Menstruation is biological health process

 Menstruation Periods are biologically healthy body process, 

but yet taboos exist?

 

 Take rest...

TEENS whisper so that no one can listen. 

It is very normal like other biological processes to clean our bodies.

 But still it is considered DIRTY.

 In our Bhartiya culture, it has been frequently observed that people do not openly discus about menstruation. They always have some kind of hesitation, which force them to whisper only about periods and pads. They believe that menstruating girls are impure, sinful due to which one should not touch them. This type of behavior towards female can lead to feelings of shame, stigma and loneliness.

 Even brandname is Whisper..

There are numerous myths related to menstruation all are listed below with their scientific reasons: -

1]  Menstruating females are not allowed to touch any of the objects in the house, especially cooking in the kitchen.

In ancient period, females used to do all the house chores, all by themselves. Even when they were dying with cramps due to periods, no relief from household work. The elder lady of the house made some amendments like the menstruating female in the house will not work and will take proper rest because of cramps, fatigue etc.

2]  Menstruating females are not allowed to touch/eat pickles. Because people believe that if the menstruating woman touch or eat the pickles, the pickles might get spoiled soon.

Pickles are high in sodium which can contribute to water retention and bloating. If a woman is already experiencing bloating as a symptom of her period, eating pickles might adverse the situation, so better do not eat pickles.

3]  If a female misses her period, she is pregnant.

Late period or missed period do not signify that the female is pregnant. Late period might happen due to some hormonal imbalance like PCOD, PCOS, unhealthy diet or stress.

4]  Periods are costly

Females belonging to rural areas consider sanitary pads to be expensive. Sanitary pads are also available at reasonable prices/free of cost, but these females do not afford spending money disposable pads. They reuse old cloth piece every month, which is why their menstrual hygiene may suffer the most.

5] Menstruating females cannot enter temple and perform pooja in various family and social events.

In Bhartiya culture pooja is a religious activity and religious ritual has denied healthy woman. It is harsh truth of discrimination. 

6] During periods one should not take head-bath and wash hairs.

It has nothing to do and taking head bath or washing hairs should be ok.

7] Shopkeepers at the medical store usually gives the sanitary napkins wrapped in newspaper and then covered by black polythene, as no one know, but something confidential that should not be seen by others. Even sanitary pads are kept hidden in house in some corners.

So now its high time that people change their attitude on menstruation myths and accept as normal healthy biological process to clean the female body!

We thank Shreya Ghosal for singing and playing teacher role in this PERIOD SONG to create awareness among teeangers on this health and clean process. 

https://youtu.be/hrSOUSnRXTQ?si=yY12WFHMW7sMRb4v

Sanitary pads are expensive for girls in slums, in villages. Just imagine about their first menstruation experience in teenage. Nicely picturised in thsi video

https://youtu.be/hrSOUSnRXTQ?si=yY12WFHMW7sMRb4v

Teen Rijul 

 

Parent and Teen Daughter communication of personal problems need better understanding.

Father as well as Mother plays a very important role in the life of TEENAGE Daughter.  Nuclear family & joint family have its advantages and disadvantages. There are question about PUBIC hair, its saving & cleaning, about menarche/menstruation, its timing, cleaning, recurrence, pain, about breast development and bra, about body hair, about pimples, about sexual feelings, about opposite gender attraction and so on..  

As soon as daughter enters in her PUBERTY years, Mother has to have opened communications on the PUBERTY developmental issues and her health & hygiene.  In the absence of such communication channel, daughter may seek & search information about her personal growth and reproductive health with others, mainly from friends. Many times the friends also may not have adequate knowledge. Sometimes it increases the risk of molestation of daughter by someone near-one. Teenage sexual abuses remain unnoticed most of the times due to fear and shame both.

In the case of only FATHER-DAUGHTER situation, the matter becomes worse. Daughter in most of case feel shy to ask the FATHER about her personal issues. In such case maybe a female teacher may help or a counselor in schools may be of help.

Nowadays, lot of information is available on internet. But, while searching such information one is likely come across PORN sites unintentionally. POP UP window of porn sites may lure them to watch details and lead them to other such sites.

So, it is always better that parents themselves become more knowledgeable on PUBERTY growth issues and as per age discuss with daughter.

For more information one may visit blog & website

http://teensnparents.blogspot.com

http://www.teensnparents.com

or ask specific question after surfing the above, if at all needed:

http://teensnparents.com/contactus.htm

Are you aware & prepared for EARLY PUBERTY development with your daughter?

Is my DAUGHTER body is MATURING faster than her friends? Is she going through normal developmental process? Should I consult the Gynaecologist? Will Doctor asks for PELVIC examination of my daughter which may harm her HYMEN?

According to recent observations, girls are experiencing the onset of puberty at younger and younger ages, with an alarming rate of girls seeing breast development as young as seven.  Breast pain during preteens has become very normal. Menstruation and pubic hair development started before the age of 10.

