Mortified after period leak, want to cry

[GraceyBeaker]

I work as a support worker for the family of a young boy with severe special needs. Am working alone with the father this week as the child is off school due to Easter and mum couldn’t get the time off.

I assisted the father with the school run to collect child’s younger sibling, it’s a two-man job to take the special needs child anywhere as he is big and has no sense of danger, he can and does run off. Anyway, the family have a lovely new Tesla, a few weeks old. I am currently on my period, didn’t think anything of it, I only bleed moderately and had replaced my tampon an hour prior. Yet when we got to the school and I got out of the passenger seat, I noticed the stain on the white seats. I immediately panicked but there was nothing I could do, no wipes in the vicinity and the dad was already getting the older child out of the car so I needed to go with them. I spent the whole time outside the school wondering WTF to do and I couldn’t think of anything.

The younger child immediately comes out and we head back to the car. All I could think to do was quickly lick my finger and wipe the stain as quickly as I could whilst the dad put the school bag in the boot, and hope he didn’t notice. I didn’t get rid of the stain completely but managed to lighten it a bit? Then I sat down and make sure to pull my (thankfully very long) coat down.

I knew the stain would be noticed eventually but I guess was hoping the dad would assume it was from the children and perhaps wouldn’t realise it was from me, though probably wishful thinking. They then dropped me off at home and I could see him watching the seat as I got up so he must’ve noticed me trying to clean it.

I am working with them all week, I am absolutely mortified and don’t know what to do. I feel sick. Just need some moral support.

[GrazingSheep]

He’s a man with children. He knows about periods.

[OrchardBlack]

Oh OP, try not to worry. Its happened to me once at a very inopportune time.

I'm sure he won't say anything.

[GraceyBeaker]

I am just absolutely mortified. Had I have been with the mum, I would’ve owned up and asked for a wet wipe to clean it up. But I just couldn’t bring myself to tell the dad

[AngryLikeHades]

No advice but I can very much imagine this happening to me.
xxxx

[FrenchandSaunders]

I'd suggest paying to clean it professionally if you can afford it. Don't stress too much, these things happen.

[TheMostly]

I would’ve just died laughing at the horror of my life. Were the seats leather?

[PersonalityofaVacuum]

I started a thread about a mortifying period situation recently. It happens. In this situation I'd be more embarrassed that the Dad had seen me trying to clean it-I'd have had to have owned up then I think. I might have told a white lie and said it was from a cut finger or such but at least knowing it was blood he'd have more scope for being able to get it off?

[NeedToChangeName]

Oh poor you, I'd be mortified too. I guess 3 separate issues -

(1) are they white leather seats that are easy to wipe clean? If so, embarrassing but no real harm done
(2) if seats will be stained, I'd offer to pay for the car to be valeted / professionally cleaned
(3) is it wise to post info about service users online?

[OhmygodDont]

I think you should offer to have the seat cleaned. Not because it’s period blood as such but because you’ve stained the seat in a brand new car id be mortified be it paint or chocolate or a nose bleed.

[BeardieWeirdie]

If he can afford a Tesla, I’m sure he can cope with a bit of blood. White car seats - wtf?

[pootlin]

I’m gutted for the man’s brand new Tesla tbh.

I always wear a pair of period knickers as well as sanpro as double protection, have never leaked.

I think you were pretty lax tbh, unless you have heavy periods.

[Bobbotgegrinch]

Believe it or not, men know periods exist. We have wives, mothers, sisters, daughters. We know they happen, we've bought sanitary products, we know sometimes leaks happen.

If you'd have asked the wife for a wetwipe to clean it up, then you should have asked the husband

[LifeInAHamsterWheel]

Oh God you poor thing, I know it's natural and the dad obviously knows about periods and we're all grown ups etc etc but still I can totally understand why you're feeling embarrassed. If I was you, I'd speak to the mother about it. Message her if you can't speak in person. Just explain what happened exactly as you explained it here. Offer to have the seat cleaned if it doesn't come off? As embarrassing as it is, I couldn't just leave it and never mention it again.

[GraceyBeaker]

God he must’ve known, I was completely silent on the drive home. He was chatting as normal though so that makes me think either he didn’t notice or he has noticed but didn’t want me to think he had?

I’m getting picked up again 7:30am tomorrow so I expect it will have been cleaned and won’t be mentioned? Oh god but he will be watching to see if I check the seat as I get in the car! Oh god it’s awful awful awful

[Darkdiamond]

This happened to me a few years ago. Was working on a project with a male colleague, sitting together looking at something on a computer. I got up for something and realised the chair was covered in blood. I quickly put all my files on the chair and said id be back in a minute. I came back with some hidden wet tissue and somehow made a slick all-in-one move where I moved the files and wiped the chair in the most maverick stunt I've ever pulled. I managed to clean it while he was he was still working on the computer. I don't know if he ever saw but I put it down to experience and moved past it. I know how cringey it is but my colleague has a wife and a daughter and if he noticed, he has never shown it. It was 5 years ago and I laugh about it now. Just be glad it wasnt diarrhea!

[GraceyBeaker]

Seats are white leather. Ironically he was telling me this morning how great the leather seats are for wiping up after 3 boys

[Tempnamechng]

@BeardieWeirdie

If he can afford a Tesla, I’m sure he can cope with a bit of blood. White car seats - wtf?

Yes this is what I thought. If anyone should pay its the company who employs you. It won't need professional cleaning, no sensible father with children would have seat that couldn't be cleaned, and it wasn't your neglect that caused the damage, it was accidental.

[DSD9472]

So the blood should have been easily removable from the leather by your coat/shirt. I'd be more concerned that if the next person sitting there had cream/beige trousers on, it would clearly show on them! 😬

[Darkdiamond]

@GraceyBeaker

Seats are white leather. Ironically he was telling me this morning how great the leather seats are for wiping up after 3 boys

Honestly don't worry. Assess the damage tomorrow and go for there. He might etc even have put 2+2 together. I don't know if my husband would automatically assume 'period' for a red stain. Leather is actually easier to clean than fabric imo. Do not worry. These things really do happen.

[AmeliaEarhart]

I think tomorrow you should go straight in there with “I noticed when got home that my tampon had leaked; did any get on the car seat?” As breezy as possible (even if you’re dying inside).

[CroccyWoccy]

@pootlin

I’m gutted for the man’s brand new Tesla tbh.

I always wear a pair of period knickers as well as sanpro as double protection, have never leaked.

I think you were pretty lax tbh, unless you have heavy periods.

Well bravo to you. 🙄

I double up and have leaked numerous times. Even when my flow isn’t very heavy I can have sudden gush that comes out faster than gets absorbed. Sometimes pants or pad aren’t sitting in quite the right place to absorb everything. It happens. If you’ve never leaked consider yourself lucky.

[GraceyBeaker]

It wasn’t a huge stain and not bright red either, more of a brownish, tail end of period colour and by the time I had quickly wiped it it was more of a yellowish.

[Darkdiamond]

@CroccyWoccy

Well bravo to you. 🙄

I double up and have leaked numerous times. Even when my flow isn’t very heavy I can have sudden gush that comes out faster than gets absorbed. Sometimes pants or pad aren’t sitting in quite the right place to absorb everything. It happens. If you’ve never leaked consider yourself lucky.

I agree. I had never leaked before until I leaked! Oh to be perfect.

[MaryFuckingFerguson]

I’d be concerned it’s stained.

could you text him and say ‘I’m so sorry I git blood on your seat and was too embarrassed to say. If it has stained, can I pay for it to be cleaned?’