube infection, and endometriosis, a condition in which fragments of the lining of the uterus become embedded elsewhere in the body.

Cramps are the actual uterus' contractions. The uterus, which is like a pear-shaped muscle, helps get rid of the endometrium, or lining of the uterus, since no baby will be growing inside. These contractions, that sometimes feel like cramps, are the body's way of shedding, or getting rid the lining of the uterus, through the vagina, and out of the body, as the lining is no longer needed that cycle.

What about cramps?

Some girls have cramps during their periods. For most they are mild and can be helped by exercise, a heating pad or aspirin. If there is a lot of pain, very long a heavy periods. Or very irregular periods or very irregular periods you should get a checkup.

What can I do to help with cramps?

Cramps are usually mild. They can be helped by exercise, warm bath, use of a heating pad or pain relievers such as aspirin.

If there is a lot of pain, long or "heavy" periods (heavy meaning more bleeding than normal), which means saturating a tampon or pad in less than 2-3hours, or if you have irregular periods, you should inform your parents and ask them to take you to your doctor for a checkup.

Can I take a bath or shower during my period? What about exercising?

Menstruation is a very normal part of every girl's life. During your period, you can do everything you normally do, including daily baths or showers, exercising, dancing and playing sports are all fine. In fact, you will feel better by continuing your normal routine, and find that warm baths are a great way to help with any cramping you may have.

Should I choose sanitary napkins or tampons for my feminine hygiene choice?

Feminine hygiene products come in all sorts of types, sizes, shapes, absorbencies, smells (vulva and vaginal “deodorant” protection – which we recommend NOT using) and materials.

Sanitary napkins or pads absorb the blood from your period on the outside of your vagina. Most sanitary napkins are made with adhesive strips that you simply peel off the backing and then they will stick or adhere to your panties or pantyhose.

Can I still take a bath during my period, or should I take showers instead?

Menstruation is a very normal part of every girl's life. When you get your period, you can continue doing everything you normally do. This includes continuing to take baths or showers. However, some girls may prefer to take showers during the days of their period that bleeding is heavier.

What are sanitary napkins and how do they work?

Sanitary napkins come in different shapes, styles, absorbencies, deodorant, on-deodorant, as well as thin pantiliners for light days and pads, for heavy days of menstrual bleeding. All sanitary napkins, pads and pantiliners are made with removable strips of paper that reveal adhesive tape that is made to stick to your panties. Other pads and pantiliners have wrap-around “wings" that wrap under your panties to keep it from moving or “bunching."

Some young ladies don't like the feeling of sitting on a pad and may choose a tampon and pantiliner on their heavy days.

What are tampons and how do I use them?

Like pads and pantiliners, tampons come in many different brands, sizes, styles, absorbencies and deodorant, perfumed and non-deodorant choices. Also like pads and pantiliners, tampons absorb the menstrual blood, except tampons absorb the menstrual blood inside of the vagina, instead of on the outside. Tampons absorb the blood from your period like a pad or sanitary napkin, but they do so by placing the tampon inside your vagina. Tampons can be used whether or not a girl has had intercourse and tampons cannot get lost inside your body.

Tampons come in different sizes and thicknesses. They come in applicator and on-applicator styles. There are "slim" or "slender” tampons for young ladies who have never had intercourse, or given birth via vaginal delivery. Tampons can be used whether or not a girl has had intercourse. Tampons cannot get lost inside a girl's body. Tampons are shaped so that they can be easily inserted into your vagina and absorb the menstrual blood before the blood comes out onto the pad the monthly period.

Many women prefer to use a tampon to avoid any possible smells that are associated with menstruation, as the menstrual blood that is absorbed by pads and pantiliners, are exposed to the air, and not changing a pad or pantiliner frequently enough, may produce a menstrual smell that some find objectionable.

Tampon Insertion: How do I Insert a Tampon?

Inserting a tampon the first time takes a little practice. It gets easier with each new period. You may want to go to the bathroom or close your bedroom door as you will want some privacy. To insert a tampon, remove your panties, remove the wrapper of the tampon, and get into a comfortable position. Using a mirror may help you find your vagina, and insert the tampon the first few times. The best positions are those that help expand the vaginal walls inside your vagina, to help ease the tampon into place. Some women like a squatting position, others are comfortable sitting on the toilet. In any case, you will want to spread your legs apart, and then using one hand, spread the labia minora, so that you can see or feel the entrance to your vagina. Keeping your legs apart, while keeping your labia minora separated, slowly insert the tampon toward the small of your back. You may need to use a little vaginal lubricant spread on the outside of the tampon for easier insertion. Insert the tampon until the ridges of the tampon applicator come in contact with the entrance to your vagina. Then, slowly insert or press down on the plunger, that pushes the tampon into the correct position inside your vagina. Once a tampon is properly inserted, you shouldn't be able to feel it. Don't worry that the tampon can "fall out" because the walls of your vagina hold it in place. If you can feel the tampon, you are using the wrong size tampon, or may not have inserted the tampon far enough into your vagina. After pushing down on the plunger, and inserting the tampon, remove and discard the applicator, BUT NOT IN THE TOILET, THE TOILET MAYEASILY STOP UP AND THEN FLOOD THE BATHROOM AND HOUSE! Before pulling your panties back up, make sure the string on the end of the tampon remains outside of your vagina, as this is how you remove the tampon, by pulling the tampon string when it's time to change your tampon.

