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This content is sponsored by In Bloom, an MTV anthology of short films about gender-related issues women face. Watch “Period,” a short film from the anthology, which tackles menstrual hygiene and affordability.
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The average girl starts menstruating between the ages of 11 and 13; however, it differs per person. Despite being a completely normal biological process, periods are still treated as taboo in many Nigerian homes, schools, and even religious spaces. They’re often surrounded by silence, fear, shame, and confusing rules that leave girls unprepared and unsupported.
Getting your period is frequently labelled as a rite of passage. You hear things like, “You’re a woman now,” but what does that really mean? What comes next? For many Nigerian girls, the first period isn’t marked by care, conversation, or clarity. It’s met with scolding, restrictions, and unspoken expectations.
We spoke to seven Nigerian women about their first periods and how those around them reacted. Because what happens during that first experience can shape how you see your body for years to come.
I was 12 and in church when I felt something strange in my underwear. I rushed to the toilet and saw blood. I was scared. My mum didn’t help me; she just handed me a pad and said, “You’re no longer a girl. You can’t go around playing with boys and misbehaving. Any little thing can get you pregnant.”
Just like that. No conversation, just a warning. I went from child to potential shame in one day. From that moment, I began to watch myself. I crossed my legs when I sat, I checked my chair before standing up, and I learned to count my cycle by instinct because no one taught me.
Every month came with different thoughts. Would I leak? Would they know? Would I smell? It was never mentioned at home, even when I had very painful cramps and could barely stand. I had to pretend. I’d take painkillers and drink hot Lipton, and still sweep, still go to school.
That one moment in church taught me something I’ve only recently unlearned: that my body is something to manage quietly.
It happened over a weekend at home. I was 13. My mum was super nice about it. She explained what was happening, taught me how to use pads, and even made me my favourite meal. I was so shocked.
But the next day, everything changed. I couldn’t pray. I had to hide my pads. I wasn’t allowed to enter the kitchen.
I felt impure, like I was doing something wrong just by bleeding. My body had changed, and so had how I was treated. Even inside my own home. It was subtle. My younger brother wasn’t allowed to rough play with me anymore. My older cousins told me to close my legs more often.
I was still the same girl, but suddenly it felt like any slip-up and I’d ruin my life. The hardest part wasn’t the rules. It was the silence. I couldn’t pray, enter the mosque, or fast, and no one explained why. So I just felt dirty.
Yes, my mum was kind, but I still felt alone. I couldn’t ask questions, and when I bled through my uniform during a test, I just sat there in fear, pressing my thighs together.
Now, I make it a point to check on my younger sister. No girl should feel shame for something so natural.
This content is sponsored by In Bloom, an MTV anthology of short films about gender-related issues women face. Watch “Period,” a short film from the anthology, which tackles menstrual hygiene and affordability.
I stained my uniform and the boys laughed at me. I was so embarrassed. A female teacher pulled me aside and scolded me, saying I should know better. That was my first time. No comfort, just blame.
At home, my mum gave me old clothes and wrappers. Pads were too expensive for us. I was told to never talk about it around men, so I learned to disappear every month. I became an expert at silence. Folding cloth, washing blood out of fabrics, trying to erase every trace.
I couldn’t afford pads until I got to university, and even then, it felt like a secret. I’d hide them between other items when shopping.
I became a teacher because I wanted to be the woman I never had. The kind who tells girls a stain isn’t the end of the world, who answers awkward questions. Because if we don’t unlearn the shame, who will?
I got my period during a sleepover at my cousin’s house. I was 14. I woke up to blood on the bedsheet and immediately panicked.
My aunt saw it first. She didn’t shout, but the way she looked at me made me feel like I’d done something wrong. She called me into the kitchen and handed me a pad, then said in that classic aunty tone, “Be careful now. Boys can smell it when you’re on your period.”
I nodded, even though I was confused. What exactly did she mean? But it stuck with me for weeks. I was paranoid about my body. I used a lot of deodorant. I checked my skirt in the mirror every thirty minutes.
