Let’s talk about it: My First Yoni

Have you seen the My First Yoni campaign yet? We have a My First Yoni e-book , a lot of  blogs and  through videos we try to start a conversation about your first period. 8 different women share their view on the subject – including (bloody) experiences, but mainly positive tips about being on your period.

Conversations about taboos, funny ’tampon stories’ and useful tips for young girls all came up. Something we find more than important to share with our first Yoni users or loyal fans. That is why you can read the full My First Yoni Q&A below.

Yoni: What was your first period like?

Emma (28): “I mainly had my period very late. I was 16 years old. I didn’t really mind that my period was so late. I was still very small and really wanted to continue growing and because I had my period so late, I managed to do that a bit, haha!”

Rosa (22): “I remember not really liking it. I guess I wasn’t ready for it yet. A few of my friends had already gotten it, but I didn’t feel like it at all. I was thirteen, so I should have expected it. When the time came, it wasn’t that bad. My sister showed me how to insert a tampon and I immediately texted my friends to tell them I had gotten it. They were waiting for me after school with a big tub of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream. It turned out to be a really nice day!”

Isabel (21): “I was on a beach holiday with friends and I really wanted to go swimming, so I had to put in a tampon straight away. That was a bit of a shame, but luckily my friends were able to help me out and I also learned things straight away, like: code red means that your tampon string is hanging out. I also remember that I suddenly became aware that I could also get pregnant. I thought that was quite a crazy idea.”

Yoni: Did you know that over 19% of Dutch girls don’t get any information about menstruation before they get it for the first time? Did you get enough information beforehand?

Christel (23): “I actually knew very little about it before my first period. I would have liked it if I had received a bit more information at a younger age about sex education and the cycle, etc. I didn’t get any of that at primary school. Even though a few girls had already had their period. It’s actually quite strange…”

Emma (28): “I think 19% is actually quite a lot. I can imagine that you would be quite shocked if you didn’t know what the blood in your underwear means. And if you also have hormonal consequences, it is even more intense if you don’t know what is wrong with you. I do think it is important that this is discussed at school. Many girls will not quickly tell their parents or something, so if a school now makes this mandatory in class, we know for sure that this information will reach the girls.”

Rosa (22): “I remember that Miss Ria had me do a project about sex education and that we had to draw the male and female body. That was the first time I saw what the vagina looked like from the inside! She also showed us how a tampon worked and put a tampon in a glass of water to show how big it could get. All the boys in the class were watching with wide eyes of horror, haha! She also told us about the white discharge or spotting that could appear in your pants just before your first period. It was a good thing she told me this, because I put a sanitary towel in my bag just to be sure, just because I knew what that white discharge in my underwear meant. It made my first period a lot easier. Thanks Miss Ria!”

Yoni: Menstruation is unfortunately still a taboo. But… who do you talk to about menstruation? 

Ilse (37): Although I now talk about it easily with my boyfriend and girlfriends, I didn’t talk about it openly at all before. It wasn’t talked about at home and when I once asked my father to get some tampons from the supermarket, he looked at me strangely! That’s different now, fortunately, but I still wouldn’t quickly discuss it with my parents.”

Felicity (29): “I talk about it very openly with my friends. If there’s something, I just say it. I’m very open about it. I still find it very embarrassing when I’m in bed with my boyfriend and I leak onto the mattress. It’s quite strange because I know he probably doesn’t mind at all.”

Edi (59): “I don’t think it was taboo at home, but it just wasn’t talked about much. My mother never really said what it was like and always acted a bit tough about it. Now that I think about it, I thought that was quite strange. I would never do that to my daughters and I never have. It’s something that every woman experiences in her life and sometimes it’s a bit inconvenient or difficult, but we should at least be able to talk about it normally. Just don’t make it too difficult. No taboo.”

Yoni: Tell me a nice, gory (Yoni) story?

Mariah (33): “I remember when my boyfriend and I had just broken up – I was still in high school at the time – and we walked to the store together to get something. As awkward as that walk was, it could have been a bit more. At one point, my then ex-boyfriend asked me what was in my hair. I then pulled a plastic tampon cover out of my hair… We both had a good laugh. It probably made the break-up a bit more funny.”

Rosa (22): “When I had just started my period, I sometimes used tampons with an applicator, because they are easier to insert at first. Those tampons are usually individually wrapped in a kind of colored packaging. Often people can’t really see what it is. Once during the break, I took one of those tampons out of my bag to go to the toilet. A friend of mine apparently didn’t know what it was, so he asked if he could have one too. He probably thought it was some kind of candy or something. I looked up in shock and asked in surprise why he wanted a tampon too. He was so embarrassed that we hadn’t spoken all day, haha!”

Edi (59): “I have leaked often enough in my life. Many pairs of underwear have been ruined and unfortunately also a few white pants….”

Felicity (29): “Leaking is always embarrassing! But hey, it happens to every woman sometimes. Nothing you can do about it. It does teach you that you should always bring extra underwear or pants when you have a heavy period.”

Haven’t seen the My First Yoni videos yet? Check them out below and visit our My First Yoni page for more info.

We are always looking for a good conversation about menstruation to break the taboo. Do you also want to participate in our projects or do you have fun ideas or a story that you want to share with us? Please contact us via christel@yoni.care .