How to help your daughter deal with PMS

Being a teenager can be tough. Dealing with the stress of body issues, peer acceptance, school exams, incessant technology, and ever-evolving relationships can be hard enough, but being a teenage girl dealing with all of that and premenstrual syndrome (PMS)? I mean, seriously, is there anything stronger in this world than a teenage girl?

Studies indicate that around 75% of menstruating teenagers are dealing with PMS. Symptoms vary, but can include mood swings, stomach cramps and breast tenderness, headaches, an increased or changed appetite, tension, anxiety, and insomnia. Add any, or all of that to the normal life of a teenager and you can’t help but wonder... how did any of us survive?!

We know you want to lighten the load for her, so here are our 5 tips for helping your incredible teenage daughter deal with PMS.

5 tips to help your teenage daughter if she’s dealing with PMS

1. Exercise

Regular aerobic exercise throughout the month will help ease the burden on PMS when it hits – especially with symptoms like fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and feeling sad or low. When she’s experiencing PMS, encourage your daughter to stay active with lighter forms of exercise. Yoga’s a good option.

2. Relax

Easier said than done when you’re dealing with stomach cramps, am I right? But that’s exactly what relaxation can help with. Encourage your daughter to lie down and gently massage her abdomen to help relax the muscles. While she’s at it, pop on some of her favourite music or a soothing meditation.

3. Soak in a bath

Another way to help ease tension and anxiety as well as any cramps or breast tenderness your daughter might be experiencing is to have her soak in a soothing, warm bath. Add some lavender oil to help her relax, and some clary sage oil to help ease her cramps.

4. Add heat

Give your daughter a hot water bottle or heat bag that she can rest on her lower back or curl up with against her abdomen. The warmth will make her feel better by helping soothe and ease her aches and cramps.

5. Eat (mostly) healthy foods

Making sure your daughter eats lots of fresh fruit and veggies every day is always a good idea, but especially while she’s experiencing PMS. Whole foods are lower in salt, sugar, and fat – 3 things that are good to avoid during PMS to help reduce symptoms, including bloating. Ensuring a good intake of complex carbohydrates and calcium-rich foods will also help during this time.

Bonus tip: Love, hugs, and kindness

There’s nothing that helps more than just making sure your daughter feels loved and supported. Give her space when she needs it, hugs when she doesn’t, and do what you can to be kind. That could look like stocking up on her favourite ice-cream flavour for when she feels like a treat, making sure the menstrual products she’ll need are all in the bathroom so she doesn’t have to ask for them, or leaving little notes around the house for her, letting her know just how incredible you think she is.

Got any other tips for helping your daughter deal with PMS? We’d love to hear them! Send us an email or join the conversation over on Instagram.