In school, I didn’t tell my friends. It felt like every sound my body made was up for judgment. When I finally told my mum a few days later, she was calm but vague. She said, “Now you have to be responsible.”
I hated that word. Responsible for what? For bleeding? For not making people uncomfortable?
It took me years to realise periods aren’t shameful. They’re natural.
I was 9 and nobody warned me. I thought I had internal injuries. I hid my underwear until my sister found it. She told my mum, and she laughed, saying, “You’re grown now.”
I didn’t like that. I didn’t feel grown. I felt scared. I couldn’t sit next to boys in school. I felt dangerous just because I bleeding.
It felt like I had crossed a line no one told me was there. Suddenly, I was hearing things like, “Cover yourself well,” and “Don’t go too close to boys.” Before then, my body was just mine. But the moment I started my period, it became a topic in other people’s mouths. Something they monitored, controlled, and warned me about.
I didn’t understand how bleeding led to danger. I just knew I had to be careful. I couldn’t play too much, talk too loud, or openly talk about blood.
It happened while I was grinding pepper with my mother in the market. I was 12. I felt wet and checked myself, only to see blood. I cried. My mum just said, “Stand well. It’s just your period.”
No compassion. No softness.
She gave me tissue and an extra wrapper, saying we’d buy pads once we got home. That day taught me that pain didn’t matter. Duty did.
But there’s a cost to always moving. To managing your pain so it doesn’t slow others down. After she gave me the wrapper and tissue, I went back to grinding pepper. I didn’t say a word. Customers were waiting. I was expected to smile, carry bags, and count change.
There was no space for softness. I didn’t understand what a period meant. I just knew I had to hide it. If a man noticed, it was embarrassing. If a woman noticed, she’d just nod and say, “She don grow.”
No one asked how I felt. I started carrying pads and extra clothes that day because I was paranoid.
Sometimes I’d get dizzy from cramps, but my mum would say, “You think my own was easier?” And that was the end of the conversation.
Now that I’m older, I tell my younger cousins to rest if they need to. They aren’t lazy. They’re bleeding and in pain. It’s not a sin.
I was 10 or 11. I don’t quite remember. I was on holiday at my gran’s house. The night before, I was in a lot of pain. My stomach felt like it was being torn apart. No one suspected anything though. I’d always had digestive issues and was often bent over in pain.
But this pain was something I had never felt before. Intense was an understatement.
The next day, I went to pee and saw dried brown stains on my pink polka-dotted pants. I hmmed. I went to show my mum. She took it to my grandma. My cousin overheard them saying, “Na em, e don come,” and started singing and dancing, “E don come o, e don come!” It was hilarious, and I was a little uncomfortable.
Afterwards, my mum had a conversation with me about cleanliness during my period. I think there was some mention of pregnancy and men, but I barely remember. She taught me how to put on a pad. It wasn’t a bad first time, I guess.
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There’s nothing as infuriating as an unexpected period stain. She strolls in like unsolicited debit alerts you receive on a day you decide to casually breathe in Lagos. One minute you’re feeling secure in your double-layered pad and the next, your uterus decides to disgrace you.
But let’s rant about it together. In this article, seven women share their most annoying experiences with getting stained, starting with mine.
There hasn’t been a more shameful experience for me than when I got stained in light brown khaki pants at 16. I was at uni for registrations, and I didn’t realise I was stained until a woman randomly pulled me to the corner and told me. I was so embarrassed. Mostly because I didn’t know how long I’d been walking around with a patch of blood on my bum.
The worst part was trying to get home. I was in a completely different city from my parents, so all I had were relations to ask for help. I called my uncle in a panic to pick me up, but he didn’t come because I couldn’t tell him exactly why it was an emergency. When I called his wife to explain, she said I was being dramatic.
RELATED: 11 Things That Come With Periods
Bolt wasn’t as popular in 2014, so I ended up hopping three buses and flying a bike to get home. I held a clerk bag against my bum through the whole journey in an attempt to cover my shame — a tad dramatic. And let’s not even get into how I left the okada man’s seat covered in blood.
Last Tuesday, I decided to take the risk of not wearing a pad on the fifth day of my cycle. I knew it was a risky move, but at this point, I’d had three months of my five-day cycle suddenly becoming four. I trusted that I was completely done.
