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Original poster

Can you swim in a pool with period swimwear

25 replies

PurpleO · 14/07/2023 07:01

I was due to go swimming today and I have period swim wear from Primark. I bought them thinking they might be useful when the flow is light at the end of a period. I don't wear tampons unfortunately and I struggle with a cup unfortunately too. Will the period swim pants help today or will I avoid the pool.

OP posts:
DustyLee123 · 14/07/2023 07:37

I thought that they were designed for that ?

Doggymummar · 14/07/2023 07:38

I would have thought that's what they are for

Whu · 14/07/2023 07:42

It does depend on your flow. If it’s a light day it’s fine. But they aren’t designed for heavy days.

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Original poster
PurpleO · 14/07/2023 08:01

I'm just starting the period today so it's likely to get heavy later. Thanks for the replies. I will avoid the pool.

OP posts:
marcopront · 14/07/2023 08:08

Whu · 14/07/2023 07:42

It does depend on your flow. If it’s a light day it’s fine. But they aren’t designed for heavy days.

Some of them are

UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername · 14/07/2023 08:17

I wore period swimsuit bottoms to a waterpark in Orlando a few months ago. I was nervous the whole day and constantly checking myself, but they actually worked really well and I didn't have any issues.

Beachhutnut · 14/07/2023 08:26

Of course. Why else would you buy them?

Startyabastard · 27/08/2023 13:53

Does anyone know how they work? I can't imagine how they trap the blood because the fabric will be wet. Maybe it's alpt of good fabric engineering

ForensicFlossy · 27/08/2023 14:01

My dd used a period swimsuit on holiday last year and she has quite heavy periods, it worked brilliantly and had no issues at all.

fluffiphlox · 27/08/2023 14:04

I’m another one who wonders how these things work. Are you then hanging around in blood soaked wet swimwear? Sounds revolting.

Shady23 · 27/08/2023 14:06

fluffiphlox · 27/08/2023 14:04

I’m another one who wonders how these things work. Are you then hanging around in blood soaked wet swimwear? Sounds revolting.

You get out and change after a swim into a new pair. Or period knickers and shorts if you're not wanting to be in swimwear

fluffiphlox · 27/08/2023 14:08

Shady23 · 27/08/2023 14:06

You get out and change after a swim into a new pair. Or period knickers and shorts if you're not wanting to be in swimwear

Show quote history

OK. So why do people choose these over tampons, cups etc? Is it an ecological thing?

allofthelove · 27/08/2023 14:12

My 11 year old has a modi bodi swim suit, works no issues.

InterFactual · 27/08/2023 14:14

You won't get clots floating behind you but if you swim in them and it's a medium- heavy flow day then you will leave a mark on the bench in the changing rooms afterwards .

I hate how confident people are with these simply because the manufacturers say they're hygienic. The fact is they're not. If the makers were so sure then why do you only ever see them in dark colours, never in bright white?

It's like baby swim nappies with a neoprene set of pants over the top. All they do is contain solids but everyone knows the wee gets out - the nappy is soaked in pool water when you strip them off so what goes in must also be able to seep out. Society has simply decided to accept that a small amount of baby wee is acceptable and that the chlorine must deal with it. I personally dislike the idea but that's just the unspoken agreement everyone seems to have come to on the baby nappy issue. Period pants are the same. If you point out how the blood will seep out over time then you get torn to shreds for being "scared of a bit of blood" and "period phobic". 🙄

Shady23 · 27/08/2023 14:22

@fluffiphlox for me it's because tampons leak and I can't face a cup if it's a bad pain day. Internal protection seems to make my pain a lot worse (waiting for gynae investigation)

Redwinestillfine · 27/08/2023 14:44

I hate tampons. Never wear them also not great for the environment and risk of toxic shock etc. I love period knickers, so easy, and reusable. The period swim wear is just an extension of this. No issues with leaking and keeps things in for the few hours tops in the pool. I wish they'd had them when I was a kid.

Startyabastard · 27/08/2023 22:09

If the period swimwear works, it works, but I really don't get it. I would just think that the soaked (with blood) fabric would merge with the water.

ShirleyPhallus · 27/08/2023 22:14

I really don’t understand how these work, they cannot possibly keep the blood in

ChristmasKraken · 27/08/2023 22:16

InterFactual · 27/08/2023 14:14

You won't get clots floating behind you but if you swim in them and it's a medium- heavy flow day then you will leave a mark on the bench in the changing rooms afterwards .

I hate how confident people are with these simply because the manufacturers say they're hygienic. The fact is they're not. If the makers were so sure then why do you only ever see them in dark colours, never in bright white?

It's like baby swim nappies with a neoprene set of pants over the top. All they do is contain solids but everyone knows the wee gets out - the nappy is soaked in pool water when you strip them off so what goes in must also be able to seep out. Society has simply decided to accept that a small amount of baby wee is acceptable and that the chlorine must deal with it. I personally dislike the idea but that's just the unspoken agreement everyone seems to have come to on the baby nappy issue. Period pants are the same. If you point out how the blood will seep out over time then you get torn to shreds for being "scared of a bit of blood" and "period phobic". 🙄

You think only babies in nappies wee in the pool? I hate to break it to you, but plenty of older children and adults are doing it too (even though they shouldn't). Swim nappies and the neoprene covers are purely to contain poo, that is literally their only purpose. It's not unspoken, nobody has ever pretended they contain babies' urine.

And as for the period blood issue, do you think a tampon contains every drop of blood? Of course it doesn't. What about if someone has a cut somewhere on their body? Swimming pools have loads of bodily fluids in them, it is the whole purpose of the chlorine that gets added, to make that safe.

Circumferences · 27/08/2023 22:16

I'd have thought period swimwear would be about as useful as just going in with nothing and leaking yourself into the pool.

If you can't use tampons or moon cups, surely just avoid the pool.

Circumferences · 27/08/2023 22:20

ChristmasKraken · 27/08/2023 22:16

You think only babies in nappies wee in the pool? I hate to break it to you, but plenty of older children and adults are doing it too (even though they shouldn't). Swim nappies and the neoprene covers are purely to contain poo, that is literally their only purpose. It's not unspoken, nobody has ever pretended they contain babies' urine.

And as for the period blood issue, do you think a tampon contains every drop of blood? Of course it doesn't. What about if someone has a cut somewhere on their body? Swimming pools have loads of bodily fluids in them, it is the whole purpose of the chlorine that gets added, to make that safe.

Show quote history

That attitude is so rank.

I've never pissed in a swimming pool and none of my children have either.

Babies, sure, no-one cares about baby piss. But if I knew other adults and their children were deliberately pissing in a public swimming pool I'd get the hell out.

caringcarer · 27/08/2023 22:24

Best bet is to wear a tampon. You can put it in with ky jelly for comfort. Then wear period swim wear on the top.

mikado1 · 27/08/2023 22:31

I remember being told as a young teen that your period stopped when in water! Does anyone else remember that?!

trivialstuff · 27/08/2023 22:51

"I've never pissed in a swimming pool and none of my children have either. "

How can you possibly be so deluded to think you KNOW that your children have never pissed in a pool?? Seriously?!

OneMoreCookieMonster · 27/08/2023 23:06

mikado1 · 27/08/2023 22:31

I remember being told as a young teen that your period stopped when in water! Does anyone else remember that?!

Absolutely! Having your period was not an acceptable reason to miss swimming (school had a pool and we had swim/PE 2x per wk)

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