The ‘First Period Kit’ I Wish I’d Had as a Confused Teen
I can vividly remember the day I got my first period.
I was 15, it was summertime, and, of course, I was wearing a pair of crisp white jeans when I felt that throbbing flow. Too ashamed to disturb my mother as she napped, I rushed to the bathroom I shared with my older brother and grabbed a box of tampons.
I’d already had the menstruation talk with my mom, and thought I learned all there was to know about periods in science class and from my much more developed friends. But when it came time to actually inserting the tampon, I was still utterly confused — not to mention overcome by the shame that swept over me after going through countless applicators before getting it right.
This is exactly what inspired momtrepreneur Helen Walsh to create LoveJane, a thoughtful line of first and monthly period kits and feminine hygiene products.
“My experience as a young girl was extremely factual, but lacked any explanation for what menstruation really was,” Walsh tells Yahoo Beauty. “I was unaware of how to be prepared and how to use feminine hygiene products. I wanted my daughters to fully understand the changes they would be going through, and to be equipped with the necessities.”
The Beautiful First Period Kit ($20) includes “supplies, a little guidance, and a whole lot of love,” according to Walsh. Neatly tucked inside the beautifully packaged case are tampons, pads, feminine wipes, and disposable bags. “We also thought it was critical to provide a just-in-case LoveJane Panty in the event of a surprise period,” adds Walsh.
The company took it a step further by making sure each kit is stocked with period care essentials that are hypoallergenic and nontoxic as well as BPA-, phthalate-, lead-, and paraben-free. They really thought of it all.
Last, but certainly not least, there is The Period Book: The LoveJane Guide to Getting Your First Period, which Walsh says is a “mix of love, humor, and information.”
Maturing into a young adult while maneuvering through period shaming can leave you feeling insecure and uncomfortable. So Walsh tells Yahoo Beauty that a “central theme in the booklet is showing girls that everyone is different and what they are experiencing is natural and healthy.”
She continues, “Periods are just as different as the girls that experience them, and there is a wide range of normal. Why not equip our girls to welcome their first period like we want them to handle everything in life? With confidence, beauty and grace. Why not make periods beautiful? For both our daughters and ourselves.”
Read more from Yahoo Style + Beauty:
A Mother Threw Her Daughter a Party to Celebrate Getting Her Period
This Ballet Team Performs Synchronized Swimming About Periods
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