Then, I got to the bank and felt that irritating burst of blood you get when your period randomly shows up. I was so uncomfortable, but I needed to sort out the issues with my account. And the customer service was so slow. By the time the guy was done, my underwear was drenched.
RELATED: 7 Things About Periods That Are More Annoying Than Bleeding
But I think the most frustrating part was getting back home an hour later, putting on a pad and realising the blood had stopped. Like the 45 minutes I’d sat with soaked underwear at the bank didn’t just happen.
When I was 45, I unexpectedly had my period almost five years after it had stopped. It started with cramps, but the doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong. They attributed it to some kind of transition to menopause. I spent a week in my room in a lot of pain.
A week later, the blood started to flow and caught me off guard. I didn’t even understand how it was possible. The doctors said it happened occasionally to women my age.
RELATED: Navigating Sex As A Perimenopausal Divorcee
It had been years since I put on a pad, so of course, it shifted as I went from meeting to meeting the next day. And that’s how I ended up with a stained dress at an important client meeting. It wasn’t horrible because we were friends. But I was past the age for all that crap of period stains.
In February 2022, I had to be out for fieldwork at Oniru beach. My flow is usually heavy, but I was sure I’d be fine until about noon. I was on the bus until 8 a.m., and I didn’t know I was badly stained on the ride until a random woman on the beach told me.
I changed my pad, but I couldn’t leave because we had a lot of work to do. And everyone on my team was a guy, so it was very awkward. I ended up walking around with a huge stain on my light blue jeans. I don’t think I’ve ever felt like digging myself into a hole as much as I did on that day.
RELATED: I Tried Out Every Type Of Menstrual Product
My mum never really liked to talk about periods or puberty. I learnt most of what I needed from friends. But I didn’t know how to handle getting stained in a class full of boys. I was 18 and in my second year of engineering at uni when it happened.
Engineering boys are already annoying, so getting stained during a class and not knowing is the worst. And then having one of them tell you about it is the cherry on top. The guys made it seem like it was unnatural with their awkward stares. So I actually cried. Mostly because of my rep, but I also felt unprepared because I’d been in an all-girls secondary school.
RELATED: What Your Favourite Sanitary Product Says About You
I didn’t use pads until I was 18. My mum also didn’t use them. She taught me to use tissue paper or clothes and they weren’t the best absorbents for a heavy flow.
The one time I really got frustrated was when my mum sent me on one of her long errands and I got stained. I was 14 at the time and so upset. The market was rowdy, so that made it stressful to deal with. I had to walk back home with a stained skirt and blood practically dripping down my legs.
RELATED: 6 Ways To Make Your Girlfriend Feel Better When She Is On Her Period
I got stained at church this month (2022). On my calendar, I had two more days until my next period. But I wore a pant liner just in case it came earlier. And I confidently put on a yellow dress for church. When it was time for offering, a babe randomly dragged me to her seat to let me know I was stained.
It was such a huge stain and it didn’t make sense because I had pantyliners on for goodness sake. I had to beg the lady for her scarf to cover myself and take a bike home. With how irregular my periods are, it was the day I wore a yellow dress it decided to be punctual.
ALSO READ: My Period Is Trying to Kill Me, and I’m Expected to Work Through It
Romantic partners are always asking for ways to help with the stress of periods. In this article, we’re giving you the scoop. Here are eight things women crave during their period. Apply with caution sha, as every woman likes different things.
At the end of the day, money stops nonsense. If you really want to help, start by crediting her account. Dollars is the best way to go but she can also manage Naira.
From the days leading up to the period and a few days in between, women get super horny. It’s ironic because sex is the exact reason your uterus is trying to kill you, so maybe it’s karma? Like your uterus is telling you, “Since you didn’t fuck to get me pregnant, I’ll make you horny and you can’t do anything about it! I dare you to try me!” Why does our body love working against us? If you’re freaky enough to try it, come and tell us on Sex Life.
