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Preteens

Parenting a preteen can be a minefield. Find support here.

Original poster

11 y/o - periods - swimming . . .

18 replies

Takver · 16/10/2013 11:48

What do your preteens do? Do they use tampons - dd is a bit phased by the idea atm (only just started) but her main hobby is lifesaving/ swimming/ surfing so going to be a bit restrictive if she only uses pads.

I'm trying to encourage re tampons, but unhelpfully I've never used them myself - started my periods in the era of worries about toxic shock syndrome, then got all evangelical and political about reusable sanpro as an older teenager so its been washables/mooncup for the last 25 years.

Was alternatively wondering about a sponge just for swimming - maybe easier to put in than a tampon? (Or indeed all the time, I guess, but I always found they leaked horribly other than when bleeding very lightly)

Helpful thoughts anyone?

OP posts:
TiddlerTiddler · 16/10/2013 11:57

I feel for your DD. It was part of the reason why I stopped swimming in the end. My mum said you can't use tampons until after you had a baby! I was so embarrassed my swimming just faded away :(

But I am back in the water! And I swim regularly now. I use tampax. I would generally use super or super plus just to be safe. But that's me, maybe she will need less to start off with??

I would say to allow a little extra time than normal before swimming so she can make sure she goes to the loo just before she gets in and the tampon should last the session no problem I would have thought.

Sometimes nowadays I am more prone to "flooding" and I might miss a session if it co-incided with a particularly heavy day. Nothing bad as happened, I just worry it might!!!

Original poster
Takver · 16/10/2013 11:59

Ah, different problem - she's not keen on trying tampons at all atm - she's only just started her periods.

OP posts:
YDdraigGoch · 16/10/2013 12:02

Apart from the days when she's very heavy, I would think she'd be OK in the water for an hour without using anything. As long as she legs it to the toilet when she gets out.
Otherwise, no solutions other than tampons, and I can understand why she'd not be keen on using those. When she does want to try them though, get the really slim tampax ones - with applicator. Much easier to insert.

GobblersKnob · 16/10/2013 12:04

Would you not consider getting her started with a cup? I use a Meluna a small, soft one as I have an oversensitive fanjo, they also do a mini which is even smaller, so would be very easy for her to use.

Original poster
Takver · 16/10/2013 12:05

I was thinking that, ddraiggoch. I don't remember not swimming at all as a teenager - I think I just was OK while in the water.

OP posts:
Original poster
Takver · 16/10/2013 12:06

I did suggest it gobblersknob, but got a very definite Hmm face. I guess that's why I was wondering about sponges, didn't know if they would be less impactful, if that's the way to put it

OP posts:
YDdraigGoch · 16/10/2013 12:07

My DDs did, and so did I. It's fine for most days of a period.

Lottie4 · 16/10/2013 14:05

My daughter hasn't started yet, but is adamant at the moment she doesn't want to use tampons. Perhaps, you could suggest buying one of the other options for her to try out in her own time but that there's no pressure. That way, she has another option and can work out what she wants most, ie use another method and go swimming or miss out occasionally.

specialsubject · 18/10/2013 21:02

no tampon or other internal protection, no swim. She will NOT be ok for an hour in the water, she will bleed in it. This is disgusting and embarrassing. Those who did it perhaps didn't see or care.

sorry, it's biology and life. There is a myth going round that bleeding stops in the water, but only those with no science at all believe that.

YDdraigGoch · 19/10/2013 00:32

Oh special. Of course bleeding doesn't stop when you're in the water. But it doesn't flow out of you so fast that you can't spend an hour without protection on your non-heavy days. I always did this when younger, and so have DDs. There's so much wee and snot etc in swimming pools anyway, it makes no odds.

PrimalLass · 19/10/2013 00:34

I used tampons at 11, from my first period.

fortifiedwithtea · 19/10/2013 00:45

My 15 yo DD has always given me the Hmm face about using tampons too but she's come round to the idea in the last couple of months.

I got one out the packet, explained to her where to hold the applicator, how far up to push it blah blah, she was very Blush

And she still got it wrong and came hoping round the room, telling me it was agony obviously not put it in far enough and couldn't pull it out. Despite taking biology at GCSE she hadn't taken into account that the vagina slopes backwards towards her bum not straight up to the sky Confused

Proving teens don't know everything and I'm a bit crap at explaining stuff Grin

littleblackno · 19/10/2013 00:57

Oh God please don't let her go into the water with nothing, I can't imagine anything worse than discovering that you have leaked - which will happen at some point I'm sure. I know there is loads of other snot/wee etc in the pool but it's not bright red an running down your leg Blush . She will either have to use something internal or not go. She only has to have it in for an hour then back to pads when she gets out.

Original poster
Takver · 19/10/2013 14:45

Well, I've got her a sponge, its super soft & squishy, suggested she has a play in a nice warm bath (after doing the dental floss trick to avoid any possibility of losing it . . . though my experience is they just slide out when full anyway). I think probably a much safer starting point than tampons after your story fortifiedwithtea Grin

OP posts:
specialsubject · 23/10/2013 22:00

this thread reminds me why I went off swimming pools.

so because they are full of excrement, a bit more bodily fluid makes no difference? Do you also teach your kids that if a place is covered in litter, it is ok to drop more?

lovely. Because the words I would like to use would probably get me banned.

morethanpotatoprints · 23/10/2013 22:10

Takver.

This is still the era of worries about toxic shock syndrome, please monitor your daughter initially when she first starts using tampons.

I have written about this on several threads before and wouldn't want to alarm people but I would love the companies to give a larger warning on their packs.

Luckily, I was admitted to A&E but had I not had the sense to do this myself probably wouldn't be here now.

There is nothing wrong with tampons for young girls and there are even special packs now OP, but likewise I will have the same problem with my dd soon, she enjoys swimming.

Original poster
Takver · 25/10/2013 12:02

Thanks for the warning, morethanpotatoprints. I've read around quite a bit, and I think sponges are less risky than tampons, as they are much less absorbent.

OP posts:
purpleroses · 27/10/2013 07:14

I struggled with tampons when I was young until someone suggested the non-applicator ones -like lillets. They're a little shorter than most others and I actually found it much easier than messing around with the funny applicator system. Might be worth a try.

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