Signs your daughter is about to start her period

+ what age can she expect it? 👀

Many parents wonder when their daughter's first period will come, to help them get prepared.

So, luna’s here to fill you in on the key info, including signs your daughter is about to start her period, as reviewed by Dr. Emma Dickie and Dr. Alex Ho – both NHS GPs and also luna's Clinical Content Advisors.

When do girls (assigned female at birth) typically get their first menstruation?

Girls usually start their first period around age 12, but it can happen as early as 8 or as late as 17.

Your teen might be feeling nervous, excited, anxious, or even left out when it comes to getting their first period – luna has a Q&A feature in the app and gets plenty of messages from teens about this exact topic!

So, with that in mind, it's important to encourage your teen to start tracking their symptoms early to help them feel more confident and prepared.

Luckily, the luna app can be with them every step of the way, and has plenty of medically-verified content to prepare them for their first period (unlike what they might be seeing on social media).

The experts on luna can also answer any questions they may be too embarrassed to ask you.

The luna app is free to download, and you can find it by searching "we are luna app" on App Stores.

What are the signs your period is coming for the first time?

Your teen can look for signs of puberty like...

• growing underarm hair
• growing pubic hair
• breast development

These are the key first period symptoms to track, and usually happen for about 2 years before a period starts.

When should someone seek medical advice if they have no period?

If your daughter's first period hasn't started by age 15, or 13 without any signs of puberty like underarm or pubic hair or breast development, then it’s best to take them to see a doctor in case any tests are needed.

Delayed periods or puberty can sometimes be linked to medical conditions, just as early puberty, known as precocious puberty, may require medical attention.

How can you support your daughter in the lead up to her first period?

Please reassure your teen that whatever it is they're feeling about their period, be it scared or excited, it is normal – you might find these first period dos and don’ts helpful for guiding the conversation.

Their period will come when their body is ready, and there’s nothing they can do to make it come faster.

Encourage them to use this time to really educate themself about what to expect and consider putting together a first period kit to help them feel prepared.

Why not support your teen with luna premium?

Our app, luna, has dedicated advice on this topic which can help them feel more empowered through adolescence.

You can think of luna as a modern, digital approach to wellbeing – it’s cost-effective, verified by doctors and safeguarding experts, and has a direct line into the biggest concerns facing teens today – so it’s actually addressing what they need advice on, when they need it.

If you’ve been looking for an antidote to the misinformation and negativity shared on social media or forums, you can get luna for your teen via our luna premium page for the price of a coffee each month or manage their subscription by downloading luna yourself and signing up as a parent (it's "we are luna" in app stores).