Being a girl is hard.
No matter how much we refuse to subscribe to, acknowledge or admit it, we are born in a world where girls are told, from the word go, that there are certain standards they need to meet.
We need to be good and kind, we are told, as soon as we can walk and talk; this is, at the end of the day, the ultimate description of what a girl should be .
We need to do well in school.
We need to help our siblings and share our parents with them without any resentment or hard feelings.
We need to be well-mannered but also street-wise.
We need to learn how to cook and run a household.
We need to aim to get a good job and bring at least the same amount of money in the house, as our other half does.
We need to be able to bear children, look immaculate, never complain, stay slim, keep a job, all at the same time.
These messages bombard us from everywhere, media and peers and family. From a very early age until the day we die.
But what if we were to reverse this well established wordily order and actually find joy in being girls?
Coming of age for a girl can be a very traumatic experience if unassisted by the kind and supportive presence of a mother, friend or female relative. There are no rites of passage when it comes to menstruation, in every culture and society it has come to be considered a thing to be ashamed of or at least, be discreet about.
Although it is a physiological and reoccurring event that happens to each and every female of child-bearing age, even now, in our modern society, it is something we brush under the carpet and speak about in shushed tones.
To whose detriment do we keep silent?
To our daughters’, most certainly.
Last summer, at BritMums, I learned about this amazing product, called DiaryDoll. It is the sort of product I only dreamt of as a teenager when ridden with terrible menstrual pain and even worse, very heavy flow, I would have been terrified to leave the house for days on end, for fear of staining my clothes.
If you think that that was the last time I dreamt of a product which could offer me reliable protection during menstruation, you are wrong.
When I lost Georgie, my body went into total shock and for months, my periods were at their heaviest. I remember clearly dropping Emma off for school and then having to go into Tesco and buying new jeans, as the pair I was wearing got totally soaked on the school run. Terrifying!
But now, I have one less worry, with my wonder pants, as I call them. Their discreet waterproof panel, running both front and back, all the way up to the waist, ensure that even on terribly stressful months, there will be no running into Tesco for new jeans!
Am I crazy writing about this now, during the festive season, when everybody is putting up lovely and benign Christmas gift posts?
I think not.
If you have a teenage in your family and wonder what would make a perfect stocking filler for her, here is your answer. Trust me, a pair of Diary Dolls will be much more appreciated than chocolates (or maybe in equal measure, so do add some of those in there as well :-0) and will make a lasting and more importantly, confidence enhancing present!
If you, like me, want to support your girl through the very difficult transition towards womanhood and make it as smooth as it possibly can, then do take into consideration not only preparing her with the right talk, but also with the right gear.
It is recommended that the Diary Doll products are worn with your normal sanitary protection, for optimal results. They retail on the website at £14.95 and come in four different colours, pink, black, blue and grey.
Disclaimer: we were sent a Diary Doll pair for the purpose of this review.All opinions expressed are true and entirely my own.
Mama's Haven 
How have I never heard of these before – so glad I discovered this post! Thank you xx
I was absolutely blown away by this product at BritMums Live. I went to her session as well as to the keynote and it was so heartfelt I told my niece (God Daughter) about them straight after as I remember the teen disasters I had. Liska xx
When we had the ‘talk’ at school and brought home samples my nan found them in my school bag and the trouble I got into! Nothing was ever explained to me at home but things will be different for my daughter.
That was a very good article, mamas haven! Really enjoyed it. Didn’t know about these pants.
I had never heard of these pants. I remember being worried when I first started menstruating, but my mum was lovely and told me to just rinse them in cold water
I heard about these at BritMums Live too, and I think that they’re excellent. Well done for writing about your personal experience and how this product has helped you.
These sound like a great product, I’ve never heard of them before.
I haven’t heard of these before – but what a great sounding idea! x
I’ve been looking for something like this for me for ages, I have been having lots of issues with my cycles over the past few years and these would be perfect.
These sound brilliant, I am actually awaiting a specialist appointment as mine are so bad and these would help make me feel more secure
I love love love these! Genius product. I felt the same as you babe – I hated leaving the house for the fear of leaking.
Great post hun
Charlotte x
Have never heard of this so thank you so much for sharing – what a great product!
Gosh I wish these had been around when I was a teenager! Would have made life much easier!
I remember these from BritMums and met the lovely Carole Smilie. Her and Annabell Croft came up with the idea I seem to remember. It’s genius! Well done for writing about your experience, that must have been dreadful x
These pants are amazing – they really do what the are meant to! They are such a great idea for young women too. Kaz x
What a great idea, and perfect for teenage girls who can be really self conscious. You are right, it’s a shame we can’t be more open about the subject. There are probably so many people who are reading this that have been through something similar to your experience and I imagine that would have made you feel better at the time!