RELATED: Sex Life: I Was Missing Out Because I Hated My Body
We have to balance the scales of nature. Why are we suffering for five days and you’re smiling? No. You too must suffer. Don’t take it personal; it’s not about you.
If it’s not chocolate, it’s sweets or ice cream. The funny part is how we convince ourselves that the calories don’t matter because the bloating will go away. Then two weeks after your period, you’ve gained 10 kg. Honestly, I’m tired.
Apart from showing you pepper, she has to eat it. There’s something about spicy pepper soup or spicy noodles that does the trick. So if you don’t know how to cook any of these foods, please stay away from us.
RELATED: Eating My Way Through My Period
If you can’t cook, buy her a hot water flask and make sure it’s always within reach. The heat helps with horrible cramps. If she has horrible cramps and you help her with this, she’ll love you forever.
Trying to sleep on your period is difficult but when it comes, it’s the best thing that can happen… at least until our uterus stabs you back to life.
Leave her alone! Yes. Sometimes, she just wants the world to disappear. So just doing nothing is fine. Don’t talk to her, look at her or even think about her. If you do decide to gift her anything, leave it at the door and go away.
CONTINUE READING: 7 Things That Belong In A Period Care Package
We’ve talked about a version of period apps as a typical Nigerian aunty. This time, we want a version that has some more skills. Not another “You may be experiencing blah blah” notification. We already know there’s going to be bloating, diarrhea and shitty cramps, so predict something else. Here are seven other notifications about the future women would like to see.
You know those period predictions suck right? One minute you’re having the time of your life, then two weeks later, you’re on your knees begging God for one last chance. This is exactly when you need to come in and tell us to chill. Okay?
Don’t just tell us our flow is heavy. Period apps need to start predicting when a tampon or sanitary pad will fuck us up on the streets so we can plan ahead. Do you get it?
An app can monitor our blood but it can’t monitor our enemies? Nawa. Why can’t period apps tell us when our village people are about to plot against our future, please?
If period apps can predict your breasts being tender, why can’t it predict when you will eat hot breakfast again? Help us stay wicked on these streets Flo. Be that big aunty consulting oracles on our behalves.
Haven’t we all that moment we think it’s ‘go time’ but eventually ends in tears? These apps need to start letting us know when their calendars are lying about safe periods. Some of you are 18 years too late, praying for you guys, but the rest of us need help.
Don’t you deserve money? We know period apps are built for telling us about periods. But after five to seven long days of suffering, can’t there be some consolation? Like letting me know where I can locate premium enjoyment. If I can’t afford to be my own sugar mummy, at least tell me where the helper will be.
If an app can map out your period for the next two years, why on earth can’t it tell you when you’ll meet the love of your life? Tell that app bye today sis.
Period apps are like the ‘oyinbo’ version of an aunty we can never relate to in Nigeria. She’s so sweet with her notifications — Nigerian aunties chose violence. If Nigerian aunties took over the period apps, these are some of the notifications women would be getting.
This is for when it’s your safe period to have sex. A Nigerian aunty will never pass up the opportunity to tell you to remember the home you came from. There might even be a feature to drag your ears.
Once you’re above 25, the notification for ovulation period will start changing. It’s either this one or “Let me introduce you to my friend’s son. He’s a doctor.” Then she’ll show you the statistics of all your mates getting married.
This is for all the ladies that hate wearing pant. A few days to your period and our Nigerian version of Aunty Flo will be shouting. Stop stressing her please.
If an aunty doesn’t invalidate your pain, she’s not Nigerian at all. They’re own is to be shouting “Are you the first woman to ….” up and down.
LOL. The app can deck you if you forget to update the app on day 1 of your period.
You can’t even rest when you’re just bloated. Normal period apps will calmly notify you about exercises to try, but a Nigerian aunty must drag you first.
This is for those of us that will probably never pay for the upgraded version of our period apps. She will remind us of the times we spent money on things that don’t concern her.
A lot of people tend to believe that the worse part of periods is the bleeding. Sure, waking up in a pool of your own blood isn’t great, but there are definitely things worse.
Periods are extremely painful and for what? Uterine wall shedding should not cause as much pain as it sometimes does. Whoever thought to include cramps in the period package needs to be flogged.
