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Did you know that a baby girl has anywhere between 1 to 2 million eggs in her ovaries when she's born?

That's amazing! Early in development, the fetus is already preparing for menstruation later in life. It is the "when" that is the mystery. By the time a young girl is ready to begin puberty the number of eggs is reduced to about 300,000. Knowing when menstruation will begin is not an exact science. But, there are things that can be done to help make the day, when it comes, less drama filled. All you have to do is focus on communication and preparation.

For most women, the memory of their first period is imprinted in their mind. It is anticipated with a spectrum of emotions that varies from excitement for some to anxiety for others. I was thrown off balance when I had my first period. That was mainly because my older sister started menstruating when she was in high school. Naturally, I thought the same would be true for me. But at 11 years old, I wasn't given the talk just yet and faced my first period with utter surprise.

Menstruation affects each person differently. Girls begin puberty between 8 to 13 years and during that time the brain is sending off hormones to trigger breast development and growth. It is usually 2 years after breasts start to develop that menarche begins. Menarche refers to the start of a girl's period which is somewhere around 10 to 15 years of age. Even with this age range, some girls may get their periods earlier or later. Mothers should plan on talking about menstruation with their daughters. Using personal experience to break up the tension is a great start. For single fathers, find a female friend or family member your daughter is comfortable with to discuss what she can expect when she gets her first period.

Communication:

Years later, after my experience, I decided (and my mother happily obliged me) to teach my baby sister about menstruation. What helped me make the conversation comfortable was not looking uncomfortable myself, keeping my tone positive and not making this monthly event appear awful. Also, make sure that you are being heard and understood by adding a cool perk in the mix. I asked three basic questions at the end of our talk and if she answered them right we agreed on a reward.

My sister did, however, want to know more about the female anatomy so rather than grabbing a medical book I got creative. This is a neat tip that parents can use to help their daughters (and sons) remember the female anatomy and it comes in handy

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