Super sensitive DD and periods - tips from mothers with similar DDs please

[margaritasbythesea]

10 yo DD has just started her periods. I was expecting it and have talked to her before about whit it is and told her to be prepared, so no particular problem there.

The problem is is that she is physically super sensitive and always has been. She hates the seams on her socks and knickers, won´t wear anything other than cotton. She won´t wear tops with embroidery, high necks, 3/4 length sleeves or anything other than leggings on her legs as she says they are not comfortable.

Let´s just say she is not liking the feel of a pad at all.

She has seen adverts for Thinx period pants and wants those but she is super slim and I don´t think they will fit her. I also can´t afford them as they are around 30 pounds a pair (and at her age she will grow out of them).

I tried cotton towels once and liked the feeling of them even less than a disposable towel so am reluctant to try that.

Are there any other better solutions than telling her she just has to get used to it?

Try some reusable pads. I have the Bamboo ones (from Amazon) and I found them extremely comfortable compared to disposable towels, almost like a slightly thicker pair of knickers. I am prone to thrush and hate scented disposables so they really work for me.

LINK TO SANITARY TOWELS

I even left a review I liked them so much

I was about to suggest tampons s, however I reread your OP and saw she's only 10, so not really appropriate, nor would a mooncup be :/

If her periods aren't particularly heavy, perhaps she could use panty liners as they're thinner, and just change more often? It's a difficult situation with her being so young :(

Thanks for the link. Do you think you need to wear tighter pants to keep them in place? She likes her pants pretty baggy!

I know fuckmyuterus - I had hoped for her to have a couple more years period free but I could see it coming.

When is it ok to use tampons or mooncup by the way. I think I started off with tampons but I was older.

Let her try tampons - after a bath when relaxed is helpful, and a bit of Vaseline or KY too. She may well not want to but no reason not to give her the option.
Failing that try washable towels - at least they're snug and soft.

Have you tried all the different pads? How about these: www.betty.me/bettypads/
Or, as others have said, panty liners?

We use silly panda washables for DD who is v similar.

I would just try mini tampons if it is bothering her that much. There are also really great pads you can get from Australia. They are called libra (same company as body form) and they are the old fashioned thick ones not the new ones (same as body form). They draw all the moisture away. Much better than any pad you can buy in Britain. If you have Australian friends or relatives ask them to send some over.

No we haven't tried anything. It's only just started.

She is currently walking round the house like John Wayne complaining that it feels really weird...

What about contacting an Etsy seller who makes cloth pads and/or period pants and asking for their help? Or maybe try a CSP Facebook group. I’m sure someone who is handy with a sewing machine would be happy to help you and could probably do it for a reasonable price. Or have a go yourself? It would probably be very easy to sew a layer of microfibre or terry cloth with a layer of fleece over the top onto some cheap knickers.

I have some cheap amazon bamboo pads. I can’t say they are the best I have used but they definitely do the job okay so might be worth trying too.

The Mooncup website says their size B can be used by young girls from their first period, as long as they don’t have cultural hangups about preserving the hymen as a (patriarchal) indication of virginity.
My autistic DD has sensory issues about fabrics and textures, and she loves her mooncup. She says it’s so much more comfortable than scratchy chafing pads or sweaty plastic backings.

Thanks for all your recommendations.

I used mini tampons from my first period as the idea of towels made me squeamish. Have you asked her if she would feel comfortable trying tampons?

I'm a moo cup user now, never going back but that might be a little fiddly for a 10yo

My dd (asd with with major sensory issues) couldn't do pads of any type. Used tampon from from first period (11) .

OK. I shall ask. She's proudly telling the rest of the family.

@margaritasbythesea

They have a popper fastening and they do different sized ones for different flows.

Thanks. We're off to town so she can see options. We have a shop that does bamboo ones I think.

Poor thing. I used the bodyform ones (pink) when I first started at 11 as found them to have the most comfortable and cotton like texture. I also had some sensory issues but not as bad as your DD.

The joys of womanhood!!!!!!!

I’m the same and have always really struggled, used to secretly use loo roll when I could as it felt better to me. Periods have only become bearable since discovering the mentural cup but that takes quite a level of being comfortable with your body But something to bare in mind and something she could try when she feels able in the future. Would she be willing to try tampons? There’s some great YouTube videos now so no longer a case of trying to figure it out from the instructions on a box. I would try her with a cloth pad (even if you just get one to try) and also there are other period pants now other than thinx and some are cheaper. I have a pair of diary dolls which don’t absorb but stop leaks but didn’t like them from a sensory point of view although again better than pads. The best pads I found before switching were the ones aimed at teens in the colourful draw string plastic bag (think it was yellow with stars on). Is she light enough for maybe panty liners (I can cope with them them and found a few are more absorbent) and combine them with leak proof pants? Even if it’s just for light days and when she’s at home, it’s less days being miserable with a thick pad on

Also I knew a 12 year old who refused point blank to wear pads (asd) and was just free bleeding, in the end after lots of turmoil they found she could cope with the Thinx style. She’s not that big and they fit but I’m afraid I only know this via another friend so can’t ask what brand

Thanks for all the tips on brands and things to try. Really helpful. I'm going to get a range and see.

I'm a bit worried about her starting school next week. She will only wear skirts so I think I'll have to get her big black pants and pads with no wings.

I just introduced her to the idea of tampons and she's not keen so we'll play that one by ear.

Her hips are about 10 cm too small for thinx! She'll have to wait.

She's so little still!

She will only wear skirts so I think I'll have to get her big black pants and pads with no wings

She could do pants with pads with wings and another pair of pants over the top.

Another vote for bamboo washable pads. They're really quite thin and pretty. I got them from Amazon. Every one of them is made from a different pretty fabric on one side and then lovely fleece on the other. The fleece is brown and that's the side you bleed on to. Easy to wash stains out and comfy to wear.

Wow she sounds exactly like my daughter sensory wise, down to the leggings, who is looking like will start her periods by age and 10. Watching with interest!