To think the sample girls pack from the school nurse was totally inappropriate.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Dd wanted a private talk this morning. Turns out that in Friday they had the puberty talk and were given a pack. Except they ran out of time so no time to discuss how to use the products.

There were a couple of always panty liners, three Always towels a normal one, a night one and a "silk" one. They were huge. I can't see dd bring able to wear a leotard in one of those.

Then there were two Tampax Compact (the ones with plastic applicators) one Regular Yellow one & one green Super one. As if a year 6 child will be able to insert one if those. When I was at school we were given a same of the special lites ones. They could put her off for life.

Luckily I had anticipated this and a couple of months ago bought a lovely little make up style case by Lillets contains various if their teen products. Smaller child sized towels but that are supposed to be extra absorbent and small easier to insert tampons.

I know they were free samples but really!!'n

[ZZZenagain]

I don't think it was entirely inappropriate but it is a shame they ran out of time and didn't get round to discussing how to actually use the products

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Dd has been suffering from occasional tummy cramps so that's why I thought things might be imminent.

I'm guessing at her new school they will be well equipped to help the girls with this especially as a lot of them board.

[valiumredhead]

I don't understand your problem OP

[Picturesinthefirelight]

The lilets were recconendstion on mumsnet. Apparently they are more absorbent but smaller so more discrete.

[ToysRLuv]

I was nearly the size I'm now - only about an inch or two off (I'm tallish now), so I would have laughed "daintily" at the teen size towels.

[pointythings]

DD1 got her sample last year, but has always known about periods because I've never made a secret of them. She's 5'5'' and a size 6, developing a definite figure so it isn't going to be long - which is why she has a couple of adult size pads in her backpack at all times. She knows what tampons do but doesn't want to use them yet - I didn't either, not at first, until the swimming issue came up (we had a lido nearby, think long hot summer days with friends) and I bit the bullet.

[FiaGrace]

A slight aside but a genuine question - can someone please explain why some mothers wouldn't want their daughters to use a tampon and would insist on a towel? It's been mentioned up thread and I've heard it a number of times but have never understood it (assuming the daughter is happy to use a tampon).

I started my periods aged 9 and was given the choice by my Mum (although I'd already chatted with my older sister about the pros and cons). I also did a lot of sport/gymnastics/swimming and so having a choice made sense.

I'm honestly not wanting to start a fight, I'm just interested

Thanks

[valiumredhead]

They should give out info for moon and sponges as well, and washable pads

[pointythings]

I use supermarket own brand at the moment btw as I refuse to use the scented crap.

[catlady1]

YABU. I started my periods aged nine, and they were most certainly not light. I used the biggest tampons my mum could find, and pads as well, for fear of leaking through my trousers at school. Young girls have enough things to feel inadequate and abnormal about, being an early starter or having heavy periods surely needn't be two more.

[exexpat]

By this point in year 6 some of them may already have been having periods for a year or more. I started using tampons not long after my periods started, and soon found that the regular ones weren't enough for the heavy days or overnights.

If they had only put super ones in, that might have been inappropriate, but the mix sounds fine to me.

[NewAtThisMalarky]

My daughter has always used normal sanitary products. I can't see anything wrong with what they were given.

[jammiedonut]

What a strange thread! I never even knew they did a teen range. I started at 10, when I realised what was happening my bed looked like a crime scene, so ended up wearing night time pads as standard and moved onto tampons when someone took the time to explain how to use them. Lucky mum didn't think it odd that I needed the bigger tampons as she understood it was about flow not size of your vagina. I remember the starter pack we were given in year 7 didn't contain tampons though so times certainly have changed.

[JohnnyUtah]

YABU. I never used anything other than normal size stuff. Yellow tampax and big fat pads, they weren't as thin then as they AR enow.

[Mrsfluff]

My DD started her periods at the very beginning of yr 6, she was barely 10. Unfortunately, her periods were both heavy and painful from day one, as well as regular as clockwork. I agree with a previous poster that it is unfortunate that the school ran out of time, but I don't agree with OP that the products were inappropriate.

[ComtessedeFrouFrou]

Another one who wore tampons from her second period (aged 12). I was using super sizes tampons for my twice-monthly periods shortly afterwards.

My DSis and I baffled my DM, who had only ever had fairly light periods.

Now I use a mooncup, but I can see that one of those would be inappropriate and faintly terrifying for an 11 year old.

[Cravingdairy]

It really isn't the school or the company's job to give your daughter free products she can use with a leotard.

They should have talked through the options properly, but the items sound absolutely fine to me.

I don't understand the petite vs plump thing. What difference does that make?

[LondonBus]

YANBU, but I always like a freebie.

You sound like a lovely mum to have already bought some appropriate products.

Don't girls write off to lillets on forms found in magazines anymore. It's what we did in the 80's. Even those starer ones wouldn't go up my fanjo properly.

[PlentyOfPubeGardens]

I think they should, Valium, seriously.

I remember the brick-size things! That big and they still leaked down the sides.

Dsis who is two years older than me didn't even get stick ons - they were given a belt and looped towels.

If I'd been given teeny tiny 'teen' products I'd have thought there was something seriously wrong with me and my lumpy torrential flow.

[valiumredhead]

Why is a tampon ok for an 11 year old but not a moon cup? Serious question. If she is used to using tampons is there any reason she couldn't use a moon cup?

[Jestrin]

I haven't read the thread through, so apologise but the first few posters mentioned the 'teen range' . Can you tell me exactly what they are called? DD is 10 but started puberty a year ago. I have searched Tesco and Sainsburys for sanitary wear that would be suitable for when the time comes. Nothing suggests 'teen range' to me. Just the usual packs. Many thanks.

[exexpat]

Jestrin - here is the lil-lets teen stuff.

[nooka]

Helping your dd to put pads in their knickers is simple and easy, and the only risks tend to be about leakage. Putting in tampons (IMO/E) is much harder to demonstrate and there is always the concern about toxic shock. Personally I think that getting your period is a pretty big deal with just the simplest protection, so I'd always start with towels, plus I think it's a good idea to get a feel for your cycle first. I have a feeling I've seen some advice somewhere suggesting waiting six months or so before starting with tampons which made sense to me, but I doubt was based on any evidence.

I offered my dd both options, but as I don't wear tampons personally (as I've always found them very uncomfortable) I wasn't able to give her very good advice on practical usage. Tampon questions also are a bit more intimate, so I would suspect that is probably the source of the reluctance.

[valiumredhead]

On the moon cup website there is a testimonial from a 13 year old who uses one.

Basically OP, it's not up to you to choose what she uses, she needs to decide for herself.