Advice Needed: Irregular Periods for 11 year old

[JWfan]

My daughter has periods that are very irregular (19-23 day cycle) and last 4-5 days. This seems awful long to me as she is only 11 (Her first period was 5 months ago). Is this normal? and how old were any of your girls when they started to use tampons?

[pjnsydsmoma]

My daughter was 9 when she started.. she has never been irregular, nor was I ever irregular. 4-5 days seems normal. I dont think age has anything to do with it. I allowed my daughter to used tampons last summer (she's 12) only if she had her period and was going swimming with her friends. So only a few times over the summer. However now shes back in school and in sports and I have chosen to let her use tampons during sports if she needs to. Tampax sport are great! She uses Pads all other times. I think its a personal decision you would make depending on your daughter and her needs. Good Luck.

[JWfan]

Thanks so much.  I have a hard time remembering what I did as a kid.  So its nice to know what others have gone through.

[M4LG5]

Yes. I remember in high school I.didn't have a period for several months.....I was not sexually active. It's an adjustment of the body, I'm sure.

[HopesNDreams]

Normal...actually, the number of days is completely normal. The timing of the periods can fluxuate greatly - one month 17 days and the next 25, etc. The can also be extremely heavy. Her body is adjusting to having periods and it could take a year or longer for it to settle into something 'regular'and even tthat might not be what you would think of as normal.

[mamagoose831]

My 11 year old just started hers last month. She should be having her next cycle anytime if she already hasn't. Shes very private so not sure she's going to share everytime. Will have to ask. Lol

[steelcrazy]

My girl friends and I were just talking about this very topic at the bus stop this morning as another friend's daughter is having some problems with her menstrual cycle.  Anyway, the one friend reminded us that the only normal thing about a girl starting her period is that everyone is completely different and what is "normal" for one would be completely "abnormal" for another.

I only have boys, so I really don't have much current advice.  I can tell you what was "normal" for both me and my sister many, many years ago.  lol  I was a freak of nature.  I got my first period around 11 years old.  I would bleed for 2 days total, one was a heavy flow for me (normal flow for most people) and the other was a very very light flow.  I got my period exactly every 28 days like clock work from that first time on and I have always been this way.  I absolutely freaked my mother out because I wasn't bleeding enough according to her.  My sister on the other hand bled like crazy and would easily soak a pad in an hour or so on some days.  There was no rhyme or reason to her periods at all.  Some would last 10 days and others only 5 days.  Some times she'd have 2 weeks between her periods and other times 2 months.  My mom thought that she was completely normal because this was closer to how my mom was.

[cocoroo]

My dd is 14 and started her period almost a year ago. She still isn't very regular. Your dd's periods sound pretty normal to me.

[TempestRayne]

Absolutely normal. She just started, and her body is still working the kinks out.

[kerryanneo]

Totally normal.  I've been reading up on it because the doctor said that my oldest (10) will probably start hers within the next year or two.  I don't have a problem with letting her use tampons as soon as she wants to because I will be there to talk her through it and give her advice.  I tried to use them when I was about 12 but I didn't have anyone to help me so it was nightmare. 

[psych_mom]

That's very normal and a period can last anywhere from a few days to a week so that isn't long at all. Her period is going to last the same length of time an adults is and expect the flow to vary as well. As for tampons that is dependant upon what you and her are comfortable with. Each mom is different and each daughter is going to be different.