My 11. 5 year old just got her period, swimming tomorrow evening. What can we do?

[Pumpkinspawn]

Dd Just got her period she has swimming tomorrow evening & I wasn't prepared. She won't wear tampons. What can I get her, I don't want her missing it as I don't want her to see her period as a huge event just something we get on with with a few adjustments. Tia

I had this with my dd in the summer I could not buy any period swimwear in the shops it's soo frustrating I had to order from Amazon for next day!

They are all different. I was 48 kg well into my twenties.

I don’t think 11.5 is young to start periods. My sisters and I all started before then (1 aged 8, my mum did have to request a sanitary bin be placed in the toilets for her year group). But 11.5 is end of primary/ start of secondary and lots of girls had started by then.

OP maybe let your DD try out some of the swimwear in the bath. It could be risky mainly because of unpredictability (I do remember my first periods were quite light but there is no way to tell).

No I was below that weight when I started my period

I was 5 foot 7 and a women’s size 10 at 11 years old when I started my period 🤣 (and stopped growing at 5 foot 8 and a size 12 a year later - I wasn’t overweight back then but had wide hips). Every child is different.

Hope you get it sorted OP with the period swim pants (they didn’t have those in my day so I can’t advise). I hated missing swimming too at that age - and eventually reluctantly tried Lil-lets mini/lites applicator tampons, they turned out to be a lifesaver for a nervous first time user. I think the only equivalent ones they have now are the regular cardboard applicator ones or you have to buy the lite tampons plus a reusable plastic applicator 😢 If your daughter does decide to go down that route in future though, I still think tiny tampon plus applicator is the way to go for the very nervous 😟

I started at 14.5 and was 48 kg for a long time and was always irregular till I pushed up over 50 kg. One reason why I’m not a huge subscriber to bmi .

Agree! 11.5 is a pretty average age to start not on the young side at all.

There are period pants in high street shops now. Definitely in M&S, Superdrug etc
You could get some tomorrow to try under her regular costume.
I think modibodi are considered the gold standard for next time.

They go by measurements not women's sizes. Because obviously young girls usually start their periods before a fully grown adult. They are also less confident using tampons and more likely to need items like period swimwear.

I get your thinking OP in not wanting your daughter to think periods are an inconvenience or that she can’t do her normal things, but I think I’d let her miss this with it being her first ever. It is quite an important milestone and there’s no saying how heavy it might be in the next couple
of days. Interested to see that there’s now more options for going swimming than tampons.

This is my honest feeling too op. I see where you’re coming from but I think it’s fine to explain you were needing to get the kit organised.

Of course if she doesn't want to use tampons that's fine and her choice. No idea why they'd be inappropriate though.

Just let her miss the swimming

Are you being a competitive Mum and insisting she needs to go? Off so, give her a break, as the first period is a big moment to deal with

I think they are tricky to get used to at first. When you’ve never used them the instinct is to clench that area when trying to put them in. It’s best done not under time pressure. Also I think sometimes people think it’s good to use pads for a bit to get a concept of flow volumes etc. Once it’s all second nature it’s hard to remember how little you know at first.

We bought a period Swimsuit- it's good but dd only trusts it on the lighter days of her cycle. It still helps a lot though and she doesn't miss as many sessions as she would without it. www.modibodi.co.uk/products/teen-swimwear-racerback-one-piece-light-moderate-black-po?variant=42061504315446

M&S has period swimwear for girls, and also next day delivery (if you order before a certain time, but I think it’s a bit late for delivery tomorrow now).

We got Next period pants for Dd.

We took them on holiday in case she started her period then and had thought she could wear them under her swimwear if it did happen while we were away.

I would pick up some period underwear from M&S tomorrow and she could wear that under her swimwear for now.

Why are people not ready the op?
Competitive mum?! The daughter wants to go swimming!

I would miss it.

My first period went from spotting to very heavy within the first 2 days and stayed that way until I had my first child.

If it wasnt her first you could have a decent guess as to how it will go, but as its her first, I wouldnt risk it. If she wont wear tampons, I wouldnt risk it personally.

I started in exactly the same way! Age 11, day before a big swimming event. I was really worried but like in this case it was only light spotting. My mum convinced me I would be fine to swim anyway and she was right - no bleeding at all in the water. Water actually stops the bleed even when it’s normal flow which is why you can bath without any sanpro. Obviously that might not be reassuring enough for your daughter OP but if you can get hold of period swimwear then with only spotting I think she’d be 100% fine to race, no need to miss out.

It might not. My first one barely got beyond that. Fingers crossed!

Thanks everyone, in my panic I said she was 11.5, she's actually 12 at Christmas 🙈 She's tall for her age 5 ft 4, very slim a size 6. I'm kicking myself for not being more organised. Yes she's wants to swim, she loves it. It's not me being a competitive mum. However I do want her to embrace this stage very positively & not view it as the limiting monthly event that it is..

Longer term have a look at Funkita secure costumes. Unless it is heavy then she should be fine to train with just a normal costume, but let her coach now (ours always wants to know when things like this happen so they can keep an eye on them)

Thanks I'll look at those. It was only a couple of drops so it may be a very light one..

The period swimwear sounds great, but given it's her first period and could get heavier, and some of the comments from swimming mums saying it can flood a bit on exiting the pool, I personally would see if she could try a tampon maybe in addition to be extra safe?

If this was my daughter, I'd worry that an unforeseen heavy flow or leak might happen in front of lots of people at the gala and that my daughter would be mortified/ distressed.

What does your daughter think OP? She wants to swim so it's not putting her off going - does she have a preference? If she's a keen swimmer it may be a good idea to get used to internal protection from the start?
The plastic applicator ones are very easy to do for a first one.

Do let us know how it goes!!