It can be really difficult for school-going girls to manage their periods properly. One prime reason is that they have just started getting it and aren’t used to it still. But with proper guidance and effective tips, it can be managed without taking up much stress and time out of their schedule which needs focusing on other important things like their health and academics.

Dr. Bimla Bansal, our on-house gynaecologist suggests the following tips for school going girls who have started menstruating:

  1. Always keep an extra sanitary napkin in your school bag, even if your periods ended just a week before. That’s because in the earlier years periods can be irregular. You might not get them for a couple of months or can get them twice in a single month. So, be prepared and avoid unfavorable circumstances.
  2. Change your sanitary pads on time. A sanitary napkin must be replaced within 5 hours or, it can spread infection. If your school doesn’t have proper and separate washroom facilities for girls, talk to your school authorities or ask your parents to do so.
  3. Keep a safety pin with you. If you are wearing white or other light-colored skirt and it is stained, you can use it to pin up your skirt till you reach home or can do something else. There’s nothing guilty about stains, but it will help you keep calm.
  4. Don’t wait until the teacher leaves the class. If you realize you have got your periods, stand up, and excuse yourself before it gets unmanageable and messy.
  5. Participating in sports is just fine. Just do not exert yourself too much, and you should be okay. If you feel too much pain, avoid it for the first two days.

If there is any abnormality you notice in your body, talk to your parents about it and ask them to take you for professional consultation. An expert gynaec can help you detect problems, if any, and work with you to solve it at the earliest.