Although ethnicity is a known cause, there are many other factors as to why we are seeing girls growing up faster. Some say it's the media and entertainment sexualizing girls at younger ages, while others maintain it's an environmental problem. Endocrine-disrupting compounds or estrogens possibly may speed up puberty as well, but not known.

Some point the blame towards the rise in childhood obesity. Girls who start experiencing puberty earlier on also have higher body mass index (BMI) than girls that start in their early teens.

Parents and mainly mothers are confused about when to start discussion on PUBERTY related issues with daughter. Most of the information on reproduction and sex are age specific, but the exact age for individual daughter is having wide difference.

The analysis has become difficult even by expert doctors in the field, due to so much individuality in development of PUBERTY. Only a complete diologue with mother and daughter can help on regular basis. Daughter should have full trust on mother for sharing any issues of physical and emotional nature. Mother has to be available to listen the daughter. Mother should learn and understand the current generation developmental issues. Break yourself from the past, from your teenage, as Media presence was not so much there.

More details on blog http://teensnparents.blogpsot.com/ as well as website http://teensnparents.com/

First time Bleeding from Vagina: An event for celebration? For preteens/teens daughters and parents

First time Bleeding from vagina: An event for celebration? For preteens/teens daughters and parents.
During my email counselling many parents do inquire about MENARCHE and how and when to inform the young daughter. Also young girls also worried about their first period and pain and embarrassment and all inquire on email. So, Dear parents and girls, one day, it happens. Some of the symptoms may tell you when it may about to happen. But no one can tell you when it will really happen. It will happen in the morning or during day or during night. It may happen at school or on picnic or in movie hall. It happens to every healthy girl in the world. You might have got cut and seen blood running out of the skin. You apply antiseptic (Dettol) or Bandage to stop the blood flow. you might have sucked the blood oozing out from fingers. If it is worse you go for dressing to the doctor.

One day, for the first time you will begin to bleed from your vagina. This blood is different than what you have seen from cutting the skin. It will be your first period “the MENARCHE’—the first of many (500 or so) you will have in the course of your adult life. It's a sign that you're growing up for reproduction, having healthy and normal body, transformation from child body into an adult body. The changes may begin as early as, when you're nine years or they may not begin until you are twelve, thirteen, or even sixteen. All bodies don't grow at the same rate. You can see some of the changes. Your breasts will get bigger. Your hips will get wider. Hair will begin to grow under your arms and on your pelvic. Pimple come on cheeks, back or neck.

Menarche (men-NAR-key) is the time of first period in daughter’s life. Many families celebrate menarche, as the time when a girl becomes a complete woman. The little daughter is attaining maturity for motherhood. Sometimes parties, gifts, and congratulations celebrate a daughter’s first period. Some families are more private about menarche. But whether or not menarche is celebrated in your family, it is an exciting, sometime even embarrassing and important moment in girl’s life to remember. It is a birthday of woman from girl, and should be remembered and celebrated every year. It is a day of complete woman.

It is not dirty, but it a biological human process for reproduction. Girl is not becoming untouchable. Girl can pray and wash their hairs. Only some social and community do not allow them to pray or go to temple or wash their hairs, or make her untouchable for those 5 days when bleeding from vagina continues. If social norms, community norms and family values are strict, one can follow without any harm instead of opposing them strongly. Some religious places do not allow girls from puberty to menopuse due to this reason.

Girls and boys have different reproductive organs. Only girls have the labia, clitoris, urethra, and the opening of the vagina, which are all parts of vulva. You can use a hand-mirror to look at your own vulva. There are other changes that happen inside your body, which will make it possible for you to get pregnant and have a baby. The parts of your body that can develop a baby, inside your abdomen, are called reproductive organs. These parts are the vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes and ovaries. Your vagina connects vulva to the reproductive organs inside your body. All parents are worried about their daughter, once her body becomes capable of reproduction. All restrictions on girls, like parties, staying out, going out on dating, are for the only reason, that she should not unintentionally or forcefully or for experience sake, indulge into sexual intercourse with male and become pregnant. Pre-marriage pregnancy is not accepted in our Indian society.

How does girl’s reproductive system work? :
Girls have two ovaries, which hold hundreds of tiny eggs(Ovum), which you can't see them without a microscope. Girls are born with all the eggs they will ever have. An ovary releases one egg about once a month. Before the egg is let go, the uterus begins building up a lining, made of tissue. The lining is like a soft nest for the egg if pregnancy happens. Ovulation happens when the egg leaves from one of the ovary. Then, the egg moves through a fallopian tube toward the uterus. Most of the time, the egg breaks apart, before it gets to the uterus. But that doesn't always happen. If a sperm from a male penis during sexual intercourse through vagina, meets the egg on its way to the uterus, they may join together, which is called fertilization. Pregnancy begins as a fertilized egg implants itself to the lining of the uterus.

