Periods and beach holidays - bloody great timing! 😡

[FizzClink]

No pun intended.

Just that really. Having a bit of a rant on behalf of my 15 year old DD and me, although I'm considering taking the period delay tablet....still not sure though.

DD is never late and should have finished by the time we went on holiday, but of course this is the month she's late! Her periods can last a whole week and she can't use tampons, so no swimming 😒

She has been looking forward to this for years. I know it's first world problems and she's lucky to be travelling abroad, but I still feel bad for her. She likely has Dyspraxia and only just learnt to swim (sort of) a couple of years ago, just before lockdown and was desperate to get in the pool.

I know nothing can be done really. Trying to keep positive and tell her there are loads of things she can do that don't involve the pool, but in reality, there aren't many really.

I don't think she'll try tampons again yet, as she says they're just too painful and I guess they're not completely reliable.

As I said, just ranting really 😑

Hello!

I'm going to be in this situation on holiday in a few weeks.

I don't want to take period delay tablets as I have chronically heavy periods anyway and can't bear the thought of them being even worse.

I also struggle with tampons since childbirth.

I really wanted Modibodi but their swimwear has been out of stock in my size for 2 months now!

I ordered 2 pairs of the Wuka bikini briefs instead and plan to wear them underneath my normal swimwear.

Hope you manage to get hold of some. Periods and holidays are so shit!

Period swimwear is a good shout.

Northisterone can be taken anytime. Even when bleeding and it will stop it. I was out on it after losing my second coil and horrendous flooding and clots again that use to last 20 days the cycle.

2 days into taking it I stopped bleeding.

I now take it every day twice and day and am waiting for a hysterectomy.

It it stopped the bleeding I had it'll stop a normal bleed easily.

Tampax pearl are the most comfortable tampons if your DD ever tries them again.

Can you get knixteen here, it's a good brand for small sizes. Also I was recently trying to get a period swimsuit for my teen and couldn't get quick delivery (a place where even Amazon prime was min four days) - I visited a specialist local lingerie shop and was advised by the owner that even though she didn't stock swimwear period knickers were used by her and employees for swimming and urinary incontinence! So I just got my DD to wear some period knickers under her swimsuit. They don't usually work beyond medium flow but it worked for us!

Period swimwear
not cheap, but my DD has very heavy periods and still goes swimming (swim team) for an hour, does the full training and then takes a shower, no leaks!
it’s some sort of magic
no need for pads of tampons - just put the swimsuit as a normal one and get in the water
we have a full swimsuit and bikini bottoms for her (both modibodi) she has not had any issues, been using them for a year now - my only complaint is “where where they when I was growing up?”
I know I sound like an add, but honestly, they are great!

I tried period swimwear in the bath after being sceptical about it's effectiveness. Thank goodness I did! I think they'd probably be ok for the end of my period so only have to sit out a few days of swimming rather than 6 days.

Has your DD tried different brand tampons? I always find lilet teens range much more comfortable than Tampax. Also, I found applicator ones much easier.

I actually use a moon cup now. It feels totally different to tampons as it sits differently. Perhaps worth considering.

But definitely try the period swimwear for this holiday!

Your DD could also take the delay tablets for half of the holiday if your concerned about taking from for a long time.

Thanks again for all the replies.

I'm frantically trying to find some period swim wear that will arrive on Time. No luck so far. Can anyone find any that will arrive by Friday?

wuka.co.uk/collections/period-swimwear/products/wuka-swim-bikini-brief

1st class postage might make it

If swimwear won't arrive on time, she could consider trying different tampons if she hasn't already. Plastic applicator ones, tampax pearl being one brand, are usually comfortable to insert. But obviously it completely makes sense that she might feel uncomfortable trying again after finding them painful before.

You wouldn't get any leaks while you are swimming because the water pressure would stop it. It's the moment you get out that is the problem - you can end up with watery blood running down your legs.

I always used to insert a tampon directly before swimming and then remove it quickly afterwards.

Definitely try to get the period swimwear I’m getting down for my daughter as she’s started this year and so far loves the pants rather than pads for general use anyway. I know primark do the normal one wonder if they have a swimwear range yet.

Amazon? Just had a quick look under period swimwear and there seems to be some options there which would arrive in time?

My teen niece uses them for an hour swimming at the pool a few times a week too, they've been great for that but she has access to private changing rooms and has somewhere to discreetly clean the blood that gets on her body when removing wet costume, she would never use them on the beach because there's nowhere private on a public beach to change into them, and then back into them or to wash any blood off and you'd need more than set if you planned to be in and out of the water all day, you'd need more than one set, she says an hour or so at her heaviest is about the limit for her and sometimes it can feel unpleasant after that hour and there's times she's had to get out and rush because there's been blood on her legs.

Sounds similar to my experience with the normal period pants, they need changing at least twice a day for me so unless I have somewhere clean and discreet to strip my bottom half off and clean myself up I keep them for use at home or use a mooncup doubled up with the pants because after a couple of hours I end up feeling like a toddler with a full nappy.

It's just something to keep in mind OP, they may be great but if she's any kind of heavy and wants to wear her bathing suit all day I think you would want a few sets of swimwear which can work out very expensive and I'd check if there's somewhere private for her to undress and shower at the beach if she's uncomfortable with managing all that under a towel.

Looks to me like the Maui Multi crop top and bikini brief set is available in her size on the modibodi website

www.amazon.co.uk/Boody-Organic-Bamboo-EcoWear-Womens/dp/B07NJH831N/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?crid=1B8P4NKA1BDOR&keywords=period%2Bswimwear&qid=1653399225&sprefix=period%2Bswim%2Caps%2C123&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&smid=AM8LN4J1D9VSG&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzMkZZUjU0QkJLVTQ1JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwOTUxMDI2M0JFUVQ5VFcxOFo0SSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNzQ1Njg3MjNHRTJRWFlONldSRiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX3Bob25lX3NlYXJjaF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl&th=1 These are great

What do you mean nothing can be done, lots can be done,
period swimwear
tampons
Period delay medication
period pants

enjoy your holiday!

@RichTeaCheddars thank you. Have tried this, so fingers crossed!

@JustSmallFry , I'm pretty sure those wouldn't arrive on time unfortunately 😕

@Calmmedownn thank you, but aren't those just underwear rather than swim wear?

@Favouritefruits I wish it was that simple he! 😂 The meds I don't think are a good idea due to her severe PMT, she doesn't like using tampons and the period swim wear might not get here on time. I'm really hoping she gives the tampons another go, but we'll see. It would make life so much easier!

lovelunauk.com/collections/all/products/period-swim-full-brief

lovelunauk.com/pages/shipping

lovelunauk.com/collections/swim/products/period-swim-one-piece
Hope this helps!

Next sometimes sells them online. Next day delivery.

For what it's worth I've taken Norethisterone several times, and haven't noticed any side effects at all - no bloating, my next period being no different to usual - but of course I appreciate everyone's different and you don't want to run the risk of exacerbating your daughter's pmt on holiday. However, my teen daughter, who usually suffers also took it (under GP supervision) and she too had no subsequent problems.

If that's really out of the question, perhaps something else to consider are the 'Beppy' sponge tampons. They're soft and might be easier / less scary than traditional ones perhaps? They're on Amazon, some on Prime for next day delivery.

I do sympathise with her though. I can remember having a heavy period as a young teen on holiday decades ago and not being able to swim. Never mind medical help, my mum wouldn't have even discussed the option of tampons at the time (these were apparently for 'married' women only) or looked to find any solution other than 'it's what women have to put up with" Am so glad times have changed and I do hope you can help your daughter enjoy the pool somehow.