How old was ur dd when they got af?

[Tinks]

Good question. My DD is 10, I don't think she's anywhere near getting AF. I had just turned 12 when I first got it, so hopefully there's another couple of years for her.

[Visitor7]

Can't speak for my girls yet, but I was 11. Hopefully my girls don't get it any earlier.

[Persephone1]

I'm one of 3 girls. My older sister was 13, my younger sister was 12, and I was 14 1/2 which was terrible because my younger sister is 3 years younger than me, but got AF only 6 months after me.

I know they say that the hormones in our food has affected how early puberty arrives. My Mum reckons it's all genetic, but given that my sisters and I have similar genetics, that doesn't really make sense. I suppose it can happen at any time and there really isn't any 'normal' time as long as it's relative to everything else happening - like hair growing, etc.

Having said that, I hope any daughters of mine don't start before their teens!

[Fleur]

My Dd was 10, 3 months off her 11th birthday. I was 11, about 3 months off my 12th bday...so she was about a year earlier than me.
Not sure if this applies to every mother/daughter though.

I think it's great to have them prepared early, my stepmother did it for me & I did for my DD. From about the age of 9 I took a little bag to school with clean knickers, facewasher & pads just in case. Made the whole thing much less dramatic when I got AF after netball practice

[~Saram~]

I have heard a rumour that it has more to do with your grandmother than your mother??? I had just turned 10 when I go mine, my mum was 18 when she got hers but my nan was also 10-11????

Also depends on weight and physical condition. Girls that are heavier tend to get their period early as their body signals that the body has enough fat reserves to support a pregnancy.

As a teacher of upper primary about 50% of my girls have their period by year 7 (11-12yrs) but probably about 3-4 start in yr 6 (10-11yrs). Apparently one of the first signs of AF being near is discharge. I think it is great that you and your daughter are so open about this. As a female teacher in upper primary I get a lot of girls talking to me because parents haven't explained a lot of the changes they might go through.

[~Jo~]

Both of my girls were almost 13 when they first got theirs. I was 121/2 years. Ive heard more about it being around the 45kg mark too.

Jo

[Anila]

Wow, very intersesting, there doesnt seam to be a real average, but about 10-12 yrs, seems the norm, is that right?

I think it is great that you and your daughter are so open about this.

My daughter was at the bith of her brother last yr, and to prepare her for that, we went through all the womens bits n pieces, and i explained about af etc..


I spoke to her again tonight, and reminded her that, it means that u are growing up and that u have gone from a grl to a women, and if she ever wakes up and she is bleeding, not to freak out, its normal, and if it happens when im out and dad is home, just go to my draw, get a pad and stick it in ur undies, lol.
She then asked me what happens if it arrives when she is at school, and before i could answer she said, do i just go to the office and ask to call u.

she is not over weight but not thin either i think about 30 kilos, but she is tall ish, lol.

Hubby is worried he wont know what to do when the time comes.

[AnyDream]

My DD is 11 so I guess we need to be prepared...based in the general moodiness levels I'm not expecting it too soon. A friend with lots of friends with older daughters reckons the magic weight is 45 kg...dont' know if this is true or not but every girl in their little group started menstruating when they hit 45kg!!

ETA - just googled and apparently this has been studied but the mean weight in western countries is 48 kg...hmmmm.