Most of the time the egg breaks apart and the lining of tissue and blood is not needed. It flows out of uterus, through cervix, through vagina, and out of body. This is called menstrual flow. There are usually 14-16 days from ovulation to the beginning of a girl's period. But the time from the beginning of the period to the next ovulation may vary. It may be less than one week. It may be two weeks or more. The time from the first day of one period to the first day of the next is called a menstrual cycle. Menstrual cycles will likely to go on until menopause up to the age of 45 to 55 years.

How long will the menstruation period last? :
Periods usually last from four to seven days. The flow usually starts light, rusty color. It can get heavy for two or three days with dark red color, then get light again until it stops. Everyone’s periods and menstrual cycles will be different. What will be normal for you, may not be normal for your friend. Menstrual cycles as well as periods may not always last the same number of days when they first begin. It may take few months for your body to get adjusted. You may have a light flow or a heavy flow. Your periods may be late or early. You may even skip some months in first year before becoming regular. Your period may be late when you get sick. It may be late when you worry about things. Most likely your periods and cycles will become more regular in a year or two.

How often will I have my period? :
You will have a period about once a month. A normal menstrual cycle can be as short as 21 days or more than 35 days. Changes from month to month are also normal. Most girls and women don't feel ovulation when it happens. They don't know for sure when it actually occurs. But ovulation takes place around the middle of each menstrual cycle. Many girls mark a calendar with an X on the days they bleed. For most teenage girls, their period will happen every 28 days or so. Keeping a calendar will help you predict when you will bleed again, and when you are going to need sanitary pads. Also, you'll be able to know if your period is late or early. If you'll have a record, then you may know the need to see a Gynaecologist about any menstruation problem.

Will I feel weak when I lose blood during my period? :
May not. There are only four to six tablespoonfuls of blood in the whole flow. This is a small amount. The rest is bits of the unused tissue lining and other fluids. By the time your period ends, it will have amounted to between half a cup and a full cup of liquid. Most teenagers use either sanitary napkin or washable cloth pad to absorb the flow. Cloth pads can be made at home from good quality cotton cloth as per your size requirement. Cloth pad can be washed with hot water or antiseptic solution and reused. Sanitary napkins are available in drugstores, which are single use disposable type only. Usually they come in packages of ten, with user instructions in it. They come in different sizes and varieties. You will need to decide which type of pad is most comfortable for you. Most pads stay in place by sticking to the inside of panties. Others are pinned to underwear. Some are held in place by special belts.
A nice video link to celebrate first menstruation of daughter : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jVI89uVPqOs

For more details: visit www.teensnparents.com

submit queries experience now : http://teensnparents.com/letterwin.htm

Are you a role model to your teen son and daughter? For all parents who care for their children.

Are you a role model to your teen son and daughter? For all parents who care for their children.

Every father and mother, please introspect and explore: Are you worth as a role model to your own son/daughter?
Every son and daughter is learning 24X7 from you (mother as well as father) mainly, even though you think that they are not looking at your behaviour, they are not feeling the way you are. holding each responsibilities in every relationship.

It is a silent training by observing what their parents are doing. The moral values come from parents practicing and not preaching. If you are smoking in front of your child, it will difficult to say to NO for SMOKING. If you are abusing others in front of them, they will learn from you. If you care and help and love, they will learn from you. Few lines from a son/daughter for the good parents are written as under:


When you thought, I was not knowing,
I saw you take care of the house and everyone in it
and I learned to take care and live life for others.


When you thought, I was not knowing,
I saw you working on holidays for all
and I learned that the little money can be the special things in others’ life.

When you thought, I was not knowing,
I saw you skip a meal and go hungry,
and I learned that we all have to feed each other.


When you thought, I was not knowing,
I saw you give your time to help underprivileged people
and I learned that those who have something, should give to those who don't.

When you thought, I was not knowing,
I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you fell sick
and I learned that I would have support now as you grow old.


When you thought, I was not knowing,
I saw tears come from your eyes
and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's alright to cry.

When you thought, I was not knowing,
I saw you in pain and keep silence to yourself
and I wanted to be everything that I could be to you.

When you thought, I was not knowing,
I learned your feet walked and travelled a lot
And now I wanted to massage your feet to give rest.


When you thought, I was not knowing,
I looked you down with headache and depression,
And now I wanted to give oil massage to your hair and head.

When you thought, I was not knowing,
I saw you murmuring a silent prayer,
and I knew there is a BHAGWANji one could always talk to and trust.


'Thanks for all the things I saw, when you thought I wasn't feeling.'
TO ALL OF THE PEOPLE, WHO DO SO MUCH FOR OTHERS
AND THINK NO ONE EVER SEES.

parents teenage relationship

The parents-teenage relationship should be friendly, but many times it is not so.
The interaction of father as well as mother with teenage son and daughter decrease day by day.
What are the emotional issues teenagers want that their parents should understand and accept?