Period Swimwear

[ChristineCricket]

My late primary dd has recently started her periods. She is swimming this term with school and doesn’t want to miss sessions or explain why she would be unable to swim. I have told school, so they would understand.
Have heard that you can now get period swimwear, but a bit sceptical about it. Looks like the period swimwear is only for a bit of light spotting anyway?
So has anyone used these, how good are they and are there any particular brands people recommend.

ps she is young and has some Sen, having trouble getting her to use pads so tampons would not go down well atm!

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If you've found this page in search of swimwear that has been tried and tested by fellow Mumsnet users, you might find our guide to the best swimsuits for women useful. Hope this helps! MNHQ

[Soontobe60]

I would just tell her teacher if she can’t swim because of her period. It’s one thing for a sensible, mature female managing their period when swimming, but it’s quite another for a young, SEN girl in a communal changing room with lots of other girls.

[Bohoboo]

The modibodi swim wear is great. The bikini bottoms can go under another swimming costume or with a pair of little swim/ cycling shorts over the top. My daughter uses these for holiday pool use and school swimming - an absolute game changer. They say light flow but then they can hold a tampon or 2 worth blood so certainly fine for a 30 min school swim session.

[PinkPlantCase]

Yeah sorry OP I don’t think it’s going to work.

A lot of them say they aren’t designed to be used on their own if it’s one of your ‘heavier days’. And in a situation where you don’t know how much hanging around there is, she could be in and out the pool and has to deal with it herself in a communal changing room it seems like a huge ask. That plus if she had any leaks it would be a very difficult environment to deal with that in.

Could you take her swimming at the weekend/when her periods finished on the weeks where she has to miss out on the school swim? Just trying to thing if a compromise where your DD doesn’t feel like she’s missed out.

[ChristineCricket]

Thank you, so maybe I could get the bottoms to go under her usual swimsuit, though she wouldn’t want them to show. The place they go to has individual changing rooms at least.

[pfftt]

I've never had a clear explanation of how they work. How do they 'hold' the blood in? Ti clean you rinse them in water right? So how does the blood not just rinse right on out when you are swimming? And they absorb and 'hold' the blood so they must absorb swimming pool water too. I just don't get it

[Bohoboo]

I would love to know how the technology works too. But my daughter also uses normal period pants and she wasnt light flow when she used them and all good. I was very apprehensive initially but so glad we 'risked' it. Maybe try them in the bath or take her swimming when on her period first so you know you can trust them. So wish they existed when I was younger. We have used them at centre parcs, holiday pool and school swimming without any issues. But I would use modibodi as good quality

[PinkPlantCase]

@pfftt

I've never had a clear explanation of how they work. How do they 'hold' the blood in? Ti clean you rinse them in water right? So how does the blood not just rinse right on out when you are swimming? And they absorb and 'hold' the blood so they must absorb swimming pool water too. I just don't get it

From what I read they claim to be waterproof so I’m assuming water can’t get in from the outside to the crotch area. But there’s so much movement with swimming that it’s difficult to see how it works.

Anyway I generally find that I don’t bleed much when I’m in the water it’s when I get out that it all comes 😳

[PerryMenno]

@pfftt

I've never had a clear explanation of how they work. How do they 'hold' the blood in? Ti clean you rinse them in water right? So how does the blood not just rinse right on out when you are swimming? And they absorb and 'hold' the blood so they must absorb swimming pool water too. I just don't get it

Yes they're designed more for containing the blood when you are out of the water and sitting around etc.

I have the modibodi ones and they do the job. OP if your daughter is struggling with pads, their regular period pants could be worth a try.

[pfftt]

@PerryMenno but all the websites say they are for in and out of the water. Under the 'how they work' section they just talk about special layers but this doesn't explain in the slightest how blood is absorbed but water isn't. Water gets everywhere when you swim. No swimsuit can keep water out. So whilst the special layer is absorbing blood it must also be absorbing water.

[pfftt]

I have a horrible suspicion that most of the blood is actually getting washed away whilst swimming just like it is when you rinse them and not remaining in the swimwear at all

[Fantina]

Well my DD uses one for swim training as do her pals (competitive swimmers)

They use ModiBodi and Wuka ones.

I would definitely get your DD one, I don’t want my daughter to think that having a period is a reason to miss exercise. She doesn’t like tampons.

[PerryMenno]

@pfftt

I have a horrible suspicion that most of the blood is actually getting washed away whilst swimming just like it is when you rinse them and not remaining in the swimwear at all

Yes, I was agreeing with you! I have 2 pairs, they are most definitely not watertight.

[BergamotandLime]

Surely they work the same way that kids swim nappies work?

[ChristineCricket]

@BergamotandLime

Surely they work the same way that kids swim nappies work?

But swim nappies are just to hold in poo, the wee gets washed away in the water, that’s what chlorine is for 🤢

[hearthelp]

I wore these on a light day and got out the pool and was leaking down my leg. Really don't recommend

[Arucana]

I just use period pants now instead of pads or tampons.
For swimming I use clean parried pants under a swimming costume. Works fine for me and never had a link and my periods can be quite heavy. I make sure when I get that I go straight to get changed into clean, dry period pants.

[Arucana]

I have modibodi 24 hour pants. Never show under my costumes although I don’t wear skimpy ones.

[HyggeTygge]

@PerryMenno

Yes, I was agreeing with you! I have 2 pairs, they are most definitely not watertight.

Yes surely this is the case? It can't absorb blood but not water unless it's like sealed to your body!

[Bohoboo]

There is definitely a difference between period pants and period swimwear

[pfftt]

@HyggeTygge @PerryMenno they would have to be so tight that you would lose circulation in your legs 😂

[Passthecake30]

My dd wore these on hols last year. When she was in the pool for hours, and then went straight to the shower after there was barely anything. When she sat on the sunbed after for an hour there was. So my thoughts are that flow is reduced in water and they catch it coming out. She happily wears them on holiday but hasn’t agreed to wear them for school (communial changing rooms)

[pfftt]

@Passthecake30

My dd wore these on hols last year. When she was in the pool for hours, and then went straight to the shower after there was barely anything. When she sat on the sunbed after for an hour there was. So my thoughts are that flow is reduced in water and they catch it coming out. She happily wears them on holiday but hasn’t agreed to wear them for school (communial changing rooms)

How do you know that whilst in the water it was just washed away and that's why it seemed there was so little in the swimsuit?

[kitsuneghost]

I had swimming the night after I started. I just used tampax and it was fine. Are people kind of anti tampax these days? Is it a fear thing?

[PatChaunceysFruitCake]

OP, my DD uses modibodi swim pants as recommended by others on this thread.

I have a referral code if you'd like a discount.

When she goes swimming with her primary school she wears her costume under her uniform with a sanitary towel in the swim knickers. She removes the towel when getting changed at the pool, swims and then puts a pair of normal modibodi on.

The used towel and the swim pants go in a modibodi wet bag to take home.

DD started her periods at 9 so I feel your pain but this has been working well for us. DD also swims with a club so swimming on her period has been something we've dealt with from the start.

Luckily DD doesn't need to use a communal changing room either with school or at her club.

@kitsuneghost I think it is fear but also age, they are so young now. As I say DD was 9. I've used tampons most of my adult life but I think I was about 14 the first time I felt confident enough to try. I expect DD will get to grips with them in the next few years.

[kitsuneghost]

Just to clarify I was 10 at the time and so didn't find age an issue.