The Magic of Menarche: Embracing the Beginning of Womanhood

As a mother and a naturopath, preparing my daughter for her first period is a deeply personal journey. I want her to embrace this rite of passage with empowerment, joy, and a sense of celebration.

I have spent much of my life working in the realm of women's health. But now, as I prepare for my nearly 10-year-old daughter’s first period, this knowledge is taking on a deeply personal and profound new meaning. Unlike the generations before us, I don’t want my daughter to experience menarche as something to fear or hide. Instead, I want to celebrate it as the beautiful, natural, and powerful rite of passage that it is.

Too many of us grew up under the shadow of secrecy when it came to our first period. We whispered about it to our friends, felt embarrassed, and often carried a quiet discomfort about this undeniable part of our womanhood. But it doesn’t have to be this way for our daughters.

Fortunately, in my work as a naturopath, I have been surrounded by women who have guided me in reclaiming the magic of the menstrual cycle—my inspiring spirit mothers. Women like Francesca Naish, Jane Bennett, Alexandra Pope, and, more recently, the totally incredible Lucy Peach, whose work is changing the way we talk about and embrace our periods. (Honestly, I think I’d like to adopt Lucy as my mum!). These wise women have reshaped my own understanding, helping me see the menstrual cycle as a superpower, not a burden.

So, as I prepare my daughter for this journey, I am doing it with intention, empowerment, love, and total joy. We are creating a space where menarche is not a moment of dread but a moment of empowerment - honoured and embraced.

How We Can Prepare Our Daughters

• Knowledge is Power: I have been gathering resources to share with my daughter—books that speak of menarche in a way that is positive, wise, and supportive, such as:
• A Blessing Not a Curse by Jane Bennet
• Period Queen by Lucy Peach
• The Pill by Alexandra Pope
• Moon Mother, Moon Daughter by Janet Lucy and Terri Allison
• A Celebration, Not Just a Conversation: Instead of a quick chat and a pack of pads put into her room, we are making this a special occasion. A day to celebrate her stepping into a new phase of life. A gift, a letter, or even a small gathering of the women who will support her through this journey can make all the difference.
• Cycle Awareness from the Start: Instead of seeing menstruation as a monthly inconvenience, we are learning together about the natural rhythm of the cycle—how each phase brings its own energy and wisdom. The more our daughters understand their bodies, the more they can work with them, rather than against them.
• Emotional and Practical Preparation: Talking about how periods might feel—physically and emotionally—helps remove fear of the unknown. Creating a beautiful period kit, complete with eco-friendly pads, period underwear, along with herbal teas, essential oils, and self-care items, makes this transition feel supported and special.

The greatest gift we can give our daughters is a different narrative—one that replaces embarrassment with empowerment and secrecy with shared wisdom.

So, to all the mothers guiding their daughters into this new chapter—let’s be the change. Let’s be the generation that turns menarche into a moment of magic.

Because it is magic. It always has been. We just have to remember.

PS: Period pain, PMS, flooding, and irregularity are not normal. Please come and ask for some gentle help for your daughters to make their periods happy, healthy, and pain-free! We are here to help and have ALL the tools you need.

Support for a Healthy Menstrual Cycle

• For period pain: First try magnesium and a drop dose of cramp bark—10 drops every few hours as needed. This is easy to keep in a school bag for quick relief.
• For PMS: Chaste tree, saffron, and B6 are game changers, helping to balance mood and hormones naturally. Try BioMedica Biofem, 1 each morning.
• For heavy periods: Ask the GP to check iron levels and aim for ferritin levels to be 80-100 to be in the healthy optimal range. Often, a GP won’t do anything about it until ferritin is below 20 (horribly anaemic!). A great gentle non-constipating iron—we love BioHeme! Take 1 every second day at bedtime. Game changer.

Consulting a qualified health practitioner for individualised guidance and support is invaluable when taking supplements. You can book an appointment with one of our clinicians here. 

Listen to the Magic of Periods

Lucy Peach’s music and teachings offer a creative, empowering approach to menstrual wisdom—highly recommended for mothers and daughters alike. You can listen to Lucy Peach's podcast here and her music about periods here and immerse yourself in her cycle wisdom. 

Upcoming Event: UNFURL – A Bali Retreat Workshop For Mothers & Daughters

For those looking to dive deeper into the beauty of feminine cycles, self-care and empowerment, join Lucy Peach - women's wellness leader and author of Period Queen - and Noriza Rohan Hult - dreamweaver and founder of Wild Within - for UNFURL, and upcoming Mother-Daughter connection and cycle retreat. 

This a unique 6 night, 7 day retreat to connect. Over one week we will create a world together to celebrate cycles and support transition, to discover the power within, all in the magical setting of our exclusively hired eco retreat.

Retreat Details

DATE 25 June - 1 July

LOCATION Tabanan, Bali

Find more information and book your ticket here.

To book an appointment for your personalised treatment plan book a consult with Angela here.

Naturopath and Founder of Floralia Wellness & Apothecary, Angela Hywood, has been specialising in women’s health, hormones and fertility for over 25 years.