Happy now and then you’re angry in two minutes. You decide to watch a comedy but you’rre crying because a character fell down. You’re a mess because your hormones are using your emotions to play tinko-tinko. It sucks.
You might be fasting for months, but your stomach will be in a constant state of heaviness. Feeling full is an understatement. It’s almost like someone pumped your stomach with gas.
We all agree that pooping is one of the least creative ways our body passes waste. No imagination, no flavour. Quite robotic actually. With periods, not only do you have to engage in the most boring activity, but it will happen multiple times in a day.
Pineapple juice that you used to drink when you were five years old is suddenly the only thing on your mind. In fact, the cravings can consume you. It’s all you’d be able to think about until you satisfy the craving. You’d think that kind of thing was limited to pregnant women only, but Mother Nature delights in causing trouble.
If someone mistakenly hits your breasts when you are on your period, you’d be overcome by a world of pain. Tender and painful breasts are definitely worse than changing a pad a couple of times because of blood.
No matter how long you sleep, you still wake up tired. The smallest task seems like it will take a mountain of energy. Your eyes are half closed all the time because your body just wants to rest.
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The kinds of sanitary products you use during your period has a lot to say about the kind of person you are. It’s a scientific fact.
You’re someone who doesn’t really like deviating from the norm. Pads were the first thing you were introduced to, and they seem less hassle free and complicated than the rest. Trying new things is not your forte, but loyalty to your day ones is. You might also be an Arsenal fan.
You like action and a little bit of adventure. You feel like life will be boring if you let something like a period limit the kind of things you can do. You’re also willing to put in the work for the kind of life you want, and we respect that. It might get a bit uncomfortable at times, but for you, the reward is greater. You’re full of action and doings.
You’re in the same category as people who use Apple watches. All of you act like you have the cheat codes for life, and we’d like for you to share with us. You’re not above leaving situations that don’t work for you and that’s Queen energy.
You are scary, but you shouldn’t be. People tend to mistake you for a bitch, but you’re one of the sweetest souls to ever exist. They just have to break through the barrier of miscommunication. The people that are worth it will find you, and love you just as you are.
You’re a very free spirit and the kind of person to befriend a stranger at the bar and become their child’s godparent. Everyone loves you, and it’s because you’re very accommodating and non-judgemental. Everyone in your friend group knows that when you’re around, it’s going to be a great time.
You think you’re better than everyone. A lot of people might call you a snob, and they’re not entirely wrong. It’s not your fault, it’s how you’re made.
If you use more than one product for the duration of your period, then you are not someone that could be trusted with making choices. You’re very indecisive and it can be a very endearing trait. People love you for your impulse, but sometimes it’s the reason they hate you.
[donation]
In an article about the first time Nigerian women used tampons, one of the subjects, Voke said that she free bleeds when she’s alone and out of tampons. A lot of people in our WhatsApp groups and on Twitter were confused about what free bleeding means. Free bleeding is simply the act of letting your blood flow without any period products like pads, tampons or cups. People free bleed as a form of protest to pink tax or because there is no alternative available to them. We spoke to eight Nigerian women about why they choose to free bleed and here’s what they had to say:
I started free bleeding in March 2021 because I ran out of tampons and pads. It was late, and honestly, I was too tired to make the trip to the store. Also, it was my third day. I wore a panty liner and went to bed.
I usually wake up in the middle of the night to take 400mg of Ibuprofen because of period cramps, but that night I didn’t need to. I felt at ease, which was so unusual.
The next month, I decided to try free bleeding again. I bought period pants on Amazon. The first two days of my period are heavy, so it ended up messy — I stained myself a lot but I noticed my cramps reduced. My cramps went from a level 8 to a level 3.
Instead of taking drugs, I used hot water bottles on my tummy and my back to reduce the cramps. In May, I did the same thing and it was smoother this time because I knew what to expect. I’ve been free bleeding since then. I use pads when I’m not at home but never tampons.
I started free bleeding in 2020. I do it because pads usually give me rashes and tampons are uncomfortable for me. I don’t free bleed all the time, but I feel a lot better on the days I can.
