How often is it normal for sanitary towels to leak?

[SettingsO]

I have a DD who uses sanitary towels. Personally, I have not used sanitary towels in over 30 years, so I’m struggling to remember what’s normal re frequency of leaks. My ex DH wants me to speak to her, as he thinks there must be something she can do about it. I will tell him that the leaks are normal, but I also wanted to check if the rates she experiences are normal.

I have name changed in case I decide to show him this thread, it’s not a first post due to being some kind of weird period troll

I had a very heavy flow as a teenager so leaked quite a bit and unfortunately it's come back in my 40's
I find period pants help on some days and I wear washable towels at beginning and end of my period but Morrisons sustainable night pads work well on days when it's very heavy and I tend to flood.
They aren't plasticky, are thin and aren't scented.

How old is she?
Is this happening during the night or daytime?
When did she start her periods?

I don’t know why PPs are asking why it’s got anything to do with her dad - surely he just doesn’t want her to suffer any embarrassment.

-I would make sure she’s changing it frequently.
-I would also get a higher absorption one.
-And I would try period pants - i’d use them with a pad too until she’s more comfortable with periods.

I only leak if when I wake up I lie in bed too long.

She could be have a heavy flow, not changing them often enough or moves around alot when she sleeps.

Yes they leak but it shouldn't be frequent unless she isn't changing frequently enough or has a medical reason. Dd leaked a lot because personal hygiene she struggles with (autism) we switched to period pants

A big leak maybe once/twice per period - often at night despite wearing super plus tampons and nighttime pads (reusable or disposable). Smaller leaks - on knickers but not through clothes - multiple times per period. During my period I wear dark clothes, have a brolly sheet in bed and sit on a blanket when on the sofa/home office for any length of time.

Appreciate your daughter is a teenager but i’ve always been like this.

Not being funny but what was the point of your answer?

In the olden days before wings were invented, it was every day. But since wings, barely ever. I use mooncups and period pants now anyway.

But I want to know why he's bothered? Is he moaning about having to wash them? Is he being an idiot? Women bleed. It's natural and he shouldn't be embarrassing or shaming her for that.

Ps, buying black pants helps, less obvious to her dad who probably is finding it a bit embarrassing, womens problems

I have heavy periods. I use the night time ones all the time and change my pad every half hour to an hour on the first 2 days of my period otherwise I would leak. Buy her thicker pads and encourage her to change more often. If she's not using ones with wings, try those.

OP, does she ensure the pad is curved concave onto her body abs not convex? So the middle of the pad is against her lengthwise. Like the image

Not like this

I must admit i have always leaked, and i'm in my 40's now.
Period pants are a godsend though, i get mine from primark.

@SettingsO it’s not unusual for teenagers to have heavier periods and have some leaks. It often settles down as hormones are settling down.
there is ‘messy periods’ gene (because you mentioned it).

She either hasn’t found a pad that is right fir her or she has heavier periods.
the first step is to get some pads for heavy/very heavy periods and change them more often.
ive personally always had leaks at night with pads. I now use a moon up. And I can still have issues sometimes…,
if switching to a more absorbent type, she is still leaking (aka she has flooding periods), she needs to have a review with her GP. Esp as she is more at risk of becoming anaemic. I’d also check if she has issues with clots, pain and so on.

Hi OP.,

this isn’t weird, just a woman asking over women for advise. Oh crap! now i said the “w” word the trans activists will kill me 😳

Maternity pads are the best

I use to wear 2 pads and 2 pairs of pants, its more the movement and positioning that can be an issue.

I thought you hadn't used them in 30 years?

I would buy period pants if I had a daughter, they are brilliant to prevent leaks and give peace of mind.

I'm peri so my periods are v light and short. Don't think I've ever leaked though. In my younger days would wear a tampon and light pad just in case.
Is she interested in tampons as I always found they made periods easier and shorter?

Of she's in a book it might be that she doesn't have the opportunity to change them regularly enough.
My dd uses period pants and a pad on heavy days so any leaks are just absorbed and just period pants on lighter days.

In school not book! Flipping auto correct!

What are period pants?

thanks 😊

I thought you hadn't used them in 30 years

Not regularly enough to know what’s normal or not re leaks. Plus I’m perimenopausal and HRTd up to the eyeballs, so periods are lighter and more regular than I have ever had. Had bought a pack of scented by accident for DD and tried using one for the hell of it.

I'm really uncomfortable about the idea of her dad having a go at her because she's having leaks? Starting your period is fucking shitty, and he needs to butt all the way out.

FWIW I used to leak all the time at that age. It turns out my periods were much heavier than average (I didn't know what average was) and for some reason my mum assumed teenagers would have lighter periods (they don't) so never bought the "extra" sanitary towels. Plus, I was really anxious about changing anywhere I thought people might hear, which didn't help.

I cannot imagine that she's somehow being really lazy or incompetent, and that she doesn't give a shit, and that she'd start making "more of an effort" if he had a go at her 😕

Period pants are worn instead of or as well as sanitary towels/tampons. They come in different absorbancies and sizes

I wear sanitary pads and have fairly heavy periods. I very rarely leak and when I do it's because they've shifted about overnight. I'd recommend using pads with wings and pants with a decent gusset. On my heaviest days I need to change every couple of hours and I tend to use 30+ disposable pads per period, so make sure she has a plentiful supply because she might not be changing them frequently enough. I do use period pants overnight to help minimise leakages too, and I use reusable pads too on the heaviest nights. I use natracare pads which are plastic free for environmental reasons and because I find the majority of mainstream brands are scented which irritates my skin or use plastic top sheets which I find really sweaty.

I think he just finds it a bit embarrassing, so is hoping not to have to talk to her abou5 it as he doesn’t want her to know he is embarrassed. I don’t think he’s having a go at her, or anything like that. He is taking the ‘I don’t have any experience of this, so can you talk to her’ approach.

For those saying she needs to change more often - maybe it’s a bit of that - but I think it’s also that they move around - plus blood doesn’t always come out neatly in the centre, plus if a lot comes out at once, it’s run over the sides before it can get absorbed.