Serpentine fanjo [big blush]

[Mij]

Can one's front bottom go wandering about depending on where you are in your menstrual cycle?

I only ask cos, ahem, I'm having a few problems with tampons.

See, first couple of days, no problem, straight in where it should be, easy peasy.

Next couple of days, encounter what feels like a blockage. Have tried encouraging sideways, forwards, backwards, occasionally works but more often than not have to leave not quite in the right place and then the damn thing makes its way south. Or if I do get it up, you know, there far enough, it's a bit painful.

My grasp of female biology is obviously not what it should be. Although feeling slightly agrieved that no-one warned me I may need a satnav to apply my feminine hygiene product of choice post-baby.

Hmmm, it's normal for your cervix to move around a bit with your cycle, but not during your period.

Does this happen this way every cycle? If so, I'd wonder if it's maybe down to reduced blood flow? The blood acts as a lube in the early days, so you can get a tampon in easily, but when you are bleeding less, there's less lube? (A mooncup might work easier, or waiting a bit between taking one out and putting another in.)

How are you for lube generally?

If this has just happened once, I'd worry you'd accidentally left a tampon up there.

Either way, I'd have a poke about with a finger, or go see your GP ...

Could you have a vagainal septum? I speak as one who has...or rather did, until my (dishy) gynaecologist whipped the 'extra' bit out for me. Now every month, insertion is a breeze!

Sorry, I now have two threads going (impatience is a terrible thing), so also this one here so you'll see someone else suggested a mooncup, also perhaps having a tampon missing in action, plus my responses. And if you have any mooncup tips to add I'd be delighted...

But yes, it's the same pattern every month which is why I'm pretty damn sure I haven't managed to, ahem, over-stuff, so to speak.

Breastfeeding a nearly two-year-old has left me a little lacking in the lube department, I have to admit. When AF slows up, I do often leave it a couple of hours before reinsertion, and that does help but it didn't occur to me that lube could be the only problem. Doh!

A vaginal septum? Now that's a new one on me. I'm guessing not, as insertion is easy the first two days. But I'm really want to know more, now you've brought it up maidamess.

Thank you!

A septum 'down there' is the same as the septum in your nose that divides your nostrils into two canals.

Mine was discovered during the delivery of my first baby...they hacked at it (ouch!!) to allow her out, but left half a pound of giblets hanging around. Are you enjoying your lunch, by the way?

So as tampons were still a problem for me, I had the lot whipped out.

I can't believe the things I share on here.....

Ok I'm going to stick my head above the parapet here and add that I know exactly what you mean!! I feel this extra "bit", which blocks tampon insertion. It feels like a big fleshy lump which is not always there. [embarassed]

Oh god sorry, TMI alert.

I think general giblets can 'slip' down as a result of childbirth.

Just realised 'General Giblets' sounds like an army colleague of Colonel Saunders.

I think some people put a dab of KY on the tampon if there are moisture issues.

If you've had a baby, delivered by the normal means, I think they would have noticed a vaginal septum?

You say that Not quite..but mine was unnoticed for every smear I had from the age of...can't remember until 1995. But you are right, it prob. would have been noticed.

Yep, DD came out the old-fashioned way so I think someone would have noticed. In fact, I'm pretty damn sure I'd have noticed too (sounds painful maidamess), although I didn't really notice I was in labour so perhaps I shouldn't make assumptions about how observant I am...

pmsl at general giblets. I'm imagining all sorts of things hanging down from god knows where now, in epilets! (and good job I'd finished my lunch, thanks for asking)

But isn't this what you love about MN? There can't be a single issue that you can't post about and someone, somewhere will go 'yeah, me too, and this is what helps...'

Zoe Williams wrote something in the Guardian to the effect of, "I bet if you asked how long after taking an E you could breastfeed, someone could tell you."

Right, off to locate the KY and work out how the hell to use a mooncup without ending up looking like I've just disemboweled a guinea pig in the loo.

It does sound like something they would notice at a smear! I don't really know anything about septate vaginas.

I found mooncups to be pretty easy to use, but they're easier to use at work if your loos have private sinks, iyswim.

We have just the one loo at work, so very private (but also quite in demand - you can't spend a second over 4 minutes in there without someone getting impatient), but at home I'm frequently joined in the loo by dd (23 months) who has already has a tampon fetish, so lord only knows what she'd make of a mooncup. Found her walking oddly one day, then realised she had a tampon poking out the bottom of each trouser leg.

Will have to experiment when she can be occupied elsewhere!

You need to see a gynae imo.

I had a prolapse after baby no. 2 . I could still use tampons, but they tended to slip down and I couldn't get them far enough in, due to cervix being lower. I also had a bulging bladder into vagina, which meant that there was a lump about 2 inches inside on the front wall.

See someone who can give you a good going over and see what they say!