I have terrible cramps. In August 2021, I searched for sustainable remedies for my cramps and found an article on free bleeding. After reading it, I decided to give it a shot. I haven’t looked back since then.
I free bleed in my room. My period lasts for five days, and I rarely leave my room so the chances of traumatising anyone is low. Since I started, my cramps have been significantly lighter.
I just do it because I can. Some people wear period panties while they free bleed but I don’t — I lay naked and tuck some old t-shirts or towels around me. If it’s an especially heavy day, I rinse off a lot in the shower.
In 2020, my period reduced from seven days of heavy flow to four days. It made choosing free bleeding easier.
The first day of my flow is usually light and my period sometimes catches me unaware. So most times, I end up free bleeding on the first day. I also free bleed during the last days because, at this point, there’s little to no blood. Pads and tampons are generally uncomfortable, so whenever I can, I just let the blood flow.
I had my first period when I was 12. I was able to take care of myself, but I had a problem — pads caused a rash on my vulva. I could bear period cramps but the burn from the rash was insane.
One Saturday afternoon when I was 16, I decided not to wear pads after changing for the third time that day. I wore my briefs and spread a folded blanket on my bed. When I woke up, I noticed I only spotted a little and didn’t have cramps. I disinfected the blanket and steamed it in the dryer before trying it again. I noticed the burning stopped and my cramps were minimal. Since then, I have been free bleeding on and off during my periods. My mum got me a macintosh bed sheet so I don’t soil my bed. I make sure to disinfect my sheets and my room whenever I free bleed.
I really can’t be wearing uncomfortable stuff in my bum all day. I don’t get my period all the time because of PCOS. When the period comes, it’s light so I free bleed, especially on the last days.
I’ve never been a fan of sanitary pads. Most of them make me itch, and I have to keep readjusting so they won’t fall off. I’ve tried almost every brand of sanitary pads available in Nigeria, and everyone feels the same, so I just free bleed. I love it because my vagina is able to breathe. I really can’t imagine myself wearing a pad for six to seven days, especially at night when NEPA decides to fuck up. I use clothes and try to monitor the stains. It’s also the cheapest option if you ask me.
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The question of whether or not to use tampons instead of pads is one many women can relate to. In this article, five Nigerian women talk about their first time using tampons.
I got my first tampon when I was 19. I found them to be really comfortable. I don’t have to wear a pant while I am wearing tampons. When I used pads, I got stained a lot but I rarely get stained wearing a tampon. I can sleep in whatever position I like.
The only issue I have with tampon usage is it tends to make my cramps a bit more painful, compared to when I use a pad.
I used to always get pad rash when I was younger and I hated how pads felt. One day, my friend and I saw tampons at the mall and we decided to try them. I was 18 at that time. It made me feel free. I haven’t used pads since then.
The best part about tampons is not feeling anything in your vagina during your period. I hate my periods so tampons will always win for me.
I went to stay with my friend sometime in April. She uses Tampons and seemed comfortable so I decided to try them for myself. They are the most comfortable period product to me. I don’t like that people aren’t enlightened about it. They see the stick and immediately assume it’s uncomfortable. I am able to pee, swim and have sex unlike when I am wearing a pad. Right now, there’s nothing I hate about it.
In April, I had a swimming competition and my period started that morning. I had heard about tampons but never tried them. That day, I had no option but to use it. Since then, I have been loyal to tampons. They are absolutely lovely and super convenient.
You just have to make sure you insert it properly and remember to change it frequently. Also, buy the correct tampon for your flow or else you will get stained.
I started using tampons because pads made me itch. In 2013, I saw a tampon for the first time in Benin City and I bought it. I didn’t know anyone who used tampons but I was desperate for an alternative. I tried it when I was alone and I got stained that day. The next day, I tried squatting before inserting the tampon and it worked. Since then, I haven’t used pads exclusively. I only use pads if I am out of tampons and in a rush. If I don’t need to be outside and there are no tampons around, I free bleed. This means I bleed on a cloth and stay indoors. It actually helps my cramps.
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