Teen struggling with tampons

[BinkyBuntyFintyCunty]

Teen struggling to use tampons. Has some swimming/body boarding days coming up and likely to have period. We spent a LONG time trying/discussing last night, to no avail. There were lots tears of frustration. Does anyone have any tips for using tampons for the first time? Thank you.

catsdolls if you think someone is a troll, surely the simple thing is not to respond?

As a parent who cares when their child is upset, yes, I spent a long time talking her thru’ something that she was struggling with. Reassuring her that sometimes these things take time. No, I don’t think that’s weird!

I have just asked a friend the same question and her suggestions were-

1. KY jelly
2. Try mid flow

Good luck x

Thank you to everyone who has replied with a tip to try and their experiences. Much appreciated.

If I can convince her to try again, we will give these a go. If not, then hopefully this thread may be of help to others who are struggling with the same issue. Of course, as a poster up thread has found, it may be that tampons are just not going to work for her. We will see and just ‘go with the flow’ (sorry for bad pun).

You could take her to the doctors for Norethisterone tablets to delay her period for the swimming events, if she can’t use tampons.

Op it is a common problem with teens. They seem to start periods younger and obviously want to carry on with swimming and other activities.

Agree with pp the one thing that really helps is a dab of KY jelly and tell her to aim for the small of her back, not 'up'.

Haven't read the whole thread but came here to suggest same as Rhasrd - one leg on the toilet / bath. That's how I still do it and I am 40 :) applicator ones are easier than non applicator ones imo.

What about using a lubricant?

I also seen an advert for beepy sponge tampons. They look expensive but if it's for the odd event might be good. Think you can buy them wet and dry so might be helpful.

So glad girls have so many more options now - tampons, sponges, tampon sponges, cups, leak proof undies and swimwear!

Thanks again to all who took time to reply. It’s so helpful to hear other people’s experiences and what worked (or didn’t work)for them/their daughter.

As someone pointed out up thread - yes, she could do what millions of other women do and just miss out on swimming etc. when she has a period. But, if there’s a chance that someone might have some advice to help or suggest an alternative such as period proof swimwear, then I think it’s worth asking.

Sometimes the simplest tip from someone else can be the thing that moves something from being tricky to straightforward. I was recently talking with a friend about teenagers and periods and she said how her daughter panicked about sleepovers in case she ‘flooded’ during the night (using pads). I mentioned that I had been told as a teenager to sleep on my front/side as this helped to reduce leaking. My 47 year old friend had never heard this but suggested it to her daughter and fed back to me a few months later that she had found it really helpful as it seemed to work for her.

I was told your flow stops in water and I can confirm that it does. Have swum/bathed for decades without getting a bloody crotch on my swimsuit or leaving a red trail - and I used to swim a LOT. However, my flow wasn't stupidly heavy.
Your teen may not need to use anything in the pool unless the events mean she's in and out a lot.

Flow does absolutely not stop in water.

I've never been a fan of tampons.
I need KY to help get them in as they are just too dry.
I never got on with applicators and have to wriggle them in manually.
Leg up on the toilet seat/ bath helps to open up.
Getting stressed about it doesn't help as the tension closes the muscles up.

I've since moved on to cups and they slide in much more easily. Like tampons, they do sit low in me and I have to completely remove the stem, so I suspect my build is at play.

Why are you mocking the op @JamiesFrasersArse?

Lil-let's do a teen range of tampons, they are shorter than regular tampons and designed for teens or those just who are wanting to try tampons for the first time

Do you know whether her hymen is still intact? I had a similar problem as a young teen and it turned out that my hymen had a couple of small holes but none big enough to fit a tampon. A couple of years of frustration and an eventual trip to the gynae found the problem.

I commented on a post like this once and people told me I MUST be lying. But just in case it provides OP with a perspective :
I couldn't use tampons until my hymen had broken (which was during sex when I was 18). No matter how hard I tried. And believe me I did try.

Try Lilets teen range (I still use them in my 30s). Smaller than other ones on the market.

I struggled terribly with tampons as a 12/13 year old and dreaded my period. The best advice I got was from an adult friend of my mums. She told me it was my body and to try feel with my fingers first so I know what I'm dealing with....."If you were posting a letter in the pitch black, you need to feel for the letterbox". I realised very quickly that the "aiming angle" varies massively depending on if I was stood/sat etc. Initially the easiest and first time I managed it I had a wide stance and my right foot on the sink. I also found it easier to breathe out as I pressed the plunger bit.

Don't you think that you're WAY too interested in your teen daughter's genitals? FGS get some boundaries in place and allow the girl the privacy she's entitled to.

I could barely ever wear them as a teen due to cervix being tilted. Also I have vaginimus so it's painful. She shouldn't be forced to wear them if she finds it difficult.

I could never get tampons in as a teen, not until I started having sex.

I'd also suggest waiting for mid flow, using a bit of lube perhaps, and the pearl lites. I hope she manages OP!

I've never been able to get on with applicator ones, so I'd recommend what some of the PPs have advised and have one leg up on the bath/toilet and use a normal, non-applicator one and get her to have a decent amount of time to try and get it comfortable. None of my girlfriends cracked tampons straight away, just takes a bit of practice, she'll get there.

SpottedGingham No, I don’t feel I am “way too interested” in my daughters genitals, as you put it.

I’m interested in helping her find a solution that means she can still enjoy swimming etc. with a period. If you had read some of my subsequent posts above, you would see that a PP suggested some period friendly swimwear, which I had never heard of, and, for now, this is the option we’ll look at until such point (IF she reaches that point) that SHE wants to try tampons again. If/when she does, some other posters have passed on some good tips to try.

Meanwhile, I’m proud of the fact my daughter felt she could ask for my help and advice on this matter - I’d far rather have open dialogue with her than for her to be worrying about such things or too scared to ask me.

Thank you for your comment though. Very constructive.

Not sure if this has already been suggested but I always struggled with cardboard or plastic applicator tampons and like your DD I had swimming and karate so they were my only option. But since discovering the non applicator ones they are a lot easier for me. And they are nice and small for inserting. You unwrap fully and just push them up with your finger.

It is not easy being a teenage girl!