Urinating with a tampon in your vagina is really simple and easy. To urinate, simply go to the bathroom as you normally would, but before you start urinating, move the tampon string to one side of your vulva so that you don't get urine on the tampon removal string. Going to the restroom is also a great time to see if your tampon needs to be changed. One way of determining whether your tampon needs to be changed is by tugging slightly on the string. If your tampon seems to not want to come out, it's probably not time to change your tampon, as it hasn't absorbed enough menstrual fluid, and is drier, than more wet. If, however, your tampon seems to slide easily, this is an indicator that your tampon is saturated, or has absorbed as much blood as it can hold. Another indicator that it’s time to change your tampon is that your vagina is leaking menstrual blood onto your panties.

Removing your tampon is also very easy. When you believe your tampon has absorbed as much menstrual blood as it can hold, it's time to change your tampon. Simply pull on the string of the tampon in your vagina. This will remove the saturated tampon. Then discard the used tampon in the trash – NOT IN THE TOILET! And insert a new tampon. NEVER SLEEPOVERNIGHT WITH A TAMPON IN YOUR VAGINA AS THIS MAY CAUSE TOXIC SHOCKSYNDROME.

Most tampons come with a plastic or cardboard applicator to make it easier to put them in. Only the tampon remains inside the body.

For women who have had a vaginal birth, they wouldn't use the slender tampons because their vaginas have been enlarged due to vaginal childbirth. If they did use a slender tampon during their period, the slender tampon would not absorb all of the menstrual blood, and she would have leakage of menstrual blood from her vagina.

Adult women, who have delivered vaginally, will choose the wider, thicker tampons that are larger than the slender tampons, due to the enlargement of their vaginas.

How often should tampons, pantiliners, pads or alternative feminine hygiene product be changed?

Pads, pantiliners, tampons or other alternative feminine hygiene products should be changed often enough so that there is no unpleasant odor or your clothes do not get stained as the feminine hygiene product cannot hold any additional menstrual blood. Changing tampons, pads, pantiliners, often can help prevent infections. During the heaviest days of your period, you may need to change them every 3-4 hours.

Depending on how heavy or light your menstrual flow is – which varies during each day of your period, from light bleeding, to heavy, almost “gushing” bleeding, back to light bleeding again, heavy – will determine the type(s) of feminine hygiene product you may use. Some women start out by using a pantyliner only. While the menstrual flow increases, they may switch to a pad, and many women find they need to use a pad and a tampon simultaneously for the best feminine hygiene results.

It is very common for women to use a pad as "back-up" to a tampon, as a tampon will leak if it is not changed when it is saturated.

Most tampons come with a plastic or cardboard applicator to make it easier to put them inside your vagina. Only the tampon remains inside the body, the applicator, if you use this type, is discarded in the trash can after you insert it.

NEVER FLUSH A TAMPON DOWN THE TOILET AS THIS MAY CAUSE SERIOUS PLUMBING PROBLEMS AS WELL AS SERIOUS EMBARRASSMENT AFTER THEPLUMBER DISCOVERS WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM!

IMPORTANT!

Never leave atampon in your vagina for more than 4-6 hours (read the tampon manufacturer’s instructions). Always remove the lasttampon at the end of your period. When using a tampon, only use the minimumabsorbency for your period at that time. Example: do not use a superabsorbent tampon for a light day flow.

Never use or apply talcum powder on or near your vagina or vulva or that of baby girl’s. This also includes not using talcum powder on your pad or tampon. Talcum powder use has been linked to cervical, vaginal, ovarian and vulva cancer.1. Wash your hands before unwrapping and placing a new tampon in your vagina.

Changing tampons and napkins often can help prevent infections.

What is Toxic Shock Syndrome?

Toxic shock syndrome is a rare infection that can happen during a woman's period. The symptoms include a sudden fever of over 101 degrees or more, diarrhea (the runs), vomiting (throwing up), muscle aches and a sunburn-like rash. If you have these symptoms during you period, see a doctor right away.

To help prevent toxic shock syndrome, you should follow these guidelines:

1. Wash your hands before unwrapping and placing a new tampon in your vagina.
2. Never use super-absorbent or deodorant tampons.
3. Change your tampon at least every 4-6 hours (read the tampon manufacturer’s information inside the box).
4. Do not use tampons all the time and switch to a pad for part of each day.
5. Do not use a birth control sponge or diaphragm during your period. During your period it is preferable to use other methods such as condoms and/or foam.