I found a very small amount of blood in my underwear. Is this my period?

Last updated on October 21, 2020

Question:

I am 11 and I have found “blood” in my underwear. It was only a very small amount, not much not half as much as many sites have said. Is this my period?

Answer:

You are experiencing a period. The blood doesn’t come all at once; generally, it is spread over a three to five-day period. It builds up and then tapers off, so usually, the second day is the heaviest flow. That can be fortunate as it gives you a chance to get a pad in place before the flow becomes greater. What you likely saw mention on websites is the total amount of blood and not the amount found in a portion of the day. When you first begin to have periods, the amount will vary a lot from month to month. Early on you might miss a month, or you might only get a small amount, or you might have a heavy blood flow. Much depends on your hormones, but they are fluctuating because you have completed maturing yet.