Why do I have a few days of spotting?

Our resident expert on all things girls. She’s a board certified pediatrician, author of the best-selling book series The Care and Keeping of You, and travels the country speaking about health and wellness issues to both kids and parents.

Why do I have a few days of spotting in the beginning of my period or throughout the month?

Irregular spotting during the month is a common problem for many young women during the preteen or teen years. Most young girls will first get their period between 12-14 years old. Some beginners may have irregular bleeding that can look like a few spots of reddish brown blood, or they may have 7 or more days of a heavy and cramping blood flow. Some young girls can have spotting that lasts a couple of days then stops and restarts again during the middle of the month. It can be confusing, frustrating and hard to manage.

However, over months or years, your hormones will become more regular as will your monthly periods. Just as you are maturing and developing into a young woman, your hormones are also trying to find a healthy and balanced rhythm. It is a good time to download a ”period app” on your smartphone so that you can keep track of your periods and any strange patterns that you are noticing.

If you are seeing 3 or more months of erratic and heavy periods, it is an important time to begin your relationship with a gynecologist or adolescent pediatrician who can make sure what you are seeing is normal.

The biggest problem when you have irregular and erratic monthly bleeding is having a surprise bleed when you are unprepared. If you know your periods are unpredictable, it is a good idea to always carry a spare pad or tampon in your backpack along with a couple of ibuprofen for those untimely menstrual bleeds and cramps. A good offense is having a prepared defense!

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