Podcast Episode

The Period Talk We Wish We Had Growing Up

Women Don't Do That (WDDT)··18 August 2026·7 min

About this episode

From the WOMENdontDOthat vault, Stephanie Mitton revisits a deeply personal conversation about periods, parenting, and changing the stories girls inherit about their bodies. Growing up, Stephanie and her cousin had a code word for their periods. They called them “friends,” a small example of how early many girls learn to whisper about something completely normal. Years later, as her own daughter approached her first period, Stephanie decided she wanted to do things differently. This episode covers: Why so many of us grew up hiding or whispering about our periods Stephanie’s own experiences with painful periods, endometriosis, and hormone-induced migraines How she prepared her daughter for her first period The simple tradition they created to make the milestone feel meaningful Why small rituals can help change the stories we pass on to the next generation Creating more open conversations about women’s bodies Giving our daughters, and ourselves, permission to experience womanhood without shame This episode is not about pretending periods are easy. It is about making room for honesty, connection, and a little joy alongside the hard parts. Whether you’re raising a daughter, mentoring a young woman, or reflecting on your own experience, this conversation is a reminder that we can change how the next generation experiences these milestones. Sometimes rewriting the story starts with an honest conversation and a piece of chocolate cake. ://www.patreon.com/womendontdothat Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/womendontdothat/ TikTok- http://www.tiktok.com/@womendontdothat Blog- https://www.womendontdothat.com/blog Podcast- https://www.womendontdothat.com/podcast Newsletter- https://www.beaconnorthstrategies.com/contact www.womendontdothat.com YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/@WOMENdontDOthat How to find Stephanie Mitton: Twitter/X- https://twitter.com/StephanieMitton LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemitton/ beaconnorthstrategies.com TikTok- https://www.tiktok.com/@stephmitton Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/stephaniemitton/ Interested in sponsorship? Contact us at hello@womendontdothat.com Produced by Duke & Castle Our Latest Blog: https://www.womendontdothat.com/post/i-don-t-do-resolutions-i-do-this-perfect-for-busy-women Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.